Choosing the right level

[hsftheart]

Hello, I have been looking at the HOD curriculum daily for the last month. I have decided to commit to it, my heart has led me here.
I have two children that I will have at home starting this summer and fall. They will just be turning 7 and 9 in September. They are completing K and 2nd grade now in public school, both are reading independently at end of 2nd/early 3rd grade level. Would it be better to start them both in the BLHFHG for one year or to just move right into BHFHG for 7-9 yr olds?

I have been planning for Bigger Hearts but wanted some opinions from others who have used it. Thank you!

[countrylivin]

I am using Bigger with my almost 7 year old and 8 year old and it is a perfect fit for them! My almost 7 year old tonight just told me that he is loving school because he is learning so much! Hurray HOD!

[hsftheart]

Thank you for the input. Do you also have your two children doing the Sinagpore Math? I noticed that it was Level 2A and 2B with the BHFHG program, but I think I need to start with 1A and 1B with my kiddos. Any input on this from anyone?

[TrueGRIT]

We started with level one of Singapore math with my son in Bigger. He is just getting started on 2A. We already had the Beyond guide to use for activities to go with the pages, but it is easy enough to make your own. We usually did 2-4 pages a day. For us, that was to get him in level 2 as quickly as possible. It is easy enough to do.

[my3sons]

Hi hsftheart, and welcome to the HOD Board! I am so glad your heart led you to HOD, and I think you are going to love it as much as we do! Choosing the right level is important, so it's great you asked for help here. The ladies on this board are so helpful - you have come to a good place!

When choosing a level in HOD, age is just one part of the consideration. For this reason, I am wondering if you could please check out the placement chart and share individually about each of your dc's reading, writing, grammar, and math? That will help us better advise you on placement. Here is a link to the placement chart...
http://www.heartofdakota.com/placing-your-child.php

We'll check back and help fine tune your placement to your family then! It's nice to meet you, and I look forward to getting to know you here.
In Christ,
Julie

[hsftheart]

Thank you all so much for the great input. I am going to LOVE coming to this place. So, I am still taking in all of the info. on choosing the right level for my kiddos.

After reviewing the placement chart, their age is 7-9 in the fall. They are both independent readers. In writing my ds occasionally writes a few letters backwards, but is writing spelling words, sentences, etc. I wouldn't start the cursive with him this year. He has not had formal introduction to basic parts of speech yet. We do MadLibs so he knows a few things. Maybe if I start that with him this summer, by fall he will be okay with the grammar in Bigger?? Any thoughts on that? I think I am going to start with the 1A/1B Math for him and possibly 2A/2B for my dd.

Thanks to all who have taken time to respond!

[my3sons]

Thanks, hsftheart! Thanks for your patience here - I have a few more questions - sorry! I want to be as sure of my advice as I can. Could you please share a few titles of books each of them have read on their own lately? Also, could you please share how many times and how much each is used to writing each day right now? There is a free placement test on the Singapore math website, http://www.singaporemath.com. You may want to start with the 1A/1B test and see where each places, as this will be the most accurate way to choose a good starting place in math for each of them. The placement test is free and easy to give at home. HEre are some simple instructions for giving the placement test...
1. Click on "parents"
2. Click on "assessment tests" (which is a clickable link under Step 3 on that page).
3. Click on the level you want to begin with under PRIMARY MATHEMATICS 3RD & U.S. EDITION SERIES , keeping in mind Singapore Math is considered a year advanced - in other words, start LOWER than you think your dc will place.
4. Print the test and have your dc take it, making sure not to help with anything as this inflates scores.
5. Follow the guidelines for placement (dc will probably take several levels tests before arriving at a placement).
6. Wherever dc place, even if it is lower than you anticipated, start there. If they tested into a "B" book, just begin with that. It will be fine!

One last thing to ponder - the writing varies between Beyond and Bigger Hearts... Here Carrie describes the difference...
As far as choosing between "Beyond.." and "Bigger..." goes, the amount of writing varies quite a bit between Beyond and Bigger. Bigger requires more writing in the areas of a once a week history notebooking assignment, a once a week science experiment sheet and a once a week science notebooking entry, along with once a week copywork of a Bible verse, 1-3 vocabulary cards each week, cursive handwriting practice daily, and daily grammar instruction with written practice. It also provides a choice of spelling or dictation passages. If your little one sounds like that would be fine for her, she belongs in Bigger. If not, then Beyond would be best. Beyond has much less writing doing copywork daily from the poetry, using a gentle once a week introduction to grammar, and writing daily for very short spelling lessons.

