Looking for an intriguing and challenging lit and comp course

[swimmermom3]

I am looking for challenging and engaging material to create a Literature and Composition course for my dd who will be a senior. She has taken American, Global, and Contemporary Literature and Composition courses while attending our local ps high school. The school did not focus on classic literature, so I would like to head in that direction. She is an avid reader and enjoys literary discussions. She took AP European history last year so she would have some context for literature of that period. We will focus much of our time on literature and composition this year in addition to our math studies. I want to make this as engaging as possible. Her writing skills are strong but could use some polish. I have thought about gearing the course towards the AP Lang test to use as a guideline, but first and foremost, my goal is to reignite her enjoyment in the learning process. I can think of some literary works to use but really need guidance overall.

[Nicole M]

I am looking for challenging and engaging material to create a Literature and Composition course for my dd who will be a senior. She has taken American, Global, and Contemporary Literature and Composition courses while attending our local ps high school. The school did not focus on classic literature, so I would like to head in that direction. She is an avid reader and enjoys literary discussions. She took AP European history last year so she would have some context for literature of that period. We will focus much of our time on literature and composition this year in addition to our math studies. I want to make this as engaging as possible. Her writing skills are strong but could use some polish. I have thought about gearing the course towards the AP Lang test to use as a guideline, but first and foremost, my goal is to reignite her enjoyment in the learning process. I can think of some literary works to use but really need guidance overall.

 

Exactly which years does AP European History cover? Enlightenment forward-ish? I put together a reading list for E. that corresponded to the "Empires" time period he was studying in the Human Odyssey (Speilvogel's) two years ago. The texts may or may not be interesting to her.

 

What about a Teaching Company lecture series about Austen or some of the fun British authors?

 

I look up AP European history and see if that gives me any ideas.

[JennW in SoCal]

My favorite summer pasttime is creating lit courses for my kids. Not that they appreciate how magnificent these special courses are, but it hasn't stopped me from applying my mad creative energy to reading lists and assignments.

 

What guidance do you need? Do you want a list of favorite materials?

 

For going in depth with a work:

Teaching Company lectures for background on authors, or for detailed lectures about individual works.

Spark Notes and Pink Monkey to help jump start discussions

Well Educated Mind

 

For writing:

The Lively Art of Writing is a small but extremely useful book

The New Oxford Guide to Writing goes a bit more in depth

Michael Clay Thompson's Academic Writing books have useful exercises and the clearest MLA formatting explanation I've seen

SWB's lecture on high school writing is the most reassuring and practical of all

 

Random but really useful resource:

Michael Clay Thompson's poetry books for high school are really good. I didn't have my ds memorize every term or do the assignments and quizes, but between Poetry and Beauty, and Poetry and Truth, and the WEM section on poetry, I think I've got my ds up to speed in reading and analyzing poetry. He still hates it, but he can survive freshman English now.

 

Are you wondering how many books? How many and what kind of assignments?

I'd say 8-9 works in depth, plus others just for reading pleasure

I don't assign more than an essay per month, and a longer research paper per semester

I sometimes find interesting assignments by doing a google search for lesson plans on a particular work.

 

I just blogged about my lit plans for the upcoming school year, if you're interested. What other kind of guidance would you like?

[swimmermom3]

Exactly which years does AP European History cover? Enlightenment forward-ish? I put together a reading list for E. that corresponded to the "Empires" time period he was studying in the Human Odyssey (Speilvogel's) two years ago. The texts may or may not be interesting to her.

 

What about a Teaching Company lecture series about Austen or some of the fun British authors?

 

I look up AP European history and see if that gives me any ideas.

 

AP European History covered from the Byzantine Empire and Charlemagne to WWII. They did read and discuss excerpts from The Prince. I was thinking of taking a couple of works from each period:

 

The Iliad and the Odyssey

Plato or Plutarch (maybe)

Koran (selections)

Beowulf

The Inferno

The Canterbury Tales

Shakespeare (she's only read Romeo and Juliet)

 

Something from Late Renaissance/Early Modern

 

The Great Gatsby

Invisible Man

If on a winter's night a traveler

 

Dd's exposure to classical lit is predominantly what she has taken from our shelves on my recommendation during summer breaks. The list above is just for example. Only Homer, Chaucer, and Italo Calvino are set in stone in my mind.:D

[swimmermom3]

My favorite summer pasttime is creating lit courses for my kids. Not that they appreciate how magnificent these special courses are, but it hasn't stopped me from applying my mad creative energy to reading lists and assignments.

