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Lori D.

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Everything posted by Lori D.

  1. Decades back, when I worked at a radio/TV station, the engineers there talked about one physical side effect experienced by those who worked on the towers frequently enough was that they (all males at that time) became sterile.
  2. So very very sorry, Kathy Jo and family. Lifting you all in prayer.
  3. AP may start moving to digital format, like the SAT and the PSAT are doing. Which might make it easier (or not, depending on how they decide to do it) for homeschoolers to participate. With the number of homeschool high school students increasing a bit, I can't imagine College Board being willing to leave money on the table from homeschoolers because public schools can't or won't accept them. 😉
  4. This chart from National Center for Educational Statistics, with data from 1985 through 2021, indicates that overall enrollment in K-12 grades in public schools has been trending upward: "Total enrollment for private elementary and secondary schools was 6.2 million students in fall 2000, then 5.3 million students in fall 2011, and projected to be 6.1 million students in fall 2021." Meanwhile, the total percent of school-aged children being homeschooled is hard to get an accurate read on, but 20 years ago, the estimate was that 3-3.5% of K-12 students in the US were homeschooled. Current estimates place that amount at about 5.22%. So yes, a bit of an increase in amount of homeschoolers. And when you compare total amount of school-aged children from 20 years ago to know, it's only an increase of about 1 million students. So homeschoolers are a slightly larger piece of the educational pie. I found these statistics interesting: . . . . . . children 6-17yo . . . total population . . . % of pop. = age 6-12 1950 = 28.2 million . . . . . 148.2 million . . . . . 19% 1960 = 40.2 million . . . . . 176.1 million . . . . . 23% 1970 = 48.9 million . . . . . 200.3 million . . . . 24% 1980 = 44.1 million . . . . . . 223.1 million . . . . 20% 1990 = 41.7 million . . . . . . 248.0 million . . . . 17% 2000 = 49.3 million . . . . . 282.4 million . . . . 17% 2010 = 49.1 million . . . . . . 311.2 million . . . . 16% 2020 = 50.3 million . . . . . . 335.9 million . . . . 15% ETA -- In answer to OP-er's questions... I live in a low regulation state with a lot of homeschoolers. I do think the # of homeschoolers has increased a bit since the pandemic due to dissatisfaction with the quality of academics/teaching. Homeschoolers here are allowed to participate on public high school sports teams, and take AP / PSAT tests (if there is room). I don't know of any schools (elementary or high school) that offer single classes to homeschoolers in my city. That may be an option in other school districts in the state.
  5. Post a new thread with your questions or with the topic you want to chat about, and use the @__[insert poster name]__ feature in the thread to alert a specific board participant that you are hoping to hear from that person. But, you'll also get the benefit of others who have many years of experience in homeschooling as well, from many different perspectives. 😄 Also, welcome!
  6. In answer to your bolded question -- Yes. I would think he could be done now. It looks like he already has 3 high school Soc. Studies courses (US Hist, World Hist, Econ/Gov't) -- and they are all the ones that might be possibly required for admission to a future university. I don't know as though I've seen any college require more than 3 Soc. Study credits for admission, so that looks to me like he has completed what he needs for that subject area. I would guess that doing History of Mathematics would be fun for him, and it would make a great "Academic Elective" (credit above/beyond the required in one of the core subjects of English, Math, Science, Soc. Studies, or For. Lang.). The only potential snag is that some colleges only accept for their admission requirements credits completed in the 4 years prior to starting as a college freshman. But, after Fine Arts, Social Studies is the subject that colleges tend to be the most flexible about their required credits for eligibility.
  7. Oops! Above, I linked the WRONG thread by @Nan in Mass (also a good one, but not the one I meant 😉 ) I fixed that in my post above. The one I meant is: To all you with 8th graders (or thereabouts)
  8. You also might find some of these threads to be helpful. They are all linked in the big "High School Motherlode #1" thread pinned at the top of the WTM High School Board. (Which, BTW, 8th grade is a great time for YOU to start reading, researching about high school, so you have an idea of what you need/want to accomplish in grades 9-12 -- and that in turn helps you think about what you might want to do in 8th grade to prepare... 😉 ) To those of you with 8th graders (or thereabouts) -- wonderful old thread from @Nan in Mass GENERAL TOPICS Preparing for high school (looking ahead from middle school) If you knew then what you know now (what would you do differently for Logic stage years) High school parents: looking back what would be your ideal for 7th/8th grades 8th grade goals: What skills do your kids need to practice before high school? Hypothetical question: What to do for the 4 years before public high school? How best to prepare for high school?
