How do you organize your reading lists for your kids?!

[HeidiKC]

Want to edit to say that these lists refer mainly to books we have not yet read, but those I come across that I want them to read for summer, etc. I'm exaggerating a bit about all the lists, but maybe not much! I guess I see a book that looks good for next year (especially when I'm on Amazon!), and I want to make a note of it somewhere. But it would make sense to have these lists organized by topic or time period, I think. I don't want to remove the book from the list once read, since I'd want my next child to also read it. And I'd like to include some of the 100 Good Books and that sort of thing in my own list, and not have to look them up every time. Some of those books look good to me, some don't - and this is often based on looking up a review or reading level if I am not familiar with the book. So if it looks good, then I'd add it to my list (since I won't remember several months later if it looks good). Ok, I am feeling rather embarrassed and thinking lots of you must think I'm nuts! I am kind of a list person, not a crazy list person. I feel like I want this stuff in a spreadsheet of some sort, just not sure how to go about it.

 

I have about 4 spreadsheets going and probably have duplicates of several books listed. I have some for each kid, some for each subject area, some for certain history periods, some for books we've read, some for books I plan for us to read. Some read-alouds, some independent reads. ETC, ETC!!! What a mess! What do those of you that are organized do? Obviously I should probably have tabs within my spreadsheet, but I'm still not sure how to organize!

 

Also, I will probably want all my kids to read the same book eventually, so on one of my spreadsheets I have fields for each of their names, with a date entered for when the read that book. But it still is disorganized and a mess. And how do I differentiate between read-alouds independent reading? Then what about audiobooks? Right now I have a separate spreadsheet for them, but I think I shouldn't do that but instead have a field for audiobook...? On one of my speadsheets I've highlighted in different colors historical periods, but I don't know that that's the best way to go about it. I have all these ideas that seem great at the time, but together it is too much and disorganized! Help!

 

Any help from you very organized and experienced people would be so much appreciated! I'm really looking for something more detailed that jus a long list.

 

Thanks!

Edited May 11, 2011 by HeidiKC

[boscopup]

You're making my head spin! :lol:

 

I'm an organization/spreadsheet/database kind of girl, but I haven't been keeping track of books read. Honestly, it'd be too much! I don't think I could keep up with it. Of course, we're still early on, so by time he's 5th grade and I have 2 other kids reading, I might have to just say "Have you read this?" to him and if he hasn't or doesn't remember reading it, he can read it (again). :)

 

Sorry, that doesn't at all answer your question, but it does bump the thread for you. :D

[OK Family]

Well all I can do is share what I do and maybe you can use it if you find it helpful. Right now I really only homeschool my 7 1/2 yr old. I do things with my 4 1/2 and 3 1/2 but don't track or keep a schedule, right now they mostly sit for a bit then go off and play.

 

Ok my 7 1/2 year old I have done sonlight readers which comes with a shedule and we check off each day as we complete the readers. I am creating a schedule for the fall, because I won't be using sonlight readers this year and really like the idea of checking off the boxes, it helps my son know what he needs to do and not just because "mom said so". If you want me to email you a copy I would be more than happy to. I will just have one sheet with all subjects for each week. I actually only have a four day week because we attend classical conversations one day as well.

 

My advise, keep it simple.

[happypamama]

I keep a list with our science and history plans, each book slotted into the right time period or topic. Then when we read the book, it goes into the appropriate list, of which I have two. One is a list of picture-type books that were specifically chosen for history, science, art, music, etc., as well as larger books from which we used small excerpts. For those, I just record title. The other is a spreadsheet that is for chapter books only; for those I record title, author, when it was completed, series if applicable, and who read it (DD on her own, or us as a family [which includes audio books], and eventually DS1). I like having the greater detail for the chapter books, plus it makes it easier to determine if DD's read a book for the first time, or if she's reread it. At the end of the year, I put all the titles from both lists into one big list, along with any reference materials and textbooks we used, and that's what goes to the school district. (I do not include random picture books DD reads, unless they're applicable to one of our main school topics; our book list is plenty long as it is, so I do not think that extra bit of work is necessary.) If I wanted, it would be very easy to add another section to my spreadsheet for subject/topic/time period, or for type of book (chapter, picture, reference, etc.).

Edited May 11, 2011 by happypamama

[BeachyMum]

We use HST+. I only started in January, but it has changed my life - literally.

