Help me think through a HP lit. study

[*Lulu*]

I will try to keep this from sounding too disjointed; although I must confess my thoughts are a bit of a jumble right now.

 

Punk has completely finished the Harry Potter series now, (he read books 1-4 last summer and books 5-7 over the last coupe of months), and loved them. Sister and Bug have listened to the audiobooks for 1-4, and Sister is planning to read book 2 very soon. Armed with the knowledge that my entire family enjoys this series and the appreciation for the treatment of some of the themes common in epic tales, I have been toying with the idea of using the entire series as a literature study for one year. (I am not necessarily trying to create something for all three to use at once, but as more indepth lit. study becomes age appropriate.) I am simply debating when it would be most effective both in terms of student age and placement within the cycle of history. (Although I am not a die hard matcher of lit to history, I do like when I can make things correlate.)

 

So, since my brain hurts from over thinking this, I thought I would bring it to the Hive. I know that the combination of brilliance and experience found here can help me figure out how to chart a course with this idea.

 

TIA!

[Chris in VA]

Since your oldest has already read them, are you planning on adding in other books, and comparing/contrasting themes, or what, exactly?

 

I know, just by reading the first chapter of Little Women this morning (dd is going to read it for her summer assignment for public school--), that, if I were to take that book and make it the basis for a unit study, I could

 

Do vocab

Civil War

Shakespeare

Read Pilgrim's Progress

Research Scarlet Fever

Do a service project for our neighbors

Learn to embroider

 

just to name a few subject to tie in. With Harry Potter, you could study the geography of England, learn about various real-life ministries (gov't), research English transportation, and on and on.

 

So, do you want a unit study that goes OUT of the books, or a literary study that goes INTO the books? Or both? Or different things for different levels?

 

Sometimes a story needs more context, and sometimes the context isn't as important as the universal themes.

[Down_the_Rabbit_Hole]

There is a book called The History in Harry potter or something along those lines. It talks about the historical themes the different aspects of HP is based on. This could give you a great bouncing off place.

[Mom in High Heels]

I don't know if this what you're looking for but I found these:

 

Scholastic Guides (scroll down toward the bottom)

 

Harry Potter lesson plans

 

Harry Potter lit guides and activities (lit guides are around the middle of the list)

 

I think Pottermore.com has lit guides too. You have to register for the site (free) to access the info.

 

HTH!

[*Lulu*]

First, THANK YOU!!! I know I will be spending some serious time pursuing the ideas and links y'all posted.

 

Secondly, I think I am looking to focus on literary elements and uniersal themes. Using a literary work that they are familiar with and appreciate to springboard into more difficult and, depending on the child, less immediately gratifying literary works.

 

For those that have BTDT, at what age did you start literary analysis in ernest? At what point did you move beyond comprehension and begin to explore what makes a good story good?

[Colleen in SEVA]

You need this:

 

http://www.amazon.com/The-Harry-Potter-Curriculum/lm/RAI88SMUR3HB8/ref=cm_lmt_srch_f_2_rsrsrs0

[Mom-ninja.]

I don't know if this what you're looking for but I found these:

 

Scholastic Guides (scroll down toward the bottom)

 

Harry Potter lesson plans

 

Harry Potter lit guides and activities (lit guides are around the middle of the list)

 

I think Pottermore.com has lit guides too. You have to register for the site (free) to access the info.

 

HTH!

 

Thanks for the links.

 

Do you know where on Pottermore?

 

 

 

You need this:

 

http://www.amazon.com/The-Harry-Potter-Curriculum/lm/RAI88SMUR3HB8/ref=cm_lmt_srch_f_2_rsrsrs0

 

Awesome list. :lol:

[*Lulu*]

I just wanted to pop back in and thank y'all again for the great resources. I have looked them over and kicked around some different ideas over the past few days and have finally made up my mind how to proceed. We operate on a 5 year cycle around here, and I am going to turn year 1 into a HP year. (History is a bit lighter that year, so it will fit nicely time wise.) HP will provide us with our vocabulary and, for Punk, introduction to literary elements. Well, more precisely, the terminology of literary elements.

