Drawn into the Heart of Reading--Am I missing something?

[WellsSchool]

Today we are doing a trial of the first day of school. Is there a place that lists a schedule for the books we selected to use with Drawn into the Heart of Reading? In looking through the Teacher's Guide, I see that the students are to fill-in an Assigned Reading Calendar, but I thought that since we selected the exact recommendations of HOD for their reading level that the order in which they are to be read and the page numbers per day would be listed somewhere. Is this the case? If not, should I just go through the student books from the beginning to the end by genre as listed on the cover of the Drawn into the Heart of Reading books? How do I know which book of each particular genre to use first? I do have the three page "Optional Book Recommendations to Use with Drawn into the Heart of Reading. Am I to use this, just going down the column in order of genre, separating out the page numbers per day, dividing the total of number of pages in the book by the number of days to read? Does this then correspond with what I am to mark for pacing (as listed on the Assigned Reading Calendar)?

I hope these questions make sense. It is likely that you have covered these questions within my materials, but once my brain reached "overload," I tend to need a little more guidance to ease my confusion.

Also--I am using Creation to Christ this year. With all the questions, it's obvious that we're first time HOD'ers! I have an advanced 7th grader who is using the Level 6-7-8 book (along with Grade 5 Book Projects to Send Home and the Level 7/8 Boy Interest Book Pack. For my 5th grader, who struggles with reading (has excellent comprehension when he reads silently to himself, but a sloooow reader), I am using the Level 4-5 book (along with Grade 4 Book Projects to Send Home. With him because he reads so slowly, I chose Level 3 Books. Will this be a problem using the Level 4-5 book and Grade 4 Book Projects to Send Home?

Thank you so much for your time!
Lori

[StephanieU]

We aren't to DITHOR yet, but I know that the suggested books are listed by the number of days per book. But, I don't think they have page numbers. Most families just divide the page number or chapters by the number of days and then round as necessary. So, if a book is to be read over 5 days and has 12 chapters, you would read 2 chapters for three days and 3 chapters the other two days. I think the flexibility could be nice - moving the "longer" days to days where you don't have as much reading to do in other subjects for example. THe number of days is on the HOD site: http://www.heartofdakota.com/drawn-into-optional.php is the 2/3 books (just click the right book list at the top to go to the one you are using).

[twoxcell]

There are no specific books or pages listed for DITHR so that you can use any book that you like. The book packs are just for your convenience. You can also do the genres in any order you wish it does not matter at all. As far as how many pages you read you can just divide the book pages by the number of days you want to read it for and go from there.

[pjdobro]

No the order that you decide to read the books within a genre or which genre to begin with are up to you. You can do them in the order that they are listed in the DITHR book or any other order you prefer. Are you doing the history set or the boy set for your story time with CTC? If you are doing the boy set which goes by genre, you could do the same genre that you are reading aloud for story time. Some people like to do it just the opposite and pick a different genre. What I have done recently in choosing the genre to start with is go through the list of godly characteristics and see which one I feel my dc need the most work on right now. That's usually the genre I will choose

Once you have chosen the genre, then look at the book or books that you have for that genre. If it is just one book for that genre, divide the total number of pages by 15 for the amount to be read each day. The put the page numbers to be read each day into the reading chart. Personally, I like to try to divide it by chapters if at all possible. So if that pages come close to the chapter end, I'll fudge them a bit so that the reading each day ends with a chapter. If there is more than one book for the genre, decide which one you want to start with and divide it over the number of suggested days. Typically I would probably start with the longer book but you can start with either. So if you have a 10 day and a 5 day book, take the total number of pages for the 10 day book and divide it by 10 to get the number of pages to read each day for that book and put it in the first 10 days of your schedule. Divide the second book by 5 and fill that into the schedule. I hope that makes sense. There is no list or chart to follow with the book packs. It's just they have been chosen to fit that genre and pace well. So you already know which book to use with the genre and what pace to use with those books.

There shouldn't be a problem at all using the level 3 book pack with your 5th grader and the level 4/5 student book as long as he is ok with the writing and thinking involved in the level 4/5 book. The only thing that comes to my mind in using the 4/5 book with a child that you want to strengthen his oral reading skills is that in level 4/5 the child doesn't read to you everyday. The reading out loud is scheduled less than in level 2/3. So depending on how you feel he is doing with his oral reading, you may choose to have him read to you more often that it is scheduled in the teacher's guide.

To help you get started with DITHR, I would suggest reading the Getting Started section in the back of your teacher's guide and look through the program schedule and other info at the beginning of the guide. Then choose which genre you want to begin with and just read through the daily lessons so that you get an overview of what you'll be doing. You really don't need to read ahead, but it will help you get a feel for what you'll be doing over the course of the first genre. It took me a couple of years before I got the hang of DITHR and I think it was because I was trying to make it too complicated. It really isn't complicated at all and is just as open and go as the other teacher's guides. It's just a matter of getting used to the different layout of the TM and consistently doing it.

Enjoy your year with CTC and DITHR. That's what we did last year and had a blast!

[jacynamommy]

Hi Lori,
If you look at the HOD catalog (or looking at the DITHOR book pack lists on their website), the book titles have the genre and the number of days to read them listed next to them. Last year, to make it easier, I copied the book titles and the number of days to read them under each genre heading on the Student Book's Table of Contents page. That helped tremendously, as we just had to flip back to that each time we started a new genre and needed to know which book and for how many days! I think they must leave it blank so it can be used with any books! I hope this made sense and helps!
Meredith

[WellsSchool]

Thank you all for your replies. Your replies, and reading the "Getting Started" section through a few additional times, has cleared things up a bit. Sometimes it also helps to just "jump in" and start and then one begins to get the flow.

