Meadowlark Posted March 29, 2013 Share Posted March 29, 2013 I've been drooling over the catalog for a few years now. HOD seemed to be exactly what I wanted and needed. We started LHFHG 2 months ago with my 6 year old and it's a flop! Maybe not to him, but for me. Here's why.... The left side drives me nuts! I feel it is confusing. The bible reading is so random. My kids do not know who any of the people are and being catholic and not learning a lot of these stories myself,I am no help. We read it and that's about it. They do not comprehend or remember it. So then we move on to the history or science or artistic expression part, and it usually builds from the bible story. I can never quite see the connection though and it seems really disjointed to me. For example, when we read about Noah's Ark, the science reading was about random animals. Yes, there were animals on the ark but I thought it was a little weak to just read a few pages about random animals. I do to care for the rhymes in motion or the bible study,as I find it redundant to do the same activities with different verses. Here is my dilemma. I have the opportunity to buy Beyond used. I LOVE the right side of HOD because of the quality literature And academic choices, plus the way each day is formatted. There is a lot I actually love...but the left side of LHFHG is not my cup of tea. Maybe it's teaching bible history that is my problem. So would Beyond work for me? Yes, it still has the bible study but I can substitute a curriculum. The history is American so would I enjoy that better? I would LOVE to stick with HOD if things go up from here...just not sure if it's a good fit for us? Either way, I think we will stick with the right side for now. I know HOD is a much loved curriculum and I really want it to work! Thoughts appreciated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tenaj Posted March 29, 2013 Share Posted March 29, 2013 I've done LHFHG (now just beginning the second trip through it) and am now about 2/3's of the way through Beyond. I've also done Bigger, Preparing and Creation to Christ and I will confess the first two are my least favorite. I think it's because of what you said, the randomness of the history activity/science activity/art activity box drives me crazy and most of the time the application seems forced to me. I've had a harder time with the activities tied into Beyond just because my 7yods seems too old for most of them. If it is the Bible that's bothering you, I'm going to tell you that you will probably have a hard time using a lot of HOD. In Beyond, four days of each unit are American history but the fifth day is a Bible passage with discussion. The Science/Art/History Activity are still random tidbits of application - and yes, to me some of it seems forced. I will say, that when I just do the activities as directed my son never complains and enjoys all of them (even the ones I think are silly). I've been going in spurts - sometimes we skip the boxes - sometimes I just do them - it depends on my mood :) Once you get to Bigger the activities seem to fit better with the history being studied and I really enjoy the science, probably because it's systematic and not necessarily tied into the history any more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chelli Posted March 29, 2013 Share Posted March 29, 2013 Even though I love and use HOD, I do not use LHFHG and BLHFHG. I use the preschool program, Little Hands to Heaven, and then I do my own thing for K and 1st. I jump back into HOD using Bigger at half speed for 2nd and 3rd. I don't like the books used for those two guides or the science in those two guides. Just my .02. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TracyP Posted March 29, 2013 Share Posted March 29, 2013 I tried Beyond last year and had some of the same issues as you and some other issues. The science was random and the history wasn't history, lol. It was historical fiction, which has a place, but not as the spine for a history program, IMO. Bigger looked so good that I decided to give HOD another try. We are in Unit 13, and we are enjoying it. The science is better, and the history is much better. On the flip side, I gave Beyond to a friend. She really likes it. She has the same complaints, but her kids like it and it gets done. At the end of the day, that is most important. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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