DesertRambler Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 What are the brands of literature guides available that are secular, or at least easy to modify to be secular, available for middle/high school? What would you use to add short stories and poems to an 8th-grader's reading list, in addition to classic/good quality novels? Thank you, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzie in Ma Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 I like the free Sparknotes on line. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linders Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 I like the free Sparknotes on line. Not the OP, but thank you! How did I not know about this resource??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creekmom Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 I think the easiest and cheapest way to add short stories/essays/poetry is to buy the teacher's guide to a public school literature text. You can buy the McDougal Littell for 7th grade at Amazon for less than $5.00 used (http://www.amazon.com/Mcdougal-Littell-Language-Literature-0618136657/dp/0618136657/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1331596865&sr=8-3 The teacher's edition has all the student pages plus notes for the teacher around the edges (to identify literary elements like foreshadowing, metaphor, climax, etc.). Between novels, I'll assign some of the poetry and short stories/essays for him to read so we can discuss literary elements. He's not distracted by the teacher's notes at all. Some of the authors included in this text are: Frost, Langston Hughes, Avi, Dickens, Giovanni, Lewis Carroll, Louis L'Amour, Bradbury, Dahl, Tolstoy, Kipling. Soooo easy to use and all the teacher's notes are right there in the margins!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DesertRambler Posted March 13, 2012 Author Share Posted March 13, 2012 Thanks, Mary! I would never have guess that a public school literature textbook would actually have classic authors! When I looked at elementary reading books in the past, I never recognized any of the stories or authors, so figured they were using sub-par literature. I will check that book out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missmoe Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 (edited) I like Blackbird and Company guides for middle school. I also use Windows to the World when my kids are in eighth grade. It uses classic short stories to teach literature analysis. Wanted to add Windows to the World is not secular. But as one who prefers secular material, it worked for us. One whole section focuses on bible references/world view found in literature---something good to recognize even from a secular viewpoint. Other than that section, it is pretty much secular. Edited March 13, 2012 by missmoe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 taking notes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Testimony Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 Sorry it's late and I'm tired.I have a list of lit guides for you to go through on my blog. http://www.new2homeschooling.com/2011/08/literature-guides.html OO, thanks! Blessings, Karen http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/testimony Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DesertRambler Posted March 14, 2012 Author Share Posted March 14, 2012 Thank you, everyone, for your input! There have been some great resources listed here that I am saving! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nansk Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 Hi Cindy! Check out this thread, esp. the link to the Glencoe lit guides and all the links on Dawn's blog under "Free Literature Guides". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In2why Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 Great thread. I was just considering the same thing and I am glad to.see there are some excellent resources. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 (edited) Online, Free: Reading Units by Gay Miller (elementary) Homeschool Share reading units (elementary) Novel Study reading guides by Brian Thornton (elementary/middle school) Teacher Vision (middle school/high school) Glencoe Literary Library (middle school/high school) Bibliomania (high school/college) Penguin Group (high school/college) Sparknotes (high school/college) Cliff's Notes (high school/college) Pink Monkey (high school/college) Schmoop (middle school/high school) Schmoop (high school/college) Online, For a Fee Book Rags (high school/college) eNotes (high school/college) For purchase: Inside Stories (elementary) Blackbird (elementary/middle school) Discovering Literature series (Garlic Press Publishers) Portals to Literature (middle school/high school) Parallel Shakespeare (middle school/high school) Literature Guide for the Middle School Classroom -- resource for creating own guides Poetry, Short Story Resources Dream in Color, free, poetry (middle school) Schmoop, free. poetry (middle school) Schmoop, free, poetry (high school/college) Sparknotes, free, poetry (high school/college) eNotes, for a fee, poetry (high school/college) Bibliomania, free; both poetry and short stories as well as novels and plays (high school/college) eNotes, for a fee, short stories Christian author, secular program: Lightning Literature 7, and 8 (complete, 1-year program; middle school) Literary Lessons from the Lord of the Rings (grade 7-10) (1-year program) Edited March 15, 2012 by Lori D. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krisperry Posted March 27, 2012 Share Posted March 27, 2012 Garlic Press - Secular http://www.garlicpress.com/home/gar/smartlist_11/literature.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