Another couple of questions that came up:
I see that 5 days is allotted to finish the project at the completion of each genre on day 15, but are the students to continue reading onto the next genre as well? If I'm calculating everything correctly, it seems that a lesson for DITHOR is scheduled pretty much every day except on the fifteenth day. So....I'm confused. The student isn't to do the last day of reading on the fifteenth day, but wait until the next day in the unit? Then is the student to continue onto reading and doing the lessons in the next genre in addition to working on the end of genre project for five days? Sorry, the answer is probably pretty obvious.

We are using the Option 1: History Interest package. Just for future reference, if we were not using that for story time (and the extension package for my older son), would we determine the reading assignments each day in the same way? I don't see any specific page listings for the alternative options as I do for the extension package.

Thanks again, ladies!
Lori

[pjdobro]

On day 15, the student would read the last pages of their book for that genre. If you read the details in the TM on day 15, you'll see that it says for the student to read their assignment. You would discuss the project that you will be doing over the next 5 days. Then days 16-18, they work on their project and on day 19 you meet together and go over every thing. Then I guess day 20 is sort of a tie it all up, get ready for the next genre sort of day. We usually just use that last day as a final review of the genre and pick our next genre. That's a good day too to do your kick off for the next genre if you are ready. You can kind of think of day 20 as the "Prior to Day 1" day on the General Daily Format chart. On days 16-20, the student isn't doing any reading. Those days are dedicated to the project and completing that genre. You don't start the next book until day 1 of the next genre. So each genre in DITHR is 20 days long, 15 days of reading, and 5 days for completing the project. With CTC, you will only be doing DITHR 3 days a week so it will take you about 6 1/2 weeks to complete a genre.

Yes, if you were using the genre related story time for CTC, you would divide the book over the total time that you would be reading that genre. There are actually reminders in the story time box in the guide that tells you that you will be reading that genre for the next __ days. So along the way it helps you remember to pace the book correctly. Since you are doing the history ones though, it will tell you exactly what to read each day. We did the history set as well, and I think that is an excellent choice! I have learned so much through the story time selections through the years especially with CTC. Those selections really help the history come to life. My dc and I really enjoyed them! We read a few of the extension books too just because, and we really found those to be fantastic as well. I think you'll really enjoy them!

I think you are right that when you get started with DITHR, it will flow and make sense to you. I'm glad you are starting to feel confident with it!

[WellsSchool]

Goodness, now that I've had more time to investigate and look ahead in the CTC Lesson Plans, I do see that every Day 3 of a unit is an off day for DITHOR. Thank you for your explanation.

Therefore, the student isn't doing any reading of their books (for DITHOR) on Day 3. In actuality Day 3 of reading for DITHOR is Day 4 in CTC, and so on, right? So...I should just remember when it says, "Guide students to complete one reading lesson.--Drawn into the Heart of Reading at the end of a unit (days 16-20), that I myself should include five days to complete the project (that itself is the lesson)...and not go onto a new genre until those five days are finished. I understand what you are saying re: using that Day 20 as the "prior to Day 1" day.

Do I understand everything else correctly now?
Thanks again!

[pjdobro]

I think you've got it! Have fun!

[4arrows]

thanks for this post...still have a question though. At the end of a genre when they are working on their project for 5 days...are they only doing this when the guide has a scheduled DITHOR day? If so, in CTC it would take them nearly 2 weeks to finish their project since DITHOR is only scheduled 3 days/week. Is this correct? How do you ladies do it?
Thanks!
Elizabeth

[pjdobro]

thanks for this post...still have a question though. At the end of a genre when they are working on their project for 5 days...are they only doing this when the guide has a scheduled DITHOR day? If so, in CTC it would take them nearly 2 weeks to finish their project since DITHOR is only scheduled 3 days/week. Is this correct? How do you ladies do it?
Thanks!
Elizabeth

Yes that is correct. Since the project is over 5 days and DITHR is only scheduled 3 days each week, the project will stretch out over 2 weeks/units. I was thinking last night that if you stretch the genre out over 7 weeks/units maybe taking that 21st day to review/do the kick-off, etc., then started the next genre at the beginning of the next unit, you would cover 5 genres in the year, and it would come out even. I think that is the way I will do it this year with RTR.

[WellsSchool]

Okay, now I'm confused again.

I thought we were to get to all 9 genres in a year???

[WellsSchool]

In the introductory pages of DITHOR under "Program Structure," I read, "Each of the nine units contains 20 days of instruction. Using all nine units in one year provides 36 weeks of instruction, which is equivalent to the common 180 day school year."

Then on the next page under "General Daily Format, " I read "The program intends for students to remain in the same level of instruction for two years, before moving up to the next level."

So...is the program for one year or two? It sounds as if I just pick a different book set or come up with my own options for the second year instead of drawing out the same book set over two years. Thus, I'd be doing all nine genres each year.

[bethelmommy]

In the earlier guides (Beyond and Bigger), DITHOR is scheduled everyday and all 9 genres are covered in a year. In the later guides (Preparing on up), it is scheduled less to maintain a balance of time/workload in the school day. So, the 9 genres are covered over 2 years at that point. I know there is a post somewhere that covers this, but I can't search for it right now - maybe it is in the FAQ's area, DITHOR board section, or under reasons behind HOD choices?

[WellsSchool]

Thank you! I've been looking for such a post (both yesterday and today), but have yet to find it.