amyinva Posted April 15, 2010 Share Posted April 15, 2010 I am trying out TOG Yr2 Unit3 Redesign, and trying to decide about making a permanent switch. The only objection my kids have so far is that the read-aloud is so boring (they got used to Sonlight read-alouds and loved them so much). The Read aloud book for the ENTIRE unit is the same book (Colonial Living)! I have dropped that and am reading a SL book instead (Witch of Blackbird Pond), so that is working for now. I am curious though, do the read alouds for later units get better (or are my kids and I the only ones who think Colonial Living is pretty dull)? Has anyone else used SL read alouds with TOG and had that work well? thank you! Amy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brandyb Posted April 15, 2010 Share Posted April 15, 2010 We are using Y2 and have had sort of, the same issue. In unit 1, the read aloud is Famous Men of the Middle Ages, informative? yes...exciting? not exactly...:tongue_smilie: I am currently choosing additional read alouds from the additonal reading schedule in the guide (if you look on that page, it lists more historical-fiction type books you can add in for the kids to read, I've just been finding the ones we have at the library and using them as an additonal read-aloud). I have the unit 3 guide, as we will be starting that this summer, it does include a few more "fun" type books for read-alouds, but I figure I can just add in books from SL, WP or the All Through the Ages guide that fit our topic if I feel the need. TOG is so in depth in every other way that looking for a few extra books to read to the kids isn't a big deal to me!:001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amyinva Posted April 15, 2010 Author Share Posted April 15, 2010 I don't mind choosing a read-aloud outside of the listed books, but I am concerned that I won't have time to do the scheduled read aloud plus an additional one. Dropping Colonial Living has not been a problem, but I wonder if I will be able to do that if they continue to be dry or will they miss important information. I was kind of hoping things would get better. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bethben Posted April 15, 2010 Share Posted April 15, 2010 We're just finishing year 3. A few of the read alouds weren't anything like Sonlight read alouds - I never got to them because of new little person #4 joining our family. I have heard that people sometimes use UG/dialetic literature books as read alouds. You may find some real winners there. I know that for example, a lot of the UG literature for year 4 is the core K read alouds. Of course they read it themselves - it's not read to them. Beth Beth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elinor Everywhere Posted April 15, 2010 Share Posted April 15, 2010 I am trying out TOG Yr2 Unit3 Redesign, and trying to decide about making a permanent switch. The only objection my kids have so far is that the read-aloud is so boring (they got used to Sonlight read-alouds and loved them so much). The Read aloud book for the ENTIRE unit is the same book (Colonial Living)! I have dropped that and am reading a SL book instead (Witch of Blackbird Pond), so that is working for now. I am curious though, do the read alouds for later units get better (or are my kids and I the only ones who think Colonial Living is pretty dull)? Has anyone else used SL read alouds with TOG and had that work well? thank you! Amy I tried Colonial Living but we couldn't take it. I switched to SL books with no problem at all - I had a bunch from SL 3 & 4 anyway, and the kids are enjoying hearing them again. If the book seems too fresh in their memory, I substitute a book from Ambleside, my own childhood reading, or just skip the read-aloud! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnandtinagilbert Posted April 15, 2010 Share Posted April 15, 2010 We have rarely completed the listed read aloud, instead we use literature selections as read aloud. If there is one that I know is a great story, we'll use it from the D selection. I also find the biographies in the church history are just the combo of boring and good story to get them ready for bed :) and save story time for bedtime story! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siloam Posted April 15, 2010 Share Posted April 15, 2010 I don't even look at their recommendations but just do our own thing. We also do a lot more than just history RA's. Heather Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurad1125 Posted April 15, 2010 Share Posted April 15, 2010 We just bailed on the Y2U1 read aloud (Famous Men of the Middle Ages) today. I.Just.Couldn't.Read.Another.Page. If (and that's a big if) I even add a read-aloud back in, it will probably be some literature book from the alternate selections or from some other source. I shouldn't have too much trouble finding something from the middle ages that my 6 and 11 year olds enjoy. :D In face SL might be a good place to look. They have some pretty good reading selections. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jewel7123 Posted April 16, 2010 Share Posted April 16, 2010 Are all the TOG books dry and boring? Just seems to be a general consensus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnandtinagilbert Posted April 16, 2010 Share Posted April 16, 2010 Are all the TOG books dry and boring? Just seems to be a general consensus. Not at all...just some of the read alouds :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renaissance Mom Posted April 16, 2010 Share Posted April 16, 2010 The read alouds often contain fascinating information. We've done them all -- both the drier non-fiction titles as well as the historical fiction. My younger LG isn't interested in most of the non-fiction. My older LG has loved it all (except Colonial Living). My D loves everything we read so that's never an issue. She and I actually did all of the Colonial Living readings and they ended up being one of our favorite things about that unit. We had quite a few "I didn't know that!" moments and she became interested enough in several of the things we read about to do a display board about one and an oral report on another. I have to admit that during our last rotation, we couldn't make it through Colonial Living either -- but my now D was only UG then. So don't give up -- maybe the same book will work well next time around. I agree with other posts -- we use the alt D lit suggestions for read alouds. Adam of the Road in unit 1, Madeleine Takes Command in unit 3, Guns for General Washington in unit 4 (in addition to Pipe, Paddle, and Song and Carry On, Mr. Bowditch). