j_thurm Posted February 6, 2011 Share Posted February 6, 2011 If someone could offer their advice on this please, I would really appreciate it. I have both guides and am considering them for next year (I have studied them quite a bit but haven't used them yet). I am just having a difficult time imagining doing American History two years in a row. I know that one is more story driven and the other is more biographical. I have been trying to figure this out on my own but finally decided I needed the help of the expert moms on here :) Thanks so much!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mothergooseof4 Posted February 6, 2011 Share Posted February 6, 2011 I used both of those levels and then Preparing and about a quarter of CTC which both start at Creation. Like you, I know that Beyond and Bigger approach Am. history from different angles. But, it was boring to my ds. He and I were just discussing our recent curriculum switch. We started back at Creation AGAIN and he was wondering why. I explained to him that since we are now doing history as a family, I wanted the younger kids to cover that time period. He is somewhat bored with history right now, but I explained to him that we will now move forward and that next year we will not start at Creation again. He said, "Good, I really just want to start right were we left off." He commented when we started Bigger that he had studied that stuff the year before. So, he did notice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue G in PA Posted February 6, 2011 Share Posted February 6, 2011 You might want to post this on the HOD board and see if Carrie would comment as to her reasoning. :D I can only see that the approach is different, as you said. The first year you cover various important events (and there seems to be a lot of Colonial time period) and the next you cover important people. Skill-wise, the guides do "build" on each other. From what I hear from other HOD moms, Bigger is a jump from Beyond and Preparing also a big jump from Bigger. Make sense? I can't imagine covering American History for 2 years, either. But, I do like HOD. We are using Preparing this year b/c I wanted an overview of World History for my kids who hadn't covered certain time periods yet (thanks to a mom who couldn't figure out which curriculum she wanted to use :D). I am considering using MFW Adv. next year. An alternative to 2 years of Amer. Hist. w/ HOD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j_thurm Posted February 6, 2011 Author Share Posted February 6, 2011 Thanks for your help!! I would love to hear other comments too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChicoryChick Posted February 6, 2011 Share Posted February 6, 2011 Beyond focuses on an overview of the events in American History while Bigger focuses on the individuals in American history. You might want to check out the end of this thread where Carrie explains a little about why she takes 2 years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j_thurm Posted February 6, 2011 Author Share Posted February 6, 2011 Thanks for the link! I didn't realize that "that Beyond covers early American history only and Bigger Hearts covers American history up through the Vietnam War". Beyond focuses on an overview of the events in American History while Bigger focuses on the individuals in American history. You might want to check out the end of this thread where Carrie explains a little about why she takes 2 years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovetobehome Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 Andrea, so are you using HOD this year? :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j_thurm Posted February 7, 2011 Author Share Posted February 7, 2011 No, I wrote my own curriculum and am using CLE for Math and LA and Hooked on Phonics and other things for my younger one. Did you use both of the HODs? Andrea, so are you using HOD this year? :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovetobehome Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 We started the year with Sonlight, that lasted about 2 weeks. My youngest stopped napping, and that made SL too hard to do, not enough time. Switched back to HOD and we have been doing it all along, amazing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j_thurm Posted February 7, 2011 Author Share Posted February 7, 2011 What do you think about two years of American History with Beyond and Bigger? Did you use both? Thanks, Meg! We started the year with Sonlight, that lasted about 2 weeks. My youngest stopped napping, and that made SL too hard to do, not enough time. Switched back to HOD and we have been doing it all along, amazing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngelBee Posted February 8, 2011 Share Posted February 8, 2011 No, I wrote my own curriculum and am using CLE for Math and LA and Hooked on Phonics and other things for my younger one. Did you use both of the HODs? So what did you write? :) :lurk5: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j_thurm Posted February 8, 2011 Author Share Posted February 8, 2011 I wrote too much, lol, that I don't have time to do all of it :) I won't be doing the curriculum writing thing again!!! I wrote one on artist/composers with a history reference, one on Children Around the World, and a general curriculum called God's Living Gardens that incorporates all subjects or most, with a Bible reference. They were written for K-2nd grade but probably could be modified for other grades. My kids seem to like them :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngelBee Posted February 8, 2011 Share Posted February 8, 2011 I wrote too much, lol, that I don't have time to do all of it :) I won't be doing the curriculum writing thing again!!! I wrote one on artist/composers with a history reference, one on Children Around the World, and a general curriculum called God's Living Gardens that incorporates all subjects or most, with a Bible reference. They were written for K-2nd grade but probably could be modified for other grades. My kids seem to like them :) How fun! I love looking at other people's work. :) I have played with tons, but never completed the whole thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j_thurm Posted February 8, 2011 Author Share Posted February 8, 2011 It was tons of work!!! I felt great after accomplishing it. You can do it!!! Thanks for asking :) How fun! I love looking at other people's work. :) I have played with tons, but never completed the whole thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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