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ensions with Beyond. My dd 10 is combined in Beyond...with my ds 7. So far I have just added a few things on my own for her to do as 'extras' in Science and History...and we are also going through a book called The Paragraph Book for writing. I'm using the 5th grade level Reading Skills workbook from Harcourt for her 'reading' at the moment, though I would love to begin using DITHOR. I've used Bigger...before but never just part of it. So, I am needing help figuring out how I should do this. I was wondering which parts I should use for her. Reading About History, Science, and should I add the extensions? Also, if I do this will I always use the next guide up and extensions? My concern would be that next year if I'm using the left side of Bigger...with dd and ds, she would be using Preparing...Reading About History, Science, and possibly extensions and then it's a different time period. Anyway, what does this look like? Have you done this, and how did it work out for your dc? Suggestions and options are so welcome. Thanks so much!

Just bumping this up so it doesn't get 'lost' on the next page....

I think I'm confused. It sounds as though you are trying to combine 2 kids for history using Beyond. Then you've been adding some extra in history and science for the older one. I assume math and LA would be at their own levels.
If that is the case, then you would wait until both were in Bigger to combine them in Bigger's history and science then adding the extensions for the older child. Again with each on their own level for math and LA.
Then both would move up into Preparing together using history and science adding in any extensions.

Or are you trying to use Beyond with one child and Bigger with the other? If that is the case, then yes when they move into the next guides, they would be on different time periods due to the nature of the programs you would be using.

I already have Bigger and am using it for dictation for dd. I was wondering if, instead of finding things on my own to add to Beyond...for her, I should use parts of Bigger...and/or extensions with her. And how would it work... Or should I just wait and use Bigger... next year with extensions?

Thanks for helping me understand your situation better. I was having a hard time understanding what you were actually using or wanting to use.

I would think that if you are hoping to keep them together and move them both into Bigger next than I wouldn't want to be using Bigger books or extensions with the oldest. Of course that doesn't help you this year. I know that for me, it was easier to place my kids where they belonged with their skills rather than trying to keep them together so maybe you would want to consider that as an option.

Here is a thread where they talk about beefing up Beyond for a 4th grader so maybe that could help you if you decide to keep them together in Beyond.

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=3247&p=24196

Hi inhistiming,

If I'm understanding correctly both the 10 and 7 yo are in Beyond and you've added in Bigger right side to beef it up for 10 yo. As pp said, I would shy away from doing Bigger extensions because they are meant to extend the reading for Bigger. Also, I did Beyond left side and Bigger right side with my 10 yo and found it to be a perfect fit! I would encourage you instead of looking of "other things" to fill in to focus on what you have before you with the material you've selected. There's more than enough there to challenge and inspire. Encourage your 10yo to do her best. Between grammar, dictation and science (Bigger right side) on her level she should have plenty to work with. And I would go ahead and add-in DITHOR. In fact, the addition of DITHOR should add the extra effort you are seeking.

Blessings to you and yours.

Thanks Florence. I appreciate your insight. I haven't actually added anything besides dictation from Bigger...yet, as dd was already working at her own level in Grammar anyway. I was considering the science and extensions because she is 10 and in 5th grade. However, we actually already did Bigger....we have kind of a special situation going on here. So I was mostly wondering if I decided to replace the science in the plans with the extensions for science, how it would work the following year when we're doing the left side of Bigger...she would then do the right side of Preparing...but I know it's a completely different time period. So I wasn't sure how others had done it or what Carrie recommends in that situation..

How is it going for you, or are you just using Preparing...completely? Did you skip Bigger... for that dc?