HELP! What should I do???

[NicoleJ]

Hi! I am all in a tizz! Could you please help me?!

I am looking to do Bigger next year with my dd who wil be 7. We wouldn't want to do the American history pieces as we are Australians, and I have already bought Abeka for LA for Grade 2 (and I wasn't 100% happy with using the R&S). So, I would only be using Bigger for These pieces:
(LEFT-Hand Side)
- Poetry
- Bible Study
- Music

(Right-Hand Side)
- Storytime
- Maths
- Reading

I wasn't going to do the Science as we have already done Audubon and some of the OSS books and I don't think Science In Colonial America really suits us here in Aus.

Is it worth getting the manual at all??? I'm thinking it might not be. I just need to wait until next year and then do Preparing!

Also: I was thinking about doing Bigger with the above mentioned subjects, and then adding in WP Animal Worlds instead of the US History portions of Bigger (and for our Science). Do you think that would work or would it be major over-load???

Thanks for your help! Nicole

[NicoleJ]

No ideas anyone??

[holyhart]

Wish I could help, but I haven't yet done Bigger (we have done LHFHG, and are using LHTH and Beyond).

Is there something that you could sub in Aus. history? And still use the rest of the guide (except science?....although, perhaps some of that might still be relevent????) as written?

[Happy2BHome]

I am using Bigger this year and absolutely love it! Just a few thoughts:

1. The Bible Study focuses on character traits, so this could easily be adapted to Australian history.
2. The Poetry is very much stand alone and we love it!
3. The music is learning hymns, and the composers come from many countries.
4. Math is stand alone and if you like Singapore Carrie has some great activity instructions to go along with that.
5. As for the science, we love the One Small Square books and the reading and activities that go along with those are very adaptable for any location. The notebooking section often includes Bible verses that reinforce God's hand in nature, and I LOVE THIS! My daughter loves the experiments. You could use your alternative science idea in place of the Colonial Science section.
6. I appreciate the guidance in the Read Aloud section. This helps to guide me in understanding how to get the most out of the books we read together.
7. Also, many of the Geography/Timeline activities could be used and modified. For example, yesterday we made a compass rose on the floor and practiced directions, another day Carrie had an activity to learn the continents. You could easily make a time line of Australian history to follow along with the history spine you read.

All in all, I think it could work! I can't say enough about how much I love this curriculum. I love how it weaves the Word of God into my child's life and that, my friend, is worth EVERY PENNY!

Best case scenario would be to convince Carrie to make an adaption for Australia

Hope you find just the right fit for you!!!!!!

[Tree House Academy]

It could work...even though I admit that what I love most about HOD is Bible, History, and Science. I see your situation as being very unique. This may be something you would want to pm Carrie or Julie about privately (just to make sure they see it) so they can help you with your individual needs.

[NicoleJ]

Thankyou lovely ladies!
I had thought about doing our own Aus history instead, but I am afraid that we aren't nearly half as patriotic as Americans and we have hardly any decent children's Australian history books and stories like you have. At least, I haven't come across many! I guess I could do a big search out for them. I could also use Bigger's science as the Australian pioneers had the same lifestyle mainly as what I would find in the Pioneer Sampler. What is Science in Colonial America like? I guess it wouldn't matter too much if I went over the OSS books again with my dd - and they would be a repeat in AW too anyway.
I was going to do Singapore with my dd anyway, and I LOVE the ideas that Carrie has written in the guide for Maths. I LOVE the Biblical/Christ-liknesss of the HOD programs, which is why I am trying so hard to do them!!
We have started LHTH this morning with my dd3 - I think she liked it (she is a funny character). DD6 loved it! I know she would love Bigger.

Thanks everyone! Any more ideas out there??

[Happy2BHome]

Science in Colonial America is a book about American Scientists, their discoveries and inventions. You could replace it with a study of Aus scientists. The book is only 60 pages long, full of pictures, and is used 23 days in the curriculum.

Hope that helps!

