mandymom Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 for school work in public, private, or homeschool? I was talking to my mom today, who teaches 6th grade English in ps. She said her students were about to start their novel for the year. I asked her if she meant that they only read one novel. She said yes. It's a new curriculum that is being implemented this year (which she hates because they are to teach it verbatim among other things), and while the students are in 100 minutes of reading and English class each day, they only read one novel. And it's Holes. Not a bad novel, but not what I'd choose for the solitary selection of the year. I was just surprised. I graduated from the same school district she is in, and I know that I had more than 1 required novel in 6th grade (of course, I read quite a bit outside of class). That was a LONG time ago though :001_smile: Two of my kids were in ps for 6th grade (in a different district, but same state), and they also read more, but it was only 3-4 novels and then another of their choice for a book report. I didn't worry too much because they are voracious readers on their own. Just wondering what others had experienced.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
higginszoo Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 (edited) My older two are readers. They probably read 20-30 novels in 6th grade. My next one coming up is not so much of a reader, but I still would expect the count to be 5 for school and maybe 5-10 more for fun for 6th grade next year. This year, he has read two novels, read along in the book with 3-4 more on tape (he has dyslexia, so this is an adaptation that we find helps), and is working on The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (I found a large print unabridged version). He'll also read White Fang in large print this semester. Edited January 23, 2012 by higginszoo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joker Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 Older dd just started ps this year for 6th grade and they're encouraged to read a book a week. They have a notebook that they are supposed to write in whenever they finish a book and the teacher responds. It's not for a grade though. All graded assignments have been on excerpts. Dd has averaged one book every two weeks. I would say she alternates between fluff and serious books so the fluff takes a week and she spends more time on the serious. She did say the kids talk a lot about the different books they're reading so that's encouraging. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abbeyej Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 Here's my son's assigned reading list from when he was in 6th grade (home school). He read other books on his own time. (A couple of these aren't novels, but I'm leaving them in anyway...) The Door in the Wall, Marguerite de Angeli Tom Sawyer, Mark Twain The Trumpeter of Krakow, Eric P. Kelly Beowulf: a new telling, Robert Nye The Story of Rolf and the Viking Bow, Allen French King Arthur and His Knights, Malory/ Elizabeth L. Merchant The Sword in the Stone, T.H. White The Adventures of Robin Hood, Roger Lancelyn Green If All the Swords of England, Barbara Willard Adam of the Road, Elizabeth Gray Crispin: Cross of Lead, Avi Catherine Called Birdy, Karen Cushman Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll Master Cornhill, Eloise Jarvis McGraw The Canterbury Tales, Chaucer / McCaughrean One Thousand and One Nights, Geraldine McCaughrean The Story of My Life, Helen Keller The White Stag, Kate Seredy Tales From Japan, Helen and William McAlpine The Samurai's Tale, Erik Haugaard A Single Shard, Linda Sue Park All Creatures Great and Small, James Herriot Secret of the Andes, Ann Nolan Clark Around the World in 100 Years, Jean Fritz The Playmaker J. B. Cheaney King of Shadows, Susan Cooper The Second Mrs. Giaconda, E. L. Konigsburg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lang Syne Boardie Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 Over 35 assigned novels. We usually use Sonlight Core G for 6th grade, supplemented by WTM-recommended titles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyJoy Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 I think my PS 6th grade class (1993) only read one specifically assigned novel--Maniac McGee. We did, however, read short stories, poems, excerpts from books, etc. in our literature book. We had one book report per quarter and wrote an 8-page paper on an animal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heidi @ Mt Hope Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 for school work in public, private, or homeschool? I was talking to my mom today, who teaches 6th grade English in ps. She said her students were about to start their novel for the year. I asked her if she meant that they only read one novel. She said yes. It's a new curriculum that is being implemented this year (which she hates because they are to teach it verbatim among other things), and while the students are in 100 minutes of reading and English class each day, they only read one novel. And it's Holes. Not a bad novel, but not what I'd choose for the solitary selection of the year. I was just surprised. I graduated from the same school district she is in, and I know that I had more than 1 required novel in 6th grade (of course, I read quite a bit outside of class). That was a LONG time ago though :001_smile: Two of my kids were in ps for 6th grade (in a different district, but same state), and they also read more, but it was only 3-4 novels and then another of their choice for a book report. I didn't worry too much because they are voracious readers on their own. Just wondering what others had experienced.... :svengo: My 4th grader reads 30? 40? chapter books per year for homeschool in history (which include various books about science, fine arts, etc.) and literature. Many of those are novels or historical fiction. He reads a hundred (or more) on his own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Veritaserum Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 20-30 (maybe more) novels per year between school and leisure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MHowell Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 DD is in 5th at a ps, and she is on her 4th novel- just for school. She also has reading I require. Total since the beginning of the school year is closer to ten. She reads 20 minutes for school and 20 minutes for afterschooling. The school book she reads as soon as she gets home and my reading she does out loud to her brother before bed. I can't believe her school only requires one a year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Rat Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 Ds11 is in 6th grade. Between school and recreational reading, probably 35-40 books a year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaT Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 For 6th grade, about 40 books for school, plus about 20 just for fun. ONE novel? Really?