MFW Adventures

[mohsmom23]

Can anyone tell me exactly how much writing is involved in MFW Adventures? I'm trying to find a program that I can use with my 5yo dd. I know MFW Adv is supposed to be for 2nd - 3rd grade, but my dd is already reading well and she can write short sentences. I feel that MFW 1st would be a waste since we covered biblical history this year with HOD's LHFHG. Plus, we wouldn't really get much use out of the phonics portion of MFW since she is beyond that already. I love the looks of Adventures, but I don't want to get it only to find out it's way too much writing for my 5yo. Or if there is a ton of writing, would it be easily modified to fit my dd's abilities?

[zookeeperof3]

We are finishing up Adventures now. There is a notebook page to do every week. My son writes his history narration on it and colors the picture. On weeks that there isn't a picture printed on the page, he draws one on it.The state sheets are read it, put on the sticker and color it in, no writing involved. There's a neat animal memory game. Most of our writing comes from our English program. It's been a fun year, we have enjoyed it a lot.

HTH,

Kim

[cbollin]

my 5yo dd. I know MFW Adv is supposed to be for 2nd - 3rd grade, but my dd is already reading well and she can write short sentences.

 

I don't know about ADV with 5 y.o who is oldest... so no advice there. I've heard others with no so good of stories with 6 year olds who were the oldest and could read well and it didn't work because of the writing.... I dont' know...

 

I do want to make sure on the writing as a way to help you decide...

 

Can your daughter read or listen to a passage/story and then narrate it back to you and then write about 3-5 sentences of that summary?

 

In other words if she were to read this story:

http://mfwbooks.com/pdf/biblereader_p115.pdf

 

what kind of summary can she write from it?

This is one sample of a notebook from that story

http://mfwbooks.com/1st_biblenotebook.htm

 

That's in 1st grade MFW, around day 111.

 

not trying to say you need to do old testament/new testament history twice in a year between programs... but trying to help with the writing levels and seeing unseen.

 

I know I used MFW 1st with my early reading child and the phonics was turned into spelling lessons and we did the notebooking. But we hadn't just finished another similar history thing...

 

ADV might work a little bit better a little further down the road... but not necessarily forever down the road :) :lol:

 

-crystal

[Donna A.]

Can anyone tell me exactly how much writing is involved in MFW Adventures? I'm trying to find a program that I can use with my 5yo dd. I know MFW Adv is supposed to be for 2nd - 3rd grade, but my dd is already reading well and she can write short sentences. I feel that MFW 1st would be a waste since we covered biblical history this year with HOD's LHFHG. Plus, we wouldn't really get much use out of the phonics portion of MFW since she is beyond that already. I love the looks of Adventures, but I don't want to get it only to find out it's way too much writing for my 5yo. Or if there is a ton of writing, would it be easily modified to fit my dd's abilities?

 

Lori, I'd encourage you to go ahead and do MFW 1st even if you skip the phonics lessons. I had Little Hearts at one time, thought I might do it with my youngest, but it turned out not to be a great fit. The one thing I *did* like about it was the main history spine, History for Little Pilgrims. I already owned that book, and guess what... I ended up just reading HFLP with her and letting her do the coloring book, but not the whole Little Hearts program.

 

At any rate, the reason I bring that up is to let you know that I'm familiar with both Little Hearts and MFW 1st. I can assure you that they're different enough that you could go ahead with MFW 1st and still get a lot out of it (for example, the Jewish calendar, the Feasts, learning the books of the Bible, and memorizing verses from Proverbs). As for the overview of the Bible itself, well, 1) it never hurts to review the Bible as a whole, anyway, and 2) She'll have her very *own* personally created Bible reader and notebook in MFW 1st.

 

I just think that Adventures will be more enjoyable for your dd a year later, and she'll retain more, too. When you do Adventures, you'll have to get something for her for math and language arts, anyway. You can skip the first... I forget offhand how many lessons... of MFW 1st that are just review, and go right to where the Bible reader begins. Skip the portions of the phonics lessons that she doesn't need. MFW 1st moves fairly quickly through reading levels, so you may still find that you hit a slowing-down point somewhere along the way. Your dd is still very young and it's normal for them to do that. Their brains can only handle so much progress in a given period of time.

 

Check out those links Crystal provided and see what you think. But there's a lot of wonderful Bible and science lessons in MFW 1st, as well as strengthening her LA skills (reading fluency, comprehension, handwriting, drawing skills) which are very age-appropriate. I *almost* did MFW 1st with my middle girl even though she'd already begun reading, just for the richness of the rest of the program. In hindsight, I wish I had. It would've strengthened her foundation before going on to bigger stuff.

 

Of course you're the mom. :) But from someone who's BTDT... I do encourage you to wait a year and enjoy age 5, spending time with her own Bible reader and notebook.

[mohsmom23]

Thanks for the insight ladies. I checked out the links to MFW 1st. I know dd would be able to read that passage without any issues and then she would be able to orally narrate to me. We haven't done formal written narrations so that might be an issue in Adventures. I'll have to really think on if I want to do MFW 1st or just do something totally on our own for next year and then head straight into Adventures the following year.

[Donna A.]

Thanks for the insight ladies. I checked out the links to MFW 1st. I know dd would be able to read that passage without any issues and then she would be able to orally narrate to me. We haven't done formal written narrations so that might be an issue in Adventures. I'll have to really think on if I want to do MFW 1st or just do something totally on our own for next year and then head straight into Adventures the following year.

 

I wouldn't worry too much about the written narrations. You can either have her write just a sentence or two, or maybe three, depending on how much she can handle. Or you could have her dictate and you write it. I've done that with my younger girls.

 

Have you been able to see Adventures in person? At convention, or a friend's if you know anyone who's done it?

[mohsmom23]

Have you been able to see Adventures in person? At convention, or a friend's if you know anyone who's done it?

 

Not yet. I'll be going to the convention in KC in April though. I assume MFW will be there again so hopefully I can take a look at it.

[dhudson]

I have done MFWAdv with 6 year olds but I wouldn't attempt it with a 5 yr old 1st grader (which I also had). I thought my oldest was too advanced for MFW1st so I made my own. I learned my lesson and had my twins do MFW1st at 5. They could both read well so we used the phonics as a review and worked on writing and beginning narrations in 1st to prepare for 2nd. They did really well, learned some great life long lessons in Bible and thoroughly enjoyed school. At a young age, I think it's important not to push them too hard even when they are advanced and allow them to enjoy learning. You'll be glad of that love of learning later!

[FriedClams]

I wouldn't do it with a 5 year old, even one reading really well. For us, we did it with a K and 1st and while they enjoyed it and I think retained a lot - it totally messed us up for what was available to use in the future. While ADV may work for K - projected out - CTG won't work for a 2nd grader, etc. The material really climbs in difficulty. I would go with the ages advertised and enjoy it to the fullest.