Bigger or Preparing for an 8yo & almost 11yo?

[angelam]

Hello All!
First, my name is Angela and I have 5 children (#6 is due in November). I will be homeschooling the oldest 3 in the fall. The oldest 2 have been doing ACE for 2 years, so HOD is quite a big jump for us, but one we are ready to make.

I know my 5yo son will be doing LHFHG, but my 8yo and 10yo (almost 11) daughters are a tiny bit harder to place. According to the charts, the 8yo fits nicely into BHFHG as she needs English 2 and Cheerful Cursive, she will also be in DITHOR 2/3. The 10yo fits nicely into PHFHG and will be in DITHOR 4/5. I am not ready to tackle 3 different levels so I wish to combine the oldest 2. Would it be better to do Bigger with extensions for the 5th grader (and up her 3 R's) or do Preparing and just get the lower level English & cursive writing for the 3rd grader? (I am not sure where either one will place in Singapore Math yet.)
We haven't had much American or World History yet so I kind of don't want to miss BHFHG, but if they would be better served by being in PHFHG, I don't want to hold them back either. I've looked through the sample lesson plans for both years, but I would really like to hear from those with experience.

Thank you so much!

[threegreatkids]

Welcome!
I won't say much because i'm too new to really know We will be doing Bigger with dds who will be 8 and 9 1/2 in the fall. I've been so impressed with all of the Bigger materials and lesson plans! I have the manual for Preparing as well, and can't wait to do that the following year! What a blessing to have found HOD!!!!!
If I could clone myself I'd do Bigger with 3rd grade dd and Preparing with 4th grade dd this year, but i think Bigger (with extensions for oldest) is really going to meet everyone's needs well. We'll be doing different levels of Singapore, Rod & Staff and Spellling/Dictation for each, plus Little Hearts with youngest.
I know you will get some great feedback from those with more experience. Blessings-

[8arrows]

I would do Bigger with extensions. I think it is easier to do a program as written. You would only need to add appropriate math and English for the 11 year old. You might want to look at the Ignite Your Writing book too.

[Kathleen]

Angela,

Hi! I wanted to pop in here and welcome you, too. And, give another vote for using Bigger with the extensions. I'm sure that you'll find it much easier to use the guide that fits the younger of the 2 and then add the extensions that your older girl can do independently to up the level for her. (This will so much better than trying to pull the younger one along with the older long term.) Also, since you're going to be new to CM-style learning and teaching, I think Bigger will be the perfect introduction! It sure was for me this past year!! Your girls will be able to learn to narrate orally before they're expected to move to written narrations in Preparing. They'll also get in on some new skills that are introduced in Bigger and then become things they complete independently in Preparing.

I'm sure that you'll have a great year! We made so many wonderful memories with Bigger this past year! It was a real time of spiritual growth for my son, too.
Kathleen

[Sheila in OK]

I'm going to be doing Bigger w/ Extensions for my 11yo dd next year (and as written for my 8yo ds). All dc are different, of course, but after receiving the materials and looking them over, I think it's going to be plenty for her. The extension books are great--I'm reading through some of them myself this summer! I did buy the Preparing guide so her LA would be scheduled (and to give me ideas for easing her into written narrations), but I don't think that is absolutely necessary. I will also be using the highest level of dictation passages for her. She'll be using R&S English 4 and doing Teaching Textbooks at her level, and I'm also adding in Igniting your Writing once per week. I think it will be a great year!

Hope you come to a good solution for your dc.

[my3sons]

Welcome to the HOD Board, Angela! We are so glad to have you here. The ladies have done such a great job of advising you. I think you truly could do either option you've laid out and have a great year. I'd say the decision rests on your 8 yo. If you take cursive, R & S English 2, and DITHOR out of the picture, would the 8 yo fit better in Bigger Hearts or PHFHG? The reason I say this, is these 3 things are very easy to schedule and teach with any guide. So, if your 8 yo is ready for creative writing lessons 1 time a week, can read the science books independently, can read the independent history books on his own, writes fairly well, can listen to longer books read aloud with few or no pictures, is ready for written narrations, can follow independent directions fairly well - then, you could do PHFHG with the 2 of them.

There really isn't one right answer here, because either one is an excellent choice. You can also factor into your decision the American history, usually we try not to base decisions on time period here at HOD, but in this case where either option would work well, you could weigh the importance of the time period being studied. In the 4 year cycle Carrie is writing over the next years, American history will be included - so, it will be taught again - so, if it's missed now, no worries. Just pray about it and then make your decision, because either one will work well! We've done both Bigger Hearts and PHFHG, and they are both wonderful! You and your dc have so much fun learning ahead of you.

In Christ,
Julie

[angelam]

Thank you everyone!

If you take cursive, R & S English 2, and DITHOR out of the picture, would the 8 yo fit better in Bigger Hearts or PHFHG? The reason I say this, is these 3 things are very easy to schedule and teach with any guide. So, if your 8 yo is ready for creative writing lessons 1 time a week, can read the science books independently, can read the independent history books on his own, writes fairly well, can listen to longer books read aloud with few or no pictures, is ready for written narrations, can follow independent directions fairly well - then, you could do PHFHG with the 2 of them.

Okay, this helps a lot. The 8yo definitely fits in Bigger after all you've listed that she isn't ready for, and like Kathleen mentioned, we probably should learn some CM things with Bigger first before we jump into Preparing. I hated to ask this question b/c it gets asked so much , but I am glad I did, the answer is so much clearer now. Thank you!

[my3sons]

Glad to help, and it sounds like you have a great plan taking shape for your dc! HOD has made our homeschooling something we all look forward to, and I feel God's blessing in it all as we learn together from year to year. I pray the same blessings upon you and your family!

In Christ,
Julie

[Tiffini]

Hi, Angela - I'm late to this thread and it sounds like you have already made your decision. I just wanted to come along and give you some confirmation and some reassurance that I think you made the right choice! I did Bigger last year with 8 yo twins and and an 11 yo dd who did Extensions. It was just perfect! It was a real blessing to me to have the core stuff more on the younger kids' level and then my older dd doing the harder Extension work on her own. I had always done the opposite and focused more on the older child's level and brought the younger two along. Having done it both ways, I will not go back to doing it that way. School last year was a real joy for ALL of us. My oldest loved the Extension books and doing a daily narration of some type really challenged her - as well as doing the Math and English on her own level it was just right. And the younger two understood the core books and got a lot out of it instead of being frustrated at not understanding the higher level books we had used in past years.

So, I say go for it - you will not be disappointed in HOD! I cannot wait to start next year with Preparing in a few weeks.