[Abigail4476]

I have a list of required reading for each child (so three lists). I refresh the list each school year with new assigned books, and hi-light them as they're completed. I count audio books as "read", but I may reassign them later to be actually read.

 

I don't keep track of their free reading.

[melissel]

We use a book jar. Whenever I come across a book I want us to read at some point, I make a slip that gets folded and put into the book jar. We read aloud every night (well, we AIM for every night :tongue_smilie:), and when we come close to the end of the current readaloud, I have DD8 pick from her book jar, and that's the book we start next. Next year, DD5 will be ready for the original book jar, which was K-2nd-oriented--she's a little behind where her sister was at this point, so I'm not pushing it now.

 

This is all for fiction though. For nonfiction, I'm still working on that. 4th grade will be the first year that I'm requiring any reading outside of the book jar books and school-related books, so I'm still thinking about that one. I like the idea that Jessie Wise presented in the WTM, that each week she required her kids to check out one book of each kind (poetry, biography, science, etc.) when they went to the library. I'm seriously thinking about a similar policy for both of them, because I've allowed nonfiction to fall by the wayside too much.

 

So for whatever that's worth, there you go. I'm :bigear: as well.

[poetic license]

well, for books read I have a few sheets going: picture books that we have loved, arranged alphabetically by author. I do that so I can remember favorite books. Then another document which I have to organize which is non fiction books read, with each subject having its own list.

 

then I have a "for later" list which is in a word document. Each subject area has a list of curricula and books to consider, along with any notes (e.g. grade level, links, etc.). I come across a lot of good suggestions here and I don't want to forget them!

[zoo_keeper]

I have an awful, monstrous spreadsheet.

 

The first tab is for fun fiction reading. I don't write down the titles of books, I just have the name of the series and then make a note as to what number the girls are currently on. That way, once a week or so when I reserve library books for them I can easily grab the next book in their favorite series. This is the extent to which I track their fiction in-take. Any non-series pleasure reading isn't recorded.

 

The rest of the tabs are the problems. Ok, so I have one tab for WTM suggested history and other reads. As we go through these, I add on a lot of other non-fiction books using Amazon suggestions, etc. For each book I have a column indicating whether we liked it (in which case I'll re-request it when the younger children are old), and then another column for each girl indicating when they read the book independently.

 

I then have similar tabs for non-fiction series we use (e.g., Usborne Young Readers, I Wonder Why, You Wouldn't Want to Be, Discover America, etc.). Again, each series gets its own tab, then on a tab each book gets its own line, and then each book is checked off when one particular child reads it.

 

I so need a better system...

[HeidiKC]

I have an awful, monstrous spreadsheet.

 

The first tab is for fun fiction reading. I don't write down the titles of books, I just have the name of the series and then make a note as to what number the girls are currently on. That way, once a week or so when I reserve library books for them I can easily grab the next book in their favorite series. This is the extent to which I track their fiction in-take. Any non-series pleasure reading isn't recorded.

 

The rest of the tabs are the problems. Ok, so I have one tab for WTM suggested history and other reads. As we go through these, I add on a lot of other non-fiction books using Amazon suggestions, etc. For each book I have a column indicating whether we liked it (in which case I'll re-request it when the younger children are old), and then another column for each girl indicating when they read the book independently.

 

I then have similar tabs for non-fiction series we use (e.g., Usborne Young Readers, I Wonder Why, You Wouldn't Want to Be, Discover America, etc.). Again, each series gets its own tab, then on a tab each book gets its own line, and then each book is checked off when one particular child reads it.

 

I so need a better system...

 

You should just like me! I also have a column indicating whether they liked it, etc.! I did decide I'll do away with that column, because what one likes the other may not. If we both think it's just BAD, maybe I'll use light grey text. Ha! Another thing to remember about how I'm organizing stuff.

[HeidiKC]

We use HST+. I only started in January, but it has changed my life - literally.

 

Ok, what the heck is this? I tried looking it up, but I'm guessing it is not: Hubble Space Telescope, Hypertrophy Specific Training, Health Sciences and Technology, or even Harmonized Sales Tax.

[melissel]

Ok, what the heck is this? I tried looking it up, but I'm guessing it is not: Hubble Space Telescope, Hypertrophy Specific Training, Health Sciences and Technology, or even Harmonized Sales Tax.

