Which Lightening Lit for a 9th grader?

[cseitter]

We are doing the Ancients this year. DS is NOT an avid reading so I am looking at reading these with him. :( So which pack would you to go with what we are studying for should I do something completely different? Sigh.... So many choices!

[sadiegirl]

I could have written this post. I have an 8th grader and a 9th grader. We have not done a formal literature program...always kept a reading journal and my boys read an average of 6-13 books per year. Mainly, we pick books based on previous authors we enjoyed as well as books we have found thru Amazon, Barnes and Noble from searches. I am using Analytical Grammar this year and Vocabulary from Classical Roots. Our writing program last year was Jump In and I felt like my reluctant writer did well with it. I have heard good things about LL and wanted to try it but we too as studying Ancient History this year. I don't think they have a lit program geared towards that but I posted a similar question a couple of days ago asking if most of you did lit based on what you study with history. Sound like many do but not all...I am still thinking of ordering the LL8 and using it for both boys. I hated English/Composition etc in high school...hated the books that were picked for reading and honestly, my boys love their reading selections. I want that interest to continue. I'm hoping by using some online lit sites recommended as well as ordering the LL8 to use with both of them, we will be okay. Sorry to ramble but I know how frustrating it is when you need suggestions, input and don't really find it. Keep watching the board because I find that eventually there is someone like me out there asking the same question.

[sadiegirl]

another thing I did was to do a search...what to use for High School Literature.

I came upon an interesting thread yesterday that had some helpful advice as well as one posted various online literature sites that I hope to bookmark and use in case we don't hit every book in LL8. I'll continue to watch this thread as well.

by the way, what ancient History are you using this year? I ordered World History-the Human Odyssey by Spielvogel. I really want something more laid out for me but wasn't sure which direction to go for that.

[cseitter]

I am following TWTM method this year. Last year we used History Odyessy modern times and really liked it. And I have thought about using HO this year. They have an Ancients Level 3 which would be High School. Still trying to decide.

[LanaTron]

My ds is going to be in 9th, and he's either going to take a U.S. history course taught by a friend of mine, or, if she ends up not teaching out of her home, I'll be taking him through Ancient history here at home. In case we do the latter of those options, I've started forumlating what I think we'll do for lit.

 

He does read a lot, but he is a slow reader, so I don't want to overburden him. What I have decided to do for Ancients is use TWEM combined with ideas I've gleaned from all of Lori D.'s posts on this topic and this thread. I think we could read the selections aloud, write about them, and discuss them during our 3 hours/week of literature. I'll probably pick 4-6 books like The Iliad, The Odyssey, etc. and we'll read those, probably together (or listen to it on CD--I've already purchased both of these used). I'll have him write response paper/s, asking specific questions about what he's read (see the link above).

 

All that said, some of the LL packs are recommended for 10th or 11th grade and up, unless the student has done the 9th grade recommended packs before. I think the ones recommended for 9th and up are the American History ones. Also, if ds ends up taking the U.S. history course, I may very well have him do LL 8 as we've just done LL7 this past year, and his sister, a grade below him, will be taking the same history/lit as he does. If he does LL8 in 9th, I can see having him do both LL American history courses in 10th.

 

HTH

[Guest DMBinTX]

Cindy, I sent you a PM.

Donna