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First, let me just say that we are LOVING Preparing and Beyond, which is what we are using this year. My oldest son hasn't used HOD (except DITHOR) before this year, and he is adamant that this is absolutely the best year ever. Which actually leads me to my issue. My far off issue, as it were, as I'm trying to figure out what to do about next year when we are only in week 6 of THIS year (thus the crazy lady comment in my subject line ).

We will be using Bigger with my then 7 year old next year, which covers American history. My oldest daughter will be in 11th grade and also doing American history. I would love to use the book coming out after Preparing with my then 11 year old, but it's focus (which makes perfect sense in the time line of the HOD books) will be Ancient history. I don't know that I want them studying different time periods. My head might explode (this year the 6 year old is following along with the 10 year old's history in Preparing instead of doing the history in Beyond). Plus, we did the first MOH book last year, so that would be ancient history in some form or fashion for 3 years running. I really don't want my son, who loves history, to get burnt out on one time period. I think the history my daughter is doing is too much--it's not multi level, and has a strong high school literature component, and I'm not quite sure how to make it more appropriate. I considered trying to beef up Bigger, but I wonder how difficult that would be. I suppose I could look for something different for my daughter that would be easier to adapt to my son. Thoughts?

I will stop rambling now. Thanks ladies!

I am new to this myself, but I have used the first 3-4 weeks of Bigger and Preparing in the past two months, so I might can be of a little help. Also, you might consider buying the new ancients guide next year, as I'm sure it will have math and grammar schedules, appropriate level dictation, etc. You might could use it like some people are using the left side of Beyond for several children, then the older might use the right side of Bigger for math, grammar, etc.
Bigger's science so far has been very similar to Preparing's, except children are not expected to be independent and the notebooking has less writing. The first science book in a One Small Square book, so you have a good grasp on how that will look.
The poetry section of Bigger doesn't require any writing, but I think would still be appropriate for an 11-year-old--I have learned some vocabulary myself! You could add some writing elements as Preparing does if you have the talent!
The Bible study includes memorization of Proverbs and study of character qualities, which is also great for almost any age.
Some of the geography might be review, and the history activities fairly simple for an older child, but the art should work fine. And it would depend on what the history activities and geography for this time period include in Preparing, so you should have a better idea of that in the spring.
The history reading has seemed very advanced so far and you can use the extension pack for history and science, so you're covered there.
For Storytime you can just chose more advanced titles - several days are narration, and you could require written narrations based on the skills from Preparing.
I think several people are using Bigger for middle school ages, so I'm sure you will here from them, but I don't think you would have to do too much adapting, especially since you can use your experiences in Preparing to guide him to more independent and complex work!

Form one crazy lady to another I feel your pain. I have already asked about high school and my oldest is 11. I agree with the pp about asking Carrie if she thinks the next level that will Ancients could be adjusted for a fit. If not I asked her what were her recommendations on high school and there were some great things on the list. Here is that thread. viewtopic.php?f=6&t=820&hilit=notgrass I know she is using the DW History Alive cds for the Ancient guide maybe there is some way of combining her Ancients with HOD. It goes to high school. That is another thought. I know Carrie will have some suggestions for you. She is great at these kinds of things.

mamas4bugs,

3ringcircus and water2wine did a great job of tossing around some options for you to consider. I think you could do Bigger with your 11 year old by using the Extension Pack. It would be a good idea to use the right side of the new Ancients guide for your 11 year old in the areas of language arts (Grammar and creative writing), math, dictation (and possibly the poetry and science sections that will be on the right side of the new Ancients guide as well).

You could then have your 7 and 11 year old both do the left side of Bigger together (for all history related content) and do the storytime box from the right side of Bigger with both. You would add the Extension Package onto Bigger for your 11 year old and definitely add in the written narration in place of the oral narrations once to twice each week for your 11 year old.

If that's as clear as mud let me know, and I'll try to be a bit clearer!

Blessings,
Carrie

Carrie,

It's translucent mud? Seriously, that's sort of what I was thinking. I was a little concerned, looking at the books in the extension package, that they'd still be a bit young for the 11 year old. Would I need to add in anything else? If so, do you have suggestions? Also, I was thinking that I'd read the storytime part from the older guide to the 11 year old in addition to the storytime section from Bigger. What do you think?

Thanks to all for being so supportive and having such great ideas! I love this curriculum, and I love the godly support that comes with it.

mamas4bugs,

Here's a previous thread of some things that can be added to Bigger to "up" the reading requirements to more of a 6th/7th grade level:
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=640

Also, you could easily read aloud the storytime part of the new ancients guide to both your 7 and 11 year old, as coincidentally enough they're going to be from the 9 genres, rather than matching the history for the new ancients guide. You may want to ask the questions from Bigger though to bring the questioning down, but read the books recommended by the ancients to "up" the overall listening level. Or, if you're a reading family, you could read aloud the storytime selections from both guides.

Hope that helps!

Blessings,
Carrie

Thanks! I'll check out the suggestions on that thread. I bet if I ask my boys for their opinion, then we'll be reading the storytime section from both books.

Now, I just need to figure out whether to jump into the time period after Ancients year after next, or start over in Preparing, or skip Preparing since we did it this year and use Ancients for history even though nobody will be using the rest of the book. It really never ends, does it?

water2wine,

I somehow missed the link in your post the first time I read through this. When I went and looked at it today, I thought it was a hoot because some of the things on the list, like Notgrass for American History, is exactly what I'm looking at for my daughter next year. I had never heard of Notgrass before I stumbled across it online a couple of weeks ago. It was nice to see other people looking at it too.