How do you do literature?

[funschooler5]

I'm curious to know how much writing and discussion everyone does for literature. We do a lot of discussion, but not a lot of writing; I'm not sure if we're doing enough. Every once in a while, I'll have my kids write a brief summary of the plot of whatever story they're reading, or I'll have them write a short report about the author. I find myself not pushing them to write about every single book they read, because both of them are resistant to writing, and I really want them to enjoy reading the classics. Sometimes I think I'm not giving them enough work in this area. I'm just wondering how we compare to everybody else. :tongue_smilie:

Edited April 19, 2011 by funschooler5

[helena]

Up till now we've kept it light. Next year I'm planning to use Lightning Lit (for 7th & 8th). After reading reviews and posts here, I think this will be a good intro.

http://www.hewitthomeschooling.com/book/blight.asp

 

Of course I'm willing to change my mind

on a whim.. :D

 

:lurk5:

[funschooler5]

Up till now we've kept it light. Next year I'm planning to use Lightning Lit (for 7th & 8th). After reading reviews and posts here, I think this will be a good intro.

http://www.hewitthomeschooling.com/book/blight.asp

 

Of course I'm willing to change my mind

on a whim.. :D

 

:lurk5:

 

 

Ooh, that looks interesting! The 8th grade version would be perfect for DD for next year...lots of titles she hasn't read yet. :001_smile:

[Heather in VA]

We read it (I'm not being snarky really :-) ). Seriously we just read it and discuss it until 7th grade. Then we do Omnibus.

 

Heather

[Cleopatra]

We read it (I'm not being snarky really :-) ). Seriously we just read it and discuss it until 7th grade. Then we do Omnibus.

 

Heather

 

(Ah, Heather, it seems I'm following you around the boards this evening :D )

 

 

:iagree:

 

This is what I'm doing with my dd. I use a combination of having her read and summarize books, going through a study guide 2-3 times per year from Teaching the Classics, and casually using Omnibus to discuss some of their secondary books. All of this is done in a discussion format, except that I get her to complete the story charts from TTC and perhaps give me a written answer from one of the questions in Omnibus per book. I really don't think it's necessary for her to be doing lots of writing for literature in this grade. She gets a good amount of writing through her writing program. There will be time enough for torturing her with essays, etc. in high school. :D

[Gratia271]

There has always been much more reading and discussion than writing. I too have children who much prefer analysis via discussion to writing. :001_smile: That being said, this past academic year my daughter began writing essays based on assigned works about twice per month in addition to weekly work associated with her writing program. She has had three research reports this year also.

 

I believe that middle school is the ideal time to develop the writing skills that are requisite to success during the high school years. It can relieve much of the pressure associated with the volume of writing assignments that will be required of them. I will say, though, it is one of the more difficult things to accomplish around here given their propensity to read and orally discuss/analyse/critique.

[Stacia]

Does anyone know of anything out there similar to Omnibus, but secular?

 

I know of Lightning Literature. Anything else???

 

Thanks! :001_smile:

[helena]

Does anyone know of anything out there similar to Omnibus, but secular?

 

I know of Lightning Literature. Anything else???

 

Thanks! :001_smile:

 

 

:lurk5:

[helena]

Has anyone looked into this company?

http://www.blackbirdandcompany.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1_6

[Heather in VA]

Does anyone know of anything out there similar to Omnibus, but secular?

 

I know of Lightning Literature. Anything else???

 

Thanks! :001_smile:

 

The Well-Educated Mind.

 

Heather

[Heidi]

http://www.kolbe.org/junior_high_literature_curriculum/

 

This one looks really good. Does anyone use it?

[missmoe]

Has anyone looked into this company?

http://www.blackbirdandcompany.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1_6

 

 

We've used several of the guides from Black Bird and Company. I really like them. Thoughtful questions that go beyond comprehension questions (though those are included as well), and short sweet appropriate writing assignments included throughout.

[missmoe]

I am using IEW's Window to the World with my 8th-grader this year. I feel it is doing a great job of preparing him for high-school level dig deeper kind of study.

 

It teaches how to analize and write about lititure.

[Stacia]

I am using IEW's Window to the World with my 8th-grader this year. I feel it is doing a great job of preparing him for high-school level dig deeper kind of study.

 

It teaches how to analize and write about lititure.

 

Oh, I'm really glad to hear this. Windows to the World is exactly what I am looking at for 8th grade.

 

Are you planning to sell your copy when you're done? ;):D

[missmoe]

Oh, I'm really glad to hear this. Windows to the World is exactly what I am looking at for 8th grade.

 

Are you planning to sell your copy when you're done? ;):D

 

 

Sorry! I have two more students coming along! :D

[Jane Elliot]

The audio lecture by SWB, What Is Literary Analysis? When, Why, and How Should I Teach It? , is really helpful.

[yellowperch]

:iagree:Was coming to post this.

[swimmermom3]

There has always been much more reading and discussion than writing. I too have children who much prefer analysis via discussion to writing. :001_smile: That being said, this past academic year my daughter began writing essays based on assigned works about twice per month in addition to weekly work associated with her writing program. She has had three research reports this year also.

 

I believe that middle school is the ideal time to develop the writing skills that are requisite to success during the high school years. It can relieve much of the pressure associated with the volume of writing assignments that will be required of them. I will say, though, it is one of the more difficult things to accomplish around here given their propensity to read and orally discuss/analyse/critique.

 

:iagree:We have used LL7 & 8 in bits and pieces since 5th grade. Ds has also completed most of the exercises in Figuratively Speaking. This year for seventh grade, we have started writing longer, more analytical pieces but often they have a tie-in with history. For example, ds studied the diaspora for history. I moved this up to the time where we also were studying the Crusades. Ds read Gatty's Tale along with The Merchant of Venice. He was able to see how the prejudice of the times affected the portrayal of the Jewish people in literature and where the roots of that came from. I didn't give him a specific prompt. He just needed to write about what he saw and experienced emotionally in reading and watching the play and then tie it into history. He really wanted to talk about one of Shylock's speeches so he was relatively open to the writing.

 

We tend to do graphic organizers and work on identifying elements. I am a bit backwards in that with this child, I think if he gets the environment that a work was written in and how it influences the work, (contextual) then he will be better able to write about it at length in high school. I hope this makes sense.:tongue_smilie: