THoughts on Sonlight Lit

[Gamom3]

I wanted to get some feedback on Sonlight's Literature

Do you think this is enough for a highschooler?

I have my dc read all the books suggested and have them answer the comprehension questions.

 

If you use what is suggested in Sonlight's-- do you add or do anything different?

 

If you don't use Sonlight's lit...what do you use?

[Chris in VA]

We did Core 300 two years ago--it's changed since then, but really not by much.

Since fully half the books didn't come with comprehension questions, I had to find my own resources. And some of the books were just too easy and, I felt, a waste of time, so we skipped them. Several, I felt, were really Jr High level--doesn't mean they weren't good books, just not necessary when there were others more challenging and more appropriate.

I added Sparknotes to beef up discussion and to provide me with a chapter-by-chapter summary of some of the books, b/c I wasn't going to read every. single. one.

 

I added a writing program, also, b/c I needed more guidance on how to offer constructive criticism/editing, and I added in essay questions that went deeper than Sonlight.

 

I do think a lot of the actual books are excellent--I wanted a Great Books education for ds, and Sonlight is sort of "Great Books Light," imo; many GB's are offered in the high school cores, although the interactions with them--the writing, in particular--is not quite GB level, but that's ok with me, for the most part. Hopefully, Ds will revisit some of the books in college and be able to take a greater part in the Great Conversation b/c of gained life experience. But if he never does re-read those books, at least he was introduced to the plot and some of the deeper stuff by our choosing to read them in high school.

 

I wish Sonlight did a better job with lit, but it's still pretty good, imo.

[4wildberrys]

I agree with Chris---we too are using Core 300 and SL is GOOD---just not great! SL is Great Literature---but not the great books. That said---dd and I are REALLY enjoying the books. They did change the IG and so almost all the books have Q/A----only a few don't but they don't need it. I don't like the SL writing assignments either---so we use different LA altogether. SL lit with the SL Q/A and a few Progeny Press thrown in per year, which is what we will do next year, will definitely give a good lit and analysis program. Or you could just do the Teaching the Classics alongside SL because TTC simply shows how to analyze any books.

[Cheri Warren]

I agree with Chris---we too are using Core 300 and SL is GOOD---just not great! SL is Great Literature---but not the great books. That said---dd and I are REALLY enjoying the books. They did change the IG and so almost all the books have Q/A----only a few don't but they don't need it. I don't like the SL writing assignments either---so we use different LA altogether. SL lit with the SL Q/A and a few Progeny Press thrown in per year, which is what we will do next year, will definitely give a good lit and analysis program. Or you could just do the Teaching the Classics alongside SL because TTC simply shows how to analyze any books.

I'd like to know what LA you use?

I too have found SL LA a bit frustrating from Core 7 on

[Guest Dulcimeramy]

I love Sonlight, and I've happily used Cores P3/4 through 100. For us, Sonlight + WTM + Charlotte Mason LA has been a winning combination for preschool through the 8th grade.

 

I'm not going to use SL for high school.

 

I was extremely disappointed with Core 100. I didn't find the Hakim books to be high school worthy, and I didn't see a need to keep reading historical fiction almost exclusively at that level. A ninth grader should be able to read classical American literature and biographies of our founding fathers written by their contemporaries. Historical fiction should just be gravy at this point.

 

Also, I was disappointed that the notes were no more in-depth than the notes for Cores 6 and 7 had been. Mostly basic comprehension questions, at a stage when we should really be doing some literary analysis.

 

I'm looking at Tapestry of Grace for 9th-12th grade.

[Guest Dulcimeramy]

I agree with Chris---we too are using Core 300 and SL is GOOD---just not great! SL is Great Literature---but not the great books. That said---dd and I are REALLY enjoying the books. They did change the IG and so almost all the books have Q/A----only a few don't but they don't need it. I don't like the SL writing assignments either---so we use different LA altogether. SL lit with the SL Q/A and a few Progeny Press thrown in per year, which is what we will do next year, will definitely give a good lit and analysis program. Or you could just do the Teaching the Classics alongside SL because TTC simply shows how to analyze any books.

 

I meant to add that we've never used SL language arts, either. McGuffey Readers, copywork/narration/dictation, Rod and Staff grammar, Primary Language Lessons, Intermediate Language Lessons, and Write Shop have worked out better for us.

[4wildberrys]

I'd like to know what LA you use?

I too have found SL LA a bit frustrating from Core 7 on

 

I have used some Winterpromise LA (it's okay), but switched ti IEW, Easy Grammar Ultimate, Wordly Wise with some Format Writing added in.

[Bee]

Her choice- she wants to do 20th century world history. If I'd had my way, I'd have her do Core 200 literature first so instead I'll fit some of that literature in too. The issue that I have with insisting teenagers read The Great Books is that it's wasted on teenagers. Most of them just don't have the life experience to understand or care about the themes in some of those books. And you can point out the themes until you are blue in the face but they don't get it. They can't contribute to a discussion about TGB unless it's something they really care about. So I advocate giving them some of TGB but also books that increase (I hope) their understanding of how the world works. Some good books, some classics, some just for fun. Anyway, I always supplement the SL selections and don't insist that dd read every book on the list. Dd will do Oak Meadow's grade 9 English course for official (meaning to meet high school NY state requirements) credit and use Wordly Wise.

 

Dd and I will discuss some of the SL books but not all of them. We've decided there are a few books we will skip (she's just not interested in a few of them). I plan to have her read books from Core 400 in the future and she wants to do their English lit. At this point dd has no desire to be a Lit major in college or to study TGB in college and she's 13 going on 14 and fixated on dance. She could care less about Homer (unless we're talking Homer Simpson).

[AngieW in Texas]

I loved Sonlight Cores K-7. I think Core 100 is very good too, just not for high school. I think Core 100 is perfect for 7th or 8th grade.

 

I'm switching my girls to Oak Meadow for high school.

[1bassoon]

I love Sonlight, and I've happily used Cores P3/4 through 100. For us, Sonlight + WTM + Charlotte Mason LA has been a winning combination for preschool through the 8th grade.

 

I'm not going to use SL for high school.

 

I was extremely disappointed with Core 100. I didn't find the Hakim books to be high school worthy, and I didn't see a need to keep reading historical fiction almost exclusively at that level. A ninth grader should be able to read classical American literature and biographies of our founding fathers written by their contemporaries. Historical fiction should just be gravy at this point.

 

Also, I was disappointed that the notes were no more in-depth than the notes for Cores 6 and 7 had been. Mostly basic comprehension questions, at a stage when we should really be doing some literary analysis.

 

I'm looking at Tapestry of Grace for 9th-12th grade.

 

I was not impressed when I looked at SL for high school lit - we're using TOG, and my dd17 has turned into a literature LOVER. I feel like I've gotten a good education, too. . . .. ;)

[Guest Dulcimeramy]

I was not impressed when I looked at SL for high school lit - we're using TOG, and my dd17 has turned into a literature LOVER. I feel like I've gotten a good education, too. . . .. ;)

 

This is what I'm hoping for myself! I'm glad it is working out for you!

[StartingOver]

I used most the upper cores with my older children. But we used them before Highschool ( except 200 ). We have always used TWTM along side Sonlight literature. I have never used the LA ( I did buy LA K this time, but didn't use it. )