 

What guidance do you need? Do you want a list of favorite materials?

 

For going in depth with a work:

Teaching Company lectures for background on authors, or for detailed lectures about individual works.

Spark Notes and Pink Monkey to help jump start discussions

Well Educated Mind

 

For writing:

The Lively Art of Writing is a small but extremely useful book

The New Oxford Guide to Writing goes a bit more in depth

Michael Clay Thompson's Academic Writing books have useful exercises and the clearest MLA formatting explanation I've seen

SWB's lecture on high school writing is the most reassuring and practical of all

 

Random but really useful resource:

Michael Clay Thompson's poetry books for high school are really good. I didn't have my ds memorize every term or do the assignments and quizes, but between Poetry and Beauty, and Poetry and Truth, and the WEM section on poetry, I think I've got my ds up to speed in reading and analyzing poetry. He still hates it, but he can survive freshman English now.

 

Are you wondering how many books? How many and what kind of assignments?

I'd say 8-9 works in depth, plus others just for reading pleasure

I don't assign more than an essay per month, and a longer research paper per semester

I sometimes find interesting assignments by doing a google search for lesson plans on a particular work.

 

I just blogged about my lit plans for the upcoming school year, if you're interested. What other kind of guidance would you like?

 

Jenn, yes! This is what I am looking for. We can handle 8-9 works in depth. I know I need a mix of novels, poetry, drama, and probably at least one nonfiction work. Her classical background is so lacking, I am actually toying with the idea of creating an elective course out of the TC's The History of World Literature.

 

What are the absolute must cover works that I need to have her read to start building a literary foundation while still keeping in mind that I want to keep her engaged? She is almost finished with Henderson the Rain King and has enjoyed it.

 

I have several of MCT's poetry and writing books and have no objection to purchasing more of the upper level books as I plan to use them with her youngest brother. In fact, I have or can get my hands on most of the resources you have mentioned. I think the biggest challenge will be coordinating the reading and the writing and coming up with meaningful assignments. I must remember to breath. :tongue_smilie:And to not over-plan.

 

Your blog has given me a couple of ideas but then I got sidetracked by your mention of the comic conference and the one writer's unhappiness with the protagonist being "the chosen one." That comment reminded me of China Mieville and then lo and behold, he was mentioned as well. My youngest, who has only read three books willingly in his entire life, loves Mieville's Un Lun Dun. It's a book where the protagonist is definitely not "the chosen." Anyway, thank you for giving me a place to start.

[JennW in SoCal]

Just a note of caution on China Mieville's other books -- they are very adult! Amazing writing, but a bit more mature. I haven't gotten through Kraken yet, but my 15yo said it more adult than young adult.

 

As far as titles for your dd. There is so much to choose from -- it would be hard to know where to begin. You almost can't go wrong. You could do a dash through British Lit with Beowulf, Chaucer, Shakespeare, Austen, Dickens, with some poets and playwrights thrown in. You could spend some time on philosophy by reading Sophie's World with additional reading such as DK's Story of Philosophy. Or how about reading the Iliad or Odyssey? The TC lecture series on each title by Professor Vandiver are terrific. Margaret Atwood wrote Penelope's side of the story in the Penelopiad -- it is a bit mature, but not for a 17yo (read it first and see what you think.) Another follow up to Greek Mythology is CS Lewis's Til We Have Faces.

 

I'll be interested in what you come up with, and in what others recommend.

[swimmermom3]

Just a note of caution on China Mieville's other books -- they are very adult! Amazing writing, but a bit more mature. I haven't gotten through Kraken yet, but my 15yo said it more adult than young adult.

