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Hi, we're starting Beyond LIttle Hearts in a few weeks with my 3rd grade daughter. I'm also going to be starting Kindergarten with my 5 year old daughter (using My Father's World). And 3 year old will be listening in and running around.

We'll probably do ABeka science instead of the science in Beyond (supplemented with library dvds and experiments), and I can assign dd some science reading independently while I do some K activities with younger dd. But other than that, which parts of this program have you assigned to your kids as independent study while you work with younger ones?

My 1st and 2nd graders do very little completely independently. I am able to get them started on phonics and math by teaching the lesson, and then let them do the workbook pages. I am close by in case they need help though, so that may not fit the definition of independent. The poetry copywork is something that dd does independently, plus some of the art activities (once I give them instructions). Penmanship is pretty independent too.

We did Beyond a few years back with our oldest, and are now halfway through it with our middle ds. We thoroughly enjoy doing school, and Beyond is just a neat program to teach. It takes us about 2 to 2 1/2 hours a day to do. The parts that are more independent are the poetry copywork and the math workbook part. I also have my ds practice his Emerging Reader book independently before reading it to me. He usually shares his Bible verse on Fridays with someone on the phone or copies it to give to someone, which is independent. I help him with his actions for his Bible verse the first day, but then on other days he practices his Bible verse with his actions independently a few times, and then says it for me with his actions just once. He could sing his Bible verse independently, but I like to sing it with him. The rest is more teacher-directed, but I like that for this age, and it doesn't take long to do. If you are wanting to have an independent science and your dd can read pretty well, I don't see any reason why she couldn't just do the science box and experiment on her own. You'd have to check out the science books and see about that, but we loved the science, and I do think it could be done independently if your dd is reading quite well. Enjoy Beyond - it is wonderful!

In Christ,
Julie