Read aloud - how do you choose?

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lissiejo
Posts: 506
Joined: Tue Jan 24, 2012 11:44 am

Read aloud - how do you choose?

Post by lissiejo » Tue Feb 26, 2013 10:33 am

I know that it is suggested that if you are using more than one guide you choose one storytime to do, not all of them. How do you choose? We'll be doing Beyond and Preparing next year which both have story times. The following year we'll have Little Hearts, Bigger, and CTC. So how do you pick? I don't want my kids to miss out on the various sets.

Just as a note, even though we've been using HOD for a while, I've skipped the story time as it is written in the guides so my girls haven't read any of the series except portions of the set from Little Hearts.

Thanks for the input!
Melissa (Pastor's wife in NC)

http://gracefilledhomeschooling.blogspot.com
Rose (12-years-old) - Revival to Revolution
Beth (10-years-old) - Creation to Christ
Grace (8-years-old) - Bigger Hearts for His Glory

MomtoJGJE
Posts: 1534
Joined: Wed Jul 01, 2009 7:20 pm
Location: Gastonia, NC

Re: Read aloud - how do you choose?

Post by MomtoJGJE » Tue Feb 26, 2013 11:46 am

We are in this "predicament" as well ;)

We read the Burgess books... we basically alternate who reads this to Julianna each day. Some days I do it, some Jayden does, and some DH does. Grace CAN but doesn't yet... she will join in when it's time to start with Evie.

I do not read the Story Time from Bigger.

I read the story time from Preparing at night to the kids. Sometimes it's shorter than the amount of time I read to them, so I just read an extra bit.... it's never TOO too much more. If I get finished with a book before the plans are finished I read part of another book we are enjoying at the moment. Right now it's Howard Pyle's Book of Pirates and .... I'll read a part per night of those until we get to the next Story time selection.

I got this idea from Carrie. She basically said that if you have a child who is doing DITHOR that they are receiving instruction on the same things the story time boxes work on. So since Preparing's story time is linked to history I thought it was a good idea to read through those.

Once Grace gets to Preparing I'm planning on alternating reading through the storytime books between the Preparing books and the higher guide (whatever Jayden is in at the time) because I seriously doubt Grace will remember reading through these books now. But since we'll have gone through them twice, I'm not sure what I'll do when Julianna gets to that point. We have a while though.... she's still about 1/3 away from finishing LHFHG :)

None of my kids really like being read to, so this helps consolidate the readings to a time when they've been trained to be quiet and listen. Therefore cutting out about 30 minutes at least from our day (30 minutes plus whatever the amount of time I have to bring their attention back to the reading)

mom23
Posts: 532
Joined: Thu Apr 08, 2010 10:10 am

Re: Read aloud - how do you choose?

Post by mom23 » Tue Feb 26, 2013 1:21 pm

I'd like to know how this works for other families, too. Right now we are in LHFHG, Beyond, and Preparing, and normally do the storytime for all of them. My K'er needs the Burgess books because he does not sit well enough to pay attention to the older kids' readings. Preparing corresponds so well with the History that I don't want to skip it...and I don't want to ruin those for my younger boys! Beyond gets fit in sometimes at bedtime for everyone, and sometimes during the school day for only my 3rd grader, but I know it's adding a lot of time to my day in an area that should be easy to combine. I just can't figure out how to do that!
Becky, married to my preacher-man and raising:
DD 12-7th grade public school
DS 10-Preparing
DS 8-Beyond
DS 3-Just doin' his thing

TrueGRIT
Posts: 355
Joined: Thu May 03, 2012 10:14 pm
Location: Kansas

Re: Read aloud - how do you choose?

Post by TrueGRIT » Tue Feb 26, 2013 1:23 pm

Since my children LOVE to be read to 24/7, I plan to read a storytime during school,
one at quiet time, and the last at bedtime.
Otherwise I know I would never be able to choose! I love it as much as they do. :D
We already do something like that, so I know it's possible for us.
(I read a Burgess book, Bigger's genre during school, and a book my ds8 and I choose at night.)

