Questions about using CTC...

[4arrows]

I will be starting CTC with my 10 yo DD next week and just wanted to clarify a couple things...

1. In the Reading about history box on day 1 they do research. Are they to write down the answers or just orally tell you what they found out? If you have them write it down, where do you store it? Also, what have you used as far as Bible dictionaries/encyclopedias?
On written narration days, does this always go right into their student notebook?

2. On the right side of the page in the Bible Study Box: Genesis:Finding our Roots-it says in the intro that they do maps, timeline, study Ancient art. Is this all in the student notebook too? or do I need a notebook for that?

Do I need a specific notebook for the geography study? or do I print pages from the CD-rom and place in the history notebook?
Thanks so much for any help or suggestions! Excited to start HOD next week!
Elizabeth

[4Hispraise]

Hi Elizabeth. I am not expert, but I can tell you what worked for us as we completed CTC last year - and had a GREAT year of learning and drawing closer to the Lord, by the way.

n the Reading about history box on day 1 they do research. Are they to write down the answers or just orally tell you what they found out? If you have them write it down, where do you store it?

For research, I did have my ds right down the information in a paragraph. I honestly don't know if this is what I was supposed to do, but he was at the high age end of the guide. I stored these in their own section labeled "Research" of the history notebook . Once in a while, when he was having an extra busy week or we were near a holiday, I would let him just orally narrate to me. He loved those days!!

2. On the right side of the page in the Bible Study Box: Genesis:Finding our Roots-it says in the intro that they do maps, timeline, study Ancient art. Is this all in the student notebook too? or do I need a notebook for that?

My ds kept an extra notebook for Bible study. There are not pages of the Student Notebook specifically for Bible. We just used a pocket folder with three prongs in it. That seemed to be sufficient.

Do I need a specific notebook for the geography study? or do I print pages from the CD-rom and place in the history notebook?

We just printed pages and as he completed them we put them in a separate section of the history binder labeled "Geography." I try to keep as few notebooks and binders as possible because my kiddo is not super organized. Nothing would ever end up where it belongs if I had a separate notebook...the separate sections of the binder seem to work well for him though. [/color

HTH! Blessings on your year!!

[4arrows]

Thanks so much! That was very helpful and exactly what I was thinking but I'm glad you confirmed it...thanks!
Also, I saw you are using LOF with your 11 yo. My 10 yo dd will be starting that this year in the fractions/decimals...how have you liked it and what level is he using? Do you feel it is enough or do you need to supplement? Thanks again!

[LynnH]

I did not require my ds to write the answers to his research. I think this was asked last year and Carrie said to have them do it orally. It is all part of a skills progression. The focus is on finding the answers in CTC and then in RTR, which we just started, they write a postcard about the place they researched. So essentially they are now asked to write a paragraph that includes the answers to the questions.

[Mom of Three]

What is the CD-Rom you mentioned? I don't have that.

[4arrows]

the one in the back of the geography book...

[Mom of Three]

the one in the back of the geography book...

Thanks!

[Kathleen]

Elizabeth,
You're in for a fabulous year with CTC! We loved it, and learned so much last year.

Like Lynn, we did the Research questions orally, and I didn't always make my son find the answers to ALL of them. I occasionally helped him skim for information as we did it as he was still getting the hang of that. Answering the questions orally is the design of that box and what Carrie intended as she wrote it. Here is the thread where she explains that as an answer to someone else's question. viewtopic.php?f=6&t=6003#p44182

We also used a plain old 2 pocket folder for our geography papers and the few things that were charted or written in the Genesis study. This worked just fine as there weren't too many things to hang on to. You could easily add a section to the student notebook for this though. It's totally a matter of personal preference.

Kathleen

[4arrows]

Thanks that helped a bunch to clarify! So excited to start next week...working on scheduling. I have a 6 and 8 yr old starting Beyond and a 23 mo old. Do you all have any recommendations for what worked with scheduling. I am hoping to have each of the girls have play/activity time with the little guy while I have one-on-one teaching time with another and then the third doing independent work. During his nap I plan to do the left side of Beyond with both younger girls and time with older in CTC. This is just the skeleton...I'm hoping to post it when it's finalized for suggestions from you all in HOD land Any advice about what did or didn't work...what is best done first, what parts should be done with mom before independent time, etc..??
Thanks so much!
I love this board... you all are so helpful and encouraging, and yet so real- We all need the Lord each day don't we?
Elizabeth

[Mom of Three]

I'm only three days in, but so far every day is so different, with what projects dd needs my help with and which she doesn't. She hasn't used HOD for a couple years and some of it is just so new to her that the labels for which is individual work and which is teacher-directed are not necessarily accurate for her.

