Progeny Press Guides - The Hobbit and The Red Badge of Courage for 8th grader?

[WaterLily]

I know this is the high school board but since these are high school guides (I think, right?) I thought this would be the place to ask. I was thinking about doing Lightning Literature 8 next year but as I was looking over my shelves I found these 2 Progeny Press study guides and wondered if maybe we could just do those. Are these 2 doable for an 8th grader?

 

Thanks! :)

[Hoggirl]

but we did read The Red Badge of Courage this past year. It is not a "hard" read though the stream of consciousness got on my nerves at certain points. I just used SparkNotes. Most fascinating was watching the movie after we had read the book. Great comparison as the tone was completely different. A couple of MAJOR changes from the book that made both of us quite indignant! I guess the producers just coudn't bear to make Audie (sp?) Murphy (who starred in the film) look bad.

 

At any rate, I do like PP guides - we used one for The Screwtape Letters this year, and it was excellent. I absolutely think an 8th grader could do both of those works with PP guides. But, while we have read those books we did not use those particular guides with them.

[WaterLily]

Thank you for your input! That was very helpful. :)

[Julie in MN]

My 8th grader read Hobbit with LL8 this year and the book went well, even though he's not one who likes to read.

 

He did two PP guides in 7th and for that reason, I'm hoping someone chimes in whose used the exact guides you're interested in. PP guides have different authors and even within the same author, they can have different feels. Some of the PP guides are excellent, but knowing someone used the exact guide is very helpful, IMO.

 

Julie

[WaterLily]

My 8th grader read Hobbit with LL8 this year and the book went well, even though he's not one who likes to read.

 

He did two PP guides in 7th and for that reason, I'm hoping someone chimes in whose used the exact guides you're interested in. PP guides have different authors and even within the same author, they can have different feels. Some of the PP guides are excellent, but knowing someone used the exact guide is very helpful, IMO.

 

Julie

 

 

Thanks for your input! I didn't realize this and it is helpful to know. I'm leaning towards doing these guides this year and skipping LL8 b/c I think it will be easier on our schedule. I just hope that, like you said, these specific guides are good ones. So are there some that aren't considered "good"?

[Julie in MN]

Thanks for your input! I didn't realize this and it is helpful to know. I'm leaning towards doing these guides this year and skipping LL8 b/c I think it will be easier on our schedule. I just hope that, like you said, these specific guides are good ones. So are there some that aren't considered "good"?

 

Well, I don't mean that some are "bad" in terms of bad influences or something, but one we used (Carry On, Mr. Bowditch) was, "to us," very tedious and focused more on minutia than on big ideas. I've heard similar things from others, as far as one guide being less inspiring than others they've used.

 

I'm not sure PP will be "easier on your schedule" than LL8. Depends on how many books you do with PP and how much you have kids fill out in either program, how much you do orally, etc. But PP guides can be 50 pages to be filled out on one book, whereas LL8 might have 20 pgs per book but more books. PP spends more time on vocab & comprehension. LL spends more time on the literature concept & grammar reviews. Both have good thinking questions, IMHO.

 

Julie

[tex-mex]

Well, I don't mean that some are "bad" in terms of bad influences or something, but one we used (Carry On, Mr. Bowditch) was, "to us," very tedious and focused more on minutia than on big ideas. I've heard similar things from others, as far as one guide being less inspiring than others they've used.

 

I'm not sure PP will be "easier on your schedule" than LL8. Depends on how many books you do with PP and how much you have kids fill out in either program, how much you do orally, etc. But PP guides can be 50 pages to be filled out on one book, whereas LL8 might have 20 pgs per book but more books. PP spends more time on vocab & comprehension. LL spends more time on the literature concept & grammar reviews. Both have good thinking questions, IMHO.

 

Julie

 

Our experience with Progeny Press was similar with Prince Caspian. :glare: The vocabulary were words that were very archaic and ill-fitted to the lesson. It turned out to be busy work. The PP for us was tedious and drawn out. However, I loved some of the comprehension questions and used them in oral discussions. We've never used Lightning Lit? HTH.

[Quad Shot Academy]

I really wouldn't compare what your child will learn from PP to what they will learn from LL8. LL is a much more comprehensive program. If it was me, I would go with LL8 and add in the PP if you have time left at the end of the year. I think most people get LL done in about 1/2 the amount of time expected. My 10 yo has spent 30 minutes a day, 3 times a week, for one month on LL7 and he is about halfway done now.

[Quad Shot Academy]

Our experience with Progeny Press was similar with Prince Caspian. :glare:

 

Funny the first guide I have been disappointed with is the Magician's Nephew. I wonder if the same author did them.

[Julie in MN]

However, I loved some of the comprehension questions and used them in oral discussions.

 

That would work. I had just wanted some independence in that area since my ds wasn't doing much independently yet, but maybe I should have just done what we love, and discuss!

 

Julie