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Hi gals! I was needing help getting started. I have an upcoming 3 rd grader and upcoming 2nd grader. We have been using CLE for la and math, but loved the look of this program. I have two other little ones, so far we have been eclectic, piecing together our own curriculum from different places but with my school aged children getting older I'm feeling the need to add in more, and in a more cohesive way. I also need something well laid out, open and go, that included plenty of reading...which lead me here : ) I need help figuring out what all we need to order. I'm thinking we should go with Bigger Hearts for His Glory but am unsure what to order for each child? My ods is a great reader, last year he read Mr.Poppers Penguins and Little House in the Big Woods alone and aloud to give you an idea of where he is at. My yds just learned to read last year. He read some Abeka readers alone and aloud, but has not read a chapter book by himself yet. I think the emerging readers maybe too easy for him, but I'm not sure if the next ones up would be too hard?? I was also wondering if I should get the extension pkg for me to read aloud to them? I'm confused about " storytime"...in the program. If I'm using Drawn Into the Heart of Reading do I need two of the student books? Do I need to add in phonics? CLE included phonics in la, so if I switch over to RS I'm not sure what to expect. I know that you can continue with whatever program you are currently using, but we were looking to change anyway, and after looking at RS, it looked like it might be a better fit. TIA ladies!

Welcome to HOD! Sounds like it may be just the thing for you . Did you look at the placement chart? With kids in 2nd and 3rd grade it might work very well for you to combine them; sometimes it's easiest to seperate them, though, if they're too far apart in abilities. Anyway, with looking to combine you'd usually want to place the younger one really comfortably and then beef things up for the older one as needed. Bigger might be a tough year for a 2nd grader, especially being new to HOD. So, you'll want to check the placement chart and then come back here with more details of their abilities if you still have questions about which guide to order.

Extensions are usually used for a child who is above the level of the guide, but placed there to combine with a younger sibling. They just add some more in depth study to challenge them that corresponds with the things you're already doing with the other parts of your day. So, you may not need them at all if both of your kids place pretty solidly in the same guide and are adequately challenged by the plans already laid out in the guide. Storytime is a seperate box in your guide. There are suggested titles for you to read outloud to them, and then you look in the box for leading the discussions or activities associated with your reading. It's different than the extension pkg. With DITHR there is permission granted on the copyright page to make copies for use within your family-so you can buy one student book and copy the work pages for another sibling to use. I think some families add in extra phonics work, but we don't. We find the R&S along with the activities in the LA box to be enough grammar and spelling instruction that I don't feel phonics is needed after they've learned to read. I think with your younger child you might find he still benifits from the emerging readers. Even if you start in the middle somewhere (he might be past the first few books) they get into short chapter books within that series. My son found a big jump in challenge somewhere around the Christian Liberty Nature Reader. Also there are questions that go along with them to sort of prepare them for more in depth study in DITHR.

Anyway, hope I've answered a few more questions than I created for you Keep asking away, ladies on here are a huge help and encouragement!

Thanks so much! Ok, I'm still confused about adding on the deluxe package for story time. Are the deluxe add on packages for independent reading of the child or for the mother to read aloud to the children??

The deluxe pkgs are for the storytime-you read aloud to the kids. Those are the titles that correspond with the "Storytime" box in your guide. If your looking for boys I'd really recommend the Boy Interest set-my son loves them. In fact, my daughter loves many of them as well-Snow Treasure has been a favorite of the whole family .

You will not need the Extension package, as those are intended for children in the 4th to 5th grade range who need additional, higher-level material to enhance their history and science study in Bigger You will read aloud to them for history, science and storytime. Drawn into the Heart of Reading 2/3 would be appropriate for your older, while the Emerging Readers will strenghten your younger's reading skills-use Drawn into...with your younger only after he has completed all the Emerging Readers. Instructions, follow-up questions, and a schedule for the Emerging Readers is found in the appendix of Bigger. Drawn into...has a wonderful teacher's guide-you need both the teacher's guide and the 2/3 workbook for your older child. You can purchase a book pack or get the $5 book list to take to the library to borrow similar books for Drawn into...and save a little money that way. For handwriting, you have a choice between using a cursive program or using the poetry for copywork in print for 5 to 10 minutes a day (you probably would want to do copywork with the younger, cursive with the older). For math, you have a choice between Singapore 2A/2B with hands on daily lessons in the guide, or 3A/3B with a schedule in the appendix.
To recap you need:
Economy Package (history)
Science Package (science)
Basic Package which includes Singapore 2A/2B, Hymns, Devotional, and Grammar
Singapore Math 3A/3B Textbooks and Workbooks
Your choice of Cursive
Emerging Readers
Drawn into the Heart of Reading Teacher guide and 2/3 workbook, Book Package (Level 2 or Level 3) or Book List
Deluxe Package of your choice for Storytime
On a side note, you can substitute Rod and Staff 3 at a pace of a lesson a day for your 3rd grader Rod and Staff 2 is too easy. Also, HOD recommends doing 2/3 of each grammar lesson orally, reserving only 1/3 for written answers, to keep the daily writing manageable
Hope that helps