  9. Also: @jenn&charles variety of subjects and age levels they have created; at their website Guest Hollow and @Farrar's Global Perspectives high school level humanities programs (see these at her website)
  10. NOT a sales person for them AT ALL 🤣 , but, Callirobics was helpful for DS#2 who struggled with the act of handwriting and with mild dyslexia. His letters wandered all over and were irregular in size, much like a young child's who was just starting to learn to do handwriting. We ran across the program when DS#2 was around 14/15yo, and did it for 3-5 minutes each morning. All 3 of us (myself and DS#1, as well as DS#2) did it, and not only helped DS#2's handwriting, it really improved both DS#1 (sloppy handwriting) and MY (average) handwriting. The idea is to practice the line shapes and motions used in manuscript and cursive handwriting, being careful and intentional about how the shapes hit the lines or are shaped in the spaces between the lines on the paper. You do it for the length of the piece of music (3-5 minutes), and the music has a regular rhythmic beat that helps you to stay focused -- like a more musical version of metronome work.
  11. Not directly an answer to your question, but "Honors" varies SO very widely from school to school, state to state, that may be a pretty meaningless designation for some colleges. If you do end up weighting, "Honors" is typically weighted less than AP and DE: regular . . "Honors" . . AP / DE A = 4.0 . . . 4.5 . . . . . . 5.0 B = 3.0 . . . 3.5 . . . . . . 4.0 C = 2.0 . . . 2.5 . . . . . . 3.0 D = 1.0 . . . 1.5 . . . . . . 2.0
  12. You have a great kid and have a lot of great things going (Scouts, drums, tennis, friends, possibly work a job) in addition to a solid academic course of study, that are giving your DS a balanced lifestyle; that are letting him explore a wide variety of interests; and that are helping him to develop those important, intangible skills (communication, responsibility, teamwork, leadership, etc.) that he will use for all of adulthood. It's important to keep those kinds of things going, esp. with LDs or special needs. If trying to squeeze in college during high school means having to cut out other things he loves and are providing life skills and balance, then I would drop the idea of the AS or DE in a heartbeat. Esp. with the ASD1 and dysgraphia, he needs things that give him success and are NOT adding to his struggles. Also, by dropping the AS or DE, that would naturally give you more time to focus on the writing, and getting involved with the STEM program (if that would be of high interest to him). My thought is that he's got a lot of fantastic things here -- Scouts, drums, tennis, friends, possibly work a job -- which are going to help him mature in. Trying to squeeze in a few college-level classes when a student is dealing with some issues (ASD1, dysgraphia) sound like it cuts out the things of interest and that are building a lot of maturity and skills in favor of trying to start college while still in high school, and before he's really ready for college (and possibly doesn't have the interest in it yet). re: credits From what you mentioned above, here's how DS matches up with what is typically listed as required credits for college admission, compared with what you will have completed by the end of this year: college admission req. . . . . what you will have completed by the end of this year 4 credits = English . . . . . . . 2 credits (you mentioned literature, and I assume writing, too) 3-4 credits = Math . . . . . . . 3 credits (Alg. 1, Geometry, Alg. 2) 2-4 credits = Soc. Stud. . . . 2 credits (Geography, Western Civ) 3-4 credits = Science . . . . . 3 credits (Conceptual Physics, Biology, Chemistry) 2-4 credits = For. Lang. . . . 3 credits (Spanish) 1 credit = Fine Arts . . . . . . . 1 credit? (Art History / Drums) 4-8+ credits = Electives . . . Based on the above, just from a credit perspective, at the end of this year (current 10th grade), DS is more than halfway to meeting the high end of typical college admissions requirements for admission. That alone would make me disinclined to add a year to high school. Instead, since he is "ahead" in credits for Math, Science, and For. Language, that naturally gives you more time for focusing on Writing, and for doing the STEM program. If he has the time and INTEREST, then sure, do a DE course or two of interest in 2 years, which gives him the ability to dip a toe in the water of college. re: Writing ideas - speech-to text-software can help him focus on the thinking aspect of writing (coming up with a complete thesis and then building a solid argument of support for this thesis) rather than having it short-circuit between his brain and actually getting it down on paper via writing or typing - separate out that thinking part of writing from the "physical therapy" techniques that help him work on the dysgraphia and on practicing the act of writing and/or typing - consider