HOD or Sonlight for K-3?

[Blessed with seven]

Want to instill a love of learning, great literature etc...

 

Kim

[Guest mrsjamiesouth]

I would look at both catalogs and go with whatever books you think your children will like best. I have found we have to add more reading books to LHFHG, but the next 2 guides have tons.

I found Sonlight books to be too mature for my kids, so that is why we do not use it.

[mystika1]

I found Sonlight books to be too mature for my kids, so that is why we do not use it.

 

When we used Sonlight, I used a core behind what was recommended as I too felt some of the titles were a bit mature for the age group. For example, for 1st grade most people used P 3/4.(I think that is what it is called now a days.:D We really enjoyed the books. It worked much better like this for us. HOD didn't work for us although many people rave about it. I would print samples and also look at Amazon for the book titles used to see samples of the book choices of both curriculum. That will help you judge both and see what your read aloud time would look like.

 

HTH,

 

Penny

[MamaHappy]

I also find many of the titles too advanced for the ages listed. Right now I'm reading most of the Core P4/5 read-alouds to my ds(5) and at least a couple are pretty hard for him to listen to.

[OregonNative]

You def. want to go a Core behind in SL. And do not buy a Newcomer's package, customize what you want. SL is more of a literature based curriculum where HOD is more CM. (I personally do not care for the CM method). SL has more of a full program feeling which def. works better for my DD. This year, I could have done one of two things: Buy Core K for my first grader and add in my DD's 3rd grade necessities-math, bible (if needed), LA, and Readers. My DD still would have had plenty of History with the Core K. Or I could buy 2 cores. The one drawback I found for our family is that it isn't hands on. I find that the SL forum is the best way to get ideas and information for buying. For HOD, call them for placement. I tried to use the chart online and apparently placed my kids wrong. They are very hands on.

[momee]

I'm using Cores 3 and 7 and I wouldn't say I agree with going a level lower, but I don't have little ones so take that with a grain of salt.

 

I do know when I used MFW I felt like I did alot of library book hunting and we seemed to finish quickly. That said, we had alot! of fun with MFW K.

 

I appreciate Sonlight so much now. The schedule, the books on the shelf and the security of knowing I can start school in the morning and not do lesson plans is wonderful. you'll get that with MFW too so it's a win win right?

[PentecostalMom]

We use Sonlight and love it! Right now, my dd is 4 1/2 and we are working on P4/5. If you visit the Sonlight forums, there is a wealth of information there. Some people do find some of the titles too mature, but we haven't as of yet. Some use P4/5 for K and K for 1st, etc, until they get to the later middle school years. I find that P4/5 is a good mix of picture books and chapter books. My dd loves listening to stories at bedtime, so we read the chapter books at bedtime instead of as regularly scheduled. The level of the books depends on the child.

 

Since we school year round, we will begin Core K in January. We also used P3/4 last year and enjoyed it as well.

[twoxcell]

I would go with HOD:001_smile:. That is what we are using and loving it, but CM is my thing. I think HOD has just the right amount of reading, and you can easily add to it if you want without feeling overwhelmed. It also has hands on things which my kids love, and it is much cheaper than Sonlight.

[Mandy in TN]

Want to instill a love of learning, great literature etc...

 

They are both solid programs. SL will not have the hands on component that HOD has. OTOH- if you have children who devour books and think hands-on stuff is boring, busy work, SL may be more appealing.

 

My little guy is currently using SL LA2adv and is swimming along. We very much liked the books in SL3, SL4, and SL100. We loved the books in SL5. My oldest read most of the British Lit list as free reading and really enjoyed most of those titles. SL200 was not a big hit.

 

I have no interest in the SL cores before 3. I bought HOD Bigger, but ended up not using it either. I guess for me SL is just too much sitting around listening to read-alouds before grade 3 and HOD before grade 3 just has too much that my boys find to be boring, busy work.

 

I liked B4FIAR that I used for preschool. I liked WP Animals and Their Worlds that I used without most of the read-alouds for K. Last year the little guy was in first and we never found a good fit, so I ended up winging it. This year I ended up creating my own plans.

 

Next year I really want to use at least part of SL3+4, but the year after that I am certain that I will use SL5. This means that I would be using SL3+4 with a 3rd grader that will be 9yo in the fall and SL5 with a 4th grader that will be 10yo in the fall. So, I see no reason to use SL a year below.

 

HTH-

Mandy