Sorry, I know this doesn't help you. In your case I would probably choose the storytime of the child who needed it most.
If it ever comes to that, I believe that is what I would do.
Mikki
Ds 12- tutoring
Ds 9- Preparing
Dd 7 - Beyond and ER's
Ds 2- LHTH (sort of)

lissiejo
Posts: 506
Joined: Tue Jan 24, 2012 11:44 am

Re: Read aloud - how do you choose?

Post by lissiejo » Tue Feb 26, 2013 7:07 pm

Thanks for these ideas ladies! I am going to have to spend some time thinking some more about this :) You've given me many things to mull over!
Melissa (Pastor's wife in NC)

http://gracefilledhomeschooling.blogspot.com
Rose (12-years-old) - Revival to Revolution
Beth (10-years-old) - Creation to Christ
Grace (8-years-old) - Bigger Hearts for His Glory

StillJulie
Posts: 394
Joined: Sat Jan 24, 2009 5:04 pm

Re: Read aloud - how do you choose?

Post by StillJulie » Tue Feb 26, 2013 7:26 pm

We're a family that loves the read aloud time SO much that I'm currently reading on a daily basis:

LHFHG storytime
Bigger Hearts storytime and extension
Creation to Christ storytime and extension
Rev to Rev storytime and extension

The books are just SO good. As my kids work their way up the guides, I may omit some of the extension readings that we didn't care for as much. We just LOVE LOVE LOVE Carrie's selections so much...

From the Preparing guide and higher, I would not omit any of those storytime readings b/c they are tied in with the history content. I consider them too important to skip. The lower level ones are too enjoyable to skip. LOL
16yo DD using US History 1 for 11th grade
14yo DS using World Geography for 9th grade
13yo DS using Rev to Rev for 7th grade
10yo DD using Creation to Christ for 5th grade
8yo DD using Bigger for 3rd grade
7yo DD using Beyond Hearts for 2nd grade

twoxcell
Posts: 358
Joined: Thu Jul 22, 2010 11:49 pm

Re: Read aloud - how do you choose?

Post by twoxcell » Tue Feb 26, 2013 8:08 pm

I don't choose I read storytime to each of my kids for their guide. It never occured to me to do it any other way. I would hate to miss out on any of the great book selections. ;)
ds 12 RevtoRev
dd 9 Preparing
dd 7 Beyond
ds 5 Little Hearts
dd due September 20th

Kathleen
Posts: 1980
Joined: Mon Feb 11, 2008 3:23 pm
Location: NE Kansas

Re: Read aloud - how do you choose?

Post by Kathleen » Wed Feb 27, 2013 4:37 pm

We do all the storytimes here, too.

If I were doing both the Beyond and Bigger guides at the same time, I'd combine storytime because they're both genre-based and you could choose any of the book options from either guide. But, LHFHG's storytime box is based on the Burgess books, and I've seen the follow-ups there really help my kids grow in their listening comprehension and narrating skills. (And it's so quick and easy to do! :wink: ) From Preparing on up, the storytime ties into the history so nicely and makes it come alive. I loved reading these with Grant in Preparing and CTC!! (And, honestly still would if I could squeeze it into my day :D , but he started doing his own reading for storytime in RTR because I couldn't always get to it and the guide suggests this once they're at this level.)

I think the storytime is ALWAYS my kids' favorite part of their day. I would for sure hear about it if we skipped that box! :shock:

:D Kathleen
Homeschooling mom to 6:
Grant - 19 Kansas State University
Allison - 15 World Geography
Garret - 13 Res2Ref
Asa - 8 Bigger
Quinn - 7 Bigger

Halle - 4 LHTH

MelInKansas
Posts: 1700
Joined: Thu Apr 15, 2010 7:32 pm

Re: Read aloud - how do you choose?