a Speech & Debate club; not only is it a great extracurricular, but it is a terrific way of building and practicing the thinking part needed for writing - Youth & Government also involves speech writing and bill debate, so it also encourages the thinking skills used in writing (plus, you can use it towards a Gov't credit -- which I did not see on your list of credits in planning for future years) re: Math You said he is "plodding through Alg. 2" -- that sounds like a subject that is not a natural talent, nor a big interest, so I would take that into consideration when planning -- for example: complete Alg. 2 this year (10th), and go on to Pre-Calc (which has a lot of overlap with Alg. 2) next year (11th). If you want him to do Statistics, then that could happen the following year (12th). It doesn't sound like he is heading to Engineering, but if he ends up wanting to go in that direction, then do Calculus (in 12th) instead of Statistics. Just be aware that if he goes into Engineering, he would probably re-take Calculus in the freshman year of college anyways. That also gives you flexibility to skip Calculus in high school and do Statistics instead, if desired. I agree that overall, Statistics is a more useful math than Calculus (for subjects other than Engineering). But there does not seem to be huge amounts of Statistics in the typical Intro to Psychology course -- so that would free you up from needing to match up Statistics & Psych in the same year. Or, if your really feel it IS important, then bump Psychology to 12th grade and do it simultaneously with Statistics. IMO, the overall idea is to facilitate the education for the "child before you": - What does THIS student NEED (esp. if you have LDs in the mix)? - Where does HE want to head career-wise? And what maths, done in high school, will best help him towards that future goal? - Or, if no strong career goal at the moment, what best helps him have a well-rounded high school experience to work as a good foundation for life? That helps you determine how much emphasis and time should be put on the math, but still have balance for other areas that are weaker (you mentioned writing), and will also allow time for exploration of interests and subjects, which may help him uncover what he wants to do in his future. re: extracurriculars IMO, it is absolutely crucial to keep these up -- and maybe even add high quality extracurriculars that will further expand those life skills, "soft" job skills, build friendships, develop interests and hobbies ( that may be lifelong!), and help him practice maintaining lifestyle balance. Scouting -- wow, do whatever it takes support him in getting through Eagle Scout completion. That is a huge accomplishment that will open doors for him later on, but will also help him now to develop all of those wonderful skills of service, leadership, initiative, planning, organizing, etc. -- which are skills that he can apply to academics and studying for the rest of high school and through college. Tennis -- absolutely keep this; teens, esp. boys, need regular physical exercise, and those with LDs often need it even more as a way of blowing off the stress of trying to do academics when they have extra struggles. Drumming -- if he enjoys it, keep it. High school is a time for him to start having input into what he studies and spends time on. Again, that is why I asked above -- does DS WANT to do the AS or DE?? Esp. if it means he has to drop activities he enjoys?? We would hate it if someone cut out the things we enjoyed and piled on more work that we tolerated, but wasn't of high interest to us -- why would we do that to our kids?? That's my long answer. 😉 My short answer: - No, I would not extend another year of high school. - Yes, I would try for the STEM program IF it was of high interest to DS. - No, I would not drop the extracurriculars. - No, I would not try for doing the AS during high school with this particular student with those LDs. (Instead, since he's fine/a little ahead on credits, I would budget a bit of extra time to work on the Writing, and any other weak area. And include the STEM program, or another extracurricular, such as Speech & Debate, or, Youth & Government.) - Maybe I would have him do a class or two of DE in 12th grade, depending on where he is at that point. - And I'd be soliciting his input about his interests and possible future career/college goals.
  13. DK Smithsonian Handbook: Rocks and Minerals The Firefly Guide to Minerals, Rocks, and Gems Gemstones of the World (Schmann) For a rock collection: I'd look for a rock & mineral store, or gem & mineral show, nearby and slowly let her make her own collection of items of interest to her. Other ideas: Also see if there is a gem & mineral club in the area and make some connections and learn about how to go rock hounding, or possibly lapidary if her interests go in one of those directions. Also, any gem & mineral exhibits at museums within your area?
