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Hi,
I am sorting out the best way to do all this next year. I want to stick as close to the guides as possible, not switching out all kinds of things, and I am trying to find the best fit. I am wondering about BHFHG and how well it fits an advanced third grader without much tweaking? My son will be third grade but doing 4th grade language arts and math. I will be doing Teaching textbooks for the math, and DITHOR for language arts (also wondering if the levels in DITHOR are advanced for a third grader and if level 2/3 or 4/5 would be best!). I know I have more questions but thoughts on these should do for now

I forgot to add that my problem is that I think he might fit Preparing better, but I realllly want to do Bigger As well as not start yet into World History. I just don't want it to be too easy for him and I am not sure how to know!

You could easily add in your own level of LA and math to Bigger and it will work great

But DITHOR is not LA it's a literature study.

DITHOR is indeed an excellent reading program that is literature based. The recommendation is to stay at the student grade level for the books you pick, because you are actually teaching your child to analyze and comprehend what they are reading. Your son going into 3 rd grade would be best to start off using level 3 books and level 2/3 workbook to complete. I would say to start there and if you notice it not to be a challenge at all, than move to a higher level book to complete the 2/3 workbook.

As for Bigger, it is a grade program to use with a 3rd grader and being that he is already doing 4th grade work, he would be able to handle Bigger with no problem and gaining great understanding and preparation in this guide to move on to the skills required in the following guides. It is does lay a great foundation and I totally agree with you to start in Bigger!

You can indeed follow up with his own level LA (Carrie recommends R&S and we have found it to be an excellent program to use with our children as it starts very gentle and continues to build on the previous book, becoming very advanced quickly in the upper levels). What LA program have you used so far? Knowing that would help figure out where you dc would place in R&S.

Singapore math is another excellent recommendation of HOD and is indeed advanced, following it's own scope and sequence and it gets more and more challenging to enter into in older grades, from other math programs. If your wanting to switch to use Singapore math to challenge your child in math more, you could do that placement test on their website to see where your dc would place!

I hope this helps you and that you will figure out what works best for your ds.

thank you! All of that is so helpful!

But DITHOR is not LA it's a literature study.[/quote]

Yes, I do realize this and I will add rod and staff and a few other things as well thanks

moedertje wrote:DITHOR is indeed an excellent reading program that is literature based. The recommendation is to stay at the student grade level for the books you pick, because you are actually teaching your child to analyze and comprehend what they are reading. Your son going into 3 rd grade would be best to start off using level 3 books and level 2/3 workbook to complete. I would say to start there and if you notice it not to be a challenge at all, than move to a higher level book to complete the 2/3 workbook.

- thanks that sounds like a great idea

You can indeed follow up with his own level LA (Carrie recommends R&S and we have found it to be an excellent program to use with our children as it starts very gentle and continues to build on the previous book, becoming very advanced quickly in the upper levels). What LA program have you used so far? Knowing that would help figure out where you dc would place in R&S.

He has done his language arts at our co-op charter school with core classes for math and language arts with third grade level curriculum, what level that translates to for Rod and Staff and Singapore is what I am not too sure of, I don't know if those are more advanced and so he would be at a third grade rather than 4th grade level even though he just finished a 3rd grade class... it's the material, you know?

Singapore math is another excellent recommendation of HOD and is indeed advanced, following it's own scope and sequence and it gets more and more challenging to enter into in older grades, from other math programs. If your wanting to switch to use Singapore math to challenge your child in math more, you could do that placement test on their website to see where your dc would place!

I do love Singapore math and I do it for my kindergartener, but I don't feel I am well enough equipped to explain the math at the older levels, I understand it, but I feel like when I explain it I confuse them! I was an English teacher, math isn't my best friend so, I am leaning toward Teaching Textbooks anyway.

I hope this helps you and that you will figure out what works best for your ds.

thank you!

You could use Bigger for 4th grade level, it is usually used for 2-3rd but there are extension books for an older child, and of course his own level of math and LA make it customized to his ability. Also when coming in from another program it is often recommended to start with a lower guide. Easier comprehension and less work to do in terms of notebooking allow the child to get used to HOD methods: narration, notebooking, dictation, thinking analytically and Biblically about what they are studying. It would make your transition easier. Now, if you start with Bigger and this is his 3rd grade year you will finish one guide a year to get into the high school guides in 9th grade. If he is a 4th grader you would not finish MtMM before high school. That's something else to consider.

ETA I see he is a 3rd grader but on 4th grade level for math and LA. Bigger is probably a perfect fit!