So I make a list of each activity, saving the independent reading for the afternoon. In the morning I list each thing we need to do, and I put whatever I think she will enjoy LAST on the list so she has something to look forward to. Today that was painting. Tomorrow it is a project with M&Ms. This helps her to see that she has, for example, 12 things to do today and she's already done 6 of them. She likes knowing her status.

Yesterday afternoon she asked me if she could do today's Quiet Time early in the morning. So I got that all ready for her. I write notes for her in her binder with directions for the Quiet Time. I thought that would be time-consuming but really it isn't. Today she did her own Quiet Time before 7 a.m. without me reminding her. If there was a jumping-up-and-down smilie I would put it here.

[4arrows]

I would be jumping up and down too! I think that's what I want most for my kids is to enjoy their time with the Lord and develop in them a daily habit. That's what I love about HOD!
Would you mind telling me what kind of notes you put in her binder? Is it just what is in the Bible quiet time box? I love all the ideas I am getting on here...
I saw you also have 2 girls in Beyond...in addition to your dd in CTC. That is the same as us I have a 10 yo DD in CTC and 6 and 8 yo DDs in Beyond...we're starting next week. They are getting so excited to start as they help me organize and get things ready. This is our first yr with HOD. We had a false start last year...started with HOD and couldn't keep up after 3 weeks my husband encouraged me to do the BJU DVD program (gasp!) for the year to give me a bit of a break as we had an infant as well. I really missed all that HOD has to offer and am excited to be returning. And my little guy is almost 2 and much easier now...feeling a lot better about everything
I'd love to hear how CTC and Beyond are going for you and love any advice and what is working/not working!
Staying happy in HIM!
Elizabeth

[Mom of Three]

Would you mind telling me what kind of notes you put in her binder? Is it just what is in the Bible quiet time box? I love all the ideas I am getting on here...

Right now I am writing the Bible quiet time in her binder, but all of her written work goes in the binder. I need to get tabs for it!
I rephrase the notes just a little personalize them. I say "underline" instead of "highlight" because we don't have the highlighters that work in Bibles. Sometimes I shorten the prayer ideas or make them a little more general. I tell her that the prayer ideas are just ideas, because she should talk to God about whatever is on her heart. I had her write the memory verse every day. She chose to do this in different versions, which wasn't quite my plan, but I'm glad she's reading the Word and wants to.

[Mom of Three]

[quote="4arrows"]I will be starting CTC with my 10 yo DD next week and just wanted to clarify a couple things...

1. In the Reading about history box on day 1 they do research. Are they to write down the answers or just orally tell you what they found out? If you have them write it down, where do you store it? Also, what have you used as far as Bible dictionaries/encyclopedias?

How are other families handling this research?
Do you buy specific books?
Do you use Wikipedia?
Does anyone own an encycolpedia anymore?
I'd love to read an example...like today you read about the ephod and you looked it up in this specific book and your child wrote down some specific information.

[annaz]

I will be starting CTC with my 10 yo DD next week and just wanted to clarify a couple things...

1. In the Reading about history box on day 1 they do research. Are they to write down the answers or just orally tell you what they found out? If you have them write it down, where do you store it? Also, what have you used as far as Bible dictionaries/encyclopedias?

How are other families handling this research?
Do you buy specific books?
Do you use Wikipedia?
Does anyone own an encycolpedia anymore?
I'd love to read an example...like today you read about the ephod and you looked it up in this specific book and your child wrote down some specific information.

We are doing research orally. There's so much writing in CTC that I don't really need to add to it. Not only that, it could add another 20 minutes + to your day.

I own a set of encyclopedias and prefer dd to find and look it up. But when we can't, we go to Wiki...which is on my links bar. Let me add that we also have intermittent internet service. I also have a ton of books that she could find information in. Several Bible dictionaries, and other encyclopedias to find the info. And yes....I own an encyclopedia set and bought it a few months ago; an older version. Nothing beats having to go find it in a real book and not running to a computer where info may or may not be up to par. Anyone can add info to Wikipedia. And I don't like dd on the computer or researching on it on her own. Sometimes I'll pre-look for the research and link it. I've found some nasty stuff popping up searching for some topics in the side bars, so I'm not a fan of internet searching.

The ephod however, we did go to Wiki as it had the best info in this case. But as a rule I don't let dd on the computer. I prefer the "old-fashioned" way. Some day when all the power goes out, I'll be sitting her relaxing reading my upteen REAL books via candlelight.

[LynnH]

I know Carrie has said that the research in CTC is to be done orally. In RTR they write their answers to the research in the form of a post card. It is another one of those things where the skills in each guide build on each other. We use wikipedia, but in CTC a bible dictionary was sometimes all my ds needed to find the answers. Also I discovered that I can link to the World Book online for free through my public library system. I just log in from home and can access it.