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I am looking for a literature based one year world history overview to do with my daughters next year, and I'm trying to decide between Sonlight 1+2 and Preparing Hearts.

I already have curriculum for the other subjects that I really want to use. My problem is that I am a box checker by nature and I just don't think I can take leaving all those boxes unchecked in the Teachers Guide (I know, I know, it's silly but it's true ).

Does anyone else just do the History component or only certain subjects from HOD?

Leanne

I could have written your post! I'm the same way, being a box checker.
We're using our own science, math, english and spelling. For history
we use Child's History of the World. I'm considering buying the Preparing guide
for history, geography and Bible. Decisions, decisions!

Carly

Can I suggest something that may sound silly but I think will work. In the guide it does say as the option every time in the box Math and LA as one of the starred options is "Your Own Program" Underline that and at the top of the box write in MUS or whatever it is you are using. Do the same thing for LA and in the science box write in your program name and if you are not going to use it cross that box out. You get the idea. You can use the manual to organize your day and have the HOD flow while using what you want. I will give you an example. I do all the programs in HOD because I love them but I had a science that I was finishing so I wrote that into the Science Box. I had The Narrow Way that I want to sue so I wrote it in to the Bible time. You probably will not need to do it for the entire year so try just a few units and see if that helps your brain. I think what you are going to find is what you got was the stuff from HOD you want plus a great way to organize the rest of what you are using. I was amazed at how much of what I was in the middle of or just had on my shelf I could get in there and still have an organized day. What I found was having HOD's take on subjects that I was in the middle of covering another way just gave me fun choices and a place to organize what I was doing. Think of the things that you have already as an extension pack that your personalized to HOD for your family. You now have options if you want and ideas that might correlate very well to what else you are using if you want (which is always good). But go ahead and write your "extension pack" right into the HOD manual and feel free to cross out boxes that do not apply to you. Ultimately it is a tool to help you get your day done and cover the tings you want in a wonderful way. Let it work for you how you want it. HOD is very flexible in this area. And I am confident you could use it this way of that is your desire. I think HOD is about as easy as it can get for customizing if you want. And BTW I am customizing Preparing as well. Not because I think the program needs it just because I am going to do it at a quicker pace than it is intended. I have it and have looked over it thoroughly. It is a great program and I am so glad I decided to do it. I think what we will be doing is great for our family. I love Preparing and wanted to get as much of it as we could but also have my plan work in my head. So I went to Carrie and asked what she thought of my plan and for suggestions. It was so helpful and I have so much peace about the way we got it all worked out. In fact now I have it more the way I want it after getting her input. She is so good at that, giving you more of what you want. This will make the second time I have asked Carie to help me customize and she was very gracious and kind to help. If you are stumped on how to make what you want fit the way you want it you might ask her. I highly recommend telling her your plan and asking how she thinks that could work. She is amazing at having vision about these kinds of things and she is not like other publishers that get uptight if you want to mesh your vision with theirs. Happy deciding!

Thanks for sharing that perspective, W2wine!
I think that really puts HOD into perspective
for us.

Carly

I did what water2wine did. I did what was suggested to use with Beyond... the exception being the math. We also added a few things in reading, because dd needed extra help. So, I just wrote in the page #'s for Math we did each day, and in the phonics section I added the book and page numbers we completed each day. At the top of each day of lesson plans I wrote the date, and I highlighted and checked off each box as we completed it. I plan to do this again this year...we start next week! I will place each child's name alongside each day's date. We will be using ALL HOD recommended products this year, so I shouldn't have to add much to the boxes. We do have to add Health and P.E. for our state, so I'll probably write those in on the days we do it, as well as Spanish once a week. My dd struggles in spelling, though HOD has helped her tremendously, so I may add ETC(some I was given) a day or two a week. If so, I'll write that in the L.A. box. It's very easy to keep track of this way, and if I need to go back to see what we covered for any reason it will be right there. I'll do the same with subsequent children, just changing the color of my highlighter and adding the child's name beside the date.