heartofdakota.com

Hi Everyone,

I am new here and have some questions regarding HOD. First, my background: I have four kids - DS will be 9 in Aug. Reads okay - probably around a 2nd grade level. He sees a tutor each week to help with reading and has improved a lot. DD will be 7 in Aug. Great reader, very fluent - reads above grade level. Other DS will be 4 in August. Last DS will be 1 in September.

Did Sonlight for K. Did Ambleside Online for Year 1. Did a tweak of Ambleside Online last year so we could study history chronologically. I combined my older two for history, science, spelling, grammar, literature, etc... Basically everything except for math and handwriting.

This next year I want to do more hand's on activities, so I have seriously considered TOG. However, I think it is going to be too much too soon. Might be a good thing to use when the kids are older, but probably not a good fit for us now. Also, I school with a decided CM bent and wasn't sure if I could make TOG do what I wanted it to do w/o a lot of work. We will be moving at the end of August -- which means, if I used TOG, I would probably just end up pulling my hair out.

Here is my dilemma. Last year in history we left off with Rome. We read Hillyer's A Child's History of the World as our main text -- which I love, by the way. We also did a separate American History study starting with the explorers and ending with the Pilgrims on the Mayflower. Our main text for that was This Country of Ours supplemented with various chapter books. We notebooked both histories.

So which program should I do? I know there are two programs that study American History, and I am thinking the one that ends in the 1970s would be good (can't remember which one that was). I think the other one used Stories of the Pilgrims, which we started reading as well. We only got a few chapters into that before school was over. My only concern is that they'll get bored with the repeat US History, but probably not if they are doing activities and reading different books than what they have read already.

Writing is something I want to work on with my kids -- since my older son just got comfortable with reading this year, I haven't pushed writing. Is writing part of the grammar Carrie recommends, or is that a separate component? Do you add on your own writing curriculum (ie: Writing Strands or IEW)?

Also, would DITHOR be good for my older two?

Lastly, should I consider one of the earlier programs for my 4 year old? He would just be tickled to have his own school time, and I could probably get my older two to take turns helping out with that while I am working with the other.

Thanks so much! This board looks like it is very friendly and helpful.
zuzuspetals

I will let someone more qualified than me speak to your Q's about placement .

I just wanted to say "Hi" zuzuspetals and I love your board name!!

One of my all time favorite must see every year movies!

Have a blessed year!

My first thought would be Bigger for your 7 and 9 year olds and LHTH for your 4 year old.

Good morning, zuzuspetals, and welcome to the HOD Board! I'm so glad you've found HOD - it fits exactly what you are wanting - CM bent, awesome living books, easy to do several programs, doesn't take long to do, very hands-on, notebooking included, little to no prep - so many things that fit what you need. I know that you are interested in combining your dc if possible. I think it is well worth your time to check out the placement chart to get the most accurate placement (while also keeping in mind your personal goals). We've used the chart, and it's short, easy to use, and right on track for placing dc. Here's a link to that chart:
http://www.heartofdakota.com/placing-your-child.php

With what you've shared so far, I'd place your 7 and 9 yo together in Bigger Hearts, and your 4 yo in LHTH. I wouldn't worry about your dc enjoying another year of American History - BHFHG does it in a totally fresh way, biographically, which gives a completely different feel to learning American History. We did Beyond (which does American History more by events), and then Bigger Hearts back to back and thoroughly enjoyed it. I think you would too! If you liked Hilyer's CHOW, you're sure to love Eggleston's books used in Bigger Hearts - they are fantastic and fit CM's definition of "living books" perfectly.

zuzuspetals wrote:Writing is something I want to work on with my kids -- since my older son just got comfortable with reading this year, I haven't pushed writing. Is writing part of the grammar Carrie recommends, or is that a separate component? Do you add on your own writing curriculum (ie: Writing Strands or IEW)?

Writing is part of R & S English, so if you do that, you'll be just fine. Writing is also included CM style through copywork, dictation, etc. in the daily plans of BHFHG. It is done very well! The next year in PHFHG, written narrations are started as well as creative writing lessons taught 1 x a week with Robert Louis Stevenson's poetry used as a model. After CTC, Write with the Best is used (which again totally aligns with CM's take on writing - which I love!). So, for your 7 and 9 yo, Bigger Hearts along with appropriate level of R & S will be a solid approach to writing. (P.S. We read CHOW when my ds was younger, and then a few years later read it again and enjoyed it the second time through as well. Reading CHOW along with Grandpa's Box in PHFHG is totally different than reading CHOW on its own - so I just wanted to encourage you that if you do BHFHG this year, I don't think you would find it redundant in any way to do PHFHG next. )

zuzuspetals wrote: Also, would DITHOR be good for my older two?

DITHOR is an outstanding reading program. Before beginning DITHOR, dc should be able to read the Emerging Reader's Set levels of books quite fluently. I'd check out the Emerging Reader's Set and see if you'd place either one or both of your dc there to begin with or if they seem ready for DITHOR. The Emerging Reader's Set books are listed in order on the website from easiest to hardest, and that is the order they are taught in. There is a schedule with comprehension questions for these books in the Appendix of BHFHG. You can start in the middle of the set - anywhere really - if that's where it would fit either of your dc best. Here's a link to that set:
http://www.heartofdakota.com/emerging-reader.php

If they are past the Emerging Reader's Set, then DITHOR Level 2/3 would be best to use. You can either choose your own books or use HOD's Book Packs. Using Book Pack 2 would be a great option:
http://www.heartofdakota.com/drawn-into-optional.php

We've used DITHOR for multiple years now, and it is a stand-out program! Whenever you use it, I know you'll enjoy it.

Bigger Hearts takes about 3 1/2 hours a day to do, and LHTH takes 20-30 minutes a day to do - so the two would be super easy to do at the same time! We did LHFHG and BHFHG at the same time and enjoyed that, easily finishing our day by lunchtime, so I think you'd find this to be a very doable scenario. Be sure to ask more questions and share anything you think is pertinent after checking out the placement chart - but I think you're already on your way to a super plan for your dc!

In Christ,
Julie

Thanks Sharon, 8arrows, and Julie. I think I've got a good plan for the next year with Bigger and LHFHG. HOD sounds great!!!

Sharon, I love It's a Wonderful Life, too! We watch it every year. I even almost named my little girl Zuzu, but when I was pregnant with her, we met and became friends with a family that had a Zuzu, too. Since it is such a different name, we couldn't have two Zuzus running around together.

We have since moved away, so if we ever have another girl, maybe she'll be a Zuzu. Probably not, though, as I'm pretty sure we are finished having kids.

Thanks again for everyone's help. I may have more questions as I decide what else to order . . .

Jeanne

Just wanted to say a Hi and I love your user name- its my favourite film

zuzuspetals wrote:Thanks Sharon, 8arrows, and Julie. I think I've got a good plan for the next year with Bigger and LHFHG.

Actually, I'll be using LHTH with my 4 year old -- he's not ready for LHFHG yet.

I'm still getting used to all these letters . . .