BJU Reading 6 or Literature 7?

[momtofive]

In planning for next year, I'd like to do a bit more structured reading/literature year for my dd. We've been doing several years of just reading regular books (Heart of Dakota's reading book packages) and oral narrations and discussing. She'll be a *young* 7th grader next fall. I'm trying to decide whether to get BJU'S 6th or 7th grade reading/Lit set for her. I have the 6th grade level here that we used with an older sibling, so I'm familiar with the content and style of the program. In looking at online samples of the 7th grade program, I can't seem to get a feel for the content, or the types of assignments given. I know they no longer have a workbook after grade 6. Can someone share a bit more about the 7th grade level? Would the selections be okay for a slightly sensitive younger 7th grader? What types of assignments are included in this level?

 

Thanks so much! :)

Edited January 29, 2018 by momtofive

[momtofive]

Thank you, Paradox5. This was what I was thinking I read somewhere about BJU's Lit 7.

 

Thanks for the suggestion to look into Lightning Lit and Mosdos. I like the looks of Mosdos, but a bit more than I'd like to spend. I'm considering Lightning Lit 7 for her. It looks like a good transition to high school lit studies.

Edited February 1, 2018 by momtofive

[HollyDay]

We stopped using BJU for literature after 6th grade.  I never thought about switching...we really enjoyed BJU reading and thought the transition into jr high and high school literature would be fine.  But, it was not the best fit for us.  LL was  not the best option either as we had already read some of the books or had no interest in the others. 

 

Have you looked at Drawn into the Heart of Reading?  It was a great choice for us because I could use it for more than one level.  Also, you can chose what books you want to read from the different genres. 

 

Another option might be Learning Language Arts Through Literature.  It is a gentle approach. You could use  7th grade or any of the other grade levels depending upon the book selections.

 

Progeny Press?

 

Total Language Plus?

 

We have used both Progeny Press and Total Language Plus guides.  Frequently, I'd buy a guide that matched a book I was using for history.  That way we could read and study the book as part of history, but also study it from a language arts point of view.

 

Scott Foresman? Youngest dd used a few of these books from 7th grade through high school.  I was pleased with the broad selections.  Patterns is designed for 9th grade, but it could be used for 7th (if you like the selections).

Edited February 11, 2018 by HollyDay

[PeterPan]

The BJU lit 7 includes printable worksheets on the cd in the tm. I thought they were terrific and enjoyed what we did with my dd. We used it sort of our own way. The lit 7 is the first level that is not BJU Press written stuff but actual lit, so I went through the bibliography and bought the larger works. For my dd, who is a pretty crazy stronger reader, it was a really good choice. It led us into all kinds of new favorites and authors. It's also not an *intended* use of the materials, as you can be getting into something where one poem, one piece was good and the larger work as a whole had significant objectionable content or issues you might not want to deal with. We were cool with that.

 

Yes, there's that transition from 6 to 7. My dd from the elementary reading worktexts to be broccoli (good for you, not enjoyable), but that doesn't mean your dd won't enjoy them. The BJU Reading 4-6 in particular are useful for their inclusion of instruction in outlining, etc. There are a lot of good *skills* quietly woven in there. 

 

I would just look at the samples and roll with your gut. There's a HUGE leap in maturity from the grade 6 to 7 materials in almost everything BJU, which reflects the developmental changes kids are going through at that age. It's good to meet her right where she is. If this is for next fall, you might even make that decision closer to fall, when you see how she's rolling. You have the gr 6, so you could have that in the wings. If you get to fall and she's like nope, I've outgrown this, then move up to the 7, no biggee.