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In the next week or two we will roll over and start our new school year. I have 3 children and due to their levels I will have 3 guides going this year. RTR, Bigger and Beyond. I am nervous to start wondering how we will fit it all in without schooling all day long( for me at least) and what I will do with the other kiddos while working with each one. My Bigger is not very independent, my Beyond is not at all, and my oldest in RTR feels left out being independent(he also loves to be included with younger kids and enjoys their school as well). I would like for us to start our day out with Bible as a unit instead of broken up, but am afraid it will be choppy and to much to use each child's bible each day-unsure whose to use?
Have any of you have any experience with scheduling science,and history one day a per week and only doing that on those days, like say Tuesday and Thursdays? I was thinking about going this route possible because my children are never ready to stop the books and always ask me to read more than assigned that day.
Any ideas and suggestions are very welcome! Thank You!

First, I have to ask, since you said your Beyond child is not at all independent, if they might not fit well in LHFHG? That would make your day a lot easier.

Second, the point of the days being split up like they are is to give the children small chunks that they can think on and rest with before adding to it. I would think doing everything on one day consistently (in other words not just to catch stuff up that you've missed) would take away the effectiveness of the program.

After that, my advice is to stagger start them. Begin with your RTR child first and have them do school for a week just to make sure they know exactly what they are doing, because that will be very important. Once that child has gotten the rhythm of the day down, start the Bigger child. You would get the RTR child started and then while they are working, do school with Bigger. While the Bigger child is doing things they can do on their own (math, cursive, Bible verse copywork, anything else they can do) you can do school with the younger. Generally I can get finished or close to finished with my Beyond child while my Bigger child is working on things. And my Bigger child is close enough to 9 and a good enough reader that I feel fine assigning the science OR history reading to her for the day if it's an easier/shorter reading. But if you were doing LHFHG with your younger one then you could definitely get done while Bigger child is doing their work.

Last year was our first year with HOD. I had purchased Bigger and Beyond but ended up for the most part just using Beyond for bible, history and science for my 1st grader and 3rd grader. We used Rod and Staff for spelling, and English, and Wordly Wise for vocabulary for the third grader as well. For my first grader I used various workbooks.
I am thinking we may use Bigger for out Bible, History and Science this year and then use the guides separately for all other subjects.
My youngest is 7 and has a very short attention span, he also has TONS of energy and would probably be considered ADHD by most. I should have mentioned I will have to get to his schooling out of the way first or there will be constant interruptions. My other two do very well with entertaining themselves though.

Well in that case I would suggest getting the RTR going and then doing Beyond child first

Thank you for your help, just reading your signature and how many you have going on is inspiring. !

When you say you are going to use Bigger for Bible, History and Science are you talking about including your RTR child with this? So you wouldn't have him do the RTR history or science? I would not recommend that at all. So much of the skill building that is in the guides is built into the history and the science. If he feels like he is missing out on being with the younger ones then you could let him participate in some of the history projects with the younger ones, especially those that work better with multiple dc.

LynnH wrote:When you say you are going to use Bigger for Bible, History and Science are you talking about including your RTR child with this? So you wouldn't have him do the RTR history or science? I would not recommend that at all. So much of the skill building that is in the guides is built into the history and the science. If he feels like he is missing out on being with the younger ones then you could let him participate in some of the history projects with the younger ones, especially those that work better with multiple dc.

I should have clarified the younger two would do the Bigger Bible, History and Science together. My oldest would still do RTR and if time permitted on his own along with his school he would join us. He did CTC and joined us last year in Beyond for Bible, History, and Science. He always has cool stuff to add history is his favorite!

I second the option of stagger starting the guides.
I also recommend looking at the "Let's Share Our Schedules" sticky at the top of the main post, and maybe even a glimpse of some of the weekly check-ins.
Someone on there may have 3 guides about the ranges of yours.
Combining your younger two if they both fit in one guide for the history, etc like you stated is another one.

I am running 3,(and eventually 4), guides. None of my children are independent. My oldest can do math and vocabulary word look up on his own.
Even with that we don't spend over 4 hours a day total. That includes everything, plus a couple extra things we do together. It even includes my oldest joining in on LHFHG since we weren't doing HOD when he was that age. I know with an older guide you might have to add a bit of extra time for the student - not necessarily you.

TrueGRIT wrote:I second the option of stagger starting the guides.
I also recommend looking at the "Let's Share Our Schedules" sticky at the top of the main post, and maybe even a glimpse of some of the weekly check-ins.
Someone on there may have 3 guides about the ranges of yours.
Combining your younger two if they both fit in one guide for the history, etc like you stated is another one.

I am running 3,(and eventually 4), guides. None of my children are independent. My oldest can do math and vocabulary word look up on his own.
Even with that we don't spend over 4 hours a day total. That includes everything, plus a couple extra things we do together. It even includes my oldest joining in on LHFHG since we weren't doing HOD when he was that age. I know with an older guide you might have to add a bit of extra time for the student - not necessarily you.

It is really nice and a relief to hear from others running 3 guides or more, and especially since you are able to get it done within 4 hours and not having independent children like me!
Thank you for the information on the sticky and weekly check in. I dug around on here a bit but am not very familiar yet.

