Hedgehogs4 Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 I've purchased the DE and print editions of TOG Year 3. My question is how do I narrow down the reading list? How do I know which books are the best, without actually sitting and looking through them or spending hours in the library looking for them. How many books for LG and UG do you actually cover in a week, aside from the multiple week read-alouds? TIA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracy Posted May 24, 2011 Share Posted May 24, 2011 I am only doing LG, so I can only speak for that level. Each week, I get all of the books from the library, including the alternates. We usually read all of them, except where they are redundant. Sometimes we don't have time. If you don't have a good library system, and you have to buy the books, then it is harder to do. In that case, I would stick with a history spine(s) and just get the literature books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kchara Posted May 24, 2011 Share Posted May 24, 2011 I have to buy my books, b/c our library is too small. I have 2 in UG this year and next, and we'll be adding a LG next year, as well. I only buy for sure the Primary Resources, and I drool over the alternates (except SOTW, I do buy that for UG). If I can afford it down the road, after I have all of our primary's bought, I'll buy the alternates. My UGs, especially my DD, go through those books like water. She's just a huge reader. I've had to threaten her with death and destruction not to read our next unit when I brought it out to "save the surprise." So, yes, we get through them, easily. I assign them all of the lit/history/Bible assignments, plus add SOTW in for extra history. Now, we'll see how well we do when we add an LG to the mix, but I imagine they'll still be reading them all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petepie2 Posted May 24, 2011 Share Posted May 24, 2011 I've purchased the DE and print editions of TOG Year 3. My question is how do I narrow down the reading list? How do I know which books are the best, without actually sitting and looking through them or spending hours in the library looking for them. How many books for LG and UG do you actually cover in a week, aside from the multiple week read-alouds? TIA It might be helpful to make a resource list from the TOG website for your year plan: https://www.lampstandbookshelf.com/ZC/index.php?main_page=resources Then you can log on and it will give you the details as to which week each book is used. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hedgehogs4 Posted May 24, 2011 Author Share Posted May 24, 2011 It might be helpful to make a resource list from the TOG website for your year plan: https://www.lampstandbookshelf.com/ZC/index.php?main_page=resources Then you can log on and it will give you the details as to which week each book is used. Oh this is the problem...and hence the question...How do you choose??? They all look so good! I have been looking over the resource list, reading the descriptions, printing and highlighting lists... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom@shiloh Posted May 24, 2011 Share Posted May 24, 2011 I forgot that list was there. Thanks for the reminder! I just printed it out and am getting ready to search my libraries and mark up my list. Jean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracy Posted May 24, 2011 Share Posted May 24, 2011 Oh this is the problem...and hence the question...How do you choose??? They all look so good! I have been looking over the resource list, reading the descriptions, printing and highlighting lists... They are all so good. You can't pick based on quality of literature. You have to decide what topics you want to cover. And you have to make yourself pick, or it won't work. That is the hard part. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petepie2 Posted May 24, 2011 Share Posted May 24, 2011 Oh this is the problem...and hence the question...How do you choose??? They all look so good! I have been looking over the resource list, reading the descriptions, printing and highlighting lists... I chose to use the primary resources across the board. It's just easier for me that way. For Year 1, I bought all the primary books used. For year 2, I'm borrowing about half of the books from a friend, and I'll buy the rest, preferably used. Halfway through year 1, I did decide to add CHOW and I will continue to use it. IF I were going to try to use the library, I would plan one unit at a time. I would check to see if the library had the primary resources, and if not, I would then move to the alternate list. After that, I would probably just buy books I couldn't get from the library. Whether I buy or borrow, I would probably go crazy if I had to customize each week based on whichever books I liked best. I just don't have the time to do all that prep work. So, I just blindly go with TOG recommendations for primary books and call it a day! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnandtinagilbert Posted May 24, 2011 Share Posted May 24, 2011 I make sure I have a primary factual book, a narrative spine, one literature selection, activity book and then I have the book basket for anything left. That way, they have the chance to read more, or I can grab from the basket with extra time. Over time, you'll find their favorite authors and that will help narrow your choosing, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorCalMom Posted May 24, 2011 Share Posted May 24, 2011 I make sure I have a primary factual book, a narrative spine, one literature selection, activity book and then I have the book basket for anything left. That way, they have the chance to read more, or I can grab from the basket with extra time. Over time, you'll find their favorite authors and that will help narrow your choosing, too. To the OP - I don't mean to intrude on your thread :) , but I have a question for Tina..... Would you mind sharing what your picks were for Yr. 1 LG, & Dialectic levels? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted May 24, 2011 Share Posted May 24, 2011 You know, I always had that problem with our history. This year, I decided to go ahead and get several books each couple of weeks while planning, and read them myself. I pulled books from Sonlight, Veritas, TOG, WP and SOTW 4's AG. It has been really eye-opening--and so much fun! I've discovered some wonderful gems, and have saved us time--no more starting a book we find too ponderous or slow (had that problem with several of the Sonlight 3/4 books in American history). So, you might read the descriptions on Amazon, and then have your library put some on hold (online--so you can pick them up all at once at your convenience) each week this summer, and use your own reading time to preread them. I was able to take about 4 weeks and preread or at least give a really good go, about 25 books. We are all set for 7th grade (did it for next year, but dd is going to school next year; I'll use virtually the same list for 7th grade). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnandtinagilbert Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 To the OP - I don't mean to intrude on your thread :) , but I have a question for Tina..... Would you mind sharing what your picks were for Yr. 1 LG, & Dialectic levels? Funny....when we did year 1, we only did unit 4 in TOG. We started with SOTW and MOH. I loved the combo. It will be a new experience for me once we get back around to year 1 and I use living books. I suspect I will include: You Wouldn't Wanna Be a (viking, Roman Soldier, etc.) Eggelton's (something like that) Children's Illustrated Bible The Bible Then we'll go from there. Sorry I'm no help this time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hedgehogs4 Posted May 26, 2011 Author Share Posted May 26, 2011 I make sure I have a primary factual book, a narrative spine, one literature selection, activity book and then I have the book basket for anything left. That way, they have the chance to read more, or I can grab from the basket with extra time. Over time, you'll find their favorite authors and that will help narrow your choosing, too. Thanks, Tina, this helps a lot. To the OP - I don't mean to intrude on your thread :) , but I have a question for Tina..... Would you mind sharing what your picks were for Yr. 1 LG, & Dialectic levels? no problem, intrude away! :p Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grateful for Grace Posted May 27, 2011 Share Posted May 27, 2011 This is the hardest aspect of TOG for me (I'll be using Year 3 too). I'm a book junkie so ... I want them all BUT I can't afford to buy them all. So... I buy for my R level and D level (books used 3 or more weeks) and then see how much money I have left. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorCalMom Posted May 27, 2011 Share Posted May 27, 2011 no problem, intrude away! :p Thank you.....:) Funny....when we did year 1, we only did unit 4 in TOG. We started with SOTW and MOH. I loved the combo. It will be a new experience for me once we get back around to year 1 and I use living books. I suspect I will include: You Wouldn't Wanna Be a (viking, Roman Soldier, etc.) Eggelton's (something like that) Children's Illustrated Bible The Bible Then we'll go from there. Sorry I'm no help this time! Nah....I always appreciate anything you have to add! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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