heartofdakota.com

Hi,

I have seven children and am wanting to combine sets into the HOD programs. This is my question...I have a 3 and 5 year old but my 5 year old is chomping at the bit to start reading, we have been doing R & S preschool workbooks. Where could I put them, the first program?

I then have 2 late readers, my daughter is 8 my son is 11, my son has REALLY struggled w/ reading but we are now using a special program and he is really taking off but I don't think he would be ready for the program that says "phonics instruction has ended". Same w/ my 8 year old. I would like to group them into the same program if possible.

Then...I am REALLY, REALLY wanting to do a chronological history study w/ my 8th and 9th graders, actually next year they would be considered 9th and 10th, would the new program be too "young" for them and will the next program that will be written have extensions for 9th and 10th etc... Not sure how far they were going to go...all the way through High School?

I am so tired of trying to figure all this out, I try to work w/ the younger ones, the older ones miss out and I want to do history and bible etc...

Any ADVICE will be MUCH APPRECIATED!

Kim (homeschooling mother of 7....dd15, dd14, ds11, dd8, dd5, ds3, ds1)

I'm new to HOD and wanted to welcome you and tell you that I can offer my limited knowledge about the program. If I were you I'd go to the main web page and see where the children fall in the program placement chart.I'm using Beyond with my 10 yr old and Little Hands with my 2.5 yr old...who will only do the Singing Bible at this point...too many ants in his pants to listen to the devotion. I would start younger kids into Little Hands, if your 5 yr old is bored with that or if you think he can do more "school"work then go with Little Hearts, your 8 & 11 yr old's I'd put in Beyond.The emerging readers in Beyond are great, the appendix has comprehension questions for you to ask about each book, and a list of additional beginning chapter books.Also, there are suggested books for storytime are in the appendix 4 or more titles per genre.
For your 8th and 9th graders, that's a bit more difficult. I plan to do the Creation through Christ, then the 3 guides to come after, using the extension packs and maybe adding a grade level science.My oldest will be in 10th grade when we finish the last guide. Or you could do winter promise, their program is similar to HOD. I had a hard time choosing, I almost went with WP. I plan to do WP for 11th & 12th grades.I'd also take into consideration if they want to go to college or the military. How many and what type of credits they would need for admission, as well as what your state requires for HS graduation. Then I'd make my final decision based on all of that.
Good Luck! I hope you love HOD as much as I do. This is the best and easiest year we have had.
Blessings,
Kim in NC

Ok, here is what some ladies on here do and it might work for you.

For the 3 and 5 year old- they would combine them in Little Hands and then add in K Singapore math, phonics, and handwriting program to beef it up for the 5 year old. Then the following year you'd move them up to Little Hearts with first grade options for your older one.

For your 8 and 11 year olds what if you did Bigger but used the Emerging reader list and schedule out of beyond for them. Are they on placement everywhere but reading? You could even do the extensions with your eldest.

The 9th and 10th graders would be more difficult. I don't think the newest guide would be challenging enough. You should find out what your state requires for high school graduation. I have heard of WP like the previous poster mentioned. Also, My Father's World has a chronological high school program and there are some similarities between HOD and MFW. So that is a thought.

I agree to check the placement chart.

Kim,

I just wanted to pop-in and welcome you to the board. Kim in NC and Jessi did a terrific job of talking through some options with you. I agree that it would be so helpful if you would check out the placement chart and tell us where your kiddos fall on especially the first page of the chart. Here's a link to the chart:
http://www.heartofdakota.com/placing-your-child.php

I'd lean toward doing as Jessi suggested with LHTH for your 3 and 5 year olds and then adding a phonics program, handwriting program like Italic A or A Reason for Writing K (as scheduled in LHFHG), possibly the Rod and Staff workbooks (as scheduled in LHFHG) and possibly the K math from LHFHG. You could see which of those options the 5 year old was ready for now and wait on the rest. Then, the following year, you'd move both kiddos into LHFHG, doing the K options with your then 4 year old and the first grade options with your then 6 year old. You could move slowly through LHFHG (doing left side one day and the right the next or doing a 4 day plan) to allow your 4 year old time to grow up. Then, your two kiddos could be a pair as they go through the HOD guides.