Would it be rude or wrong to specifically post for those with RTR, Bigger, and Beyond? I don't want to overwhelm the board with just me...
I know that may sound funny. I haven't had much time to spend on here in the last year doing HOD. We barely survived last year.

kclj1436 wrote:Would it be rude or wrong to specifically post for those with RTR, Bigger, and Beyond? I don't want to overwhelm the board with just me...
I know that may sound funny. I haven't had much time to spend on here in the last year doing HOD. We barely survived last year.

If you go to the Let's Share Our Schedules and then put rtr bigger in the search box, you will get a few that used those two together. A few were using a third guide in there as well.

StephanieU wrote:

kclj1436 wrote:Would it be rude or wrong to specifically post for those with RTR, Bigger, and Beyond? I don't want to overwhelm the board with just me...
I know that may sound funny. I haven't had much time to spend on here in the last year doing HOD. We barely survived last year.

If you go to the Let's Share Our Schedules and then put rtr bigger in the search box, you will get a few that used those two together. A few were using a third guide in there as well.

AWESOME! Didnt realize a search worked like that! Thank YOU!

Carrie wrote:

[quote]Shaw's Grade 7 Revival to Revolution Schedule:
6:30-7:00 Make Bed/Clean up Room/Dress/Groom (30 min.)
7:00-745 Pick Orders/Tape Boxes/Tear Down Boxes (45 min.)
7:45-8:00 Eat Breakfast (finish eating during first subject as needed)
8:00-8:20 Bible Quiet Time Box (20 min. morning room)
8:20-8:25 Dictation (5 min. kitchen table)
8:25-8:45 Grammar (2/3 orally or on white board, one exercise on paper) (20 min. kitchen table)
8:45-9:10 Reading About History Box (25 min. morning room)
9:10-9:25 Independent History Box/Research (15 min. morning room)
9:25-9:45 Rotating History Box (Poetry/Geography/Timeline/Worthy Words) (20 min. morning room)
9:45-10:05 History Project Box (20 min. kitchen counter)
10:05-10:25 State Study (20 min. kitchen counter)
10:25-10:45 Play with Beau (20 min.in playroom/living room with games from kitchen cupboard)
10:45-10:55 Mom goes over Shaw's work from A.M. with him (In reality, this took 20-25 min.)
10:55-11:15 Biblical Worldview/Music Appreciation (20 min. morning room)
11:15-11:45 Math(I go over the lesson and am available during the assignment time.) (30 min., as the year wore on it became 45 min. kitchen counter)
11:45-12:15 Drawn into the Heart of Reading or Creative Writing(30-40 min. morning room)
12:15-12:40 Science: Exploration Education (25 min. kitchen counter/on computer)
12:40-1:00 Inventor Study (20 min. morning room)
1:00-1:40 Eat Lunch (40 min. kitchen table)
1:40-1:45 Clear Table/Counters (5 min.)
1:40-2:45 Play Outside for Recess (60 min.)
2:45-3:00 Greek (15 min. kitchen table)

Greyson's Grade 3 Finishing Bigger Full-Speed Schedule.He also began Preparing Hearts full-speed toward the end of the year. The schedule below reflects Grey's Bigger Hearts schedule.
8:30-9:00 Eat Breakfast (We have oatmeal on a kettle on the stove ready for differing breakfast times or eggs in the microwave.)
9:00-9:30 Go back upstairs/Get dressed/Make Bed/Brush Teeth/Pick up Room
9:30-9:45 English (15 min. kitchen table)
9:45-10:05 Storytime (20 min. morning room couch)
10:05-10:45 (All items listed below during this time on morning room couch)
Reading About History Box (5-10 min.)
Bible Story Box (10-15 min.)
Poetry Box(5-10 min.)
Bottom Left Rotating Box (15 min.)
Hymn (5 min.)
10:45-11:15 Play with Beau (30 min. in Grey's room/playroom/or living room - at end of playtime Grey starts Beau on computer)
11:15-11:35 Math (20 min. kitchen table)
11:35-11:45 Spelling/Dictation (10 min. kitchen table)
11:45-12:15 Drawn into Heart of Reading (30 min. living room/with Shaw)
12:15-12:30 Cheerful Cursive (15 min. kitchen table)
12:30-1:00 Science (30 min. kitchen counter - I'm available to help as needed, but we've done it long enough Grey can do much on his own now.)
1:00-1:40 Lunch (40 min. kitchen table)
1:40-1:45 Dust Bust
1:45-2:45 Recess Outside (60 min.)


I sometimes get mixed up with the older guide initials, so I am not sure if this is the one you need . . . Bigger is probably the most teacher intensive guide, so if you have an idea there . . . the other should fall into place more easily. Since Carrie is the one who wrote the guides she is the one who should have the best idea of how long a box should take. I found this on the sticky thread. Hope this helps some.