 

*big sigh* Now I can set this aside and get back to final prep for THIS school year! :tongue_smilie:

[katilac]

Now that you have decided how to proceed, let me throw a wrench in the works :D

 

SWB says, in one of her lectures, not to analyze books that the student absolutely falls in love with. Granted, she is talking about true literary analysis, which you won't be doing at those ages, but it is something that resonated with me. My new high schooler won't be fresh reading and analyzing at the same time (what I'm used to); rather, we will schedule the reading of several books first, and, from those, we will pick books to close read and analyze.

 

Whenever I am tempted to "school-ify" some book or activity my kids love, I try to keep this in mind. It's so easy to take the joy away, kwim? Plus, my kids are the type who like having areas of interest that are theirs, that they 'own' without the need to exhibit specific knowledge or perform on command.

 

So, whenever I do take the plunge and incorporate a true love into school, I tread lightly. I also only plan bits at a time, b/c if I planned out an entire semester and they didn't bite, it would be oh-so-tempting to force it, so that my work isn't wasted.

 

I highly recommend SWB's literary analysis lecture; it's very straightforward and helpful.

[*Lulu*]

Now that you have decided how to proceed, let me throw a wrench in the works :D

 

SWB says, in one of her lectures, not to analyze books that the student absolutely falls in love with. Granted, she is talking about true literary analysis, which you won't be doing at those ages, but it is something that resonated with me. My new high schooler won't be fresh reading and analyzing at the same time (what I'm used to); rather, we will schedule the reading of several books first, and, from those, we will pick books to close read and analyze.

 

Whenever I am tempted to "school-ify" some book or activity my kids love, I try to keep this in mind. It's so easy to take the joy away, kwim? Plus, my kids are the type who like having areas of interest that are theirs, that they 'own' without the need to exhibit specific knowledge or perform on command.

 

So, whenever I do take the plunge and incorporate a true love into school, I tread lightly. I also only plan bits at a time, b/c if I planned out an entire semester and they didn't bite, it would be oh-so-tempting to force it, so that my work isn't wasted.

 

I highly recommend SWB's literary analysis lecture; it's very straightforward and helpful.

 

:001_smile: You know, it was one of my first thoughts when I had the idea. (I love all of SWB's writing lectures. Okay, all her lectures. I have mini conferences, just myself and SWB's lectures, at Starbucks a few times year. :tongue_smilie: )

 

My feeling that it will work here is based on the following:

 

-My children already have to answer questions about the books before they are allowed to watch the movies. The questions are mostly comprehension, to make sure they really read the material, but no one has balked at this. We have even had a few good conversations come out of these questioning times.

 

-We have chosen a non-traditional vocabulary program this year, based on Calvin and Hobbes comics, and the kids are really into it.

 

-I have fielded quite a few complaints over the last year from Punk about the "fun" school Sister and Bug get to do. Because HP is accessible to all three, he could be part of the "fun" as well.

 

-Hogwarts Summer Corespondence School was a huge hit here.

 

I do think you are right though, about deep analysis. I think when we hit our HP year again, and Punk is a high school junior, I will let him determine how/if he wants to participate in our HP literature.

[Mom-ninja.]

SWB says, in one of her lectures, not to analyze books that the student absolutely falls in love with. Granted, she is talking about true literary analysis, which you won't be doing at those ages, but it is something that resonated with me. My new high schooler won't be fresh reading and analyzing at the same time (what I'm used to); rather, we will schedule the reading of several books first, and, from those, we will pick books to close read and analyze.

 

 

This is why I'm not going to use programs like LL.

[Catherine]

Don't miss the John Granger books from that Amazon list. He managed to make the deeper and hidden elements of HP much more clear to me, both the alchemy and the Christian elements. They are beyond the needs of children the ages of yours, but it will help YOU to understand and enjoy more and you can introduce these ideas. I think the themes of loyalty and forgiveness are also approachable for this age group.