curriculum used when combining kids

[jg_puppy]

I would like to combine my kids as much as possible because they like working together. Right now they are just turned 5 and 7.5. I hadn't planned on combining and they are not real happy about it. We are working together using Simply Stated and I am considering Galloping the Globe for next year.

 

What other curriculums would work well for combining my kids? TOG is not a good option right now because I think the extra planning would overwhelm me. I like MFW, but some of the suggested spines are not my favorite. I really like MOH, but I wish I could find something more planned out like MFW, but using MOH. I have thought about WP, but I am not sure since I want to combine my two kids. I am interested in Sonlight, but I am not sure.

 

Jan

[Vanna]

...for as long as we've been homeschooling (since 2001).

 

I tried combining youngest two using Shiller Math, but they soon split off as their individual strengths and weakness required individual instruction.

 

I've always done Science as a family, but we've used different companies for that (Abeka, Apologia, Dinah Zike, God's Design for the Human Body and another one that slips my mind at the moment).

[Myrtle]

I was hoping someone would respond to your post because I'd like to combine more things too. Mine are 16 months apart in age and right now they work the same programs at the same time but at different levels.

[WTMindy]

and I adjust the writing levels a bit. The thing is that I started them when my dd was in K and my ds was 4 so they have always been at the same level. (18 months apart). I expect a bit more from older in writing. We did all 4 years of SOTW and it worked great!! Now we are doing TOG and my dd is starting to do the dialectic level on some things, but we still study the same thing. They like it.

[Marsha]

I'm not sure.

I just bought TOG and I think it is too much planning for me right now too.

It is so great and I would love to use it, but there is sooo much to do.

I hope you get some good suggestions. I am considering seperating them.

[susie in tx]

I think that you could do SOTW with the Activity Guide for those ages. However, your kids are also a decent age spread for Sonlight. Sonlight can include language arts and science, so you would only have to add math to the mix.

 

I liked most of what we were doing with Sonlight, but decided to use TOG so I would n't have to spend as much timetrying to combine the cores. TOG does that for me.

[susie in tx]

I'm not sure.

I just bought TOG and I think it is too much planning for me right now too.

It is so great and I would love to use it, but there is sooo much to do.

I hope you get some good suggestions. I am considering seperating them.

 

What kind of trouble are you having with the planning?

[siloam]

Jan,

 

Depends on your expectations. If you are expecting the younger child to "get it" then you really can't combine. The 5yo will need something on their own level. If you are going for exposure then just pick something on the easy side for your 7yo and let the 5yo learn what they can.

 

Right now my 5yo ds doesn't participate in either history or science "officially." He is playing in the room while I read, but I have no delusions about him learning anything. I officially have my kiddos listen into whatever science we are doing for their K year, and history starting in the 1st grade year. When we finish WP AW, which is only about a week and a half out, we are doing to do Apologia Elementary Zoo 1. I try to keep the reading to a page or a page and a half. My oldest will do all the notebooking, my 2nd dd will probably only do the drawing parts, and my 1st grader will just listen.

 

For other subjects I do it all separably. Many things I do 4 times a day, like covering phonics/handwriting with sand letter cards. My oldest just does cursive while the other's do manuscript. It is tedious, but the more of a routine they get in the faster they can do it. Routine is your friend. :cool:

 

In the end I actually found it more difficult to combine the kiddo's when they were younger than I do now. When I had a 7 and 5yo and doing Sonlight I was reading the picture books to both, then the chapter books to my oldest only. Now they both listen into the same books without problems (though I do have to watch content for my 2nd dd, who is sensitive). My 6yo is just getting into chapter books, but my 5yo needs short, preferably interactive texts, like lift the flap books or the Ken Taylor books that ask questions. I suppose I could read the same Bible to them if I kept it at the 5yo's level, but my 6yo has already done both our Ken Taylor Bibles twice and she is ready for more, so I read her a separate Bible.

 

Heather

 

[Alana in Canada]

My children are slightly older than yours--and I've tried to combine them as much as possible--I just expect more from the older one.

 

History --SoTW with Activity Guide and narrations. The older child is expected to give me a longer one and gives it to me orally first (good training for the younger, as long as it doesn't make her lazy!)

Bible--we used Calvary chapel colouring sheets and "question/answer pages" and Vos Story Bible with great success when they were that age.

For Spelling we use SWR--again, they both do the same lists at the same pace. (I tried separating them to have the older one go faster but it didn't work).

 

At that age they both did FLL together for grammar and Prima Latina for Latin.

We always do science and art together, whatever we're doing. (I expect the 10 year old to tell me what mitochondria does--but not the seven year old!)

They memorize the same poems.

 

Math, music practice/study, and independent reading was separate. But that was about it.

 

hth.