Based on the description of writing in Beyond vs. Bigger, where do your dc each place best? I am leaving for a convention tomorrow, but I'm sure other ladies will chime in with some advice based on your answers, and I will as soon as I can as well. Keep chatting this through, and before you know it, you'll be set with a super placement and ready to enjoy your whole homeschool year!

In Christ,
Julie

[hsftheart]

Thanks my3sons for the reply. I will give as much info as I can about both of my dc.

They are reading Magic Tree House Series and Geronimo Stilton. My ds has lately been reading Goosebumps (I've been looking for something new for him). He is really drawn to the skeleton, gore, etc. He is reading The River by Gary Paulson now and likes it. My dd enjoys anything about animals. She read Elska from Horse Diaries and Stronger Than Magic (My Secret Unicorn). My ds tests Level M and dd at Level P within the GRL.

As for writing, my ds is in all day kindergarten T, TH, every other F. On school days, he writes 3-4 times during the day. He has taken spelling tests, written short sentences and written little booklets. My dd writes multiple times a day M-F (planner, reading, spelling, media, math). I know that ds will like the idea of having a notebook with his work in it, even if we don't do everything the same as with my dd.

I have given them both the assessment for Singapore math and we will start with 1A/1B for both of them.

Thanks so much for the input everyone. Has anyone thought that Bigger was the right choice and found that it was too much too soon?

[my3sons]

THank you for answering my questions! That really does help so much. I think it would be a good idea to begin with Beyond Little Hearts for a few reasons. First, you won't have to worry about ds being overly stressed trying to do the writing in Bigger Hearts. Second, you also won't have to worry about how waiting on cursive in Bigger Hearts would have you tweaking some of the future plans in PHFHG. Third, you will have the excellent 1A/1B hands-on math activities to use in your Beyond Little Hearts guide. Fourth, Beyond will give you lots of excellent helps as a teacher trying to help your dc learn to give great oral narrations.

For your ds, I'd have him go through the Emerging Reader's Set, probably from start to finish, or possible from the middle to the end if you'd rather. Though the first ones in the set would be easy for him, the questions in the Appendix of Beyond will continue to build his reading comprehension and oral narration skills. But, you could have him start in the middle of the set otherwise too. "Buffalo Bill..." is a Level 3 reader, so he could begin there if you would like. Your dd can use "Drawn into the Heart of Reading" with the Level 3 Book Pack, or with whatever book pack you think fits her best, or with your own selection of books if you'd rather. You can also have your dd begin cursive (we loved "Cheerful Cursive" FWIW ), and also begin R & S English 2, doing 1 lesson a day. The history read-alouds are 3rd grade levels anyway, and the rest of Beyond will be a good fit as well. Should you so desire, you can add the extensions for dd for history the next year when they do Bigger Hearts.

I really think this would be a super placement for your dc not only now, but also for the future! But, what do you think? Is there any other way I can help?

In Christ,
Julie

[hsftheart]

Thank you so much for taking the time to recommend this level. The more I read other posts and look at the samples of the guides, etc. I agree with you.

I want to make sure though that you would recommend BLH for both of them and just ramp up for my dd, am I understanding right? I do feel good about this decision.

Thanks so much!

[my3sons]

...I want to make sure though that you would recommend BLH for both of them and just ramp up for my dd, am I understanding right? I do feel good about this decision...

Yes! You are understanding me just right - both could do Beyond, but your dd can use "Drawn into the Heart of Reading," cursive, and R & S English 2 along with doing Beyond for the rest of her schooling. HTH!

In Christ,
Julie

[hsftheart]

Great, thanks so much! I am so excited for our first year to start. I know that I need to give the dc a little break first. Their last day of school was last Thursday and I am going to wait until the fall to start full on. This summer we are just going to be doing some reading and math.

Do you find that most people take the summer off or go all year with breaks here and there? What have your families done? Just wondering what I can prepare them for as we get going.

Thanks so much for being here and responding!