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After a lot of going back and forth between Preparing and CTC for my dc a few mths ago, I finally decided on CTC. However, I really liked the extension books for preparing and think my ds would enjoy them. So just wondering if they can be read/used for the DITHOR program?
TIA...

I should add that I've never purchased or done the DITHOR program...yet.

some of them probably could be. There are 9 different genres covered in DITHOR. I would pick the ones you like the most and see if it matches up with a genre. For example, you could have them read who is Marco Polo or Louis Pasture for the biography, the Shakespeare Stealer for mystery, Journey to America or Beorn the Proud for historical fiction or adventure, Wolly Mammoth for Non-Fiction, or Aesop's Fables for Folk Tale. I don't know that any of these books would meet the fantasy or humor genre but with DITHOR, it is meant to be done over 2 years per student book. So you could always cover those genres next year. My oldest dd did a couple of the extension pack books last year as part of DITHOR and she is going to be doing the same thing again this year.

Ok, that sounds great! I am sure if I look over the book packs for DITHOR they r equally as good . I think I was encouraged awhile back to get the 4/5 level workbook even though my ds is 6th grade. So would I also need the 4/5 books or the 6/7?

The lower the level of workbooks, the less writing involved. They are covering the same ideas, but less work. So if the child is not a strong writer you want to go down with the workbooks. If they are not a strong reader (you want the books to be fairly easy to actually read) then you go down with the book level. If they are not strong in either you go down with both.

My 11yo 6th grader is doing level 3-4 books (we did the pick and choose route) and the 4-5 workbook because she needs the easier reading level but can handle the written work just fine. My 9.5yo 4th grader is doing level 2-3 books and the 2-3 workbook because she's pretty close to grade level but needs it slightly easier right now.

If you are looking to substitute the extensions pack books from Preparing to use with the DITHOR then you do not need any book packs. You only get those if you planning to use them with the DITHOR workbook. As for the workbook, I use the 4/5 for 5th and 6th grade and save the 6/7/8 for 7th and 8th grade.

As for whether or not to purchase book packs in general - we do actually purchase one book pack per child per year. We school most of the year so even when the HOD level is finished, I am always looking for good books for my kids to read. Over the summer, my kids read whatever books they didn't finish during the year. That is just what we do. And during the summer, I don't do DITHOR. We just read only. We get the book packs because we have really enjoyed their selections immensely and my kids enjoy reading the books they have picked. I also buy all of the extension packs as well for my kids even though they are young. My oldest read several extension pack books from Bigger last summer. She read a few of the extension books from Preparing as well. But as she gets older, I like adding the previous extension books to our shelves because they are usually really good and interesting books.

Ok, wonderful suggestions. Always glad I asked. Thanks ladies!