HS Literature Suggestions??? Please???

[CyndiLJ]

We homeschool eclectically, and I am trying to get away from a standard textbook for high school lit, but I do want a guide of some sort with questions, etc.

 

I was looking at using Sonlight for just reading, but am not sure the high school levels are challenging enough, especially for 9th grade. I need something secular, or that I can secularize. I also do not want to focus only on older selections, and would prefer a nice mix of classics and more modern material. We've used Progeny Press guides, and probably will do a few of them here and there throughout high school, but what I'd really like is a program, or big list with a wider variety and questions for analyzing the literature.

 

Is there any such thing at ALL out there that is not all old classics???

[at the beach]

Have you looked at the website The Big Read? http://www.neabigread.org/

[mumto2]

Have you looked at the website The Big Read? http://www.neabigread.org/

 

 

This looks like a great website. Thank you!

 

I just bought an Excellence in Literature guide to help me stay on track. These are pretty much all old literatue but thought I would mention them because relatively inexpensive so possible supplement for you.

 

I have volume II because dd has already read the books for volume I. I have barely looked at it. It gives links and ideas for a guided study with essay topics as opposed to typical (SL type) study guides. You spend 4 weeks on each selection with honor's extra reading ideas. EIW also has by the same author American, British, and world lit. For dd I think they will work well but probably not what ds will need.

[Harriet Vane]

The Norton anthologies are a fabulous way to get a solid selection of good literature in one package.

 

One great source is Glencoe Literature. There are numerous study guides available for free, and the list of what's available is a pretty good one. Many of the works are more suited for younger students, but there are tons for high school as well.

 

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

 

The Sonlight list is a baffling mixture of books that are definitely better for younger students, and good books that are perfect for high school students. Also Sonlight does not do well with teaching more formal analysis.

 

Another decent alternative is Lightning Literature. I like their book lists a great deal. However, I have found that there is an uncomfortable percentage of busy-work and that it does almost nothing about teaching analysis. That said, it's a decent springboard from which to start.

 

A pretty good guide for learning literary terms:

 

Essential Literary Terms: A Brief Norton Guide with Exercises.

978039392837

 

Another one that is more of a dictionary of terms is:

 

Concise Handbook of Literary and Rhetorical Terms by Michael S. Mills 9780615271361

 

I am a former English major, and I have taught high school lit classes for several years now. If you want to run some ideas by me I am happy to comment. If it would help I could post the lists I have taught (Medieval, Ancients, Modern so far--planning to do Renaissance next year).

[CyndiLJ]

[quote name='Harriet Vane' timestamp='1361029913' post='4693445'

 

Thanks Harriet, you seem to have a grasp of what I might be searching for! I thought I sounded like an idiot trying to post!

 

The Norton anthologies are a fabulous way to get a solid selection of good literature in one package.

 

Is there anything else you know of along these lines? I like what I see, but might want more of a focus on US History as that is what we will be studying for the next couple of years.

 

One great source is Glencoe Literature. There are numerous study guides available for free, and the list of what's available is a pretty good one. Many of the works are more suited for younger students, but there are tons for high school as well.

 

http://www.glencoe.c...ure/litlibrary/

 

I liked this as well, and wish there were a lot more options for high school level books. There are definitely some there I will use, and they have just the right mix of vocab, analysis, etc. that I am looking for without it being too much busy work! Thanks for the reference...do you have any other ideas that would be similar to this?

 

The Sonlight list is a baffling mixture of books that are definitely better for younger students, and good books that are perfect for high school students. Also Sonlight does not do well with teaching more formal analysis.

 

Exactly! I like a lot of their choices, and might select some for quicker reading without as much analysis, but their high school selections seem a little young (but I do think they are good reading!). Just not quite enough to use in their teacher's guide to work with.

 

Another decent alternative is Lightning Literature. I like their book lists a great deal. However, I have found that there is an uncomfortable percentage of busy-work and that it does almost nothing about teaching analysis. That said, it's a decent springboard from which to start.

 

I have looked a lot at this, but am not sure some of their selections would hold my son's interest. There are a couple of semesters that would work well, and the whole busy work thing is too much.

 

A pretty good guide for learning literary terms:

 

Essential Literary Terms: A Brief Norton Guide with Exercises.

978039392837

 

Another one that is more of a dictionary of terms is:

 

Concise Handbook of Literary and Rhetorical Terms by Michael S. Mills 97806152713

 

Thanks a lot for these. If I do go without a true textbook,and just select books myself, I was wondering where I might find something like these. While I am not a former college student, I find lit easy to teach if I have the right tools and I really enjoy it.

 

I am a former English major, and I have taught high school lit classes for several years now. If you want to run some ideas by me I am happy to comment. If it would help I could post the lists I have taught (Medieval, Ancients, Modern so far--planning to do Renaissance next year)

 

I'd love to see your lists~!

 

I should have posted that we are doing American History the first two years of high school, and while I am not married to having lit match our history, I would appreciate working with some good lit that aligns with our studies,mixed with some fun reads. My son is a voracious reader, read about 40 of the old Landmark series 3 years ago, and has a decent understanding of American history already, so I need more mature selections like UncleTom's Cabin, etc. Any ideas of book titles anyone can throw out that would work well as a companion for our American History courses would be awesome! It's my first go round with high school, and I thought this would be the easy part!

[Jilly]

Have you looked at the website The Big Read? http://www.neabigread.org/

 

Thanks for linking this site. It looks like a wonderful resource. :001_smile:

[lisabees]

Have you looked at the website The Big Read? http://www.neabigread.org/

 

Thank you so much for sharing this!

[CyndiLJ]

Oh my gosh, I just did more research on the Norton Anthologies...they are PERFECT! Thank you SO much for posting info about it! They have an introduction to literature anthology as well as one on American literature. There are online short quizzes and questions that can be collected in a grade book and/or emailed to me as the teacher (and will work wonderfully for proof for our charter school).

 

Why had I never thought of looking at the college level? He is a good reader, always has been, but it just never entered my mind to jump over high school and move to college material. As it turns out, just checking out what I could, this is much more suited to him.

 

I am always so appreciative of the knowledge I can tap on these boards. Thanks again,Harriet!

[CyndiLJ]

Have you looked at the website The Big Read? http://www.neabigread.org/

 

Just spent some time checking this out as well. Oh my gosh, why did I suffer these past few weeks and not just post here in the FIRST place? You all ROCK! Just the suggestions on this thread will be enough to set me up for all of high school. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!

 

One day maybe I will have enough knowledge to share :-

[Nscribe]

Oh my gosh, I just did more research on the Norton Anthologies...they are PERFECT! Thank you SO much for posting info about it! They have an introduction to literature anthology as well as one on American literature. There are online short quizzes and questions that can be collected in a grade book and/or emailed to me as the teacher (and will work wonderfully for proof for our charter school).

 

Why had I never thought of looking at the college level? He is a good reader, always has been, but it just never entered my mind to jump over high school and move to college material. As it turns out, just checking out what I could, this is much more suited to him.

 

I am always so appreciative of the knowledge I can tap on these boards. Thanks again,Harriet!

 

We use Norton's a great deal. The historical summaries within are also handy. One note: In order to fit in as much as they do the type is often very small.

[elegantlion]

This might be helpful, I'm just starting to look through it myself, it is American literature. http://www.learner.org/amerpass/index.html