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elizabeth in MN Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 Well, we're having problems right now with reading (big fat thread over on the Logic Stage board). But one novel a year would reduce me to tears. In Manga alone I think my DD has about a dozen books under her belt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillieBoy Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 Whoa! That blows me away! I couldn't even imagine. My DD (6th grade) reads about 40 -50 a year. Outlining at least 5 of them (non-fiction), 3-4 page book reports on 20ish of them and a written summary of all of them. Then again, I read at least a hundred a year so reading is emphasized. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura in MI Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 In 6th grade at the ps they read 3 books in class then they had different genres each month and they had to pick some sort of report. Dd13 read about 40 books for school in 6th grade and easily read 100+ for fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matryoshka Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 (edited) Heavens. Here I am bemoaning what a non-reader my youngest is (and she's 5th grade) - but she'll read 8 novels for her book club this year, plus she just read all the Percy Jackson books (those weren't assigned), plus I'll assign her some historical fiction, and she'll end up reading other books as well. I thought that was really anemic, after my book-devouring older two! But one novel in a year??!! :svengo: Edited January 23, 2012 by matroyshka Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 Oldest ds read more novels than I can count. He reads all the time. Dd read 3 assigned books, plus maybe 3 novels that were well below her level. I was happy she chose to read on her own at all. She reads more now (8th grade). I will rejoice if youngest ds is reading independently at that age. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy in NH Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 When he was in 6th grade, oldest son read 46 books including The Diary of Anne Frank and A Farewell to Arms. When 2nd son was in 6th grade he read 66 books, including the whole of the Chronicles of Narnia. And those were just the ones I remembered to enter into the list in those years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camikins2010 Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 We also use Sonlight which is about 35 books. My DD loves to read that being said I can't tell you how many books she has read so far just for pleasure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheApprentice Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 My 6th grader has read 22 thus far(we keep a log). He'll probably get in another 6 before the end of this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakia Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 Anna usually has two books going: a history/literature book for school (we use Sonlight) and a book of her choosing. She reads all summer too. I'm thinking she will probably have read 50-60 books by the time this year is done. I'm shocked that some schools require only one book per year. That's ridiculous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 My sixth graders tend to read one novel/week for school and one for pleasure...if not more. My list would be similar to Abbeyej's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GWOB Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 My 6th grader has probably read 5 novels this month. Since we started school in July? Around 30, assigned and free reading. Now, I just edited a paper for my sister, a college freshman at Tulane. When she told me her English class was reading only one novel for the semester (Pride and Prejudice, great choice) I kinda died. Today when I was helping to edit her paper, I realized it was more of a writing class. Perhaps the class your mom described is more writing-focused? Maybe they are shooting for depth? Can we pretend this is a good thing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocketgirl Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 Wow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocketgirl Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 (edited) My 6th grader is a "seasonal" or "occasional" reader. She'll get hooked on an author or series and read everything she/we can find (like Lloyd Alexander's Book of Three series, or Betsy Byars Herculaeh Jones Mysteries) but when she's finished she might not read for weeks. Despite that she has still finished at least 18 novels so far this school year. Public school reading requirements seem a little strange. They seem like they want to require kids to read but can't. When ours was in public school as a 3rd and 4th grader she "had" to read for AR points, so many points per month, it meant she had to select certain books at library check out time, they had to be at her "level", then after reading she'd complete a short quiz, etc. In 4th, the year we withdrew her, she was supposed to read enough books to earn 100 points by May. She finished by February, which was awesome, first one done in her class, she earned some neat prizes, but interestingly enough, none of it was counted in her Reading grade!? Edited January 23, 2012 by rocketgirl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homeschooling6 Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 This past year my dd read at least 70 if not more. Some are part of school but most is her free reading time. She made it a goal last year to read 100 books in 12 months. Many titles from SL, HOD, MFW etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 She said her students were about to start their novel for the year. I asked her if she meant that they only read one novel. She said yes. It's a new curriculum that is being implemented this year (which she hates because they are to teach it verbatim among other things), and while the students are in 100 minutes of reading and English class each day, they only read one novel. So, I'm curious. If they haven't read a single novel for basically a whole semester at 100 minutes a day, what are they doing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThreeBlessings Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 I don't count assigned books. They're assigned to read a chapter a day, 4-5 days a week for 36 weeks during school time. I'm usually reading two books aloud to them at any given time. The books they read on their own? Wow I'd hate to have to count and keep track of those. :) A love of reading is by far most important to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 Hobbes' school requires very few novels to be read. He probably reads a couple a week during the school year. During the holidays I assign a worthwhile book a week. Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mandymom Posted January 23, 2012 Author Share Posted January 23, 2012 So, I'm curious. If they haven't read a single novel for basically a whole semester at 100 minutes a day, what are they doing? That's what I asked! My mom (who is the English teacher NOT the reading teacher, but it is HER class that is actually reading the novel) said that in reading, they are simply teaching them comprehension from reading short passages and some story elements in short stories. I'm guessing they focus on what is on the statewide test. Her portion, the English portion, has been working mostly on writing. Both the reading and English are part of this new curriculum that prescribes exactly, almost word for word, what they are to teach. And administration from the district and from the company that produces the curriculum are heavily auditing the classrooms to make sure that the teachers are sticking with the plan as laid out. My mom hates it! She doesn't think the kids are getting what they need. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-rap Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 I don't think it's unusual for ps english classes at ANY grade to require only 2-4 novels during a year. Even when I was in high school, I don't remember being required to read more than that. It is surprising, and often I don't like the books they choose. But, I guess they have a lot of things to concentrate on during that 50-minute period, and many kids are not fast readers, and requiring too many books would lose too many kids... My own kids read about a novel each week at that grade, some required for homeschool, and many not. However, as they got older and more involved in other activities, that number diminished, although they still loved/love to read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingersmom Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 My son is in 6th grade and is on book 13 so far. I would think he will read about 25 books by June. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Florida Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 If we're counting only novels (not any non-fiction) and only what was actually assigned, my son read 11 in sixth grade. His for-fun reading list for that year (not including anything he re-read) had over 30 books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SailorMom Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 My son's both read about a book a week in 6th. We went back and forth between ones they had picked, and ones I assigned. Also - if they picked a VERY long book (or something difficult like LOTR) I would give them more time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Margaret in GA Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 I don't think it's unusual for ps english classes at ANY grade to require only 2-4 novels during a year. Even when I was in high school, I don't remember being required to read more than that. It is surprising, and often I don't like the books they choose. But, I guess they have a lot of things to concentrate on during that 50-minute period, and many kids are not fast readers, and requiring too many books would lose too many kids... My own kids read about a novel each week at that grade, some required for homeschool, and many not. However, as they got older and more involved in other activities, that number diminished, although they still loved/love to read. :iagree: My ds uses Calvert and has 6 'novels' assigned this year (in addition to anthologies, some non-fiction, and poetry), but he also reads at least a book a week. Last week, he read 4. Margaret Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 Our middle school and high school curriculum when I taught had two novels during the year. The rest of the class was anthology textbooks with snippets of various literature and/or short stories. I figure that even though I have a child with some learning disabilities in reading, he still gets far more reading in than the average PS kids do. (or at least the PS assigned reading.) Dawn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CourtneyBrooke Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 My child is a reader- it's her favorite pastime. Since we started keeping track of her books in 2nd grade, she's read over 300 books each year, from fiction to non fiction to historical fiction, biographies, and more. ONE book a year is totally unacceptable. I expect one per WEEK, with discussion and a writing assignment attached. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 I just counted 21 assigned novels for 6th grade (doesn't include free reading or read alouds). And my son is dyslexic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amydavis Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 My son is a homeschooled 6th grader. Here's his literature list for this year. This is a minimum, we may certainly add to it. It doesn't include any extra historical books that I dig up along the way. Also, this doesn't count what he reads on his own. I honestly have no clue, but he enjoys reading a great deal, so his own list will be fairly long. 1. Beowulf (Robert Nye) 2/3. Sir Gawain - actually, 2 different renditions 4. The Canterbury Tales (Geraldine McCaughrean) 5. The Inferno of Dante (Robert Pinsky) 6. *Some kind of compilation of Nordic mythology - still determining... 7. The Fairie Queene *The following 3 Book Trilogy by Rosemary Sutcliff: 8. Sword & the Circle:King Arthur & the Knights of the Round Table 9. The Light Beyond the Forest: The Quest for the Holy Grail 10. Road to Camlann: The Death of King Arthur 11. Shakespeare - Still deciding, but we will do 3 12. Shakespeare 13. Shakespeare Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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