As far as your 8 and 11 year old go, I would lean toward placing them in Bigger Hearts, using the Emerging Readers for your 8 year old. Your could customize their fit in Bigger Hearts as needed depending on what they've had for grammar, spelling, etc. and what you plan to do for math. We'd be glad to help with that if you'd like to share more about your kiddos in those areas.

As far as your older kiddos go, the target age range for CTC is ages 9-11 with extensions for 12-13, however depending on what your kiddos have had in the area of history and Bible, you could potentially use the left part of the guide with your older kiddos along with the Extension Pack. You would also need to add a strong literature component such as DITHR Level 6/7/8 along with high school level books choices and would need to add a high school level composition course like Write with the Best Vol. 2. You would also need to add a higher level of science making sure you're covering your needed science standards there. You may wish to peek at Paradigm Accelerated Achievement's science (either their Biology or their Integrated Physics and Chemistry which are wonderful). One other curriculum to look at for high school history study would be Notgrass.

Blessings,
Carrie

Hi Kim, and welcome the HOD Board! I think you will find it so refreshing to be doing several HOD programs with your dc. We have been doing this for years and enjoy it thoroughly. The ladies are doing such a nice job of chatting through ideas with you. I'll be checking back to see what you've shared after checking out the placement chart. We have found the chart to be easy to use and very accurate.

In Christ,
Julie

Hi,

Thank you all for your help! I am sorry I have not posted sooner. Okay..w/ the 8 and 11 year olds I think Bigger will be the best fit. We really do not do formal grammar, science etc...I mainly focus on reading, writing and math during the younger grades but we are ready for beginning grammar. I LOVE the queen books but have never been sure how to use them because we do our own phonics and spelling programs so...I think Rod and Staff would be too...well...I don't think my son would do well w/ their program, I would like a gentler approach. Could we use Queen's and just not use the spelling part? We are doing an Orton Gillingham based Phonics/Spelling program.

With my 3 and 5 year old...I think I will use LHTH and add in for the 5 year old...by the way..is The Reading Lesson really good, any complaints..she is so ready to start reading! I have the R & S preschool books and will work her through those then go into Math, we really like CLE, is that a problem? Or I may do the Singapore K as I really liked those books..hmmm...

You know what I really want? My 11 year old boy has struggled w/ learning to read, we are moving along well now, have a WONDERFUL program that is also teaching spelling and he is really doing well BUT..he just has not been very interested in wanting to read. I want my 8 and 11 year olds to WANT to read and to like reading so I am wanting great literature that will spart their interest in reading and loving books...do you know what I mean?

Anyway..please let me know if you think Queen's would still work even though we are using a different phonics/spelling program, I really want a gentle LA program and I love the pics. What I do is we do not do a lot of formal grammar, then we will go to Analytical Grammar when they are older and ready.

Thanks so much...I am SO looking forward to starting these, I need the structure, want great literature etc..

I had been looking into Notgrass History Carrie, thank you for putting that in your post as that "confirmed in my mind" that that is a good way to go w/ my older girls.

What about a literature program for my 9th and 10th graders. I have Grammar covered, History, still deciding on Biology, I am going to check out what Carrie had mentioned, but we need Literature and a good writing program as they have not had "formal" writing, one does not like to write, the other is an excellent creative writer, even w/out a "formal" program, they both LOVE to read!!

Okay...that is enough for now, I really, really appreciate your help!!

Kim (homeschooling mom of 7)

Hi Kim,

I just thought I would mention that if you decide to go with Notgrass history, it includes literature and Bible!

HTH

The great thing about HOD is that you can customize a lot about it. I don't know anything about Queen's but I do know that you can use whatever grammar you feel works best for your family. Hopefully others having used Queen's will comment. I might be wrong but I thought Mom2Monkeys used to use it. You might pm her and see.

I didn't mean to assume you'd use Singapore math. Sorry, I just read my post and realized it looked like I was pushing you that direction. You can use whatever math your family likes!

As to the learning to love to read- I certainly think that Carrie has picked out some excellent literature for kids. This may take time and to be honest, they may never "love" to read but hopefully they'll love what they read. My husband isn't much of a reader while I am voracious. I hope my children are die hard readers like me but more importantly I just want them to enjoy the books they do read (no matter how few they are as they become adults.) I think you'll get a love for books from HOD!

eazbnsmom wrote:Hi Kim,

I just thought I would mention that if you decide to go with Notgrass history, it includes literature and Bible!

HTH

Great..thank you for that information!

Jessi wrote: I didn't mean to assume you'd use Singapore math. Sorry, I just read my post and realized it looked like I was pushing you that direction. You can use whatever math your family likes!

As to the learning to love to read- I certainly think that Carrie has picked out some excellent literature for kids. This may take time and to be honest, they may never "love" to read but hopefully they'll love what they read. My husband isn't much of a reader while I am voracious. I hope my children are die hard readers like me but more importantly I just want them to enjoy the books they do read (no matter how few they are as they become adults.) I think you'll get a love for books from HOD!

Thank you Jessi! No problem on Singapore, I didn't feel pushed at all. You are right, the main thing for me is they "enjoy" the books they do read. I am not an avid reader, grew up reading all the wrong junk so..I do not read now hardly at all. I know w/ my older two daughters, the main thing was I kept really good books around.

Thanks again!

Kim

Hi again,

I have another question regarding reading...once they get through their phonics programs do they go right into those emerging readers or should we start w/ a simpler reader?

Thanks again!

Kim

Re: The Reading Lesson, my 4.5ds was absolutely ready to read, and TRL has been great. Very open and go, and you can choose the number of pages you do based on dc's attention span. Perhaps someone else will chime in about RME, but we like TRL. HTH

Hi Kim! I think a nice plan is coming together here!

Blessed with seven wrote:Hi again,

I have another question regarding reading...once they get through their phonics programs do they go right into those emerging readers or should we start w/ a simpler reader?

Thanks again!

Kim

Once they are through with their phonics program, if they can read a Frog and Toad or Amelia Bedelia type book fairly smoothly with only a mistake or 2 on a page, they are ready for the Emerging Reader's Set. It is such an awesome set of books and has given both of our sons the perfect transition between phonics and chapter books. If they cannot read Frog and Toad, etc. yet very well, then I'd do 1 more year of phonics using Reading Made Easy or a different phonics program than you used the last time.

As far as the Queens, HOD already covers everything the Queens book does with the exception of picture study. I'd encourage you to first give the LA skills in HOD a try as they are written because they are academically solid, often links to the history (i.e. the copywork, written narrations, oral narrations, etc.), and it doesn't take much time. You could certainly do a different grammar if you'd like that. R & S is outstanding though - short (we do 1/2 on markerboards), Christian, thorough, has a high retention, teaches grammar for the purpose of writing rather than as a separate subject of grammar. However, you will know what is best for your family, and I think you are on your way to a very great plan of doing HOD in your home! We have done each of the HOD programs and have loved each and every one - many happy, full days of learning are ahead for you and your dc!

In Christ,
Julie

We are in our first week of R&S and my children love it! They have been used to textbook type grammar (A Beka etc.) and this is a much gentler approach. Each lesson is just right in the amount of work. I do on occasion have them answer orally on some of the writing assignments if I see that they are grasping it well. It really is so much pleasanter than what we have been doing in recent years. I think you can go to R&S's website and see examples of the lessons.

I don't have any experience with Queens but I just wanted to encourage you that R&S is really not that hard if you should choose to go that route.


Leah