HOD Preparing ?'s

[sbgrace]

My boys are 8. They love books and reading but one still needs hands on or at least imagination engagement to learn.

 

How hands on is Preparing--is it all drawing only as the hands on portion? I'm wondering what it's like! I've used LHTH and LHFHG but nothing sense then.

 

Is 8 too young for this program?? I think we would only be using the history and bible.

 

I have been doing US history on my own. I lost my plans for ancients and I'm just not up to making new ones. I need open and go right now. I don't want to repeat US history and my boys are very interested in world history but maybe Preparing (content or style) is too old for eight?

 

A friend told me there are some inaccuracies (historical) in A Child's History. That concerns me.

Edited June 7, 2012 by sbgrace

[raceNzanesmom]

I would look at the placement chart, especially the first section, and decide where they best place. Placement is key to success. My 8 y/o wouldn't be ready for Preparing as he hasn't covered cursive writing yet and isn't ready for more independent writing and written narrations.

http://www.heartofdakota.com/placing-your-child.php

 

The project box offers some hands on activities (not everyday) and there are (weekly, I think) science experiments.

 

Bigger Hearts is American history, but it's more biographical. We're adding a mini state study on Fridays (to extend Bigger into 4th grade). I have all the books here and they look wonderful.

 

hth.

[sbgrace]

I would just be using it for the history and bible. We aren't ready for the academic (cursive, written, narration) either. But I really, really want something open and go for world history.

[coastal academy]

This is our first time using HOD and I will be using Preparing with my 8 year old, and I have a few friends where I live who will also be using it with that age. Especially since you are only using History and Bible, you could easily adapt the plans to whatever suits their level, i.e. if it calls for a written history narration then you could do the writing for them, etc. The content would not be too much for their ages. The hands on portion looks like excellent activities that relate well to Bible and History topics, helping to tie everything together. Also we used CHOW when we did SL a few years ago, and while we loved the book itself (the way it was written) there was no focus on God in history. What's so nice about HOD history is that she has brought in books that give the Biblical account of history to goes along chronologically with the history from CHOW. We are really looking forward to this year, and I am looking forward to the open and go aspect of HOD.

Blessings!

[lotsofpumpkins]

My 8-year-old did fine with Preparing. I didn't require him to write all of the written narrations; we just discussed the history instead.

 

If you go with Preparing, I highly recommend getting the Storytime and Independent History books in addition to those used in the basic package. We've really enjoyed all those books!

[kaymom]

My boys are 8. They love books and reading but one still needs hands on or at least imagination engagement to learn.

 

How hands on is Preparing--is it all drawing only as the hands on portion? I'm wondering what it's like! I've used LHTH and LHFHG but nothing sense then.

 

Is 8 too young for this program?? I think we would only be using the history and bible.

 

I have been doing US history on my own. I lost my plans for ancients and I'm just not up to making new ones. I need open and go right now. I don't want to repeat US history and my boys are very interested in world history but maybe Preparing (content or style) is too old for eight?

 

A friend told me there are some inaccuracies (historical) in A Child's History. That concerns me.

 

I am also considering doing Preparing for my son who will be going into 4th. This will be our first year at home, but through all of my research all I can tell you is that every history book has some "controversy" behind it...SOTW included. I've read a few passages from CHOW that are supposed to be slightly controversial to my husband (military history buff) about the Vietnam War and he feels that it's accurate but maybe not so politically correct. Both SL and HOD use CHOW and tell you to skip the first 3 or 4 chapters due to fanciful thinking about creation and cavemen.

 

BTW, I don't think being able to write in cursive should be any sort of deterrent from starting this. They don't even teach cursive in our school district. So my son who's going to be 10 and going into 4th will be learning it for the first time this summer.

[ChicoryChick]

This is our first time using HOD and I will be using Preparing with my 8 year old, and I have a few friends where I live who will also be using it with that age. Especially since you are only using History and Bible, you could easily adapt the plans to whatever suits their level, i.e. if it calls for a written history narration then you could do the writing for them, etc. The content would not be too much for their ages. The hands on portion looks like excellent activities that relate well to Bible and History topics, helping to tie everything together. Also we used CHOW when we did SL a few years ago, and while we loved the book itself (the way it was written) there was no focus on God in history. What's so nice about HOD history is that she has brought in books that give the Biblical account of history to goes along chronologically with the history from CHOW. We are really looking forward to this year, and I am looking forward to the open and go aspect of HOD.

Blessings!

 

:iagree:

 

I used Preparing this year for my 11yo, 9yo and 8yo for Bible, History, Science (we added Apologia in at the end instead of the last 3 books) and poetry. I did not have my 8yo do the written narrations, but orally tell me what he remembered from the lesson. They loved boyh "Grandpa's Box" and CHOW. It worked out very well for us.

[JaneP]

My boys are 8. They love books and reading but one still needs hands on or at least imagination engagement to learn.

 

How hands on is Preparing--is it all drawing only as the hands on portion? I'm wondering what it's like! I've used LHTH and LHFHG but nothing sense then.

 

Is 8 too young for this program?? I think we would only be using the history and bible.

 

I have been doing US history on my own. I lost my plans for ancients and I'm just not up to making new ones. I need open and go right now. I don't want to repeat US history and my boys are very interested in world history but maybe Preparing (content or style) is too old for eight?

