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Hey ladies! I am going to be doing Bigger in the fall with my then 8 year old daughter for 2nd grade. So, for DITHR, I have purchased the teacher's book, the level 2/3 student book, the level 2 book pack, and I am about to order the book projects to send home grade 2.

I think I understand that in Bigger, DITHR is scheduled 5 days a week so we would be able to get through all of the genres for this year. But, then I noticed that Preparing, CTC, RTR, and Rev to Rev are scheduled for only 3 days a week, with the 4th day each week used for writing. So, is this how this would work?

Option 1:
Preparing (3 days a week)-do 1/2 of the genres with the level 3 book pack for 3rd grade
CTC (3 days a week)-finish the last 1/2 of the genres with the level 3 book pack for 4th grade
RTR (3 days a week)-do 1/2 of the genres with the level 4/5 book pack for 5th grade
Rev to Rev (3 days a week)-finish the last 1/2 of the genres with the level 4/5 book pack for 6th grade
next guide (?3 days a week)-do 1/2 of the genres with the level 5/6 book pack for 7th grade
and so on.............

Or are you doing DITHR more days a week than 3 in these upper guides and completely finishing a genre each year and a book pack each year as well, like:

Option 2:
Preparing-level 3 book pack for 3rd grade
CTC-level 4/5 book pack for 4th grade
RTR-level 5/6 book pack for 5th grade
Rev to Rev-level 6/7/8 book pack for 6th grade
and so on...........

I am so sorry if this is confusing anyone. I am just trying to understand how this all works out in the long run since I have a little one who will be doing Little Hearts this year for K and I will eventually be doing DITHR with 2 in a couple of years. Thanks so much in advance for all of your help!

Christy

In the upper level guides. Carrie has scheduled the various language arts skills in such a way so that there is a balance in the daily work. Therefore, as in CTC a writing program is introduced, and will likely be part of all the following guides, the DITHOR assigments are scaled back. This does mean from CTC on, you will only finish 3 to 4 genres each school year, but that is all right! It is intended, so that there is time for formal writing instruction, longer written narrations, and more advanced grammar. By rotating subjects, Carrie ensures that you have all the bases covered without excessively lengthening the school day.

bump

Christy,

Lourdes did a great job of talking through the plan for DITHR with you! I'll just pop-in to share that you have a couple of options as far as using the book packs go. With using half of the genres one year and half the next, you can carry-over to the next year any remaining titles in the book pack that your student didn't study in that year. Or, another option would be to have your student read on his/her own in the summer any titles you didn't use from the book pack and then move on to a higher level book pack the following year. This works well if the student is progressing beyond the current book pack and will need more challenge reading-level wise the next year.

We have done both of these options with our sons, so either truly works well. It's a good idea to base your decision each year on your child's reading needs, your child's interest in the titles, and also on your budget.

Blessings,
Carrie

Thanks so much Lourdes and Carrie for taking your precious time to answer my questions! That was exactly what I was looking for!

So, I will plan to do the level 2 books this year in Bigger for 2nd grade, and I will get the level 3 books next year for Preparing for 3rd grade and do 1/2 of the genres. Then, after seeing how she's doing at the end of the year, I will either finish the other 1/2 of the genres with the level 3 books or go ahead and do 1/2 the genres in the level 4/5 books in CTC for 4th grade. Having the kiddos read some of the books over the summer is a GREAT idea!

Hope that you have a blessed day!

Christy