Post by MelInKansas » Wed Feb 27, 2013 11:46 pm

I do both storytimes, and all of my kids listen to all the storytimes, we are a "love to read" family too!

I noticed some of the repetition of the concepts or activities between DITHR and Bigger storytime so sometimes I :shock: don't do the activity with the storytime for Bigger.

If I am having trouble fitting storytime in for one day I often do it at lunchtime. The kids are all sitting there occupied, there is much less fighting (bickering) at lunchtime if I am reading to them. The only trick then is getting my own lunch eaten!

I agree, the LHFHG storytime is so critical and those books are just perfect. But for an older child they would be too short and not as interesting. I've been picking and choosing to do the Beyond and Bigger storytimes, between things I have and I pick ones my girls will like and request them from the library. I've been using the suggested titles from the storytime list, but I think when my 2nd born goes through I may have to choose different titles because she is only 2 years behind (well not even 2 full guides behind because she is further along than her sister) so she may remember some of the books. And then we'll get to enjoy different ones!
Melissa
"The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases
His mercies never come to an end"

DD12 - Rev to Rev + DITHOR 6/7/8
DD10 - CTC + DITHOR 2/3
DD7 - Bigger + ERs
DS5 - LHFHG
DD2 - ABC123
2 babies in heaven

mrsrandolph
Posts: 717
Joined: Mon Aug 04, 2008 9:21 pm
Location: Cartersville, GA

Re: Read aloud - how do you choose?

Post by mrsrandolph » Thu Feb 28, 2013 10:37 am

Ha!! I read them all!! Well almost. You won't have chapter book read alouds once you get to Preparing. So, I am playing catch up with some of the ones we haven't gotten to yet. We read them at school time and at bedtime. There is not a bad book on the list. Any book I didn't care for, my kids loved! Books that were for "girls", my son loved too! Books for "boys" are favorites of my daughter!!

But I always have to add in these discussions...there is one book not on HOD's list that is a MUST READ for EVERY family. I got it from Sonlight's list...
"Red Sails To Capri" Get it!!! Read it!!! Fall in love with it!!

Don't miss...The Ordinary Princess, Baby Island, Snow Treasure, Mr. Popper's Penguins, All Of A Kind Family, Misty Of Cincoteague, I could go on and on :D
Shannon Randolph LOVING HOD & Running 4 Guides & DITHOR
Mommy to 4 Precious Blessings
Cassie (15- World Geography),
Will (14- Rev2Rev,
Ellie (12- Res2Ref), and
Jack (10- CTC)

luv2homeschool
Posts: 116
Joined: Thu Aug 04, 2011 9:10 am

Re: Read aloud - how do you choose?

Post by luv2homeschool » Thu Feb 28, 2013 3:23 pm

Preparing's storytime is specifically scheduled in the guide, you don't choose the books. So you would definitely need to do those. If you'll be using Preparing with a younger child, then I would try and do the Preparing storytime separately. We do the Beyond storytime before lunch, and my older son listens in. I do the Preparing storytime later in the afternoon when my daughter is upstairs in her room.
Christine
DS 12, Rev to Rev
DD 10, Preparing
Our fifth year using HOD!

moedertje
Posts: 761
Joined: Thu Jun 19, 2008 7:31 pm
Location: Sarasota, Fl

Re: Read aloud - how do you choose?

Post by moedertje » Thu Feb 28, 2013 10:58 pm

This year I have enjoyed doing all 3 story times and my voice has given in, reading so much :shock: My children absolutely love their individual story time selections and I think they would be highly upset if they were skipped. As it is everyone would like to sit in on the two younger guide readings, but they can only do this if all their seat-work is done and by permission of the one I am reading to (this has not been a problem) :wink:
We do all story times during our school hours!

