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1. If I use LHFHG in first and my son is reading, where does that fit in the boxes? I see storytime which is me reading to him. Is this where the ER guide comes in? Do I need to get the guide for Beyond also for this year so I can have the ER? Ir do just pick my own book at library?

2. For my state, we will do standardized testing. How do HOD students fair, especially in what PS term "social studies" and science?

Thank you for your help!

Hi there!
Yes, you will want the Beyond guide to follow the schedule and questions for the Emerging readers in the back of the guide. That is what I did for reading for my oldest two and what I will do again when my 5 (almost 6) year old starts LHFHG this fall.

Regarding testing, we have only tested for reading, writing, and math so far, so I am unable to vouch for science and social studies. However, I imagine most HOD students do just fine. My oldest son scored very well last year on his state testing. My husband and I were very pleased. Welcome to Heart of Dakota!

Hi there!
Yes, you will want the Beyond guide to follow the schedule and questions for the Emerging readers in the back of the guide. That is what I did for reading for my oldest two and what I will do again when my 5 (almost 6) year old starts LHFHG this fall.

Regarding testing, we have only tested for reading, writing, and math so far, so I am unable to vouch for science and social studies. However, I imagine most HOD students do just fine. My oldest son scored very well last year on his state testing. My husband and I were very pleased. Welcome to Heart of Dakota!

For testing we use the CAT and only do math, and LA....no science or history.

None of my kids were reading when they entered first grade so I can't help you there....my 10 year old son (in Bigger) in finishing up the ERs. My youngest (age will finish up LHFHG this summer but is not yet ready for the ERs. He will start them sometime during Beyond when he is ready.

If you look at the phonics box on the LHFHG sample you will see it list the two phonics learning to read program options or your own phonics program. Instead of using your own phonics program you could use the ERs from Beyond, and then you would need the Beyond guide for the schedule and questions in the appendix for the ERs. The phonics box is for your children to read to you. The Story time box is the books you will read to them aloud.

We have to administer a standardized test each year. I do administer it myself so I can see the questions, which I find is more useful and helpful as their teacher. I have been alternating between the IOWA and CAT. I plan on just staying with the IOWA at this point, which tends to be a little harder then the CAT. The science and social studies sections tend to be basic and thus far have been the easiest portions of the test. I have administered tests for 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades so far (I don't have to test prior to 2nd grade). My children tend to score very high as home schooled students. HOD has been a portion of their education, and I do think it has helped them in their scores.

What kind of books can he read now? The Emerging Readers start at a second grade level, so I found my daughter needed to spend a semester reading easier books, focusing on fluency, for my daughter. She had all of the phonics rules she needed, but she wasn't a fluent reader. So the ER books were too long for her at the beginning of first grade. But after reading all of the Bob books and many My First and Level 1 I Can Read books, the ER books were perfect for her. Now she loves to read, and I attribute a lot of that too Carrie's book choices in the ER series.
We did buy the Beyond guide when we ordered LHFHG. I actually ordered the Economy package, so we had most of what we needed for two years (to save on shipping).

So i just pick anything before the level 2 books used in emerging reader schedule? I just want to make sure I am not overlooking something that may already be done for me

If your son has already successfully completed a phonics program similar to one of the recommended HOD reading programs, then he should be able to move into the ER's. If a little more of a bridge is needed, you can add the Early Readers Bible before the Beginners Bible. Reading both Bibles makes the transition a little bit easier and comprehension questions are already included in the Early Readers Bible. If your son has not been through a reading program and is not yet ready for the ER's then you will definitely want to spend more time with beginning readers- Bob Books and such. I also highly recommend The Reading Lesson. You do not have to start at the very beginning, but can have your son read through the last page of each lesson which lists the key words learned in that lesson. When he starts having difficulty, you can just start with that lesson and finish out the program. We are on our third trip through TRL and LOVE it!

Thank you!

We are actually in TRL now also and Bob books, etc. I am trying to figure out our next step because there's a curriculum fair in a few weeks and I'd like to have an idea what to look for there For me, going into sale with a plan is must or else I'll get a bunch of stuff that doesn't fit or I'll get nothing at all because I can't decide

scrapper4life wrote:Thank you!

We are actually in TRL now also and Bob books, etc. I am trying to figure out our next step because there's a curriculum fair in a few weeks and I'd like to have an idea what to look for there For me, going into sale with a plan is must or else I'll get a bunch of stuff that doesn't fit or I'll get nothing at all because I can't decide

When you finish the Reading Lesson and Bob books you will most likely do just fine with the Early Reader Bible. After the Early Reader Bible you will most likely be able to move right into the Beginner Bible. The Early Reader Bible schedule is in the Beyond Appendix with the ERs. I would do the Beginner Bible after it since it moves nicely through a second grade reading level and prepares well for the rest of the ERs. HOD sells both the Early Reader Bible and the Beginner Bible to help work into the rest of the ERs. The Early Reader Bible is easier then the Beginner Bible.

HTH

When your son finishes TRL, he should be fine to start the ER's. My oldest started with the Beginner's Bible. My second child read the Early Readers Bible first and then moved on to the Beginner's Bible which is definitely a more gentle transition. There is a supplemental reading list included in the back of the Beyond guide as well as the Emerging Readers schedule. I used those additional books to stretch out the Emerging Readers for my second kiddo as she was an early reader. If your son is doing well, then just follow the natural progression that HOD recommends. If you hit a hiccup, then you can reassess. I have bought a LOT of extra/excess curriculum over the years. Most of it has been given away or is sitting unused in a closet. My mainstay has been HOD. Even for extra readers (my kids are fast and avid readers), I look to HOD for books first before looking elsewhere.

Thank you, everyone! Very helpful comments