  14. It is okay to make mid-year adjustments. So just because you do certain courses in the fall semester does not mean you are locked in to doing all of them for the spring, especially if for some reason the course is not a fit for the student. It is also okay to make mid-semester adjustments (like, dropping a language since that is a HUGE amount of language classes... or switching curricula to a less rigorous option for a subject that is not of high interest or just needs to be "box-checked" -- for example, that might be Economics). Do what helps the student remain excited and interested -- rather than feeling you must stick with the plan going into next year and the student ends up crashing and burning. 😉
  15. Not enough context to help you. What age and grade is DS? What is his post high school goal / interest? (career field? college?) Why (or what is your reason) for wanting DS to complete an AS during high school? What does DS want re: doing an AS simultaneous with high school? Can you explain the STEM program? -- hard to know if that would conflict with the AS without details 😉
  16. Maybe practice timed short essay writing (like the old 30 min. SAT/ACT essays, from a prompt) once a week? Take the stress off, make it totally just a practice that you BOTH do. Work up from 10 minutes, so at first, it's NOT even writing -- it's just about picking a prompt, deciding on a position (pro/con), and seeing what you can come up with for reasons of support for the position. Then share thoughts -- you could each pick different prompts to reduce any anxiety about competition, lol. As you both get more comfortable with "faster thinking" and deciding on reasons and examples of support, take 15 minutes and work on actually writing the thinking out as a complete paragraph. Eventually expand to 30 minutes and write out as a short essay. Totally meant as practice that you then give each other gentle feedback. Again, not done as a graded assignment, so hopefully it takes the pressure off with coming up with THE PERFECT answer. Just a thought! Wishing you all the BEST in finding what helps. Warmest regards, Lori D.
  17. I don't think anyone puts on performances that are in modern translation. Sometimes the original is condensed a bit, and then there are also adaptations -- the basic story, but none of the original language. Here are my recommendations for you: Hamlet - David Tennent (2009) -- he is magnificent as Hamlet; original language - Kenneth Branagh version (1996) -- original language; a lot of people like this one; I don't -- IMO, Branagh is miscast as Hamlet and this film seemed to be about further inflating his already overly pompous ego; he is great and well-cast in Much Ado (below), so it's not that I hate Branagh... Romeo & Juliet - Franco Zeffirelli directed version (1968) -- original language; Olivia Hussey and Leonard Whiting - West Side Story (1961) -- based on general storyline, set in 1950s New York City with gangs; no original language Much Ado About Nothing - Kenneth Branagh/Emma Thompson version (1993) -- original language that is SO clear and understandable from the 2 main actors, plus 2 of the older male actors; some of the other characters are badly miscast - Joss Whedon directed version (2012) -- slightly condensed; modern setting but original language; not bad -- several actors are good, some okay, one or two seem very lost; beautiful black & white Macbeth I don't recommend the bloody Polanski-directed version (1971); it was done after his wife pregnant Sharon Tate was brutally murdered by the Manson gang, and Polanski was clearly working out issues; original language; abridged/condensed - BBC 1983 version -- but minimal in staging/costuming and done for TV - possibly the 2011 version starring Patrick Stewart -- original language; I hear it is disturbing (set in WW1, bloody, with the witches portrayed as creepy nurses) - Throne of Blood (1961) -- Japanese samurai version of the story; no original language Taming of the Shrew - BBC version with John Cleese (1980) -- original language; from the same series done for TV as Macbeth above; I really liked that at the end, John Cleese actually portrays Petruchio as having done it all because he really cares about Katarina as a human being - Liz Taylor/Richard Burton version (1967) -- I have not seen this one; original language; I believe it is somewhat abridged - 10 Things I Hate About You (1999) -- an okay adaptation of the story, no original language; set with modern teens in a high school; some language and some underage partying/drinking
  18. Just to make sure I had gathered as much info as possible for decision-making, I would look at what other options might be available through dual enrollment at the community college. Are there AAS degrees available at the community college? An AS is the "degree to transfer" Associate's (to then go to a university and finish with a Bachelor's degree), while the AAS is the "degree to work" Associate's that has a lot of the direct hands-on ed/training towards a Vo-Tech career job. Since this DS has a clear career goal that, at this time, does not involve transferring to a university to complete a Bachelor's degree, an AS degree is possibly not as helpful to him as as an AAS degree might be. What possible AAS degrees offered at your community college might potentially be useful from time to time in cowboying, or other work related to cowboying? Animal husbandry? Welding? Construction? EMT? Or even something like accounting or bookkeeping? Those could also all work well as a "fall-back" job later on if the cowboy gig doesn't work out. Or, are there other AAS programs that might be a possible fit for DS as a completely different