When time gets short, I will read the LHFHG story time to everyone at snack time. My boys still love the stories even after having gone through them before. :D

Right now, I am reading a realistic fiction book for Beyond that everyone sits in on. It has such good family values and scriptural content that I want everyone to sit in on it!! :mrgreen: Trust me, I am learning too!! :lol:

I agree with pp that the story time books for Preparing should only be read for that age and above due to the fact that they are linked to the history in that guide.

I had been thinking to combine story time next year for my first grader in Beyond (girl) and my 3rd grader in Bigger (boy). Time will tell...I think we might do some real girly books however!! :P

One of my dear friends, has her older boys reading their own story time! Perhaps that would be a solution for your family!

Success and hope you will find a way that suits the needs of your family and your children! :D
Raising Arrows; Psalms 127:4
ds17, Class of 2020, now at IHOPU
ds 15, WH
dd 13, MTMM
In year 1 of homeschooling it all started with LHTH for us.

RestInHim
Posts: 89
Joined: Wed Jan 23, 2013 8:11 pm
Location: Maine

Re: Read aloud - how do you choose?

Post by RestInHim » Fri Mar 01, 2013 7:35 am

I have been greatly enjoying this thread :D We are a 'love to read' family as well, and until I read this thread I never would have dreamed of only doing one story time with multiple guides! I am happy to know that most of you read them all anyway...because that would be my plan. I really appreciate how Carrie tries to make the day shorter for busy homeschool moms...but why try to cut it shorter with all those great books to snuggle up with together :wink:
When a curriculum actually promotes relationships and bonding...you don't skimp :D My kids favorite times of the day are when we are doing school together, and therefore it takes most of the day...which we all enjoy. I'll reevaluate that statement when they get to middle school, lol :lol:
Sara
Married to Jaysen for 8 years
Cassidy: Beyond, Cheerful Cursive, ERS, Math Mammoth
Joel: LHTH, BJU Math K5, A Reason for Handwriting K, The Reading Lesson
Timothy: 17 months

lissiejo
Posts: 506
Joined: Tue Jan 24, 2012 11:44 am

Re: Read aloud - how do you choose?

Post by lissiejo » Fri Mar 01, 2013 6:31 pm

I would greatly love to do them all as well, but we're in a unique situation. My husband pastors a small church and in order to be able to homeschool and stay home I have to work part-time. I teach piano lessons 2 hours every afternoon and it greatly cuts into our school time. I also teach a lit class to junior high kids on Mondays for 3 hours. I may be rethinking how I schedule different things for next year. I've also considered doing story time through the summer and doubling up each day. We sort of school year-round, but not very heavily during the summer.

I also would like to know if anyone has ideas of how to keep the younger ones quieter during story time. My k-fiver is a wiggler/bouncer and I also have a not-so-still 3-year-old! They like being read to, but they tend to get distracted and I don't want to make it a time when I have to fuss at them all the time for not paying attention. I'd love some ideas!
Melissa (Pastor's wife in NC)

http://gracefilledhomeschooling.blogspot.com
Rose (12-years-old) - Revival to Revolution
Beth (10-years-old) - Creation to Christ
Grace (8-years-old) - Bigger Hearts for His Glory

glperky
Posts: 490
Joined: Sun Apr 01, 2012 6:38 pm

Re: Read aloud - how do you choose?

Post by glperky » Fri Mar 01, 2013 6:45 pm

lissiejo wrote: I also would like to know if anyone has ideas of how to keep the younger ones quieter during story time. My k-fiver is a wiggler/bouncer and I also have a not-so-still 3-year-old! They like being read to, but they tend to get distracted and I don't want to make it a time when I have to fuss at them all the time for not paying attention. I'd love some ideas!

Have you tried letting them color, cut or play with play dough while you read. Or what we do in our house is I read while they eat breakfast and/or lunch. This really helps cut down on the wiggles.
Married to my best friend since Oct. 1989
DS 25
DS 20
DS 12
DS 10
And one - waiting in Heaven

I am way outnumbered and loving it!

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