 

A friend told me there are some inaccuracies (historical) in A Child's History. That concerns me.

 

I don't think 8 is too young for using Preparing as you plan. The only issue may be if you wanted to do CTC exactly as it is written the next year with your dc when they are 9. They may be fine but my dd10 is finding CTC a big jump up from Preparing.

Edited June 8, 2012 by JaneP

[JessReplanted]

We used Preparing this year for 3rd, and will continue with it for 4th. We took it very slow, but really enjoyed it. I can really see how my son's skills improved in so many areas.

 

I think the key to HOD is being able to make it work for you. If you feel like you have to follow the instructions in order to be successful, then it's not for you.

[sbgrace]

Ah!!! Now I'm not sure what to do. After reading the first response here and on the HOD board I decided I was going to need to do Beyond and I've adjusted to that idea (but not ordered) and now I read all this and I'm not sure what to do!

 

On Preparing content--is it disturbing for this age perhaps? I have a sensitive kid. But then US history has plenty of yuck too.

 

Spiritually speaking which would be a better choice do you think? I care as much about that as the history.

[JessReplanted]

I don't think that there is a wrong choice.

 

I bought everything for Preparing, and then I realized a few days into it that it was just not a realistic amount of work to expect my 8 year old to do in one day. So I slowed it way down, and I think it worked out great. Hopefully, next year we'll be able to speed things up a bit.

 

I haven't used Beyond, but I've heard great things about it. If you think you're going to stick with HOD for a while, you should probably do Beyond now and Preparing next year.

 

My son is also very sensitive, and we didn't find any of the topics disturbing.

[twoxcell]

Ah!!! Now I'm not sure what to do. After reading the first response here and on the HOD board I decided I was going to need to do Beyond and I've adjusted to that idea (but not ordered) and now I read all this and I'm not sure what to do!

 

On Preparing content--is it disturbing for this age perhaps? I have a sensitive kid. But then US history has plenty of yuck too.

 

Spiritually speaking which would be a better choice do you think? I care as much about that as the history.

Do you mean Bigger? Beyond is for 1st/2nd grade. I used Bigger Hearts for my 8 year old this year and we very much enjoyed it. He will be using Preparing for 4th(9), so I can't comment on it really other than to say it looks awesome and I'm excited about it.:001_smile:

[hmschooling]

I'd personally call Carrie and Mike. They know the books inside and out and can help you find just the right fit :)

 

As for inaccuracies in the CHOW, that deals with the first chapter or two which speaks of origins, and is totally skipped in the guide.

[coastal academy]

Keep praying about it! I think it depends on how you want to use Heart of Dakota. I personally don't feel Preparing's content would be disturbing, especially since she grounds everything in so much Biblical truth. If you want to use it how it was intended, then I would go with Bigger since that is where your boys place skill wise. Also, CTC the following year after Preparing is intended to be a much more independent year. Again, you can adjust it for your boys, but that will be some added work on your part. It is true that even though your boys have done American history before, the Bigger is a biographical approach that is excellent. I was going to use it with my daughter, but she is more than ready for Preparing skill wise and content wise. We covered many of the books Bigger uses last year with a combo. of My Father's World, Beautiful Feet, and Sonlight. I am actually reading to her one of Bigger's Eggleston's books and having her read through the other Eggleston book independently over the summer since I thought they were too good to miss! Now, I know my second child, a boy who will be seven in September, is much more sensitive than my daughter, and I already know he would not be ready for Preparing skill or content wise when he is 8. I am starting Beyond with him shortly but we will take is slowly.

Blessings!

[Donna T.]

My boys are 8. They love books and reading but one still needs hands on or at least imagination engagement to learn.

 

How hands on is Preparing--is it all drawing only as the hands on portion? I'm wondering what it's like! I've used LHTH and LHFHG but nothing sense then.

 

LOTS of hands-on learning in Preparing and no, it's not just drawing.

 

Is 8 too young for this program?? I think we would only be using the history and bible.

 

In my opinion, no. When we used Preparing my youngest son was a 2nd grader. He wasn't using Preparing as his own guide but he did sit in on almost all of it with his big brother. He listened in on all of the read-alouds or anything else that I read. He participated in just about everything that did not require writing. He LOVED it and learned alot.

 

I have been doing US history on my own. I lost my plans for ancients and I'm just not up to making new ones. I need open and go right now. I don't want to repeat US history and my boys are very interested in world history but maybe Preparing (content or style) is too old for eight?

 

I think it would work, especially if you are open to slowing it down if it begins to feel like too much. It is such a rich guide. It would be easy to slow it down, find picture books at the library on the topics you are reading about, stretch the project days out for more than one day, etc. You may not need to do any of that, but if you decide you want to slow it down you could easily make it a two years study.

 

A friend told me there are some inaccuracies (historical) in A Child's History. That concerns me.

 

Yes, I've heard that too. Personally, I love CHOW and so do my kids. CHOW is just one part of Preparing. There's LOTS to read and learn about. You would be skipping the first few chapters. I'm no history expert but I don't think there's anything obviously WRONG... maybe I have low standards. I don't know. We just really like it and have read it several times. I don't think it's any more inaccurate than any other history book for young children.

 

 

:)