kind of "fall-back" job, even if totally unrelated to cowboying? HVAC? Or intro training in plumbing or electrician or auto mechanic? He sounds like a hands-on / outdoors kind of guy, which is why I suggest some of these. Also, I'd be researching university costs and discussing with both DH and with EACH child. What's the plan for paying for the 2+ years at a university to complete a Bachelor's degree? How likely are scholarships -- on average 1/2 tuition scholarship is common, but that may lead all of the room & board cost for each year if going to a state university out of town. And what is the plan for paying if the scholarship is not renewed? Are federal student loans on or off the table for your family? If willing for your students to take on debt, do your students fully understand how that will impact their future? (For example, in 2022, the average amount of debt students came out of college with was $10,000; paying $300/month means that will take 10 years to pay off. That may lock a student into a job until they pay it off, meaning they are unable to move or take a risk on a different job because they must pay that debt off every.single.month. Also, if the student has college debt and marries someone with college debt, they are each mutually responsible for one another's debt -- and that could impact ability to afford buying a house, where they can afford to live, or even whether or not they can afford to start a family if they wanted to.) And what if the student ends up needed more than 2 years after transfer from community college to complete the Bachelor (for example, shifts degree program, or just can't handle the workload for graduating in just 2 years). Or what if the student ends up dropping out of college and not completing the degree first. If there is debt that must be paid, but now there is no degree to open doors to a potentially higher-paying job). And even if finances are not an issue and a student does get the AS and then a Bachelor's degree... depending on what the Bachelor's degree is for, there are a LOT of people out there with a Bachelor's who are working entry-level jobs because that's all that's available. Just a few things to throw in the mix as you all discuss and decide. Wishing you all the BEST! Warmest regards, Lori D.
  19. eek! I missed that you were doing tragedies! We watched a variety -- Shakespeare (tragedy, history, AND comedy), plus also several really interesting contemporary plays -- not tragedies. 😉
  20. That looks fun, @Rosie! 😄 During the pandemic shut-down, they were showing a play a week for free from their archive. We really enjoyed watching some of those! I bet you are having a grand time with this "unit". 😄
  21. plays - The Importance of Being Earnest (Wilde) - Pygmalion (Shaw) -- play on which the musical My Fair Lady is based short stories - Wodehouse on Crime (Wodehouse) -- short story collection of various of PG Wodehouse's reoccurring characters - The Club of Queer Trades (Chesterton) -- short story collection, humorously parodying Sherlock Holmes - Farmer Giles of Ham (Tolkien) -- humorous mock epic - various Mark Twain short stories novels - The Full Cupboard of Life (Smith) - light, gently humorous; "traditionally built" lady detective of Botswana - The Eyre Affair (Fforde) -- humorous, "meta"; literary hard-boiled detective Thursday Next attempts to keep novel characters in line - Thief of Time (Pratchett) -- one of the best in his Discworld series, IMO - the Bromeliad trilogy of short novels: Truckers; Diggers; Wings (Pratchett) - Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency (Douglas Adams) - Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, and, The Restaurant at the End of the Universe (Douglas Adams) - Cold Comfort Farm (Gibbons) - A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court (Twain) memoir - A Year in Provence (Mayle) -- British author & his wife and their humorous year of living in rural France - All Creatures Great and Small (Herriot) -- humorous, poignant, the whole gamut of the English country vet's experiences - My Family and Other Animals (Durrell)
  22. lol. I imagine they said it because it sounded "quippy". lol. Again, I would definitely encourage reading it while keeping the idea of metaphor in the front of your mind. It is not a book to "just read for plot" or you miss everything that's most important and most interesting about it. It is one of his earliest works of fiction (1908). It is subtitled "A Nightmare" which I do think should be kept in mind when reading -- what does he mean by that? Certainly that the work has a dream-like quality, but also it is a "nightmare" in the sense of a Christian trying to make sense of the paradoxes of God -- those paradoxes can seem very nightmarish, and can, if misunderstood or not taken in the greater context, make God and faith in God seem like a nightmare. You might want to get the Annotated version (annotations by Martin Gardner). I have not seen that version, but apparently it provides a great deal of biographical and contextual information as well as comments made by Chesterton himself on the book. I know I have read various (conflicting) things said by Chesterton himself about the book -- one, that he wrote it at a depressed and struggling period in his life, but that later he somewhat dismissed that and said the book was a "very melodramatic sort of moonshine" -- lol. I actually think it is a quite brilliant book, and that it has an amazing dream-like quality that Chesterton maintains throughout with a light and effortless feel, while simultaneously presenting the intellectual struggles of faith without making that theme feel like it was forced on top of the story.
