New here with questions

[JessicainMD]

This is my first post here. We are currently using a curriculum that is torture for us all. I have learned an important lesson. You cannot drag a child through a difficult curriculum that doesn’t fit them. I don’t want to set us up for failure by trying a level that is wrong.

I am trying to place my 7 and 8 year old daughters. I looked at the placement chart. I think my younger daughter fits in Beyond. She is still finishing up phonics. She is more advanced in math. She is currently working through Singapore 2a.

I think my older daughter could place in Beyond or Bigger. My older daughter is an independent reader. She is currently reading The Littles. She is working on cursive, is familiar with copy work, dictation, and enjoys writing. She struggles some with narration and comprehension. She is in Singapore 3a. I would like to use only one guide.

Would you recommend Beyond, Bigger or something else entirely?

Is there a handwriting program schedule in Beyond?

Besides math, are there consumable items I would have to buy for each child?

Thank you,
Jessica

[Mercy]

Hi Jessica,
Welcome!! It is recommended to begin with where your youngest places and, if you are combining, "beef up" the younger guide to fit your older student. So for your situation you would probably want to buy a few items from the next guide up, like the cursive book maybe, rod and staff english if she is ready (beyond has a light study once a week) and you would stick with doing math at her own level. There are two spelling list options in Beyond so you could be covered there. You might want to purchase the bigger guide to have the plans from the right side, which is the "basics" Many people will work on the left side "history" out of one guide and use the right side from another. One good reason to do this is the math lessons are super fun and people dont want to miss out on those.

I am not sure what consumables there are in beyond right off the top of my head. I cant think of any. Im sure someone will pop on and help u out here.

Hope something here helps a lil bit.
You will love HOD!

[my3sons]

Hi Jessica! Welcome to the HOD Board, and thanks for sharing about your dc here. I agree with Mercy, I would place the 2 of them in Beyond, but use the right side of Bigger Hearts to up some things in LA/math for your older dd. This is easy peasy to do. Both of your dc would use Beyond for their core program, and they would do all of the left side of the guide together, as well as the Storytime from the right side of Beyond and the copywork of Beyond's poems in Beyond's LA box.

Your younger dd would...
do the Emerging Reader's Set from the Appendix of Beyond for her reading. She would do Singapore 2A/2B along with the hands-on activities that match the 2A/2B singapore math books in Bigger Hearts for His Glory's math plans. She would do Spelling List 1 or 2 from Beyond (2 is harder) and the once a week grammar lessons in the LA box of Beyond.

Your older dd would...
do "Drawn into the Heart of Reading" Level 2/3 for her reading. She would do Singapore 3A/3B, which is scheduled in the Appendix of Bigger Hearts. She would do Dictation Level 2 (the 2 is not standing for a grade) in Bigger Hearts Appendix. She would do R & S English 2 for her grammar, which is scheduled in Bigger Hearts.

Copywork provides the handwriting practice in Beyond. If you want to add a formal handwriting program for your younger dd if she needs to cement these skills, we used "A Reason For Handwriting A" along with Beyond and enjoyed that. My ds just did a page a day in this HW book until he finished it.

I think that this will be a great way to combine your dc while making minimal adjustments to meet their individual needs in LA and math! But, what are your thoughts? We have loved HOD for many years in our own home - I'm excited for you to begin! HTH!

In Christ,
Julie

[JessicainMD]

Thank you both for your helpful advice! I just placed my ordered (Beyond and some things from Bigger.) I can't wait to start everything for the New Year.
Thanks again!
Jessica