annabanana1992 Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 I am using DITHOR and SOTW 2 for DD8 and DD9 next year. I have come up with the following (tentative) book list. Any thoughts or opinions??? Biography - Joan of Arc by Diane Stanley for DD and William of Orange for DS Adventure - The Hobbit Historical Fiction - The Door in the Wall by Marguerite De Angeli Fantasy - The Sword and the Circle: King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table by Rosemary Sutcliffe Mystery - Crispin: The Cross of Lead by Avi Nonfiction - Our Island Story by H.E. Marshall Humor - Half Magic by Edward Eager or The Whipping Boy by Sid Fleischman Realistic Fiction - The Wheel on the School by Meindert Dejong (doesn't fit the time period - any other ideas?) Thanks for your thoughts! Anne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TC5 Posted June 27, 2009 Share Posted June 27, 2009 Thank you for sharing your list! I am about to start using DITHOR and SOTW 2 with my 8yo son, so this is very helpful. I am still going through the lists of books in the SOTW AG before I finalize my plans, but most of those books look more appropriate for my 6yo son anyway -- or at least more appropriate as quick-reads. Because I am new to DITHOR, I was thinking I'd like to try it now, maybe with a book in the humor genre. Half Magic sounds like a good choice. Because I'd like to do it as more of a summer project, I was thinking of reading Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and am hoping that will fit in the humor genre. I haven't read it since I was in elementary school, so I don't know how it fits. If it doesn't, I think I will use Half Magic. Thanks! Teonei Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TC5 Posted June 27, 2009 Share Posted June 27, 2009 By the way, I love "Crispin" for the mystery genre. I'm thinking of using that one, too. We're also definitely going to read "The Door in the Wall". For realistic fiction, is it cheating to use another historical fiction book? :)There are so many to choose from. A lot would also work for adventure. I haven't read any of these yet, but they're a few from my list of possibilities: Adam of the Road Otto of the Silver Hand I Sailed With Columbus (I've heard mixed reviews on this) - realistic fiction or adventure The Second Mrs. Giaconda - realistic or historical fiction about da Vinci For biography: Fine Print and Ink on his Hands, both about Gutenberg; or a couple of biographies about Columbus or Shakespeare or da Vinci or 2-3 artists or ... Around the World in a Hundred Years - adventure (might work for nonfiction, but I haven't looked at it to see) For Folk Tales, I will probably choose a few from the SOTW AG or -- I just realized what i should do: spend some time analyzing some ancient Indian tales, as my husband is from India. We read the stories, but it miht be fun to take a closer look at a few favorites. Other fantasy(?) choices that intrigue me are Puck of Pook's Hill and Knight's Castle. For humor, Sam Samurai (Time Warp Trio) might also work. Your ideas all sound great, by the way. I'm just throwing these out for more ideas and thinking as I write. :tongue_smilie: Have you used DITHOR before? Will you use it 5 days/week to get through all 9 genres? Actually, I didn't see Folk Tales on your list. I'm not sure we'll really use DITHOR for all the genres this year, but i guess we'll see how it goes. A couple more questions -- how are you going to schedule these books? Start reading them before or after you come to their time in SOTW, as you get there, or not worry about chronology? Again, thank you for your post. This is just what I was looking for. Teonei Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1shortmomto4 Posted June 27, 2009 Share Posted June 27, 2009 I just have to ask-- are you using DITHOR as a read-aloud program (meaning you are reading them aloud) rather than having your child read the book(s) on their own or aloud to you? I've used DITHOR for 6th/7th graders and it is meant to be done on their own so I never even considered using the DITHOR program as a read-aloud for my youngers (I have all the levels workbooks). Hmmmm.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
annabanana1992 Posted June 27, 2009 Author Share Posted June 27, 2009 Have you used DITHOR before? Will you use it 5 days/week to get through all 9 genres? Actually, I didn't see Folk Tales on your list. I'm not sure we'll really use DITHOR for all the genres this year, but i guess we'll see how it goes. A couple more questions -- how are you going to schedule these books? Start reading them before or after you come to their time in SOTW, as you get there, or not worry about chronology? Again, thank you for your post. This is just what I was looking for. Teonei Right now I am thinking of 5 days a week to try to get through all genres. I forgot to type my folk tale - a version of Beowulf when I find one my kids can handle. I am trying to schedule them to match up timewise, but it won't be possible with all of the genres. Also, since I typed the OP, I have revised my list again. I think I am going to revise again based on some of your suggestions! Thanks so much for responding to my post! Anne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mompotter Posted June 27, 2009 Share Posted June 27, 2009 For the life of me, I cannot think what DITHOR stands for. Help! :001_huh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TC5 Posted June 27, 2009 Share Posted June 27, 2009 I just have to ask-- are you using DITHOR as a read-aloud program (meaning you are reading them aloud) rather than having your child read the book(s) on their own or aloud to you? I've used DITHOR for 6th/7th graders and it is meant to be done on their own so I never even considered using the DITHOR program as a read-aloud for my youngers (I have all the levels workbooks). Hmmmm.... Yes, I am planning to use DITHOR at least partly as a read-aloud program. My 8yo is a strong reader way above grade level, but I haven't assigned any reading to him yet, and I'm not sure how he'll take it. I may need to ease into it or do it for just some of the books. I am hoping we can read some of the books independently but both of us reading them. Also, I definitely want to do some books as read-alouds so my younger boys can benefit from the stories and discussions when appropriate. I want this to be a fun family activity. I'm mostly using DITHOR because I wanted a bit of formal literary analysis rather than just open-ended discussions, and I don't want t have to buy a separate study guide for every book we read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TC5 Posted June 27, 2009 Share Posted June 27, 2009 For the life of me, I cannot think what DITHOR stands for. Help! :001_huh: Drawn Into the Heart of Reading. It's from Hearts of Dakota. I haven't used any of their other curriculum, but this looks like it can stand alone very well. http://www.heartofdakota.com/drawn-into.php Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TC5 Posted June 27, 2009 Share Posted June 27, 2009 Right now I am thinking of 5 days a week to try to get through all genres. I forgot to type my folk tale - a version of Beowulf when I find one my kids can handle. I am trying to schedule them to match up timewise, but it won't be possible with all of the genres. Also, since I typed the OP, I have revised my list again. I think I am going to revise again based on some of your suggestions! Thanks so much for responding to my post! Anne Oh yeah! Beowulf could fit into Folk Tales, couldn't it? I'm having a bit of trouble determining genre on some. Maybe it would help if I read the teacher's manual. :001_smile: Did you buy the book list from HOD? I'm wondering whether it will help if I'm determined to choose books based on time period. Did you use DITHOR last year with books from ancient times? I look forward to seeing your revised list. Thank you for starting this thread. Teonei Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mompotter Posted June 27, 2009 Share Posted June 27, 2009 Drawn Into the Heart of Reading. It's from Hearts of Dakota. I haven't used any of their other curriculum, but this looks like it can stand alone very well. http://www.heartofdakota.com/drawn-into.php Thank you! Have not heard of it - no wonder I didn't recognize it. Off to check it out.:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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