 

As far as titles for your dd. There is so much to choose from -- it would be hard to know where to begin. You almost can't go wrong. You could do a dash through British Lit with Beowulf, Chaucer, Shakespeare, Austen, Dickens, with some poets and playwrights thrown in. You could spend some time on philosophy by reading Sophie's World with additional reading such as DK's Story of Philosophy. Or how about reading the Iliad or Odyssey? The TC lecture series on each title by Professor Vandiver are terrific. Margaret Atwood wrote Penelope's side of the story in the Penelopiad -- it is a bit mature, but not for a 17yo (read it first and see what you think.) Another follow up to Greek Mythology is CS Lewis's Til We Have Faces.

 

I'll be interested in what you come up with, and in what others recommend.

 

Jenn, Swimmer Dude researched Mieville when Dude was finished with Un Lun Dun and was so disappointed to discover that the book was Mieville's only children's book. I have not read any of his adult books and am looking forward to doing so.

 

I am embarrassed to admit that I have not even heard of Sophie's World and it looks like a perfect read for both my dd and myself. So this is what I have so far:

 

1. The Illiad - Swimmer Dude is voting that we add The Odyssey. I was wondering if instead of the Odyssey I should have her read a quick historical overview for the time period and maybe some of the shorter myths. I think we'll explore the role of epics, bards, and oral tradition and epic convention for at least part of the study.

 

2. 'Til We Have Faces

 

3-6. Beowulf, Chaucer, and Shakespeare (2 full works) for sure as Swimmer Dude will be covering these as well. I have high school materials that I am adapting for him so I should be okay in coming up with work for her there, but I would love to hear any additional suggestions. We are a couple of hours from a major Shakespearean festival so I may base my choices on what we could see on the stage next summer. Come to think of it, I will need some Shakespeare study materials. She has done Austen and Dickens even though that has been at home. I'll have to think some more on those.

 

7. Anna Karenina - Dd's adamant choice.

 

8. Sophie's World with DK's Story of Philosophy . Jenn, this is an inspired suggestion as hopefully the ps will allow her to keep the Religion and Philosophy course she is signed up for. The teacher is amazing and I can check with him to see if we'll have any overlap. Swimmer Dude is working through Philosophy for Kids and he and his sister have intense discussions in spite of the 5 year age difference, so this is a win-win situation.

 

9. If on a winter's night a traveler - This will be the last book of the year. If I have missed anything, it will be in this book.;)

 

Slowly the plan is taking shape and I am moving from panicked to excited. However, my bookcases still hold so many options!

 

What one American writer would you choose?

Edited August 4, 2010 by swimmermom3

[Susan C.]

How about one of these:

 

http://www.everyday-education.com/literature/eng4.shtml

 

http://www.everyday-education.com/literature/eng5.shtml

[swimmermom3]

How about one of these:

 

http://www.everyday-education.com/literature/eng4.shtml

 

http://www.everyday-education.com/literature/eng5.shtml

 

Great idea, Susan! I have the Brit one which I am adapting for a younger student but I had forgotten about checking out Janice's other offerings. If I had known dd was coming home, I probably would have purchased the complete binder.

[Guest]

One of my favorite American novels (a Pulitzer-prize winner) is Angle of Repose by Wallace Stegner. It's about a genteel, educated Eastern woman who marries a mining engineer and has no idea about the kind of life she has just gotten herself into. The novel follows their marriage over a number of years. It would be an interesting book to compare with Anna Karenina.

 

Completely different would be something like Sylvia Plath's Bell Jar, which attempts to portray a snapshot of gender identity in the 50s, and an ambitious young woman's attraction to and rebellion against gender restrictions. Lots to talk about, that's for sure.

 

The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman is a short story from the late 1800s, I think, about a writer forbidden to write or even think after her nervous breakdown. It's really creepy.

 

If you don't mind another Brit in the mix, Virginia Woolf would be a great addition. A Room of One's Own is nonfiction, fairly short. Orlando is a fairly easy novel, more straightforward than some of her others, but Mrs. Dalloway is really beautiful.

 

If you're interested in older texts (late 1700s), there's an unfinished, short, absolutely fascinating novella by Mary Wollstonecraft called Maria, or the Wrongs of Woman. It's one of the first novels to bring together and even forge bonds between an upper-middle-class woman and a working class domestic servant. Wollstonecraft was trying out three different endings for the novel, so that makes it really wonderful for discussion purposes. All are usually included in an edition of the novel.