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Hi everyone, I'm new here and new to HOD. I have 2 kids, Gabriel (8) and Naomi (1). I was wondering if anyone has used Beyond for 3rd grade? We technically finished 2nd grade around his 8th birthday in December, but he is behind in writing and spelling and I feel that Bigger would be way too much writing for him. Also, I love the book suggestions in Beyond and they seem to be at a 3rd/4th grade reading level, which is where he is right now. I feel like Beyond would be a good place to start using HOD without getting overwhelmed. He is using TT4 for Math and we will use the One Small Square books for Science. Does all this seem like it would be at an appropriate level for 3rd grade? I figure he'll catch up on his writing and spelling in a couple of years when he is ready.
Anyway, I'm glad to be here and excited about starting HOD soon!

I'm sure someone with more experience with Beyond will chime in, but I just wanted to make sure you understood that he doesn't read any of the books in Beyond, you read them to him. The dc don't start reading the science and a some of the history books until Preparing and even then you are still reading the history spines to him. In CTC they take over the reading of the history spines.

Beyond could be a great place for him to gain confidence and learn to work through each assigned skill, in preparation for more writing to come. You might choose one book pack for read aloud time, and another, for him to read to you for the "Reading Choices" box. Be sure to do the storytime activities to prepare for DITHOR in years to come. If you feel he is ready, you could have him copy a line of the poetry, focusing on punctuation, capitalisation, and spelling, all in preparation for dictation in Bigger. These would be short, 5 minute, activities

You can definitely use Beyond for a 3rd grader. If you feel he is ready, you could add the Rod and Staff English 2 book (used in Bigger, just do a lesson a day and do most of it orally) and skip the language arts exercises on day 5. If he is beyond the emerging readers you could go ahead and do DITHOR 2/3 with Beyond. If you plan on using the small square science books, just be aware that several of them are used in upcoming guides. The science in Beyond is well done and corresponds to the history as much as possible. You will soon learn to love how everything is integrated with HOD.

Thanks for the helpful responses!
I was going to pick some books to read aloud and have him read some by himself. I think we will try DITHOR 2/3 and see how it goes. If he's not ready for it, I'd like for him to at least read the extra books 'just for fun'
Thanks for the heads up about the Small Square books being used in later years. We will only use the ones that are not used in other guides. Gabriel loves science and I just want to do something extra with him.
As for adding extra language arts, that's what I'm trying to avoid. He finished Christian Light Publications' 2nd grade English, but didn't retain much. I loved it, but workbooks just aren't his thing and 'making' him do it wears me out
Copywork sounds like a good idea, and we can always use Bible verses for that too! We've done some of A Reason for Handwriting in the past and may go back to that. But I need to keep in mind not to add too much, it'll be a challenge to get everything done as it is (with a 1-year-old keeping me busy!)

Rod and Staff isn't workbook per say. It is a textbook with a lot of review. We have been covering subjects of paragraphs for about a week now, with small additions into the topic each day. You review things at least twice in each unit, which really helps thing stick some. I only make my daughter write things that absolutely need to be written unless we weren't doing copywork/cursive that day (then I have her write 1-2 sentences), and we do it on a white board which she enjoys more than paper.

Irma, I think you are on a good track All three of my boys were different, and it is best to balance the work with success. My youngest ds loved to copy Bible verses, always making up new "scripts"..."robot style", "flower style", "computer writing", "dot letters", etc. If he wasn't doing actual handwriting practice, I was fine with the fancy letters; he was copying scripture and loving it, after all This ds especially loves to have his work on display as well, and that may be a motivator for your ds. Maybe a special frame for extra neat or memorable work and photos of him beside it to keep in an album? He just might enjoy the "evidence" of how far he has come

Thanks for the advice! I will check out Rod & Staff and maybe add it a little bit later when we're settled into our new routine
Gabriel has experimented with making up his own fonts before, I guess I should let him do it more often if it makes him enjoy copywork!

Anyway, I just ordered BLHFHG 5 minutes ago...I'm so excited!

One thing you can do is go through the grammar in the Beyond guide at a faster pace and then do R&S2. That's what we did with my third. Grammar in Beyond is scheduled on the fifth day of every unit. We did it 2-3 days a week and just kept our spot marked with a sticky note.

If writing is an issue then I wouldn't say start DITHOR yet. You could start about halfway through the Emerging Readers, and that would really help solidify his reading and help him get ready for the questions in DITHOR.

That's a great idea, we can definitely speed up the grammar and do something else next I'm also looking at MFW's Language Lessons for Today (Grade 2). I'll have to do some more research before making a decision I'll check out the Emerging Readers as well...tomorrow when I'm not so sleepy! Thanks!

I've used Beyond for two of my 3rd graders-went well! You're never "behind" if you're where your kids need to be!