kchara Posted August 24, 2012 Share Posted August 24, 2012 I need a 6th grade lit program for my daughter. She loves to read, and can devour books... as long as she likes them and doesn't have to think too hard. :glare: She doesn't like the classics because they're too "old." I've explained that she's going to have to read them anyway, but she's fighting me on that. I would like something rigorous, and I've looked at MCT and VP. I'm trying to wrap my brain around MCT, and for some reason I'm just not getting what she would need for 6th grade lit. I'm considering MCT for poetry, and VP for lit. Any other ideas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kchara Posted August 24, 2012 Author Share Posted August 24, 2012 Also, if we went with MCT, would we start with Level 6? She's never done formal lit, so should I start her back earlier? Same for Poetry? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted August 24, 2012 Share Posted August 24, 2012 (edited) More options for you, just to muddy the waters: :tongue_smilie: A very gentle full-year intro into "formal" literary analysis and classic literature that includes poetry, short story, and novel is Lightning Literature from Hewitt Homeschooling. Interestingly, many of the 7th grade and 8th grade Lightning Lit. works are the same as those listed in the MCT levels. If she's a strong reader/writer, she might enjoy doing LL7 while in grade 6 -- it's very do-able for good readers. Are these the MCT Literature programs you were referring to? MCT first-level trilogy: - Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll - Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame - Peter Pan by J M Barrie MCT second-level trilogy - Treasure Island by Robert Lewis Stevenson - The Call of the Wild by Jack London - The Invisible Man by HG Wells The trilogy: Time Travel (most suitable for 5th and 6th grade level students) - The Time Machine by H.G Wells - A Connecticut Yankee in the Court of King Arthur by Mark Twain - A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens While I think Alice in Wonderland and Call of the Wild are do-able for first outings with classics, I will say the language in Treasure Island, Christmas Carol, Time Machine, and Connecticut Yankee are a bit rough going (Victorian vocabulary and sentence structure; jargon/accent) for a 6th grader unless the student is a *very* strong reader (or are these programs meant to be done as read alouds by the parent??) -- plus, I think the themes in The Invisible Man and Peter Pan are MUCH better understood/appreciated by a high school student... JMO! Another option at this young age is to just pick 2-3 classics and do them as more formal literature, using a good individual literature guide with each. Perhaps even start with a book she's already read or you've done as a read-aloud, and do it aloud together with a guide to get your feet under you to see what "doing literature" is all about...? The Garlic Press Publisher's Discovering Literature series guides (esp. the Challenger Level) are especially good. See them here, and sample pages here. Titles include the following (challenger level marked with **): - Island of the Blue Dolphins - My Side of the Mountain - Where the Red Fern Grows - Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH - Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry - The Outsiders - Bridge to Terebithia ** The Hobbit ** Redwall ** The Giver (late middle school/high school level work and guide) ** To Kill a Mockingbird (late middle school/high school level work and guide) ** The Odyssey (high school level work and guide) ** Lord of the Flies (high school level work and guide) Other helpful guides: - Dream in Color poetry guide (free, middle school) - Schmoop (free; poetry and literature guides/articles; middle school/high school) - Glencoe Literature Library (free; secular; middle school/high school level guides) - Progeny Press (Christian; elementary/middle/high school levels) - Blackbird (secular; middle school) - Total Language Plus (Christian -- complete LA guides for individual books; elementary/middle/high school levels) You could go totally solo, using Teaching the Classics (which teaches you how to teach/discuss Literature with your student) and Socratic Questions as your method. Or, check out this recent past thread, in which several ladies shared how they do Literature as a book club much like how it is described in the book Deconstructing Penguins -- perhaps this would be a fun, interesting and gentle way to transition your DD into more formal classical literature?? For a more formal literary analysis course covering literary elements with worksheets and beginning analysis, you may want to look at the Christian Light Education: Reading; see the scope and sequence chart (scroll down to "Sunrise Reading" and then to "600", which is the grade 6 level). Others on this Board have recommended the Mosdos Literature series, which has worksheets and introduces literary elements and beginning analysis. However, both of these programs use specially-written short stories -- a bit like old "reader" books -- rather than traditional classics, although Mosdos includes excerpts from classics. Whether you go with a full Literature program OR just a few books/guides, be sure to keep her love of reading alive with lots of books for her to enjoy without having to discuss or analyze, as well! Below is the info on Lightning Lit. BEST of luck, whatever you decide! Warmest regards, Lori D. LL7 and LL8 each has a student book (where the "meat" of the program is), and a teacher book with answers, a schedule, some teaching tips, and some discussion questions. The Student Book has 2 parts: 1. Student Guide (LL7 = 8 units; LL8 = 12 units) each unit contains: - a page