  23. Just me, but I'd skip the Pre-Calc, BUT do a 4th math credit so there can be 4 on the transcript. I'd probably opt for Consumer Math, Finance, Bookkeeping, or Accounting -- something that would be of real-world value for the future. Or, do whatever College Algebra as DE, or as self-study and then CLEP test it. Do the specific College Algebra course (or CLEP) that will transfer and knock out in advance that gen. ed. requirement of Math that many college degree programs require.
  24. Great overarching theme! And, oh my, yes you have read a ton! 😄 I LOVE The Man Who Was Thursday; it's one of my favorites. DSs both thoroughly enjoyed it as well. It has a lot of Chesterton-style humor, and a lot of his trademark paradox. The overarching element is metaphor, which is a wonderful way to communicate spiritual truth that is complex, multi-meaning, and outside of ordinary physical human daily life. Metaphor is not allegory -- allegory is direct one-to-one representation. Metaphor is also not symbolism -- symbolism represents an intangible idea with a tangible object. Metaphor is strongly used in poetry (which is why a lot of people feel confused by or dislike poetry). The definition of metaphor is using one thing in place of another to show comparison and connection. In metaphor, by saying "this IS that," you get the whole richness of multiple layers of meanings and connections that the author might have in mind, but also all of what the READER has to 'bring to the table' and contribute to the reading/understanding of the metaphor. Simile is similar to metaphor -- both are comparisons which attempt to bring out more meaning in one idea or thing by comparing it or showing connection between that idea/thing with a very unlike thing. Similar is a bit more direct, by by saying "this Is LIKE that" -- "her hair was like silk". We think of all the things we know about silk (smooth, flowing, soft to touch), and then apply that to her hair. Metaphor is more poetic and abstract, and less direct -- almost mystical -- in how it makes connections. "He was the last peach high on a summer tree." It's not just about what is he like (a peach), but it's also about the image created there, the mood/emotion evoked by the image of summer time and ripe fruit; and also the ideas we have about childhood and summer -- that summer is the free and still innocent of adult burdens; and the layers of personal experience we have with a perfectly sun-ripened peach -- juicy, perfect, delicious -- as well as the idea that he is high on that tree -- so, untouchable, innocent, hard to get at to corrupt (because he's not a rotten fruit, he's the summer ripened fruit). Look at all that gets packed into metaphor. But -- it also takes time to stop and tease out all of those meanings. And there are likely more that I'm not thinking of... 😉 Metaphor is rich and layered, so it really takes multiple readings to see the different connections and the different paths each different connection opens out into. For example: most Old Testament prophecy, and Jesus' New Testament parables, are metaphor, because the words and meanings of the infinite Creator God of the universe have to be densely packed and layered for finite human brains to have time to slowly unpack all of the richness contained therein. Also, simile is a one-time short comparison, where as metaphor can be continued throughout a poem (or a story), and so it can be deepened and strengthen. All that to say... you might say that The Man Who is Thursday is a story-long metaphor, with a number of images and ideas embedded in it. So if a person is a direct/linear reader and thinker, or if a reader is expecting more explicit allegory, and they get metaphor... then it may be confusing or seem all over the place. 😉
