heartofdakota.com

Hi,

I'm new to the board and looking for some advice .

I have three children, ds8, dd6 & ds3. I had planned to use and have purchased PHFHG to use with my oldest two. My son will be starting third grade and my daughter will be starting second grade. I was drawn to this curriculum because of the time period it covers with the intent to tweak it for my second grader. However, I am beginning to second guess my decision. Both my son and daughter read chapter books (Little House series, Homer Price books, etc.), but still enjoy the Amelia Bedelia, and Little Johnny Lion type books. They do not enjoy writing neatly, and this is what has me second guessing my choice. That, along with some hesitations I've read on using some of the PHFHG book selections with younger children.

Being Canadian I was not too interested in doing a year of American history - sorry, no offence intended. I am beginning to wonder though if I should use BHFHG instead.

The approach to God and His Word is what drawns me to HOD.

I would appreciate any advice you would be willing to share with me.

Thanks!

Rhonda

Have you checked the placement chart? Six seems pretty young for doing Preparing (recommended for 8-10 year olds). I'm wondering if there is a grade/age discrepancy since you are in Canada. I *think* 2nd grade in Canada would be 1st grade here (though I could be wrong). My six year old is doing Little Hearts this year (1st grade), and I personally wouldn't have placed him any higher than Beyond. Based on what you've said about their reading level, Bigger might work but your DD still isn't in the age range for that (7-9). I would definitely check the placement chart before deciding.

Hi,
I haven't got any advice for you but wanted to pop in and say hi to a fellow Canadian! I do understand how you feel about the American history part of HOD, there are some other Canadians on here and I'm sure they will offer their help. My kids are still young enough that we haven't had to deal with that yet, but I'm gleaning all I can along the way so that when our time comes I'll be prepared.
Nancy

Hi Rhonda, and welcome to the HOD Board! I do think you are wise to consider placement, and I'd agree PHFHG is going to be pretty hard. I did it with our 8 yo, and it was plenty challenging even though he was a solid reader and writer - I can't imagine a 6 yo doing it. I can understand the American history consideration, but I will say that the focus is on heroic people as well as interesting events. I think they'd inspire anyone. I know a lot of Canadians are just adding a Canadian history reading one time a week, and using the placement chart to place their kiddos, even if their kiddos fall in Beyond or Bigger. Here's a link to the placement chart:
http://www.heartofdakota.com/placing-your-child.php

If you could share a bit about each of your kiddos with us with the placement chart in mind, we'll chat through options with you until you've got a plan. I think you'd love doing HOD - no matter which guide you get. I've done them all thus far, and they've always been a hit here.

In Christ,
Julie

Thank you to everyone that has responded! I value your insight and experience!! And thanks Nancy for the hello - any Manitoban's on this board?

Here's a little more info about my 8 yo & 6 yo:

• both enjoy reading (an hour at a time no problem), and read well with expression when reading aloud

• both have no problem copying sentences with correct punctuation and capitalization

• we have not started learning cursive yet, although ds8 has done some on his own

• they do not have a difficult time memorizing verses - completed their books in AWANA last winter

• ds8 completed Horizons Math 2, dd6 completed Horizons Math 1

• in grammar we've covered nouns, pronouns, proper & common nouns, and verbs; beginning a sentence with a capital and appropriate punctuation at the end

We used the LHTH during the second 1/2 of my son's 1st grade and my daughter's kindergarten year. That was 1 1/2 years ago and seemed to be on target for my daughter. This time I would prefer to do something on target for my son and simplify it for my daughter. At least that's what worked best last year when we were using curriculum from a variety of different publishers.

Thanks again! Please let me know if I missed something.

I would group your older 2 together in Bigger. If you start them in Beyond, then you are in for 2 years of American History (1 year in Beyond and another year in Bigger).

Bigger is A LOT more challenging than Beyond. Just keep that in mind when you are making your decision.

In Guide placement, how well they read and how well they do in math matter less than how well they can narrate, and their notebooking skills. The notebooking assignments in Bigger are meaty and require some pretty advanced map making for a 6 year old...even an 8 year old. Also, the science notebooking in not easy and require a lot of written explanation of guesses and trials and final answers.

If it were me, and I was not concerned about how much Am History I did, I would do Beyond for the 6 & 8 yr olds. Then I would do bigger the following year.

What about this...Could you do Beyond this year, Then Do Bigger next year with a Canadian History Supplement?

BUT..I would NOT do CTC yet.

Thanks for your suggestions and recommendations! I appreciate the information regarding specific skills that will be taught/used, and what is expected from students. Thanks for taking the time to share!

Could you do Bigger and draw it out over 1.5 or maybe even 2 whole years? Let them mature into using Preparing? I can understand not wanting to get two whole guides worth of American history...

I am finishing up Beyond with my 7 year old... she's pretty advanced, and I cannot IMAGINE putting her in Preparing. In fact, we are taking the fall off and focusing on life skills and starting Bigger in January just to let her mature a little more before starting it....

From what you've shared, I'd say placement-wise, Beyond Little Hearts would be the best core guide to combine your dc in, but then I'd have your 8 yo do the right side LA/math skills of Bigger Hearts instead of the right side of Beyond. So, your 6 yo could do all of Beyond as it is written, and your 8 yo could do the upper level LA/Math from the right side of Bigger Hearts. I do think this would be a good place to start, as well as a happy combining scenario in the future. I honestly cannot imagine a 6 yo doing Bigger Hearts, and if you start in it, you'll be modifying the whole way through. Here are a few links to help show what I am trying to say:
Amount of writing in BHFHG:
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=3005
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=1516&p=11829

I know you could tweak it, lessen the writing, etc. for your 6 yo, but you will be doing that the whole way through then, as the skills just keep getting harder and more in-depth year after year. HOD makes it super easy to extend for your older, so you can always do that by doing the extension packages (though if your older is in the target age range for the guide, extensions won't be needed). Many, many moms do the right side of an older HOD guide with an older child in the combining pair, so the 2 dc can be happily combined year after year. Here's a past thread that may help as you think through this too:
How to decide whether to combine or not:
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=7019&p=51157#p51157

Of course, you are the parent and will know best, but I have to be honest and say I don't think I'd ever suggest for a 6 yo to do Bigger Hearts, unless there were extenuating circumstances (i.e. a need to combine due to health concerns, etc.). However, If you feel strongly about starting Bigger Hearts this year, I'd spread it out over 2 years, with the goal by the end of the second year to have your 6 yo (then 8 yo) able to do all of Bigger Hearts well, so from PHFHG on up, that child could flourish as well as your older child. HTH, as you ponder what you want to do!

In Christ,
Julie

REALLY good suggestions by Julie!