Memoria Press American Literature and Poetry books!

[mom31257]

I ordered the American Literature set and Poetry for Grammar stage TE from Memoria Press , and I have to say I am extremely pleased with how both look. I shared about it on the Lit Analysis thread and realized others might want to read about it as well.  I think this is going to be excellent in having ds move into writing about literature. My plan is to use it as well as Figuratively Speaking, novels, MP's Poetry for Grammar stage book, and some of CLE's reading over the next 3 years.  

 

The American Literature book is set up very nicely. For each story or poem, there is a pre-grammar stage in which the student is asked to write about something that will lead into the story or poem as well as read through notes which includes vocabulary work before reading the actual work. After reading the work, there are comprehension questions which include giving details about the characters and literary aspects. Then the student moves into questions in the Logic stage, which are Socratic discussion questions, in order to uncover the central one idea of the story. Lastly, the rhetoric stage is where the student writes about the central one idea in their own words with supporting details. There are essay options as well.  

 

The Poetry book includes copywork and a space to illustrate the poem, but it includes vocabulary, a section to analyze the rhyming structure and literary devices. It also has comprehension questions which look very good. I plan to do everything orally for this book. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Chrysalis Academy]

Amy, I'm glad you posted about this - I recently got the Short Story & poetry (American Lit) book too, and I was very impressed as well! Are you using it with your 10 year old?  I thought it looked pretty intense, and will wait till 7th grade at the earliest to use it.   Do you feel like the American Lit book and the Poetry for the Grammar Stage book were at the same "level" or was one clearly more challenging than the other?  I toyed with the idea of getting the Poetry for the Grammar stage book but decided against it.  I'm so undecided about poetry studies.  I mean, I have a plan, but I'm not 100% committed to it, and my head keeps getting turned by whatever else pops up.

[mom31257]

Yes, I am going to use it with my son. My plan is to use it very slowly at first and to spread the book out over the 3 years of middle school. I will determine each section we do based on what I'm seeing from him and his ability. 

 

The Poetry book, which I plan to use over 2 years, has the student label rhyme scheme of each poem, but it relies on you to teach it. There are examples and definitions in the appendix. The comprehension questions range from asking uses of words in specific lines to questions relating aspects of the poem to the student's own life. It is on an easier level than the American Lit book, but I feel it will be a great way to begin studying poetry. You can easily cover a poem in one sitting with this book, but not the American Lit. 

 

Ds is also going to be using Figuratively Speaking and grades 6 & 7 of CLE reading. Both will cover poetry, too. 

 

Here is my plan, not including the novels he'll read. 

6th:

CLE LUs 601-603

FS-13 lessons

MP Poetry- 17 poems

MP Amer. Lit- 6 of the selections

 

7th:

CLE LUs 604-605, 701 (702 in summer)

FS-13 lessons

MP Poetry 17 poems

MP Amer Lit- possibly 6-8 of the selections

 

8th:

CLE LUs 703-705

FS-14 lessons

MP Amer Lit-possibly 10-12 of the selections

 

 

I might try to arrange the MP selections as they would coincide with FS lessons. I hope to spend time this summer pouring over them in greater detail and matching things up. Hope this helps!

 

 

 

 

 

[Chrysalis Academy]

Awesome, thank you!  I definitely noticed that the American Lit book has poems and stories of varying difficulty, and I was planning on rearranging it myself, choosing some of the simpler selections and really working the multi-level analysis before diving into some of the more challenging selections later.  It is a meaty, meaty book and I'm super excited to grok that method of analysis and try and apply it to some other readings.  I'm also keeping an eye out for other MP lit guides that use this multi-level analysis rather than just vocab & comp questions.

[chiguirre]

This looks really good. MP just keeps coming out with useful products. Yippee!

[Guest]

MPs 8th grade Lit guides are like the Poetry one you are describing.