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Hi...
I work outside the home one day a week and so am trying to figure out the best way to get one unit (5 days) of Bigger done in 4 days. I'm not sure how to split up the extra's day work over the 4 days. I was thinking I'd try to keep math and storytime on day 5 but try to spread everything else out over the other 4 days.... not sure how to best work that and if someone else has effectively done this I figure, why re-invent the wheel? I would like to do this b/c I have a time schedule in my mind of when I'm trying to have Bigger completed and I can't accomplish that if I only do 4 days a week. Thanks for any insight.

Hi!

We are doing Bigger in 4 days for my daughter who is in 2nd grade because we do classes elsewhere one day a week. We usually do Poetry, Bible, Hymns and Storytime during breakfast all 5 days. Whatever is not completed during breakfast we will do during lunch or supper but we are usually able to finish during breakfast. Then I divide up the work that is left between 4 days. After you take Poetry, Bible, Hymns and Storytime out since we do those during breakfast everyday then that only leaves 6 extra boxes to make it a 4 day week. I try to look and see which days in each subject can be combined. For example if there is a math activity one day and no activity the next I will put those on the same day. I usually will group day 1 and day 2 science together. I write everything in a notebook so that I don't get confused on what I should be doing.
For example the first day in Unit 2 looks like this:
On day 1 we did Reading about History from Day 1
Geography from Day 1
Reading choices day 1
Reading choices day 2
Math day 1
Language arts day 1
Science Day 1
science day 2

I know that is not very clear but I hope it will help some.

Listening in.

Kristen,

In all honesty, I think you'll lose much of the flow of the guide if you try to take apart a day to add it to another day. Each day is planned to be a specific balance of reading, writing, listening, and doing. I would just teach Bigger 4 days a week and go a bit longer into the next school year or summer to finish. Bigger is a very important guide for skill-building and has more teaching time in it to accomplish this. So, for the targeted age range of the guide, adding more time to make any longer days (than what is typically planned for a day already) will feel long. I'd hate for you to lose the joy and the progression of skills in Bigger Hearts by cramming it in.

From a previous crammer-inner,
Carrie

Boy, I can't agree more with what Carrie said. We tried to make bigger a 4 day program last year for a bit and what we ended up with was a MESS. I never really knew if I was coming or going. I would much rather make it a 4 day program by just not doing anything on that 5th day and picking up where we left off the next week.

Well, I really don't want to confuse myself too much! And I just haven't been able to figure out how to make it fit into 4 days ESPECIALLY b/c my kids seem to be challenged just enough with the days work we do now... so to add more to the plate just might upset that delicate balance .

I may try to do a double storytime one day and do DITHOR 4 days a week instead of 5 and that will take off some of the pressure I am feeling. I should still have plenty of time on my work day to do school, it will just mean a different schedule for us and it will mostly mean getting up earlier .

I can totally see about Bigger having just the right amount of reading, writing and listening and doing per day and also the skill building involved and the confidence that the skill building gives them. In fact, I'm very excited to see how much more independent my childern are becoming in their school work-- something I never thought would happen!