[Tree House Academy]

We do so love that book! It is about American scientists and inventors, but also mentions other countries too - most of the early scientists didn't re-invent the wheel. They gleaned from other countries advancements and then further developed them. It is a great little book.

[holyhart]

Nicole! I don't know if this will help you or not, but I just saw this in an email, and immediately thought of you! This is a lapbooking company that I sometimes get stuff through. They put the whole project pack together for you, including reading material. You just have to put the lapbooks together. (I'm getting to the point I promise! )

The company is called In The Hands of a Child. Not sure if you've heard of them or not. Anyhow, in the email they sent me they advertised a project pack on Australia!!!! So I'm sure that while it would not cover ALL your Australian history, it could certainly help! Here is the link to the Aus. page. http://www.handsofachild.com/shop/Searc ... =australia

Hope this helps!

[NicoleJ]

Nicole! I don't know if this will help you or not, but I just saw this in an email, and immediately thought of you! This is a lapbooking company that I sometimes get stuff through. They put the whole project pack together for you, including reading material. You just have to put the lapbooks together. (I'm getting to the point I promise! )

The company is called In The Hands of a Child. Not sure if you've heard of them or not. Anyhow, in the email they sent me they advertised a project pack on Australia!!!! So I'm sure that while it would not cover ALL your Australian history, it could certainly help! Here is the link to the Aus. page. http://www.handsofachild.com/shop/Searc ... =australia

Hope this helps!

Thankyou so much - that was lovely of you to think of me! Yes, I did hear of HOAC, but I had forgotten about them. I am going to get the Beyond and the Bigger manuals and use them for the Right Side, so I might get this lapbook kit for the Left Side things that I wouldn't use (does that make sense? It is late here!) What a great idea! I do think I will still get AW from WP too. Oh, I am going to overload - I can just feel it!

[trustinghim]

Hi Nicole
It's Debbie again!

Another thought I have had (also being Australian, and unsure of how much American History to do) Is that looking at the booklist, and types of stories in some of the guides, although the focus is American History, it looks like Carrie has chosen some really good "living books" about actual inspiring people, and also missionaries, inventors and that type of thing. I think some of the lessons could be really interesting for our "little vegimites" as well as for American children. I also love the idea of learning a little bit more about American history myself. Then maybe in other reading times (bed time, or just some time for fun) we could read some Australian history type books to our children, or do some activities to teach Australian History...mind you, it does seem a bit tricky to find good ones!! I understand it is really hard to know what to do...so much of the great homeschooling resources (including HOD) are American, and don't always completely fulfill the need of us Aussies....but Carrie has done SUCH and amazing job of putting the guides together, I am sure our children will learn so much, and have such a great time doing it too!!!

Anyway, just wanted to say hi, and let you know you are not alone in this tricky descisions you are making

Love Deb

[Dorla]

Hi!
I am from Costa Rica and dh from Venezuela and we live in Texas.
We are doing Bigger as is but at least once a week I find out what was going on around the same dates we are covering in American history,
and we add this to our Costa Rica notebook.
We are only in unit 4, and the history has been awesome. Once you read the history books Carrie has chosen you will understand more clearly how to add Autralia.
Good luck!
Dorla

[NicoleJ]

Thankyou so much for your awesome suggestions!!! I am definately getting the Beyond and Bigger manuals and will see how I go with adding bits in - I loved your ideas! I will have to print them off. Blessings, Nicole

P.S. Nice to know I'm not the only crazy international person who loves curriculums written by Americans and has to add-in bits to make them more relevent!

[lmercon]

Thankyou lovely ladies!
I guess it wouldn't matter too much if I went over the OSS books again with my dd - and they would be a repeat in AW too anyway.

I also did AW with my ds two years ago. I'm doing Bigger this year. I think there is only one repeat with the OSS books. The Woods is the book used in AW and Bigger, but I figure the emphasis and use in the program will differ since WP and HOD are quite different. The Seashore wasn't used in AW. That program used the Coral Reef OSS book, so that one will be new.

Just thought I'd add that into the discussion.
Laura

[NicoleJ]

Thanks for that Laura!