Combining K & 2nd in LHfHG or Beyond?

[blessedmom]

Can anyone share their experience with either of these?
It has been suggested to me that I could maybe combine my almost 5 yo dd and 7 yo dd in LHFHG next year. My 7dd needs a little phonics review, yet she can read with my help. She often acts like she is not interested in learning, but I find that she "secretly" listens and I find out later that she knows so much. Do any you have one like that?
I also have a 10dd that will be in CTC and a 1ds that will keep us all busy.
I was thinking of putting 7dd in Beyond; I think it would be a good fit, but then I would do a different K program with 5dd, one that I already own and know. My 5dd is going to be easy to teach no matter what we do. She is already sounding out CVC words, she has lots of understanding of numbers, she loves to "write" and she loves to listen and learn. They both can listen to chapter books, but they still enjoy picture books. I kind of wanted to really focus on 7dd next year to give her more confidence in reading, so I wanted to do a separate program with just her. As I think about it, I'm a little nervous of trying to pull off three different programs with a very busy 1ds at home too . Any wisdom I would appreciate!! I feel like my head is spinning as I try to figure this out!

[Kathleen]

I think that LHFHG sounds like it would be a good fit for your 5 and 7 yo. You may want to use the parts on the right page of Beyond (Learning the Basics) that your 7 yo is ready for. We went through the beginning of LHFHG this past year with my 5 yo (and her 3 yo brother tagging along some), and we'll be finishing it this school year. She has taken off with reading, so we've started using the Emerging Readers that are scheduled in Beyond. These readings are short and there's time for a little phonics review while still keeping our "reading time" at about 15 min daily. We're very much enjoying this, too, as Allison is super-excited to be reading her own Bible!! You'll have to check out the placement chart here: http://www.heartofdakota.com/placing-your-child.php and let us know where she places in the different areas (especially on the 1st page). So, you could review phonics and use the Emerging Readers with her. You could begin with the 1st spelling list in Beyond for her and use the activities scheduled in the guide. I'm not sure what your math plan is, but if you're wanting to use HOD's reccommendation of Singapore, I'm guessing that 1A and 1B with the hands-on activities in Beyond would be a good fit, too.

I imagine that the rest of the LHFHG would be great for both of your girls. We have loved all of it that we've completed!! And HOD guides are VERY easy to use! Everything is so well-laid-out for you so that you can just open the guide and go. Even the "fun" things are so do-able that we get them done in the busyness of day-to-day life and my kids love that I'm not skipping them because I don't have time! They are written for real homeschooling families so that the kids can get them done.

Just so you know, too... If for now you're using 2 guides so that you have the basics covered for your older daughter, you will eventually "outgrow" that with the HOD guides. As you move up into Bigger and Preparing, there are several levels of dictation scheduled (for spelling), more than one level of R&S scheduled (for grammar), more than one level of math scheduled. So, after a couple of years that would go away for you.
Kathleen

[my3sons]

I think combining your 5 and 7 yo in LHFHG would work well. Your 7 yo would still have you all to herself for her LA and math, which you could use the right side of Beyond to do. This is easy to do, and starting with 2 HOD programs is a good way to begin (especially if 1 of them is LHFHG). We did CTC last year, and my teaching time was around an hour to an hour and a half. When we did LHFHG, it took us around 1 1/2 hours to do. Add a tad more time for separate LA/math from Beyond, and you'll still be looking at a pretty easy paced day. I don't know if this would be any help at all, but here's a copy of our last year's schedule in case something here would be beneficial to setting up your day (we did CTC, Beyond, LHTH last year):


In Christ,
Julie

[Carrie]

I agree that this sounds like a good plan! I'd lean toward combining your 5 and 7 year old in LHFHG for all areas except the language arts and math. This means that your 5 year old would do LHFHG with the K options, and your 7 year old would do the left side of the LHFHG plans each day and the Storytime Box from the right side of LHFHG along with your 5 year old. In addition, your 7 year old would use the language arts and math from Beyond (which amounts to using the spelling/gentle grammar lessons in the Language Arts box each day, using the Emerging Reader's Set in the Appendix of Beyond each day, and using Singapore 1A/1B with the hands-on activities.) For handwriting, you could either have your 7 year old do copywork each day, or you could use A Reason for Writing 'A' or your own handwriting workbook. Your 5 year old would do the handwriting in LHFHG as written. The one other area that you will likely want to add to a bit for your 7 year old would be the science. This can be easily done by adding more science reading on topics of your child's interest.

Blessings,
Carrie