TOG and Additional Literature

[Guest]

Hi Everyone!

 

This is my first post on this message board - I've learned so much from just reading! :)

 

I have a question about Tapestry of Grace and outside Literature, and I am referring to younger/lower grammar ages.

 

I know that there is a lot of Literature with TOG that is very specific to the topic being studied. When I look at other curricula I see a lot of modern/contemporary (?) literature choices. For example, Charlotte's Web, Boxcar Children, Laura Ingalls, etc. that I don't believe are incorporated into TOG. (Correct me if I'm wrong!)

 

Does anyone else add in the more modern literature to your children's schooling? (Is there time?!?) I don't really want to invest in another program, like Sonlight, because I'm already spending so much on TOG books, but is there some kind of reference tool that has lists of popular, more modern literature selections by age or grade? I could then go to the library and pick them out. It doesn't have to be a structured program, I'd just like to have my kids read the classic modern titles, as well.

 

I think this came out a lot more jumbled than it needed to, but hopefully someone else will understand how your mind is when you stayed up way too late the night before on the message boards!!!!! ;)

[hwfquilts]

At the lower elementary levels there is definitely time for more literature. I always use summers to read more modern literature or fairy tales or whatever I think we need to read. You could certainly use Sonlight's lists of books as a jumping off point. Other guides to good children's lit are Honey for a Child's Heart, Books Children Love or Books that Build Character.

 

Best,

Heather

[Michelle My Bell]

Are you looking for titles that would correspond to the time period, not necessarily the topics? If so, that is a good question because I would like something like that. Here are some links that I know about...

 

http://www.abookintime.com/

 

http://readingyourwaythroughhistory.com/

 

http://www.webrary.org/Kids/jbibmenu.html

 

http://monroe.lib.in.us/childrens/timebib.html

 

Michelle

[Michelle My Bell]

Bump this up, I would like to see more responses myself.

 

Michelle

[gardenschooler]

I'll be using some Ambleside Online selections for my younger dd (most of which are decidedly not modern), but for what you're looking for, you might do well just choosing some titles from Sonlight's catalog. I'll probably do a little of that, too.

 

I'll probably even use those to help choose some books for my dd13 for pleasure reading (if she has any time left after doing R level lit!) We usually keep a few books going at once - some for our lit credit, and some for nighttime reading.

[WTMindy]

My kids do the literature reading for TOG, but they also do a ton of free reading. THey love to read.

[Confuzzled]

We use TOG. I use books from the Sonlight catalog to read aloud to my daughter at bedtime every night. It's worked out great so far.

[vmsurbat]

This has been around a long time and so is worth throwing out there once again:

 

http://www.classical-homeschooling.org/celoop/1000.html

 

The page I linked is the "front page" that explains just what the 1000 Good Books are. From there, there are pages with loads of great books divided up by reading level, plus one page of alphabetical by author. It has all the children's classics including the kinds of "modern" titles you mentioned. This is an excellent resource and FREE.

 

HTH,

[Trivium Academy]

Hi Everyone!

 

This is my first post on this message board - I've learned so much from just reading! :)

 

I have a question about Tapestry of Grace and outside Literature, and I am referring to younger/lower grammar ages.

 

I know that there is a lot of Literature with TOG that is very specific to the topic being studied. When I look at other curricula I see a lot of modern/contemporary (?) literature choices. For example, Charlotte's Web, Boxcar Children, Laura Ingalls, etc. that I don't believe are incorporated into TOG. (Correct me if I'm wrong!)

 

Does anyone else add in the more modern literature to your children's schooling? (Is there time?!?) I don't really want to invest in another program, like Sonlight, because I'm already spending so much on TOG books, but is there some kind of reference tool that has lists of popular, more modern literature selections by age or grade? I could then go to the library and pick them out. It doesn't have to be a structured program, I'd just like to have my kids read the classic modern titles, as well.

