RTR: few questions, I'd love your help

[Brie]

Hello Carrie, Julie and other HOD users,

Carrie's husband suggested I post my questions on the board for help. So here it goes again (=

How much time is spent in each time period during the year (ie: Dark Ages, Middle Ages, Renaissance, Reformation)? How long is spent on a Unit and how many units are there for each time period? Do you feel like you really get to enjoy and savor each period or it is more of an overview? We personally love to soak in the information and experience it and not be rushed (I dont' mean being bored but living it... hope that makes sense too!). Wish HOD was going to be at the convention we are going to.

Does HOD have spelling and vocabulary in the TM for RtR?

What part of HOD in the older years isn't CM inspired? I have read that some areas aren't CM inspired (mostly in regards to starting Grammar earlier than Charlotte Mason suggested).

Blessings and grace in Him,
Drew & Brie

[Heather4Him]

Hi!!

We just finished RTR, and I think this link may help with some of your questions (i.e. the Table of Contents will tell you what is studied each week, so you can see how long each time period is covered.)

http://www.heartofdakota.com/rtr_hearts-for-him.php

Also, there is a sample week so you can see what is all included in the guide each week, (and the format stays pretty much the same all the way through.)

There is not specific vocabulary words for RTR, except what is given in the Medieval-History Based Writing Lessons (where there are several pages of vocabulary cards to cut out and use). For spelling, Charlotte Mason advocated a dictation-based method, which is what is in the HOD guide as well. There are several levels of dictation passages given for spelling, so you can choose which level best fits your child.

I think that most of the time periods are "savored" through the use of the living books approach throughout. Plus, HOD "layers" the history in many ways, including not only the historical literature, but also audio recordings, hands-on projects, narration, etc. It's definitely not just an "overview".

As for what "isn't" CM-inspired, I can't really find anything that isn't. Each day mostly included Bible Quiet Time as well as Godly character and Bible time with the parent, historical readings, oral/written narrations, history projects, timeline work, notebooking, art appreciation, poetry, (optional Shakespeare), etc.--as well as your choice of math and grammar (although HOD also schedules these if you use their recommendations). Even the science has a living books, CM approach.

Hope this helps!!

[water2wine]

We are on our second time through RTR. I could not have said it any better than Heather. I would add only that the beauty of HOD is that God is interweaves through out the learning of the time periods, there is always a connection to Christ and God's promises. I think as far as living it and savoring it to me that is a huge part of how HOD provides that. Connecting things of the past to God is a huge part of connecting ourselves to really understanding the time period. I have found that my kids have a really great grasp of the history time periods using HOD. They are always able to place historical characters adn events in the proper time periods and understand how one thing related to another. I think you will find there is plenty to be savored and studied deeply in RTR. The great thing about HOD is you can relax and really enjoy what you are learning. All the work and connections are made for you so really all there is to do is enjoy.

[annaz]

Hello Carrie, Julie and other HOD users,

Does HOD have spelling and vocabulary in the TM for RtR?

Blessings and grace in Him,
Drew & Brie

There is vocabulary in IEW (writing), Storytime, and weekly in Science. Dithor will have it too if you choose to use it. Spelling is through dication in the back of the book.

[Heather4Him]

Ditto what water2wine said about HOD pointing it all back to God (best part!!)

We did the extensions instead of the regular storytime books, and Apologia high school science, so I wasn't aware that there was vocabulary in there.

[Brie]

WOW! Thank you all for the great information!!! I'm looking forward to using HOD this year and very excited to have the work all done for me! water2wine, the idea that Jesus is the center of it all is peaceful bliss to my ears....ahh

Heather, you mentioned using the extensions. We will be using them as well. When purchasing these do I choose either basic or extension or do you use the extension in addition to the basic pkg?

In the Table of Contents I didn't realize that there was more information under the Unit information. Thank you for the link, which drew me to look further. Am I understanding right, that each Unit covers 1 week worth of lesson approximately? Any opinions on doing weeks 1-18 (Ancient Church through end of Renaissance) in 7th grade and weeks 18-35 (Reformation through to Salem Unit) in grade 8?