intro about each author, and tips on what to look for as you read. - vocabulary list with definitions to make reading the book easier. - comprehension questions to help student focus on key details. - 6-10 teaching text pages (written to the student) about a literary element and examples of how that literary element is used in the work being read to go with that unit. - a 2-3 page "mini-writing lesson" with information/tips on various aspects of writing (examples: how to cite sources; how to take notes; etc.) - choice from 4-8 longer writing assignment ideas for finishing up each unit 2. Workpages Section contains: - 8-10 worksheets per unit to help student practice the literary element, occasional grammar aspect (punctuation, capitalization, etc.), or beginning analysis of an excerpt from literature. - Sometimes a short story or a segment of a longer work is reproduced for the student to read/analyze. Lightning Lit & Comp -- grade 7 1 = "Rikki-Tikki-Tavi" (short story) literary lesson: plot line mini writing lesson: openings 2. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (realistic novel) literary lesson: plot line in a novel mini writing lesson: outlines 3. poetry unit -- 7 poems literary lesson: rhyme mini writing lesson: limerick and haiku 4. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (fantasy novel) literary lesson: creativitiy mini writing lesson: nonce words 5. "The Bride Comes to Yellow Sky" (short story) literary lesson: saying it with style mini writing lesson: writing about yourself 6. The Story of My Life (autobiography) literary lesson: autobiography mini writing lesson: brainstorming 7. poetry unit -- 6 poems literary lesson: sound mini writing lesson: cinquain and the list poem 8. All Creatures Great and Small (realistic/humorous novel) literary lesson: character sketch mini writing lesson: choosing a topic Lightning Lit & Comp -- grade 8 1. "A Crazy Tale" (short story) literary lesson: author's purpose mini writing lesson: taking notes 2. Treasure Island (adventure novel) literary lesson: setting mini writing lesson: rewriting in your own words 3. poetry unit -- 6 poems literary lesson: vivid imagery mini writing lesson: free verse and the ballads 4. A Day of Pleasure (autobiography) literary lesson: sharing your culture mini writing lesson: rewriting in your own words 5. "Wakefield" (short story) literary lesson: details in writing mini writing lesson: citing sources in a paper 6. A Christmas Carol (novella) literary lesson: character development mini writing lesson: the narrator 7. poetry unit -- 8 poems literary lesson: figurative language mini writing lesson: fun poems 8. The Hobbit (fantasy) literary lesson:conflict mini writing lesson: genre fiction 9. "Reflections" (short story) literary lesson: symbolism mini writing lesson: sentence structure 10. My Family and Other Animals (humorous novel) literary lesson: humor mini writing lesson: bibliography 11. poetry unit -- 8 poems literary lesson: meter in poetry mini writing lesson: the sonnet 12. To Kill a Mockingbird (realistic novel) literary lesson: writing a literary analysis mini writing lesson: writing a conclusion Edited August 24, 2012 by Lori D. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kchara Posted August 24, 2012 Author Share Posted August 24, 2012 Wow, thanks so much Lori! I guess it didn't even occur to me to just go with what she's reading now and get the comp guides. I think I'll spend a good part of this morning looking through everything you've listed. Thanks again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trish Posted August 24, 2012 Share Posted August 24, 2012 There is also MOSDOS grade 6 from Mosdos Press. My 6th grader is currently doing Lightning Lit 7 and enjoying it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abeille Posted August 24, 2012 Share Posted August 24, 2012 We're going with Lightning Lit 7 this year for my 6th grade ds. He's a strong reader, and from our discussions of the books he's read this summer I feel he's ready for meatier analysis of books than he's done so far. I think LL 7 will ease him into that. I plan on following it with LL 8 (assuming 7 is a good fit for us), and then Literary Lessons from Lord of the Rings along with reading other classics and discussing them. DS wanted to do the LotR book this year, as he just finished reading Fellowship on his own, but I think he'll get more out of it in a couple of years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeanM Posted August 24, 2012 Share Posted August 24, 2012 We're going with Lightning Lit 7 this year for my 6th grade ds. He's a strong reader, and from our discussions of the books he's read this summer I feel he's ready for meatier analysis of books than he's done so far. I think LL 7 will ease him into that. :iagree::iagree: My 6th grade ds will be doing Lightning Lit 7 too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EppieJ Posted August 30, 2012 Share Posted August 30, 2012 Have you thought about having her write a book? Check out the NaNoWriMo program for young writers. Might be a fun change of pace for her to walk thru writing/publishing her own book. http://ywp.nanowrimo.org/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TiaTia Posted August 31, 2012 Share Posted August 31, 2012 I second the NaNoWriMo recommendation. You can write a novel in November, too, on the adult side! 50,000 words in 30 glorious days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saraha Posted September 3, 2012 Share Posted September 3, 2012 Also, you can get many guides on Scholastic. A lot of titles are put on the dollar ebook sale they have occasionally. Very affordable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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