funnygirl Posted March 27, 2012 Share Posted March 27, 2012 Fantastic thread. Thanks!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DesertRambler Posted March 27, 2012 Author Share Posted March 27, 2012 Fantastic thread. Thanks!! :iagree: :thumbup: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murrayshire Posted March 27, 2012 Share Posted March 27, 2012 I like Blackbird and Company guides for middle school. I also use Windows to the World when my kids are in eighth grade. It uses classic short stories to teach literature analysis. Wanted to add Windows to the World is not secular. But as one who prefers secular material, it worked for us. One whole section focuses on bible references/world view found in literature---something good to recognize even from a secular viewpoint. Other than that section, it is pretty much secular. I thought I was dead set on using Light.Lit 7 for my rising 7th grade dd, still basically am, but I clicked on the Windows to the World link.....!! Could you tell me your experience with the program? I'm thinking maybe use LL7 and then LL8 and THEN Windows to the World for 9th.....it seems like it was geared toward high school....but I see you use it for 8th grade. Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KarenNC Posted March 27, 2012 Share Posted March 27, 2012 :lurk5: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted March 4, 2014 Share Posted March 4, 2014 I thought I was dead set on using Light.Lit 7 for my rising 7th grade dd, still basically am, but I clicked on the Windows to the World link.....!! Could you tell me your experience with the program? I'm thinking maybe use LL7 and then LL8 and THEN Windows to the World for 9th.....it seems like it was geared toward high school....but I see you use it for 8th grade. Well, only TWO YEARS late in seeing this, and you are probably LONG past needing any info ;)... BUT, in case anyone else wants a quick response to this same question: Yes, you could use Windows to the World (WttW) with a strong reader/writer 8th grader. Especially if the student has already done some literary analysis. If the student is all-new to doing classic literature and any kind of analysis, then, yes, LL7 and LL8 make great first stepping stones, and then doing WttW in high school. WttW is designed as a 1-semester high school course. You could easily spread it out, and intersperse with some novels and individual lit. guides and maybe the Progeny Press guide on poetry (or other uit on poetry (WttW focuses on 6 short shories). Or, to make WttW a full-year program, you could also get the Jill Pike syllabus, which adds some longer works to fill out the program. Sorry I didn't see your question 2 years ago! ;) Hope it has all worked out well for you. Warmest regards, Lori D. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murrayshire Posted March 4, 2014 Share Posted March 4, 2014 Well, only TWO YEARS late in seeing this, and you are probably LONG past needing any info ;)... BUT, in case anyone else wants a quick response to this same question: Yes, you could use Windows to the World (WttW) with a strong reader/writer 8th grader. Especially if the student has already done some literary analysis. If the student is all-new to doing classic literature and any kind of analysis, then, yes, LL7 and LL8 make great first stepping stones, and then doing WttW in high school. WttW is designed as a 1-semester high school course. You could easily spread it out, and intersperse with some novels and individual lit. guides and maybe the Progeny Press guide on poetry (or other uit on poetry (WttW focuses on 6 short shories). Or, to make WttW a full-year program, you could also get the Jill Pike syllabus, which adds some longer works to fill out the program. Sorry I didn't see your question 2 years ago! ;) Hope it has all worked out well for you. Warmest regards, Lori D. Thank you Lori! We actually used LL 7-8 for the past 2 years and it has worked well with dd. This will be a whole new post, coming soon, but we have decided to do a transition year, before 9th grade, in August. Dd will only be 13, so we have the advantage to have one more year of middle school. This will give another year of growth, maturity, and time to really focus on high school skills! Windows to the World is something we are thinking of using in this transition year along with IEW writing. I will post soon to get some suggestions on certain subjects that we want to fully focus on! Thanks again Lori D. 😉 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mschickie Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 I really like Novel Units http://www.ecslearningsystems.com/webstore/store/showproductslist.asp?idcategory=107 They offer a great selection and I found the questions to be very good. They also have quizzes and tests in the books in case you want to use them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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