I know I don't *need* a literature program, but...

[teachingmy3]

Next year I will have a kinder, 3rd and 5th grader. I do science and history together.

 

So far, I have pretty much everything figured out. But here is my dilemma. First of all, let me start by saying that this will be our 3rd year of homeschooling but our first year of being classical homeschoolers.

 

We are using WWE and FLL. Of course, there will be real books with science and history, but I was wondering if anyone has added a literature program to this mix. My kids LOVE to read and really love when we all read a book together.

 

Thank you for any advice. I love this forum!

 

HEATHER

[mom31257]

What type of literature program are you referring to? Do you mean a reading curriculum with an anthology, or are you referring to whole books with literature guides that include discussion questions and activities? I think your 3rd and 5th graders are definitely ready for beginning literary analysis. I lead a book club this past year for 3rd-6th graders, and I had a really great time doing it. I read Deconstructing Penguins and went through the Teaching the Classics DVDs and workbook from IEW. We met 6 times, and each time I added more elements of literary analysis as well as types of figurative language. Here's a link to a thread about some graphic organizers I made for my group. I don't use WWE or FLL, so I don't know if those things are included already.

[teachingmy3]

What type of literature program are you referring to? Do you mean a reading curriculum with an anthology, or are you referring to whole books with literature guides that include discussion questions and activities? I think your 3rd and 5th graders are definitely ready for beginning literary analysis. I lead a book club this past year for 3rd-6th graders, and I had a really great time doing it. I read Deconstructing Penguins and went through the Teaching the Classics DVDs and workbook from IEW. We met 6 times, and each time I added more elements of literary analysis as well as types of figurative language. Here's a link to a thread about some graphic organizers I made for my group. I don't use WWE or FLL, so I don't know if those things are included already.

 

I mean whole books. This past year we read novels together, taking turns reading pages/paragraphs. We read books like Charlotte's Web, The Cricket in Times Square, Bridge to Terabithia, etc. They really enjoyed reading time. I want to continue this but I also don't know if the notebooking idea is enough. I used to teach 5th grade and did novel studies all the time. I don't know if I want to get that intense, but certainly like the idea of your graphic organizers.

[Lily_Grace]

I'm starting to make lit guides for when my youngest gets to be in upper elementary/jr. high. We loved the Moving Beyond The Page ones - short, sweet, and full of fun - but I want to do ones based on books I know we'll enjoy together:

Treasure Island

Carry On, Mr. Bowditch

The Indian In The Cupboard

The Best Christmas Paeant Ever

Understood Betsy

Cheaper By The Dozen

 

I've completed one, now to get a move on on the rest!

 

(and no, I don't think they're strictly important, but I do want to find ways to immerse my children in good books and teach them basic literary analysis at the same time, before they get into the heavy work of high school)

[Jess4879]

I *think* we are adding in Total Language Plus. It might be more than you are looking for. I like the vocabulary, copy work, grammar application and the comprehension and deeper thinking questions. If we go this route, I don't plan to use the spelling or the majority of the extra activites. I also only plan to use the literature questions as discussion "prompts" to cover info we may have missed in our narrations.

 

http://site.totallanguageplus.com/the-program/novel-groupings/

[Walking-Iris]

I don't think it's necessary, but I think it is fun. If you just want to read aloud books then you could get a guide such as Read Aloud Handbook to give you ideas. Deconstructing Penguins is good too. If you want to do more activities and discussion then there's a ton of different ways to go about it. I use Arrow guides from Bravewriter to have copywork/dictation passages, literary elements, and a writing activity for the book that goes with the guide. I also have used Peak With Books with my Kinder for the last two years (age 4 and 5) and I plan on using Caldecott Across the Curriculum for 1st grade and Teaching with Favorite Newbery Books for 5th. I personally lean toward project type activities for literature.

 

You could also just use your WWE selections to have ideas of what to read aloud. But if you want to keep it really informal, Deconstructing Penguins will help you with discussing nearly any book you read.

[Ruby Rose]

We are doing a year long study of the Chronicles of Narnia with ROAR! http://www.christianbook.com/christian-family-guide-chronicles-narnia-ebook/heather-kopp/9780307563125/pd/11809EB

[ondreeuh]

Try a Moving Beyond the Page lit unit. They take about 3 weeks to complete. We have done The Cay and The View from Saturday - and really enjoyed both! The questions are brief and require some analysis, and the activities use lots of graphic organizers which I need. Some activities are done in a journal. Vocabulary and grammar are just touched on, but the writing is very good. While reading A View from Saturday, my ds wrote a research paper as the big project, but also wrote a script. For 3rd & 5th, I'd look at the books in 8-10 or 9-11.

[teachingmy3]

Thank you so much. I will look at Deconstructing Penguins and Moving Beyond the Page.

[ByGrace3]

I think for that age, it is definitely not necessary, but if you wanted "more" interaction with the lit you are reading (I am planning to do this with some of our history books next year) you might want to take a look at the veritas press and memoria press literature guides. We won't use them like workbooks, more like a jumping off point for discussions and activities. :) I plan to pick a few for books that are already on the reading list.

[Ellie]

You wouldn't want *all* of your reading-aloud books to have projects and whatnot to go along with them. You could continue reading from good books that y'all enjoy, and then do one book at a time on a more in-depth basis.

 

Here's the 1000 Good Books List. :-)