Brigid in NC Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 If you are not using a literature program (such as Sonlight, Tapestry of Grace, etc.), but are piecing together your own literature selections for high school English classes, what resources have you found valuable for class preparation and evaluations? Please only share the links, guides, and materials that you have experience with, and have found valuable for background info, class discussion questions, and quizzes/tests on novels, poetry, and plays. :) I'm sure we all have plenty of "good looking" materials that just sit on the shelf, because they never quite work for us. I know I do! I'll go first. Don't gasp. I use SparkNotes. It is a FREE on-line resource at http://www.sparknotes.com. So you don't have to buy the guidebooks. I have found this site to be particularly helpful for tests. I copy and paste the quiz for a book onto my own Word document, and use some of the essay/discussion/quotation questions for the short answer or essay portion of my tests. I have found it easy to use the Sparknotes template and create tests to suit my own needs. I think creating tests is a huge time pit, and this has helped me to streamline the process. I hope others will share resources and tips for developing high school literature classes. ~Brigid Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brenda in MA Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 Brigid, I also have used Spark notes on-line literature guides for discussion purposes, for quizzes, and for writing assignments. This year, I bought a few "Novel Units" guides from Follett. They have student and teacher guides. I found that I really only used the student guide for the vocabulary sheets, comprehension questions, quizzes, and tests. The content of the guides satisfied me, but I did find that the comprehension questions were pretty straight forward and didn't require much deep thought. Using the tests from the booklet saved me a lot of time. http://www.fes.follett.com/brand_new_books/literatureGuides.cfm HTH, Brenda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan P. Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 I'm watching "Teaching the Classics" dvd which can't be bought at the Institute for Excellence in Writing website. The appendix has pages of questions that can be used for Socratic discussion about plot, setting, character, etc. These questions will work with about any literature work. I've also found that I can still use a literature textbook as a resource guide. Many of them have appendices which include definition of terms, samples of essays, etc. Blessings, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LisaNY Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 I used TWEM, WTM and Sparknotes when I did a Great Books/History study with my 9th gr. dd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cynde Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 I've used lots of different resources over the years, but these are my favorites: 1. Sparknotes - for all the previously states reasons by other posters 2. Literature: Structure, Sound, and Sense - Laurence Perrine. A treasure trove for all aspects of literature. I've used this as a resource for me, assigned readings for dc, questions for dc on particular works they are reading (no answer key though). 3. How to Read Literature Like a Professor - Thomas Foster. Ds really enjoyed this book. Gives great information on how to gain a deeper appreciation for literature and its devices in a very approachable fashion. 4. Progeny Press guides - IMHO these study guides are better at posing literary analysis questions than other guides. If you want secular guides, please know that these are Christian. 5. Well-Educated Mind - I've used this mainly as a resource for me and as a book list. 6. Reading Lists for Colleg-Bound Students - I've used a book list. 7. A Guide to the Great Books - Wes Callihan. Used this with the accompanying study guides for: The Iliad, The Odyssey, The Aeneid, Aeschylus's plays, and Sophocles's plays. Here are some others that I frequently use: 1. Cummings Study Guides - free online at: http://www.cummingsstudyguides.net/ . I've used this for my own information and to write analysis questions for dc. 2. Cliff Notes - free online guide at: http://www.cliffsnotes.com. I use these mainly for essay questions. 3. Pink Monkey - free online guide at: http://pinkmonkey.com/ . I've only used this for study questions. 4. Penguin study guides - online and free at: http://us.penguingroup.com/static/html/readingguides/index.html# . I've used these for questions. That's all I can think of for now. Gotta run and make lunch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jodi-FL Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 Invitation to the Classics Brightest Heaven of Invention (Shakespeare) (some great questions/analysis/term paper ideas, but I really wish there was an answer key. but they do that on purpose, since many don't have concrete answers) TWEM Beautiful Feet US History Sr. High and I have a few Perrine books on my shelf from college that are extremely useful too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anne/Ankara Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 Actually Wikipedia has a nice list of literary terms with their definitions, that might help... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stylistic_device Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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