  25. haha, well, since you tagged me I'll throw in some musings. But mostly just sharing that I considered calling our 12th grade lit. year "Kitchen Sink" lit., because we were doing such a wide variety of works to squeeze in the last things I thought would be either valuable to cover or that I just plain thought we'd enjoy, that it was like "everything but the kitchen sink" for our lit.... 😉 So, maybe you want to take a "kitchen sink" approach for 12th grade, too. 😉 re: Wuthering Heights I will say that, much as I thoroughly enjoyed the multi-unreliable narrator structure and themes in Wuthering Heights, BOTH DSs had NO patience for that book. 😉 Both DSs thought it was a boatload of wailing and over-the-top emoting, when a little common sense would have prevented all of the problems. LOL! re: I Robot / Dune Those are both great choices. Just FYI: Dune is very world-building / empire-based so it is much closer to fantasy in some ways than sci-fi -- in case that matters. re: Lord Wimsey / PG Wodehouse Very fun! If wanting another mystery, The Daughter of Time (Josephine Tey) is well-written and follows a police inspector stuck in the hospital who unravels the mystery around King Richard II. re: 1984 / Crime & Punishment / All Quiet on the Western Front oof-ta. That's a lot of heaviness. I know Crime & Punishment ultimately has the theme of redemption, but it is a long hard depressive Russian route to get to that, lol. All Quiet is the one book my "harder" DS actually was somewhat shaken by (which was ultimately a good thing, seeing war is not all video-game unaffecting) -- but it's a rough go, just to let you know in advance. And 1984 is so very brutal. All that to say I personally would only go with no more than ONE of those heavy-hitters per semester. And if ALSO doing Wuthering Heights and The Crucible, maybe only do ONE of these heavy hitters. But, that's just me. play ideas (and, a couple of these have really good filmed versions, so I would WATCH rather than READ, esp. since plays are written to be seen/heard in performance; JMO): - Our Town (Wilder) -- turn of the century American drama - 12 Angry Men (Rose) -- 1950s American drama - A Raisin in the Sun (Hansberry) -- 1960s American drama - The Importance of Being Earnest (Wilde) -- British light comedy - The Mousetrap (Christie) -- British mystery - the Sophocles trilogy of Ancient Greek Plays: Oedipus the King; Oedipus at Colonus; Antigone - Hamlet (Shakespeare) + Rosencranz and Guildenstern Are Dead (Stoppard) - Hamilton -- watch the original cast recorded version; it's a musical rather than straight up play/drama, but very worthwhile Sci-Fi ideas - A Canticle for Leibowitz (Miller) + Anathem (Stevenson) - The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy + The Restaurant at the End of the Universe (Douglas Adams) - Foundation (Asimov) -- series of short stories of how societies/governments change over 1000s of years, predicted by Harry Seldon - Shades of Gray (Fforde) -- NOT the s*x book, obviously!! -- a light dystopia that is very creative with a slice of humor; the social hierarchy is determined by each individual's ability to perceive color possible themes • forms of government / social organization and their demands/requirements from individuals: - Animal Farm (Orwell) - 1984 - Tale of Two Cities - The Crucible - Merchant of Venice - Crime and Punishment and other works not on your possibilities list that could fit into that: - Watership Down (Richard Adams) - 12 Angry Men (Rose) - Antigone (Sophocles) - The Once and Future King (White) - The Goblin Emperor (Addison) • inspiring / encouraging theme - Sir Gibbie - Silas Marner - Tale of Two Cities and other works not on your possibilities list that could fit into that: - The Man Who Was Thursday (GK Chesterton) - The Great Divorce (CS Lewis) - short stories: Farmer Giles of Ham, Smith of Wootton Major, Leaf by Niggle (JRR Tolkien) - short stories: The Light Princess, The Wise Woman, The Golden Key (George MacDonald) - Hind's Feet on High Places (Hurnard) -- Christian allegory - The Goblin Emperor (Addison) -- fantasy; themes of choosing to forgive; looking for the good in the midst of hardship; finding loyalty & friendship in unexpected places - Something Wicked This Way Comes (Bradbury) -- speculative, with a tinge of horror; ultimately a very positive image of a father standing up for his son & son's best friend; themes of loyalty; sacrifice; choosing laughter & love over selfish desire & lust
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