plansrme Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 I know it's popular not to use a formal reading program, but for scheduling reasons, I find it useful. I am finding it difficult, however, to find something that meets my criteria. I think what I want is Mosdos, i.e., a "literature" program, rather than a reading program, but for 2nd grade, but here are my parameters: 1. Real books, an anthology, or a combination, is fine. 2. Must have an independent component, ideally where he goes off and reads, does some exercises (comprehension, critical thinking, creative thinking, etc.), and comes back to interact with me. A decent TM would be invaluable. This is one of the reasons that I want more than "read and narrate"--I do not have time to read all of his books with him and will have no idea whether his narrations are any good. 3. He reads better than he writes. He is on the last Harry Potter book, for example, after reading through the entire series, and comprehending it, over the last 2 or 3 months. For writing, spelling, and other LA components, I would say that he is at or just above grade level. Grade-level reading programs just do not have enough reading in them, and if I use a higher-level program but take out all of the writing, there often isn't anything left. 4. We have used R&S (he did 2nd grade this year, for 1st) and CLE (4th grade for another child last year), and I loved the format and the independence and the R&S teacher's manual, but the stories were boring, not long enough and not meaty enough. 5. I need a schedule, or something conducive to scheduling (like Mosdos). If it is on the schedule, it gets done. This is why a stack of books and literature guides may not cut it. I have requested a copy of 4th grade Mosdos (and I see that 3rd grade is coming, but not until 2012), but other than that, what are my options? I should add that am open to doing two programs to get more volume. Terri Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Wife Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 He reads better than he writes. He is on the last Harry Potter book, for example, after reading through the entire series, and comprehending it, over the last 2 or 3 months. For writing, spelling, and other LA components, I would say that he is at or just above grade level. Grade-level reading programs just do not have enough reading in them, and if I use a higher-level program but take out all of the writing, there often isn't anything left. There's your sticking point right there. I've yet to come across a high-level reading comprehension program that isn't also writing-heavy. If anyone knows of anything, I'm :bigear: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plansrme Posted May 11, 2011 Author Share Posted May 11, 2011 There's your sticking point right there. I've yet to come across a high-level reading comprehension program that isn't also writing-heavy. If anyone knows of anything, I'm :bigear: Yes! I looked at a program at the Cinci convention, Total Language Plus or something, that otherwise looked good, but for the whole year, the 2nd or 3rd grade program had the child read maybe 4 books that were barely as long as pamphlets--Sarah Plain and Tall, for example. It was good literature, but really--Sarah for 3 months??? :banghead: The rep looked at me like I had 2 heads when I objected to covering so little literature in a reading/lit program. I talked to Michael Clay Thompson about this, and he says his 2nd or 3rd grade program (which isn't available yet) will have more, bigger books. He mentioned Peter Pan and Wizard of Oz, I think. I've actually considered doing Prairie Primer with him, but it seems like it might be too girly. Really, what are his buds going to say when they see him hauling around the Little House books? As always, I welcome all suggestions! Terri Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JessieC Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 Have you checked out Moving Beyond the Page? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boxing Hare Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 What about Sonlight? The second grade core has different levels of readers, or you could do Core 3. It has a great TG, which is the main reason I use it. Plus, the books are incredible. My kids are big readers (and advanced), and they love this program. They only read a chapter or 2 at a time, and it drives them crazy. On the flip side, they are always eager to start the next day's work. I mark the pages to read the next day, and they start as soon as they wake up. We don't use SL LA, but have combined EG and Home2Teach's writing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 Here's an idea that I've done with "literature", though I've backed off on it lately because I just want to let my son read, but anyway... Once or twice a week, I'd read the chapter myself, then have my son narrate on the chapter - I knew what had happened in that chapter, so it was good enough to just narrate on it. I didn't have to read the whole book, nor did I have to read everything he was reading. I prefer not to analyze every book he reads. I want him to enjoy reading, which he does. Around 4th grade, we'll start analyzing. For now, I already know very well that he's comprehending, so I just have him read. Comprehension workbooks would just be busywork for him. I don't know what exactly you're wanting your child to learn from the literature program... It sounds like you're just wanting something independent, in which case I don't really see why just having him read for x minutes wouldn't work? But other than that, what topics are you wanting him to specifically be exposed to? "Literature programs" that analyze literature are usually geared towards 4th grade and up because that's when they're usually needing to start learning to analyze literature. The younger grades just have dinky comprehension questions because that's all that you really have to worry about in the younger grades. As a homeschooler, you can tell that your child is comprehending. In a school classroom, the teacher needs those comprehension questions because she otherwise doesn't know how much each child in the class is comprehending. There was a book that a friend of mine found that has questions for various good classic literature, which would probably be useful for you (it sounded like something I would probably like, as I'm in the same situation with a child that reads above grade level but doesn't write that well yet). I'll try to find out what it was and report back. It sounded like a good happy medium - helping the parent to discuss a book without reading it themselves, but not having busywork or literature analysis that's more than what a first/second grader really needs to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plansrme Posted May 11, 2011 Author Share Posted May 11, 2011 What about Sonlight? The second grade core has different levels of readers, or you could do Core 3. It has a great TG, which is the main reason I use it. Plus, the books are incredible. My kids are big readers (and advanced), and they love this program. They only read a chapter or 2 at a time, and it drives them crazy. On the flip side, they are always eager to start the next day's work. I mark the pages to read the next day, and they start as soon as they wake up. We don't use SL LA, but have combined EG and Home2Teach's writing. I have looked at SL on several occasions and could never quite figure out what was what from the samples, but I will go back and give it another try. Terri Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa B Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 