 

I think this came out a lot more jumbled than it needed to, but hopefully someone else will understand how your mind is when you stayed up way too late the night before on the message boards!!!!! ;)

 

I didn't read anyone else's answers so this may be a repeat. TOG includes literature selections but there are titles that are not scheduled but suggested. At their website there are additional resources and links provided. Here's Year 3's http://www.tapestryofgrace.com/year3/literature.php

 

Little House on the Prairie is mentioned in the Year Plan for additional reading as well as other books that would be appropriate. I personally created a list of literature I want to read to dd8 this coming year from miscellaneous lists:

 

• Geography: The Seven Little Sisters Who Live on the Round Ball that Floats in the Air by Jane Andrews
  
• The Story of Doctor Doolittle
  
• The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles
  
• Mary Poppins, series
  
• The Family Under the Bridge
  
• The Tale of Despereaux
  
• Little House on the Prairie
  
• Five Little Peppers and How They Grew
  
• The Secret Garden
  
• The Jungle Book
  
• Misunderstood Betsy

Right now we're reading Misunderstood Betsy. Our days are structured a little differently than the average day I've seen from other homeschoolers.

http://triviumacademy.blogspot.com/2008/05/our-days-what-and-when.html

 

I've dedicated 15 minutes a day to reading from these titles, as our "fun read aloud" which I consider outside the scope of our history (TOG), science and independent reading books. These are books we want to read as read alouds but often get squeezed out by other reading from our studies.

 

From TOG we read the Core reading and either the in-depth or a supplement book during our history time and the longer read aloud at bedtime. Which is why I felt the need to dedicate another time for a different read aloud. For two years I've struggled with how to get in all the reading we want to do and I finally just decided it had to be prioritized in order to get done. Some have shared on here that they have reading time in the morning or at lunch.

 

I don't suggest anyone do what we're attempting, it is based solely on our lifestyle and goals but I hope it will be encouraging to help anyone find their own way. :)

[JumpedIntoTheDeepEndFirst]

Although we are reading several of the Literature selections from TOG, I am not using that as our primary literature course. I think there is a lot of children's literature that should be read that doesn't fit neatly into a historical time period nor should it be read as history but rather as literature. {said climbing out onto my limb...} I don't consider TOG a substitute for all courses except math...we use it as a very comprehensive history course whose projects allow us to get in a little craft/art time (although I will allow that the geography is fantastic and it is very close to substituting for a full geography program-but I can't stop tweaking so...) {now a bit further out on limb}.

 

I've divided literature into 3 categories for the kids-books that will be assigned and have an accompanying literature unit (ie a Veritas Press Literature guide or similar), books that will be required but are "required pleasure" if that makes sense with nothing more required than perhaps a short book report, and then a shelf (or several) full of books that need to be read-pick one at will and have fun with out direction.

 

This is said with the caveat that the kids love history and are happy to read lots of historical fiction and non-fiction. Also-never underestimate the power of an audio book (unabridged is our preference).

[*anj*]

I think there is a lot of children's literature that should be read that doesn't fit neatly into a historical time period nor should it be read as history but rather as literature. {said climbing out onto my limb...} I don't consider TOG a substitute for all courses except math...

 

This is essentially what I wanted to say. I want my children to read a lot of the classics that don't necessarily match a certain period that we're studying. If I'd done it that way my ds would be reading the Little House Books some time in 8th grade, and I don't think that would be a good fit.

I use the Veritas Press catalog as my alternate source for literature. I go through it and pick out titles among their recommendations for each grade. I purchase some of their literature guides, but often I either make up my own or just discuss the book with the child who's reading it.

[Teri H.; Oregon]

This has been around a long time and so is worth throwing out there once again:

 

http://www.classical-homeschooling.org/celoop/1000.html

 

The page I linked is the "front page" that explains just what the 1000 Good Books are. From there, there are pages with loads of great books divided up by reading level, plus one page of alphabetical by author. It has all the children's classics including the kinds of "modern" titles you mentioned. This is an excellent resource and FREE.

 

HTH,

I absolutely love this list!!