literature study guides

[Adrianne]

I am due with baby #3 in 5 weeks :hurray:

 

We still need to have school although our current curriculum choices will not work during the initial infant adjustment period. (the screaming time as dh and I like to call it)

 

I have decide to do study guides on books since ds9 will spend hours reading.

The ones I have looked at are around $20 a piece way too much for my budget.

 

Can anyone give me some suggestions on free ones or a source of inexpensive study guides? Ds9 is technically in 4th grade but reads at about an 8th grade level so we have some flexibility.

 

Any advice about doing school with a newborn is welcome!!

[JaneGrey]

Don't waste your money on a lit study guide! That's my feeling in general.

 

Two options:

Create your own

Create your own form listing questions for him to answer after reading each book. Standard questions would include: list of characters, setting, plot summary, and major themes. You could ask for his opinion on a given character. Ask for a brief report on the author or the setting.

 

To get an idea of topics to cover, visit CliffsNotes and other similar websites: http://www.cliffsnotes.com/WileyCDA/ and http://www.gradesaver.com/classicnotes/titles/ Haven't checked these out personally. I have checked this out: http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/huckfinn/themes.html. Checked it for my preparation of notes on leading a discussion of Great Expectations. Side note: these things are great for getting you (the teacher parent) quickly up to speed to discuss lit with your children (giving you a big picture). They're considered bad only insofar as students can rely on them (get "addicted") and become unable to come up with this analysis on their own.

 

Something to purchase

You're pregnant and busy. Maybe you just want to buy something.

 

Veritas Press recommends a series called How to Report on Books (available at different grade levels). There are probably similar series out there. They're not geared to specific books; they just give you ideas for creative book reports. They recommend the series because people kept asking for lit study guides for each book, and they couldn't keep up with the demand. I haven't seen this series, but Evan Moor (the publisher) generally has samples of their books online.

[Sunshine State Sue]

http://www.glencoe.com/sec/literature/litlibrary/

 

http://www.plcmc.org/bookhive/activities/questions/

[Johanna]

Christian novel studies are very inexpensive and very similiar to Progeny Press!

[Lori D.]

1. Free, printable, online lit. guides:

 

- Glencoe = http://www.glencoe.com/sec/literature/litlibrary/

- Sparknotes = http://www.sparknotes.com/

- Pink Monkey = http://www.pinkmonkey.com/

- Cliffs Notes = http://www.cliffsnotes.com/WileyCDA/Section/id-305321.html

- Wikipedia (articles on specific authors, books, even some movies!) = http://www.wikipedia.org

- Book Notes (book and chapter summaries) = http://www.freebooknotes.com/

 

And you can always do a google search on an individual book to come up with a lit. guide, or related activities. Type in the book title, then a comma, then either the words "activities", "theme unit", or "study guide".

 

For example, I did a search on "Charlotte's Web, activities" and came up loads of websites (below are just a few) -- and that was just on the word "activities" coupled in the search with Charlotte's Web

 

- chapter summaries, quizzes, interactive games put together by a 2nd grade class:

http://www2.lhric.org/pocantico/charlotte/index.htm

 

- literature theme printables, worksheets, activities, word puzzles & more

http://abcteach.com/directory/theme_units/literature/charlottes_web/

 

- free online learning games (based on the book)

http://www.gamequarium.com/charlottesweb.html

 

- language arts/classroom work station/activities

http://www.teachnet.com/lesson/langarts/charlotte061799.html

 

- enrichment activities

http://www.teachervision.fen.com/childrens-book/activity/1732.html

 

 

 

 

2. The Library

Check out your library; they may have some literature guides. Perhaps read "Deconstructing Penguins" and use the chapters as a model for going "deep" by just reading/discussing aloud together several books over the course of the school year with your 9yo.

 

 

3. Buy a Program to Teach You How to Teach Literature

You might consider investing in a program such as Teaching the Classics, or Reading Strands, to teach yourself how to look at a work and ask the kinds of questions found in a literature guide. A one-time cost to give you information you can use throughout your child's education!

 

 

4. Buy a Program the Student Can Work Solo on

Consider purchasing a year-long program to cover all the reading/literature; much of it can be done solo by the student -- helpful for you if you will have a new baby and will have less time to actually do a literature guide with your 9yo. A moderate cost to cover an entire year's worth of "lit. guides". Some possible programs:

 

- Christian Light Education (CLE) reading program (by grade level)

- Learning Language Arts Through Literature (LLATL) (by grade level)

- Drawn Into The Heart of Reading (a year's worth of books per "unit")

 

 

Congrats on your up and coming family member! And BEST of luck, whatever you go with. Warmest regards, Lori D.

[HomesteadMommy]

Maybe something like Beyond Five In A Row http://www.fiarhq.com

I love the FIAR books :001_smile:.

And Congratulations on your little one!!

[Mom to Aly]

Congrats on your new baby!!! I have study guides I have bought for history, Civil War, Colonial America, American Revolution, etc, which would take care of two birds, history and lit. They include a few books to read at a time, and I got them used for $4 & $5 each, and they have plenty of activities for the student to do. They originally came from Teacher Created Materials (I think they are Resources now?), and my daughter is so enjoying them. We are doing American History, and I started with Evan Moor History Pockets (also used) Explorers and some library books for that, so we read the books (or she could herself, I let her pick this subject to do together), and then she does the activities which are really fun, but you can easily skip that, then she does the Colonial America study, reads each books, then does the activities for them, which are really creative and fun as well. It is a great way to learn, and she is getting plenty of reading in. Her reading level is really high as well, and I didn't realize it when I bought the unit studies, but they are aimed at higher grade levels (they didn't tell on the front). The books do not, however, have inappropriate content. Very impressed with the choices.

[clementine]

http://www.glencoe.com/sec/literature/litlibrary/

 

This is a fabulous free resource for guides. I see someone else posted it above me. Take a look & save some $ :001_smile:

[Adrianne]

Thanks so much ladies!! I will look into all of these. What a great resource you guys are!!

[fshinkevich]

Hello,

 

Congrats on # 3 :)

 

Teacher Created Materials has a good selection of thematic units for 8-10$ and most of them you can get as e-books so free shipping!

 

http://www.buyteachercreated.com/estore/search/searchResults?WHICH_FORM=powersearch&SUBJECT_AREA_SELECT%3Alist=Thematic&GRADE_SELECT%3Alist=Grade+4&MAIN_SEARCH_SUBMIT=+GO+

 

Homeschoolshare.com has a lot of free literature unit ideas

 

http://www.homeschoolshare.com/levels.php

 

Enjoy your new little one! -Fawn