 

:lol: Homeschool Tracker+

[courtney.byrum]

I'm keeping track in LibraryThing :)

 

I have a collection for this year for each kid. Actually they have 2 collections (and a read aloud one that I'm not keeping updated for some reason). 1 collection for each is books they are reading on their own, the other for each is what books they have to read for school. The school one contains the books for school I've read to them as well.

 

It's working really well and makes it easy to see who has read what. If they've both read it then it's marked in both collections.

[HeidiKC]

I'm keeping track in LibraryThing :)

 

 

Hmmm...this looks tempting! Need to look into it more. I love it when it shows the cover of a book, too.

[BeachyMum]

Ok, what the heck is this? I tried looking it up, but I'm guessing it is not: Hubble Space Telescope, Hypertrophy Specific Training, Health Sciences and Technology, or even Harmonized Sales Tax.

 

Ha! I'm usually the one totally out of the loop on HS brand abbreviations, sorry.

 

I tried *everything* to get myself organized. EVERYTHING. Could never ensure that everything was covered, was flipping through too many files/spreadsheets/workboxes/etc. I finally have peace.

 

One of the best things (for me) is that once I create a lesson plan (for example, 2nd grade across all subjects) I can import that for a subsequent dc's second grade program and have an entire year done in just a few minutes. Of course, if I want to modify courses or such that is easy as well.

 

I never tried the free regular version (heard it wasn't so great) but the '+' version was about $50 and includes lifetime upgrades. I do like that it's a software and all of my dc's data sits on our own computers as opposed to web-based programs that don't provide the same level of privacy.

 

We use Sonlight for most things, plus a bunch of supplements and our own unit studies....so the volume of books in our house is pretty ridiculous. ;) There is a master 'Library' feature wherein you enter all of your books (there is an ISBN look-up linked to Amazon) which makes that process pretty painless. You can also use that tool to schedule books you need to borrow from a library or friend and set alarms for returning. (Ditto if you loan a book to someone.)

 

It will be nice to have complete transcripts of the kids' schooling all the way through, and certainly makes pulling reports for annual evaluations easy as attendance, field trips, memory work, yadda yadda can be included.

 

And no, I'm not affiliated with the company in any way. I'm just a HS mum who is finally keeping her head (barely) above water. :D

[joannqn]

We're suppose to keep track of what our kids are reading? Darn! I knew I was missing something. :lol:

 

My record-keeping skills need help, and they need help soon as I have kids doing high school level work next year and starting actual high school in two years.

[sewpeaceful]

We use HST+. I only started in January, but it has changed my life - literally.

 

I am an avid user myself - 5 years now. How do you track your lists in HST+. I always have it in lesson plans -> assignments but they aren't linked to the reading list capability. Do you enter it twice?

[Oakblossoms]

If you buy all your books...you could give each child a color. Then get a round sticker and put it on the binding or inside cover when they read it.

 

You could make a list on Amazon.

 

I use Goodreads.com;)

[BeachyMum]

We're suppose to keep track of what our kids are reading? Darn! I knew I was missing something. :lol:

 

LOL....last year at our evaluation I was asked if we had a reading list. Um, no....you mean that the three-inch overstuffed binders full of work from each child isn't enough evidence of the fact that we're not slackers???

[BeachyMum]

I am an avid user myself - 5 years now. How do you track your lists in HST+. I always have it in lesson plans -> assignments but they aren't linked to the reading list capability. Do you enter it twice?

 

The Reading List is separate, I guess because for those using non-literature based curricula they would need it to be. (I used Calvert for a year, and this would have been the case.) Since we use Sonlight and a Charlotte Mason/Classical approach, it seems redundant...but since I was asked about a reading list during an evaluation last year I use the feature.

 

It's much easier than a Lesson Plan, though...only takes a couple of minutes. Go to Student -> Reading Log. Select 'Add' and a pop-up appears with your entire Library. One click and it's done.

 

A feature I haven't used (again, I only started a few months ago) but *will* next year is the 'Notes' section in the Reading List. I may include my own critique, or the respective dc's....but this is seemingly a good place to plant remarks that I can refer to at a later date.

 

I've also not made enough use of the Memory Work or the Field Trip sections. For both planning/scheduling *and* end-of-year reporting, this will be great. I fully expected this program to be something that wouldn't be my ideal; rather an experiment wherein I'd use something that was built for someone else. I'm consistently amazed at the level of customization possible.