How long? and an English question

HomeschoolinFL · Post by **HomeschoolinFL** » Wed Apr 23, 2008 5:38 pm

I'm thinking of using Little Hearts with 2 of my kids next year, but I'd only be using the first page each day (basically Bible, History, Rhymes in Motion, and Music) and sometimes the art. I have other science and stuff for my other kids, so I wouldn't be using that. My question is, if I am just using the first page, how long would it take each day?

My next question is regarding the English suggestions. I used 1st Lang Lessons for the WTM this year with my 1st grader. I noticed you no longer recommend that and recc. R&S in its place. I was wondering if you could tell me more of why you made this change. I'd already been looking at R&S and trying to decide between the two.

Thanks

Homeschooling6 · Post by **Homeschooling6** » Wed Apr 23, 2008 9:18 pm

Hi Lori,

I'm new here too

so I don't know too much about the curriculum. I did notice that they do carry FLL from the WTM still. I don't know if it's scheduled in the guides and that's probably what your looking for an answer too. Just thought I would mention it though

Blessings,

Jen in Va · Post by **Jen in Va** » Thu Apr 24, 2008 5:59 am

I'm new to HOD--just started using LHFHG with my 5 yos. I went back and looked and it appears that R&S 2 is used in Bigger and then progresses each year from there.

My experience comes in taking 2 kids all the way through R&S grammar from 2nd through 8th grade. IMO, it's at the top of the list in grammar programs--once your child finishes grade 8, he really doesn't need another grammar program. R&S covers it all. I notice that Susan Wise Bauer is now recommending R&S grammar over the ABeka she used to recommend. I just took a look at Preparing, and it appears as though you can start the R&S grammar at grade 3 with the Preparing guide if your child has already used a grammar program. You could use FLL for 1st and 2nd, and if you were to use Preparing, go into R&S 3 at that time. It's an excellent program--both my children who have been through it have scored consistently in the upper 90%tle on the Stanford achievement tests the state requires each year. They write well and understand way more grammar than I ever did.

That said, the program can seem intimidating at first. There is a lesson to do with the students, then classroom practice exercises, followed by written practice, and sometimes review exercises--plus the workbook. We found the program worked very well by doing the majority of the exercises orally--usually doing the odds or evens of the classroom practice to see if they got the concept. If they did, we were done with the oral lesson for the day. If not, we'd backtrack into the lesson, and then do a couple of the written practice problems together. It was rare that we had to do that. In most cases they had to write out any exercises that involved creating their own sentence or diagramming--again doing odds or evens. With our youngest I may go to doing the diagramming on the white board, as I've read about on the WTM boards. Oh yeah, the workbook exercises...I'd use these several days after the lesson was covered as review to make sure the concept was down solid.

You really can't beat the price on the sets either--good solid textbooks that last for years and many kids. Mine have been through my two and an additional three of my friend's kids, and then will come back to me starting in a year or so.

R&S grammar is the one curriculum I have stuck with throughout our 15 years of home educating, and I will continue to use it with our youngest. In our case, it's the old, if it's not broken, don't fix it. You may feel the same way about FLL, and if you do, stick with it. How far does FLL go now? Does it end with level 3/4?

HomeschoolinFL · Post by **HomeschoolinFL** » Thu Apr 24, 2008 3:46 pm

Thanks for the info on R&S. I am undecided for next year for my advanced 2nd grader. I may use R&S instead of the 2nd year of 1stLL_WTM. Your info on R&S is helpful. I hope some of the others will chime in with more of why they switched their suggestions on the website between the 2 books. I think that will help me make my decision.

As for my other question...I guess I really would be doing most of the program (minus the science), since we already use Singapore (one doing K and one doing 2B/3A next year). But I'm just trying to add things up in my head and am hoping someone can tell me how long the first page takes each day. That would help me plan.

The more I read on this site, the more exciting I am about using Little Hearts. I think my kids (and I) will love it.

Jen in Va · Post by **Jen in Va** » Thu Apr 24, 2008 4:09 pm

You're asking just about the left side--minimal time, really. The readings are short. We spend about 90 min a day now since we've added in Little Hearts. But the lions' share of that is phonics, reading, copywork. Math coming in next. I'll watch the time as I do the left side tomorrow--but I'm guessing a half hour or less for that side. Today we did Unit 1 Day 3 of LHFHG-- the history reading, dramatic play, Bible verse, our own devotional from Leading Little Ones to God since there wasn't one planned for today--definitely under 30 min.

Melanie · Post by **Melanie** » Thu Apr 24, 2008 4:31 pm

Hi Lori!

I just wanted to encourage you to go ahead and do the box under the history box with your history. Sometimes it's science, sometimes art, sometimes a thinking game or dramatic play. They are just so much fun and really bring the history to life! They are also so short (unless your kiddos are like mine and want to keep doing the activity over and over) and you could easily do another science along with it. I would also encourage you to do the storytime box as well.....again, to good to miss! The other boxes (fine motor, math and reading) can very easily be subbed, but (big warning) you may find yourself hooked and want to go all HOD next year!

I don't know what to tell you about your FLL dilema. It really comes down to your educational philosopy. CM did not advocate grammar in the early years, so HOD follows that line of thinking. Most moms also find that if they wait to introduce formal grammar, they get much higher retention of the material.....in other words.....the younger you start, the higher your chances of having to re-teach material. You just need to go with your mommy's gut feeling on that one!

Best of luck with your decisions!

Mel

Post by **Carrie** » Sun Apr 27, 2008 8:42 pm

Lori,

The ladies have done a great job of answering your questions. I'll just chime in to say that it takes us about 30-40 minutes to do the left side on the plans for "Little Hearts..." (often including the time spent on the storytime box of the plans in that time allotment).

As to your questions about First Language Lessons and Rod and Staff, I'll also point you to a couple of old threads that may help:

http://www.heartofdakota.com/board/viewtopic.php?t=113

http://www.heartofdakota.com/board/viewtopic.php?t=718

Blessings,
Carrie

HomeschoolinFL · Post by **HomeschoolinFL** » Sun Apr 27, 2008 9:25 pm

Thanks everyone - all your responses really helped. Carrie thanks for the links - that answered my questions.

I am so excited about using Little Hearts this year

My kiddos are going to love it.

Lori
dd 6 ds 4 ds 1
"taking a break from MFW next year"

HomeschoolinFL · Post by **HomeschoolinFL** » Mon May 05, 2008 9:06 pm

I ordered Little Hearts. It came today and I'm so excited to use it. I think its a perfect fit with the rest of our family school plan. I'll be doing it with a 7 and almost 5 yr old (5 in October). We'll be starting in July or August.

Thanks. I look forward to being on this board more as we get going.

momof2n2 · Post by **momof2n2** » Tue May 06, 2008 11:34 am

HS in FL...
I am also weighing the possibility of switching from FLL to R&S. InHisTiming is going to let me borrow the R&S books for a couple of days so I can look them over. I hate to leave FLL because it has worked so well for us, but I appreciate everyone else's experiences and want to examine them both.

HomeschoolinFL · Post by **HomeschoolinFL** » Tue May 06, 2008 12:01 pm

I ended up decided to stick with 1stLL. We'll be doing Spelling Wisdom for spelling and so I felt like that would cover dictation and that I could wait another year before doing the heavy grammer lessons of R&S. Like you said 1stLL is workign for us, so I sort of didn't want to mess with it. Plus we just found out we having another baby (#4) next year so I'm looking to reduce MY time during school. I think the following year we'll switch to R&S.

How long? and an English question

How long? and an English question

Got my box