You've gotten some great advice already and some great insight into looking at schedules. I just wanted to answer one specific thing: I do Bible with my kids at (as we are finishing) breakfast and I do each of the kids' Bible lesson from their guide (except LHTH). We review AWANA verses for the week and then we review Bigger and Beyond memory verses and I go look at the box in the guide for the discussion questions or talk about the passage/character trait. Of course sometimes this involves looking up the character trait. Occasionally the history or something else ties in so we go back and review the memory verse again while doing history later in the day.

That's what I do. I also have a schedule though I admit I am very bad at sticking to it. But it helps my kids to know what they should be doing, though 2 of mine are not independent at all, and my girl in Bigger has short bursts of work she can do independently. Mostly, I work with my girl in Bigger on a few things to get her started (DITHR, English, Dictation) then send her off to do her math, cursive, and finish the English lesson on her own. She does all that, practices piano, and listens to her hymn while I am doing most of Beyond and LHTH with the younger 2. Then the younger 3 get an educational video while I do some of the stuff for Bigger. If needed, I save read-alouds for the afternoon while the youngest 2 nap.

I totally agree, starting 2 (or 3) new guides, you should start them one at a time. It would be very difficult to start them all up at once, because it takes some time to get used to a guide, and for the child to know what they should be doing. If it were me, I would start RtoR for about 2 weeks, and then maybe start the other 2 at once.

I hope this is helpful!

THANK YOU so much for posting this here. I'm still trying to figure out the board . This really helps a lot, as we decide what to use next year.

TrueGRIT wrote:Carrie wrote:

Shaw's Grade 7 Revival to Revolution Schedule:
6:30-7:00 Make Bed/Clean up Room/Dress/Groom (30 min.)
7:00-745 Pick Orders/Tape Boxes/Tear Down Boxes (45 min.)
7:45-8:00 Eat Breakfast (finish eating during first subject as needed)
8:00-8:20 Bible Quiet Time Box (20 min. morning room)
8:20-8:25 Dictation (5 min. kitchen table)
8:25-8:45 Grammar (2/3 orally or on white board, one exercise on paper) (20 min. kitchen table)
8:45-9:10 Reading About History Box (25 min. morning room)
9:10-9:25 Independent History Box/Research (15 min. morning room)
9:25-9:45 Rotating History Box (Poetry/Geography/Timeline/Worthy Words) (20 min. morning room)
9:45-10:05 History Project Box (20 min. kitchen counter)
10:05-10:25 State Study (20 min. kitchen counter)
10:25-10:45 Play with Beau (20 min.in playroom/living room with games from kitchen cupboard)
10:45-10:55 Mom goes over Shaw's work from A.M. with him (In reality, this took 20-25 min.)
10:55-11:15 Biblical Worldview/Music Appreciation (20 min. morning room)
11:15-11:45 Math(I go over the lesson and am available during the assignment time.) (30 min., as the year wore on it became 45 min. kitchen counter)
11:45-12:15 Drawn into the Heart of Reading or Creative Writing(30-40 min. morning room)
12:15-12:40 Science: Exploration Education (25 min. kitchen counter/on computer)
12:40-1:00 Inventor Study (20 min. morning room)
1:00-1:40 Eat Lunch (40 min. kitchen table)
1:40-1:45 Clear Table/Counters (5 min.)
1:40-2:45 Play Outside for Recess (60 min.)
2:45-3:00 Greek (15 min. kitchen table)

Greyson's Grade 3 Finishing Bigger Full-Speed Schedule.He also began Preparing Hearts full-speed toward the end of the year. The schedule below reflects Grey's Bigger Hearts schedule.
8:30-9:00 Eat Breakfast (We have oatmeal on a kettle on the stove ready for differing breakfast times or eggs in the microwave.)
9:00-9:30 Go back upstairs/Get dressed/Make Bed/Brush Teeth/Pick up Room
9:30-9:45 English (15 min. kitchen table)
9:45-10:05 Storytime (20 min. morning room couch)
10:05-10:45 (All items listed below during this time on morning room couch)
Reading About History Box (5-10 min.)
Bible Story Box (10-15 min.)
Poetry Box(5-10 min.)
Bottom Left Rotating Box (15 min.)
Hymn (5 min.)
10:45-11:15 Play with Beau (30 min. in Grey's room/playroom/or living room - at end of playtime Grey starts Beau on computer)
11:15-11:35 Math (20 min. kitchen table)
11:35-11:45 Spelling/Dictation (10 min. kitchen table)
11:45-12:15 Drawn into Heart of Reading (30 min. living room/with Shaw)
12:15-12:30 Cheerful Cursive (15 min. kitchen table)
12:30-1:00 Science (30 min. kitchen counter - I'm available to help as needed, but we've done it long enough Grey can do much on his own now.)
1:00-1:40 Lunch (40 min. kitchen table)
1:40-1:45 Dust Bust
1:45-2:45 Recess Outside (60 min.)


I sometimes get mixed up with the older guide initials, so I am not sure if this is the one you need . . . Bigger is probably the most teacher intensive guide, so if you have an idea there . . . the other should fall into place more easily. Since Carrie is the one who wrote the guides she is the one who should have the best idea of how long a box should take. I found this on the sticky thread. Hope this helps some.