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bookfiend Posted April 16, 2010 Share Posted April 16, 2010 I choose to do read aloud from the alternate history core page. For us in Year 1 that has been SOTW. I've also added in with CHOTW, Picturesque Tales of Progress, and the occasional Landmark Book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in CA Posted April 16, 2010 Share Posted April 16, 2010 I pick and choose my read alouds. If I like what TOG is recommending, we read it. If not, I read something else. The read aloud is not integral to the program...it's just there as a recommendation. ;) And no, the Lit books read in TOG are not dry and boring. My ds has liked every single one, even the ones I thought would be dry. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ABQmom Posted April 16, 2010 Share Posted April 16, 2010 I've been following this thread with great interest. But, I just realized that I don't know where the read aloud suggestions are! Where are they? I'm just getting used to the curriculum, so I'm sure it's obvious, but I can't find any read aloud suggestions. :confused: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurad1125 Posted April 17, 2010 Share Posted April 17, 2010 Are all the TOG books dry and boring? Just seems to be a general consensus. We find most of them very good. I just don't like the read aloud selections (so far....) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trisharog Posted April 17, 2010 Share Posted April 17, 2010 I am having a "yeah , I thought it was just me" moment. We thought Colonial living was way too dry. Ditto with With Pipe Paddle and Song. However, we have loved many others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnandtinagilbert Posted April 17, 2010 Share Posted April 17, 2010 I've been following this thread with great interest. But, I just realized that I don't know where the read aloud suggestions are! Where are they? I'm just getting used to the curriculum, so I'm sure it's obvious, but I can't find any read aloud suggestions. :confused: Look to the book list (usually pages 4 & 5). It's on the first page after history in-depth I choose to do read aloud from the alternate history core page. For us in Year 1 that has been SOTW. I've also added in with CHOTW, Picturesque Tales of Progress, and the occasional Landmark Book. I like this idea! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amyinva Posted April 17, 2010 Author Share Posted April 17, 2010 If you join the TOG Loose Threads yahoo group, there is a book list matching up the SL books by TOG week. I will be choosing a read-aloud from that list every few weeks. Working great so far. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ABQmom Posted April 17, 2010 Share Posted April 17, 2010 If you join the TOG Loose Threads yahoo group, there is a book list matching up the SL books by TOG week. I will be choosing a read-aloud from that list every few weeks. Working great so far. :) Do you have a link to this Yahoo group? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ABQmom Posted April 17, 2010 Share Posted April 17, 2010 Okay, I still don't see any read aloud suggestions. I see literature suggestions which I thought was for the student to read for themselves. Obviously, I would read those aloud to my lower grammar student and possibly my upper grammar student. But, I was looking for something that was to be read aloud to all the ages of students, but I don't see anything that specifically states, "this is a read aloud"---kind of like the way it's done in Sonlight. Am I right, or am I still missing something? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jewel7123 Posted April 19, 2010 Share Posted April 19, 2010 If you join the TOG Loose Threads yahoo group, there is a book list matching up the SL books by TOG week. I will be choosing a read-aloud from that list every few weeks. Working great so far. :) Do you know which folder this particular file is in? I've been searching through the folders and can't seem to locate it. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jewel7123 Posted April 20, 2010 Share Posted April 20, 2010 bump Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
susie in tx Posted April 20, 2010 Share Posted April 20, 2010 My girls loved the Middle Ages read aloud, but not Colonial Living. My UG/D student read Colonial Living to herself. Most of the girls liked Pipe, Paddle, and Song, but I never did manage to finish it. From what I can see of Year 3, it looks like the read alouds get better. I think they added the read alouds due to user input. I like the idea of using the SL list of books for read alouds or the alternate pages. I may try that this next year if we end up hitting a wall. My girls love to be read to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jewel7123 Posted April 20, 2010 Share Posted April 20, 2010 I found it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WTMindy Posted April 20, 2010 Share Posted April 20, 2010 We have used three years of TOG and Colonial Living was the ONE read aloud that I dropped!! My kids have enjoyed all the others, but that one was DRY!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siloam Posted April 21, 2010 Share Posted April 21, 2010 I've been following this thread with great interest. But, I just realized that I don't know where the read aloud suggestions are! Where are they? I'm just getting used to the curriculum, so I'm sure it's obvious, but I can't find any read aloud suggestions. :confused: In the classic there isn't one place. I think I have seen them both under In-Depth and under Literature, depending on what type of book it was. It just had a note by it to use it as a read aloud. I haven't used redesign so I can't really answer your question, but hopefully I can bring attention to your question. Heather Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ABQmom Posted April 22, 2010 Share Posted April 22, 2010 In the classic there isn't one place. I think I have seen them both under In-Depth and under Literature, depending on what type of book it was. It just had a note by it to use it as a read aloud. I haven't used redesign so I can't really answer your question, but hopefully I can bring attention to your question. Heather Thanks Heather. I still haven't found a place that says, "This is a read aloud". But, I haven't been focusing much on the grammar stage yet. Possibly that's why I'm missing it. Probably no read alouds for dialectic? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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