American or British Lit - what to do first? Using AO Lifepacs

[Tami in CA]

I am wondering if we should do American or British Lit first. My daughter will be using Alpha Omega Lifepacs for 12th grade Lit next year to get a good overview of Literature. Each course is one semester. I don't know whether to do American or British Lit first? What would you do?

Thanks for the help,

Tami

[Tami in CA]

Anyone have any thoughts on this? Even if you have never used/or would not ever use AO Lifepacs, would you normally cover British or American Lit first? Just wondering so I can do my planning.

Thanks,

Tami

[Cynde]

Hi Tami,

 

I've never used AO before, but I'll take a stab at the general question of whether to do American or British literatrue first. IMHO, I don't think it really matters, at least it didn't for us. And, especially since this is your dd's senior year and you're doing both, I really don't think it makes a big deal. I think, but am really not sure (someone correct me if I'm wrong), that public schools usually do American before Brit. We did too but only because (and for no other reason) it matched with what we were studying for history that year. For literature our dc studied Ancient lit, American lit, 20th Century lit, and then British lit. I've seen homeschooling families study all sorts of other lit and in all different orders. I think you'll be safe with whatever order you choose. If you think that either the American or British AO program would be easier for your dd than the other and that she'd benefit from doing that one first, then I'd start with that one. Hope that helps a bit. Good luck!

[Tami in CA]

Thanks Cynde for your thoughts on this. I am thinking maybe American might be easier to start with than British Lit. I think I will looks over the curriculum when it arrives and see which looks easier and do that first.

Thanks again,

Tami

[HSKLNG]

Hello Tami.

 

I did not used AO but I am familiar with it. We did Lighting Literature and Composition from Hewitt. My dd did British Lit on 9th and American on 10th with American History, I tried to put as much together of the American class.

 

But this is for 12th grade....What does your daughter think? She is going to do both anyways, let her pick which one to start with. I do not believe the order on which we do the courses matter. Some do British first then Medieval, Ancients and last American. I think as long as is done the order is irrelevant. Let her have fun with both.

 

Another idea will be to start with British (which include older history and lit) and finish with American (which is a younger nation) having a broad picture from The Middle Ages thru the present (as I can see on my catalog).

 

Wherever way you go, you will be fine....just have fun.

 

HTH

[Tami in CA]

Thanks for your input.

Tami

[Guest Katia]

In the AO Lifepacs courses, they teach American Lit in 11th grade and British Lit in 12th grade. But with the semester courses you are talking about, I don't think it really matters which you do first and I don't remember one being harder than the other. Is your dd doing 12th grade American Government for a semester? You might want to have her study the American Lit the same semester as American Government....just to sort of tie them together.

 

We used these AO semester courses as supplements to Hewitt's Lightning Lit and Comp. My dd did British Lit in 9th and American Lit in 10th. I just didn't feel like the Hewitt course was comprehensive enough so we added the AO semester course to give her a broader overview.

 

They are good courses. Dd thought they were very interesting and had good lit selections. The questions were just recall, so you might want to look on Sparknotes for some literary analysis and discussion questions. Be sure to have your dd write all the essay papers assigned.

[Tami in CA]

Katia,

Thanks so much for your input. We already did American Gov. so I guess it will just be whatever one we want to do first. I will definately have her write the essays.

Tami