Annez, thank you for the information on vocab and spelling.

Do you think that we will miss out on pertinent information by using our co-op's IEW instead of the Medieval Writing program? Is the vocabulary helpful in reading the living books studied during the year?

In DITHOR using Level 7/8 book level: Will our daughter only be using a book for a period of time and then use another one after a while? Or do we use more than one at a time? How long is a book used for? Are they scheduled in the TM? The budget is really getting stretched this year, so trying to figure out if w/ this pkg I can get the books from the library or the kindle, etc.

Thank you so much for your wisdom and care in replying ladies. Truly excited!!!

Blessings to you and yours & Grace in HIm

[Heather4Him]

Well, I've heard it both ways--you can do both the Basic AND the extension packages IF you have a voracious reader, OR you can just do the extension pack if you need that (rather than the Basic). We always have just done the extension instead, because our dd does not want to do anything "extra" if she doesn't have to do it.

[Brie]

OK, our daughter loves to read. Yet, she also enjoys the freedom to enjoy books she chooses. I think I'll buy the extensions to start, if it doesn't feel like enough we'll add the basic pkg as well. Thanks again (=

[Robbi]

In DITHOR using Level 7/8 book level: Will our daughter only be using a book for a period of time and then use another one after a while? Or do we use more than one at a time? How long is a book used for? Are they scheduled in the TM? The budget is really getting stretched this year, so trying to figure out if w/ this pkg I can get the books from the library or the kindle, etc.

Dithor is used one book at a time. Each book is used for about 20 days. Actually it may be longer in the upper guides becuz Dithor isn't scheduled everyday. Sorry I guess I'm not much help with that. But You will need the Dithor TM (which is different than the guide ur using) plus the Level of student book you need. The TM has info for all the levels. It would be possible to get these books from library becuz you don't have to go in order. So if the Adventure book, for example, is check out you could use the mystery genre book instead and do the mystery genre pages.
I hope someone else pops in to help becuz now I'm thinking if you bought the book pack with all 9 books it would actually take 2 years to do. But I'm not to the upper guides yet so I'm not sure.
Well I hope it helped some anyway.

[Brie]

In DITHOR using Level 7/8 book level: Will our daughter only be using a book for a period of time and then use another one after a while? Or do we use more than one at a time? How long is a book used for? Are they scheduled in the TM? The budget is really getting stretched this year, so trying to figure out if w/ this pkg I can get the books from the library or the kindle, etc.

Dithor is used one book at a time. Each book is used for about 20 days. Actually it may be longer in the upper guides becuz Dithor isn't scheduled everyday. Sorry I guess I'm not much help with that. But You will need the Dithor TM (which is different than the guide ur using) plus the Level of student book you need. The TM has info for all the levels. It would be possible to get these books from library becuz you don't have to go in order. So if the Adventure book, for example, is check out you could use the mystery genre book instead and do the mystery genre pages.
I hope someone else pops in to help becuz now I'm thinking if you bought the book pack with all 9 books it would actually take 2 years to do. But I'm not to the upper guides yet so I'm not sure.
Well I hope it helped some anyway.

Thank you, Robbi! I appreciate the information you gave I'll wait to see if an older year responds before I buy the items or chose to use the library. Thanks again and blessings to you in your homeschool journey! Brie (=

[LynnH]

We just did RTR this year and it is a great guide. Carrie really has written it to be done in a school year with one unit lasting one week. I wouldn't split it up in to 2 years unless your dc is struggling academically with the skills or work. Some people will start out half pace if their dc are on the young end of a guide or new to HOD and narrations, but then they pick up the pace usually about half way.

As far as DITHOR goes it is scheduled 3 days a week and each book is read for 15 days with 5 days allowed for a project at the end, so one book lasts for around 7 weeks. So you go through either 4 or 5 genres in a year. You can do the genre's in any order. So yes 9 books takes you 2 years to do.