Can Preparing Hearts be used for a 13 year old?

[Amylynn]

I am beginning to think that this might be a good fit for my dd, but we wouldn't be able to begin until the fall. I am just wondering if anyone has used this with a 13 year old with the extension pack?
Is there another guide planned for the fall for after preparing Hearts?

Thanks in advance for any help.

[8arrows]

I am going to be using it with an 11 year old 6th grader, along with a 2nd and an old 3rd grader. I am adding the 6th grade Abeka science and Abeka jr. high world history book for her, plus HOD's extention pack. I wanted her to have the fun her younger sibblings are, but she also reads a lot, and I thought this would be a good fit. We are using these two books because I already have them on hand. Carrie and others have made suggestions for beefing up Preparing. I am sure someone will post a link for you.

[Kathleen]

Carrie is planning to have the next guide Hearts for Him Through Time: Creation to Christ finished and shipped late summer...August, I think. I believe that they'll be posting the packages of books to go with that guide sometime soon. HOD's plan is to have 3 more guides to finish the history cycle after this one. She's writing them to stay ahead of her 2nd child, so her plan to do this is pretty sure. (Obviously she can't see the future though and it's in the Lord's hands.)

I'm really not much help in telling you about using Preparing with the extensions. (We aren't there yet.) There are several moms here using Preparing who I'm sure will be able to help.

Kathleen

[Carrie]

AmyLynn,

Here's a previous thread that very thoroughly discusses what you're asking about Preparing and will hopefully be helpful to you!:
viewtopic.php?f=31&t=1458

If you have other questions, ask away!

Our new ancients guide will ship August 1st and pre-orders will most likely start in beginning-mid March. We sent the packages for our new guide to our web designer yesterday, so he'll start working on getting them up on the website soon. Information on the new program will be coming up on the website by the end of the month or beginning of next month, we hope.

Blessings,
Carrie

[water2wine]

Our new ancients guide will ship August 1st and pre-orders will most likely start in beginning-mid March. We sent the packages for our new guide to our web designer yesterday, so he'll start working on getting them up on the website soon. Information on the new program will be coming up on the website by the end of the month or beginning of next month, we hope.

Wow! How exciting! You guys are on it! Can't wait to see it all.

[Samuel'sMommy]

Our new ancients guide will ship August 1st and pre-orders will most likely start in beginning-mid March. We sent the packages for our new guide to our web designer yesterday, so he'll start working on getting them up on the website soon. Information on the new program will be coming up on the website by the end of the month or beginning of next month, we hope.

Yay! I can't wait to see everything you have planned!

[Tiffini]

Carrie, I read the links you posted about beefing up. My dd will be an older 11 yo (12 in Oct.) 6th grader doing Preparing next year. Do you think Preparing as written with the addition of the Extension Pack is enough or do you think that some of those additional resources you mentioned would be necessary/desireable or just overkill and not a necessity for that age/grade? Since she is my oldest, I sometimes am concerned about not challenging her enough or realizing down the road that the academics were not rigorous enough for her. Thanks for your help!

[Carrie]

Tiffini,

As long as you do the Extension Pack and make sure to have your child either narrate orally or do a written narration on what she's read in the Extension Pack each day (as suggested at the beginning of the Extension Package schedule), I do think Preparing is enough history-wise for your 6th grader. The written/oral narration practice will be very good in developing those key skills in your 6th grader (to a higher level than those in the guide for younger kiddos). The left side of the plans in Preparing has a very strong history focus with solid "overview" level coverage of both Biblical and secular world history, so you'll be fine there.

I would definitely make sure that you have your oldest child correctly placed as far as the Rod and Staff English, Drawn into the Heart of Reading, dictation passages, and math go too to make sure those are on her level.

The one area you may want to add in a little more coverage would be the science. The easiest way to do this would be to add in an extra elementary Apologia science text on day 5 of each week (and read a portion on day 5 all year long). Then, have your daughter either orally narrate, do a written narration, or do her own notebooking entry on what she's read that day. Just choose one of your daughter's interests there. Or, if the Apologia texts are not her style, add in one science biography per quarter. The Sower series has some excellent biographies of scientists. Either option will easily raise the level of science for your 6th grader.

I think you'll find Preparing to be rich in content and coverage. We are enjoying it immensely this year and my kiddos are making all sorts of connections. I can honestly say that I have included many things in the Preparing guide that I have never even gotten covered with my current 7th grader (so I put them in Preparing to make sure they got covered with my younger kiddos coming up). At times, it feels like my younger kiddos are getting a much more solid education than my oldest, just due to the organization and content coverage in the guides. So, feel good about Preparing. I know I do!

Blessings,
Carrie

[Tiffini]

Carrie, thanks so much for your recommendation and help. I very much trust that you know what you're talking about!

My dd came and looked over my shoulder while I was reading your reply and said, "You mean, the lady who writes our book actually writes you back! She homeschools her own kids and writes our school stuff. She must be really busy!" And I said, "Yes, and she takes the time to write to answer our personal questions." It truly is amazing that you are available to us and always answer each person's questions. What a blessing! We hold you up in prayer as I cannot imagine how full your days are. You bless us so much with the work of your hands. Thank you!

[8arrows]

Tiffini--I am glad you asked the questions you did. I think I may just follow the advise Carrie just gave and leave the history well enough alone for my 6th grader. I also may just order another one of the Apologia books for the 5th day. We have loved those.
I'll have to contemplate that one.

[Carrie]

Tiffini and 8Arrows,

I'm so glad that my answers helped shed some light on planning for next year for both of you! 8arrows, I think your plan sounds like a good one and that you'll find it to be meaty! I consider it a privilege to visit with you ladies and am blessed by your prayers and encouragement.

Blessings,
Carrie

[deltagal]

The one area you may want to add in a little more coverage would be the science. The easiest way to do this would be to add in an extra elementary Apologia science text on day 5 of each week (and read a portion on day 5 all year long). Then, have your daughter either orally narrate, do a written narration, or do her own notebooking entry on what she's read that day. Just choose one of your daughter's interests there. Or, if the Apologia texts are not her style, add in one science biography per quarter. The Sower series has some excellent biographies of scientists. Either option will easily raise the level of science for your 6th grader.

Hmmm. I might do this with my 6th grader - add in an elementary Apologia book. I just wanted to double-check that the only one that HOD plans to use is Land Animals of the 6th day. Is that correct?

[Carrie]

Yes, right now the only one Apologia text we have scheduled is Land Animals of the Sixth Day. There is also a new elementary Apologia text for chemistry coming out that we'll definitely take a look at, and in all honesty we'll take one more look at the Elementary Apologia Astronomy as one possibility for the guide after the ancients - earth science focus.

Blessings,
Carrie