Can I use Bigger with a 4th grader?

awanama · Post by **awanama** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 5:26 pm

I am new to the boards and I am sure some of you might recognize me from homeschoolreview or WTM boards. I've never looked at any of Heart of Dakota's books because at first glance they were to young for my children. But after all of the posts recently on homeschoolreview it got me curious.

My dd will be in fourth grade next year. We are using SOTW 1 and 2 this year which she has loved and also Apologia Elementary. Although we love what we are using, I see that HOD incorporates a lot of what I feel we are missing out on. Poetry memorization, copywork, dictation, general geography topics, read alouds, covering the different genres, etc. I want to do all of these things but they never seem to get done because they are not in a schedule. I also love the gentle feel that the books have and the format really draws me in. I have looked at things like Sonlight or WP and format drives me crazy.

I tend to be a relaxed hser and use SOTW and Apologia as read alouds. We don't do the notebooking, mapping, etc., just some of the projects. My dd loves to be read to and loves hands on projects.

With that background, do you think Bigger would work for us next year for fourth? We really haven't covered American (accept what she did in ps for 2nd) and I was originally thinking of combing SOTW 3 and 4 with something else for American. Now I'm wondering if I should do Bigger instead because Preparing will start over with World History again. My other thought was that maybe the author would use SOTW for her following four years.

As far as language arts abilities my dd is reading really well but just now picking up chapter books. So many words on a page scared her previously so she would just read the harder picture books. She struggles with writing and spelling. She is doing Abeka Language Arts 3 this year and is doing well with it.

Thanks,
Erica

Melanie · Post by **Melanie** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 6:42 pm

Welcome!

I'm going to guess that you could use Bigger with a 4th grader and use the extension pack, grade level english and grade level math. You could use Drawn and just choose the books that matched your dd's reading level. You'd probably want to start with the level 2/3.

I have no idea if Carrie plans on using SOTW and I don't remember that being discussed on here...yet

I was kinda rooting for Mystery of History myself!

HOD does schedule so many of the wonderful things that you mentioned and Carrie makes it so easy to get it all done and still have time in your day for "life".

Later tonight, there will others who will chime in and you'll get loads of great advice. The other moms on here are terrific!

Melanie

water2wine · Post by **water2wine** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 7:08 pm

I think you can and it sounds like it would be perfect with the extension pack. I am doing it, actually just started, with a fifth grader and it seems perfect for us. We are loving it!

blessedmomof4 · Post by **blessedmomof4** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 8:45 pm

Hi Erica- I'm using Bigger with a 4th grader and she is doing fine

She is reading just at or a little below grade level, though, so I am actually using Rod and Staff English 2, and stopped using the extension pack because the books were beyond her ability to read them on her own, and she's getting plenty of history with the read-alouds. If your child has already been doing A Beka 3 , she'll probably do well with Rod & Staff English 3 since she'll probably have covered what's in R&S 2 by the time she's finished the A Beka. Somebody posted this website that has samples of R&S, so that could help you decide which level would fit her best. http://www.rodandstaff.info/samples/english/
Also, if she is already a good reader, the extension pack would be great, just remember they are intended as independent reading.
Editing to say that if the A Beka English is really working well for her, you don't really have to change it if you don't want to-simply omit the English part of the Bigger lessons as you go along and substitute with your own.

my3sons · Post by **my3sons** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 1:37 pm

Hi Erica! I was going to say exactly what these great moms already said! I'm doing Bigger... now too, and I think it would be great with the extension pack for your situation, and I like the reminder given by Lourdes that she should be able to read the extension pack independently. You could certainly continue with ABeka grammar or switch to Rod and Staff - either way Bigger... will work out well. I would anticipate for HOD to probably continue with the R & S grammar though, so looking down the road, if it's all the same to you, you may want to make the switch now. I know R & S are part of the next HOD curriculum, Preparing... I think Level 3 and 4 are both in Preparing. Your daughter might need her own spelling if the dictation isn't hard enough in "Bigger...". I'm excited for you to begin Bigger..., Erica! You are going to have a great year with it! Nice to meet 'ya!

Post by **Carrie** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 3:54 pm

Erica,

The moms on the board have given you such great advice and encouragement. As they said, you can certainly use "Bigger..." for your 4th grader with the suggestions they made.

I just wanted to say, "Welcome", and encourage to ask about anything you wonder about Heart of Dakota.

Blessings,
Carrie