Kolbe Elementary Literature sounds like it would fit what you are looking for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plansrme Posted May 11, 2011 Author Share Posted May 11, 2011 The younger grades just have dinky comprehension questions because that's all that you really have to worry about in the younger grades. As a homeschooler, you can tell that your child is comprehending. I appreciate the suggestions, but I think I disagree with this. Why should dinky comprehension be all I worry about in younger grades? It is never too early to work on higher-level thinking or deeper comprehension. And no, without reading it all myself, I can't always tell that my child is comprehending, though I recognize that I am probably in the minority on that one. Maybe I need to pull out If the Wolf Were an Octopus again (it is all about higher-level thinking skills), but that still doesn't keep me from having to read everything first. Or maybe I could combine ITWWAO, using short books, and study guides for longer books. Of course that's sounding even more complicated. . . Terri Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 (edited) nm Edited May 11, 2011 by boscopup Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plansrme Posted May 11, 2011 Author Share Posted May 11, 2011 Have you checked out Moving Beyond the Page? Have you used this? It is intriguing, definitely, but I found that I had a hard time figuring out what I would need to do just the literature. Any suggestions? Thanks, Terri Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plansrme Posted May 11, 2011 Author Share Posted May 11, 2011 Kolbe Elementary Literature sounds like it would fit what you are looking for. Love the looks of that book list. Do you happen to know if there is a way to see a sample on the website? If not, I will e-mail and ask for one. Terri Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flaura Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 Try k12.com LA2 or LA3. I also like MBTP for literature units. Just buy the lit guide and student workbook for the books you are interested in. MBTP does have some hands on and more complicated/involved projects so if you don't have time for that you. Ight not want to do them. Hth, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plansrme Posted May 11, 2011 Author Share Posted May 11, 2011 I think you're overthinking this. You have a first grader, going into second grade. Don't make it more complicated for yourself than it needs to be. :) (and I often have to remind myself of this, so please don't take this as a lecture or talking down to you - I don't at all mean it that way!!! I just find myself falling into that trap often, especially with an accelerated student, and I have to remind myself that he is only in first grade, even if his reading and math skills are higher - he doesn't think like a logic stage student yet). One of my daughters has a teammate who is famous for starting with, "I don't mean to be mean, but..." and following up with something that is, of course, mean. If "dinky comprehension questions" work for you, fine. But I expect more out of my children, and I will get more. Terri Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plansrme Posted May 11, 2011 Author Share Posted May 11, 2011 Try k12.com LA2 or LA3. I also like MBTP for literature units. Just buy the lit guide and student workbook for the books you are interested in. MBTP does have some hands on and more complicated/involved projects so if you don't have time for that you. Ight not want to do them. Hth, Thought I knew all the lingo! Terri Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flaura Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 Sorry! Moving beyond the page. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 One of my daughters has a teammate who is famous for starting with, "I don't mean to be mean, but..." and following up with something that is, of course, mean. If "dinky comprehension questions" work for you, fine. But I expect more out of my children, and I will get more. Terri I apologize. I honestly did not mean to sound that way, but I can see how it did sound that way. By "dinky comprehension questions", I was thinking of the worksheets you see in first grade reading programs at school - what my son brought home when he was in first grade at a school. That is what is typically expected from first graders. I haven't seen first hand what is expected from second graders in school. Anyway, I've removed my post to which you refer, and I apologize for saying anything. I hope you find what you are looking for. When my friend gets back to me on that book she saw (it was on Ebay when she was telling me about it), I'll let you know, as I do think it might be what you're looking for - it took classics and gave you various questions and such to ask, and it had the answers, so you could discuss a book without reading it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JudoMom Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 I have looked at SL on several occasions and could never quite figure out what was what from the samples, but I will go back and give it another try. Terri Here is the sample from the Grade 4-5 Readers Guide. I have typed up the questions and had my ds8 answer them in writing for a couple of the books. I don't really know that this is what you're looking for in a program, though, but thought I'd try to save you the hassle of burrowing through their website. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plansrme Posted May 11, 2011 Author Share Posted May 11, 2011 Here is the sample from the Grade 4-5 Readers Guide. I have typed up the questions and had my ds8 answer them in writing for a couple of the books. I don't really know that this is what you're looking for in a program, though, but thought I'd try to save you the hassle of burrowing through their website. Thanks! I love that the first sample is from the Grandma's Attic series. I know I read that myself in second grade (the original Grandma's Attic, not the sequel), and I could probably still tell you half of the stories. Terri Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plansrme Posted May 11, 2011 Author Share Posted May 11, 2011 Sorry! Moving beyond the page. Duh! We were just "talking" about that... Will definitely look at it more. Terri Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JudoMom Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 Thanks! I love that the first sample is from the Grandma's Attic series. I know I read that myself in second grade (the original Grandma's Attic, not the sequel), and I could probably still tell you half of the stories. Terri I still had my old copies from when I was a kid--I remember loving both books but don't recall a lot of the details. My ds8 really enjoyed the stories (I was afraid they might be too "girly" for him). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boxing Hare Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 I have looked at SL on several occasions and could never quite figure out what was what from the samples, but I will go back and give it another try. Terri I was confused by their website too. I ended up going to a book fair and talking with someone before it made sense. We use SL as our history, reading, and geography programs. This is what they call the Core. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyforlatin Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 The guide is cheap! Is this guide for all the books assigned to this level? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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