[Amy+2]

I, too, would recommend Heart of Dakota. Wonderfully laid out and so mom friendly! Easy to use when teaching children close in age. Carrie Austin has really done an incredible job with it~JMO!

[Mamagistra]

We're together in everything but math, too...the older dds, that is. ;) You can see what we're using in my sig line below. They are 22 mos. apart, but 'Zoe' began reading shortly after big sis learned, so I just ran with it. :)

[Rebecca in GA]

My littles are 17 months apart, 8.5 and almost 7, and they are working through Ambleside Online's Year 1 curriculum together. One is in Rod & Staff Math 3 and one is in R&S Math 2; one is learning cursive and the other still writes in manuscript. No worries.

 

We looked hard at Sonlight (oldest is using Sonlight 5 and we love it for him) but just couldn't afford two cores this year. Turns out we absolutely adore AO and oldest likes keeping up with the littles' reading as well.

[jg_puppy]

Thanks to everyones response. You have given me some to things that I need to consider.

 

A couple of people have suggested Heart of Dakota. Are you using it? How do you like it? I have looked at it several times. I think part of the reason I haven't considered it is because at the time there were not many levels. I noticed that she has written a new one recently. Does anyone know what the plans are for expanding more levels?

 

Jan

[keithfamily5]

I sent out an email to our local support group looking for comments about Sonlight. I've gotten a handful of responses from people who really like it. My kids are 11 and 8 and I'm almost positive that I'm going to try Sonlight Core 3 this next year with the LA3. My oldest had Abeka LA 4 last year and Shurley English this year, so I think she'll do good with a lighter grammar approach next year. We're using Exploring Creation with Astronomy this year together and SOTW1. I'm looking at Considering God's Creation for science next year. They do separate math programs. (and this year separate LA)

 

I'm hoping that combining LA will make things a little easier. I also have a very busy 4 year old.

[siloam]

I sent out an email to our local support group looking for comments about Sonlight. I've gotten a handful of responses from people who really like it. My kids are 11 and 8 and I'm almost positive that I'm going to try Sonlight Core 3 this next year with the LA3. My oldest had Abeka LA 4 last year and Shurley English this year, so I think she'll do good with a lighter grammar approach next year. We're using Exploring Creation with Astronomy this year together and SOTW1. I'm looking at Considering God's Creation for science next year. They do separate math programs. (and this year separate LA)

 

I'm hoping that combining LA will make things a little easier. I also have a very busy 4 year old.

 

With those ages you will probably love it!

 

I started SL when my oldest was K doing Core C. By the time I got to Core 3 I had a 9yo, 7yo and 5yo...and given the co-spine, Landmark History of the US is listed in the catalog as a read aloud for grades 5 to adult, well it wasn't working anymore. On top of that my younger 3 are VERY kinesthetic. :rolleyes: Just wasn't meant to be in our hs, but it is a great program. Enjoy!

 

 

Heather

[3lilreds in NC]

I know some of the spines are not your favorites, but the programs as a whole are outstanding. You could check out the MFW yahoo group (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MFWFamilies/) and see what the folks there have to say about the spines you don't care for. They really did develop the curriculum for multiple age levels and I think you would like it.

[Tess in the Burbs]

We combine Bible, History, Science, Read Alouds, Art/Music.

 

Language arts is separate levels right now, but I hope to combine them in that area as well in 2 years. Math is one year apart right now and I don't intend at this time to try to combine but let each work at their own level...who knows what may happen in the future?

 

Honestly, for science the youngest seems to remember the facts better when I ask questions, which makes the oldest try harder ;-) Once the youngest can write better I plan to increase the work load(like copywork relating to our science study) and have more for the oldest, but basically the same.

 

And in another 2 years as my youngest is reading closer to the oldest's level, I expect most all of our lessons to be on the same level(except math).

[Rebecca]

bumping this up in case there are any Heart of Dakota users here.

 

Rebecca

[SnowWhite]

I think you could combine using WP if those programs look interesting to you. I plan to combine when my little turns 5, using Animals and their Worlds for his K and for ds (then 8) to study science, also letting the 5 yo sit in on any read alouds in American Story 2 (which is where ds8 will be then) and do the projects. Then the following year I planned to combine using either Children Around the World or Quest for the Ancient World for a 6 and 9 yo.

 

It would be even easier for a 2.5 year age gap than a 3.5 year age gap, IMHO. You could do American Story 1 at 6 and 8.5, American Story 2 at 7 and 9.5.

[rafiki]

.

[Lizzie in Ma]

Story of the World 1-4 then Mystery of History 1-5

Apologia Elementary sciences with lapbooks

Lively Latin

[jg_puppy]

I have been without internet access for a few days. I just wanted to say thank you to everyone. My husband and I are rethinking our goals for homeschooling and I need to spend some time thinking about what matches our goals the best.

 

Jan