heartofdakota.com

Hello,
I have 5 children ages 4,6,8,10, and 12. I will be starting Beyond(BLHFHT) with my 6yr. old this second semester after much searching, hoping to get most of the way through by doubling some things up. I will be doing mostly the left side of the manuals, since he already has a set program he's doing. His program is good but a little dry and has no history or other readers. Too bad I didn't start him from the beginning. I was actually searching for next year and decided to start now!

After that, I plan to do Bigger for next year with him and two sisters with extension packs.
Also, I will do Little Hearts(LHFHG) next with my K5er. This will be the first time doing K5 without A BEKA, but I'm excited for him because the program looks sound and has more interaction with parent/child. He will benefit from all the programs of HOD in the future.

I would like to know ideas of what you are using for children who are beyond the HOD programs. My daughter will be in 7th next year having previously used A BEKA

Thank you in advance!
Coconuts

Coconuts,

How fun to address someone as "Coconuts"!
I don't have an answer for you but I know someone will. Welcome!

Candice

Welcome!
I agree, great user name!!

I have older boys, and we are using a very eclectic mix of things. you can PM me if you like and I'll list out my choices for them. As for doubling up your others, I bet you will find that once you start they will be ready to do HOD, too! It may turn into everyone starts now!
HOD is so incredibly easy to just pick up and start in. It is a very easy, fun program with a lot of educational "meat" in it for the packaging. DH says it's deceptively meaty, kind of like Burger King Whoppers.

Ok, enough sillyness from me! Welcome to the HOD boards!!

Updated to add: At the bottom of this post, find my previous comments on possibly beefing up Bigger Hearts for a 7th grader. As we are on now writing the guide to come after the time period of the Resurrection to Reformation, I find that we are planning to use some of the books I previously noted below in our newest guide. So, I am updating this old thread to give a few comments about books you may wish to wait on instead (if you were planning to beef up Bigger Hearts for an older student). I will leave the original post at the bottom so as not to confuse anyone. Here are the new updated comments that I just posted to someone on the board about beefing up Bigger Hearts:

If you are planning to go the "beefing it up" route with Bigger Hearts, I will let you know that you will likely wish to wait on George Washington's World and The Story of the Great Republic by Guerber as we are planning to include those in the guide to come right after RTR. They are both terrific books and will be two of the spines in the guide to come.

The same may also be true for some of the other books I mentioned in that post from awhile ago, as we're still pondering Basic and Extension Package options.

You may instead wish to look at Guerber's Story of the Thirteen Colonies and possibly one of Foster's other books, such as The World of Columbus' and Sons or The World of Captain John Smith or the World of Abraham Lincoln. Short Lessons In U.S. History would still work to fill out the later time periods if needed. Or, you could lean toward any of the volumes of Mara Pratt books from Yesterday's Classics instead as they are short interesting readings for a bit older audience all based on American history.

I'd definitely start with the Extension Package and see how much you really think you need to add before making it too heavy though.

Blessings,
Carrie

Here is the older thread with the books I mentioned previously.

coconuts,

Welcome to the board! We're glad to have you here!

I will have a 7th grader next year too. You could have your 7th grader ride along with the same one-year overview American history focus you are using in "Bigger...." next year with your youngers, and beef it up by adding several more difficult spines like "George Washington's World" by Foster (for early American History) "The Story of the Great Republic" by Guerber, and "Short Lessons in U.S. History" (for a general overview).

You could also add additional advanced reader books to the Extension Pack (like "Poor Richard" by Daugherty, "Abigail Adams" by Bober, "Of Courage Undaunted" by Daugherty, "American Tall Tales" by Stoutenburg, and "Carry a Big Stick" by George Grant).

These titles would require a strong 6th-7th grade reader/literature lover to read on his/her own. If your kiddo is not wired that way, you could just use the Extension Package in "Bigger..." for additional history literature and add a single spine such as "This Country of Ours" by H.E. Marshall to "beef up" the history.

Anyway, you get the idea. For literature you could add "Drawn into the Heart of Reading" Level 6/7/8. My oldest son has used "Drawn into the Heart..." for years, and we have found it has provided him with a very strong background in literature study.

I'm not sure if you are also looking for recommendations for language arts and math, but this will get you started.

Blessings,
Carrie

Thank you for all of your replies. I will look into those books Carrie. My daughter is a voracious reader! My only setback is that A BEKA does American history for several years in different aspects. I was thinking that in 7th she should move on. Actually, she will probably read all the books that the other kids use just for fun.
Is there a certain order that history should be introduced?

Also, if anyone wants to share what they'll be using for math and language arts, I'm open to suggestions.

Welcome coconuts! I have a similar group to you. My oldest though is 10 1/2 and I guess I have one more coconut stuck in there.

I have searched in this area quite a bit for the later years. I can honestly say that if I were in your exact position and I felt my daughter had enough American History and was looking for next year I would without doubt or hesitation go for Preparing which will be ready in August. I would go with the extension packs and then also ask her recommendations for advanced reading on the time periods as well.

Here is the reason why. The program really speaks to me on how it gives them an overview before we start a chronological cycle. It has always just seemed ridiculous to me that throwing them through four years of history in the end they will put it all together. I think the idea of giving them a road map ahead of time will allow them to really be able to fit the details in place as they actually go through in depth all the eras. The second reason is that my family has been so blessed using HOD I would wiggle any way I could to have my oldest in HOD so that she could have the experience. So my oldest actually will be in 7th doing preparing and all I am looking at now is what could I throw at the future levels to keep her in beyond the 8th grade a little. She does not want it to end I am do not want it to end for her.

So sorry that is so biased but I honestly have spent so much time looking at the alternatives and it's hard for me to think of it any other way. It's worth beefing up if you have an avid reader who maybe will want to read more. Mine is and does so we do but still she learns from HOD and loves it the most.

For math she will be moving to Saxon this year from R&S fifth to Saxon 67. And we will be continuing with R&S at the 6th grade level for Eng and Reading (she loves it and wants to do it along with DITHR so hey how can I say no).

Welcome to the boards! Hope that helps some.