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Life just keeps throwing me curve balls. I had next year all ready to go for ds(5) to use LHFHG in the fall. I was ready to enjoy the summer. We were all settled to keep dd(13yo) in private school again when tuition and gas prices skyrocketed. There is just no way to keep her there so we began talking about what to do. She says she wants to be homeschooled because the public school is just too big!

So.....

We are looking at DITHOR for LA. I like how it is laid out!! I think it will be perfect for her! I'm just not sure what all I need. I understand that I need the teacher manual and student book(6/7/8 ). It doesn't appear there are book packs for her age group, but I believe that the book list has books for the upper grades, right? Also, do I need grammar/vocab/spelling for this age?? So far, I've gotten a different answer from everyone I've asked on the grammar/vocab/spelling question. I'm a math person and I just feel totally lost with the LA piece! HELP

Laurie,

You're right on the book list...it'll help you a lot.

Hopefully someone can help you on the LA question...I'm not close to thinking jr. high yet. But I so understand you, I'm a math person, too!

Kathleen

momof4,

Kathleen did a great job of helping you! You'll need the Teacher's Guide and Student Book 6/7/8. The Book List comes with the package and is your best deal. Vocabulary is covered in "Drawn into the Heart..." once a week in Level 6/7/8, so you shouldn't need an additional vocabulary progam.

You are right that you can just pick off the booklist for DITHR, or you can go to our Book Shop on our website and scroll down and choose books that way.

As far as the rest of language arts goes, you'll definitely want a grammar program and a writing process program. I would recommend Rod and Staff grammar Level 5, since she's coming home from private school. While she may be able to handle Level 6, Level 5 is a foundational year in Rod and Staff and will fill in any holes or gaps she may have. It will also include writing assignments, so you'll be covered there too.

As far as spelling goes, many schools do not continue with spelling once you get past grade 6. At our house, we use the Charlotte-Mason style studied dictation for spelling. You can choose several sentences from the literature she's reading. Allow her to study it. Then, you dictate the sentences a phrase at a time, without repeating them. She would write them, and then check it herself against the passage in the book for mistakes. If it is perfect, she gets a new passage the next day. If not, the same passage is dictated the next day, until it is perfect. You can slowly work up to dictating a paragraph at a time in this manner.

Hope that helps!

Blessings,
Carrie