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This post has got me thinking! I would love to do something fun to mark the "new" beginning. Things I have already done: --purchase new school supplies (markers, paints, nice colored pencils, paints, pencils, erasers, etc.) so something feels new. --purchase some new educational games/toys for our s...

Hi ladies... It is good to be back after a short summer break! I have done lots of praying and thinking and have come to a (current) decision about how to proceed next school year with my kiddos. My oldest (just 9, technically starting 4th grade) will be starting Bigger in August. He really needs to...

Dawn, I'm sure others will chime in! Math has always been a tough subject for my son (now 9). I was told not to switch math curriculums if at all possible since it makes the process of learning math harder for the kids. Obviously, when something truly isn't working, it is a good idea to switch. My s...

My daughter is in Beyond and reading through the Emerging Readers list now. I would not recommend skipping the Emerging leaders list if you are coming straight from LHFHG. I let both of my kids read through the books in the order Carrie has them on the list as quickly as they wanted to as long as th...

I have two in Beyond this year. My 8yo writes in a three-lined notebook (dash-in-the-middle lines). He copies directly from the book. He is able to write on single lined notebook paper, but so far all of his poetry is being copied into his three-lined notebook. My 6yo does her copywork in a three-li...

Hello again... Digging up this old post since I am still thinking this through. I reread everyone's responses and have a few more questions. Both of my kids (ds 8yo, 9 in June and dd 6, 7 in May) are still combined in Beyond. We are in unit 23. My ds will definitely be ready to move up to Bigger. He...

I am so sorry! I will definitely pray for you. Grief is such a weird thing. It might help to google "grief" just to get an idea of the normal cycle of emotions you will be going through. Anger, denial, numbness, depression, are all normal reactions. Definitely talk to someone and stay close to the b...

Thank you, Daneale!

Hello! We finished unit 21 of Beyond this week (3/16-3/20). I have two kids combined: Brendon, my 8 year old 3rd grader and Summer, my 6 year old 1st grader. We read about the French Pioneers settling Detroit. The clay canoe art project was a big hit! Both kids got really into the memory verse this ...

Hello! I am immersing myself in the catalog and HOD webpage to think through next year for us. My ds (will be 9) and dd (will be 7) will be moving up to Bigger next year. My son will be ready to start DITHOR 2/3. I was wondering if the similarity between the DITHOR and the Storytime assignments get ...

I just wanted to say thank you to Lora Beth for that helpful breakdown of scheduling so many guides!

And also wanted to comment that I am also planning on having a 4th grader in Bigger next year. He is combined with his sister two years younger. It will be a big jump up in work from Beyond!

I spent a good chunk of time today reading through Bigger: all the appendixes and the intro, as well as several of the units. I wanted to get a feel for how much work my kids will be doing so I could think though half speed or a four day schedule. I think there will be plenty of work to challenge my...

Thank you, ladies, for the good advice! I appreciate the wisdom to keep full-speed in Beyond since we are 2/3 thru. I would have never thought of that. I have toyed around with uncombining them before and am glad they are still combined for now. It is very nice to have one guide running and they get...

Thank you, ladies! I am thinking about uncombining my kids. My son (8.5, 3rd grade) and daughter (6.5, 1st grade) have been combined since LHFHG. We are now in week 20 of Beyond. My son needed the extra time with his three R's so it was easy to combine them. He has now developed to the point where I...

I hope this is not a silly question, but does going "half-speed" mean doing one side of the page on any given day? I am wondering about slowing my younger daughter down to half-speed in Beyond to give her extra time to develop before starting Bigger. Does that mean she only reads and does math every...