mom31257 Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 Would you all help me make a list of any literature/writing combination courses appropriate for middle school? I teach an IEW class in our co-op, and I would love to do a class next year combining these two subjects. IEW does have the book based on the Chronicles of Narnia; however, we have one family opposed to the books. The students have completed SWI-A and are doing the US History theme book this year. Most will be 6th and 7th grade. We meet 16 times each year, every other week. Thanks for any suggestions! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ondreeuh Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 Ready Readers 3 http://centerforlit.com/Materials/RR3.aspx Ready Readers 3 provides complete discussion notes for the following classic stories: Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien The Bronze Bow by Elizabeth George Speare Carry On, Mr. Bowditch by Jean Lee Latham At the Back of the North Wind by George MacDonald Lightning Literature and Composition https://www.hewitthomeschooling.com/Junior/jLightning.aspx Hewitt's Lightning Lit guides use full-length novels, autobiographies, plays, essays, short stories, and poems to teach deep reading and composition skills. Unlike some literature programs that take a scatter-shot approach (where none of the literature seems connected) or that try to include too much into one book, Lightning Literature guides focus on a few classics in depth, in a systematic manner. The grade 7 and 8 guides are year-long courses consisting of a student guide, a student workbook, and a teacher guide. The Student Guide includes biographies of the authors, vocabulary, comprehension questions, lessons on the readings, additional lessons on composition, and writing exercises. The Student Workbook is consumable. The Teacher Guide includes a teaching schedule, answers to comprehension questions, answers to the workbook pages, extra teaching help for the lessons, help in choosing appropriate writing exercises, and discussion questions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom31257 Posted January 21, 2014 Author Share Posted January 21, 2014 Andrea, Do you mean to combine the two programs? I didn't see where Ready Readers included writing. Does it? I don't think we'd have time to do both, or even Lightning Lit. We only meet 8 times each semester, every other week. I am not opposed to combining lessons because we do that now, too. Any other suggestions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ondreeuh Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 Nope, just two different suggestions. The Ready Readers wouldn't have specific assignments, but you could use the questions as writing topics. Lightning Lit doesn't have to be done in its entirety. You can just do one book at a time. LL might be kinda nice for you because IIRC, the reading is all done upfront and then you go back and do assignments at the end. So the kids could read between sessions and then use the session time to go over the material. How to schedule: https://www.hewitthomeschooling.com/Materials/Information/3434Schedule.pdf Here is a sample from Tom Sawyer in LL 7: Student guide: https://www.hewitthomeschooling.com/Materials/Information/3432Chapter.pdf Teacher guide: https://www.hewitthomeschooling.com/Materials/Information/3434Chapter.pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom31257 Posted January 23, 2014 Author Share Posted January 23, 2014 Does anyone have other suggestions besides Ready Readers and Lightning Lit? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danielle1746 Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 Not sure if this would exactly fit what you want, but my son is using Kolbe Academy Jr. High Literature. http://www.kolbe.org/academics/curriculum-grade-level/junior-high/junior-high-literature-curriculum/ It offers analysis, vocab, discussion/study questions, final tests, and writing assignments for more than enough novels, short stories, and poetry to cover both 7th and 8th grade. It also offers a quarter's worth of saint studies. We are not Catholic though, so I am just replacing those with biographies of people my son or I think are interesting. There are enough novels in the course that you could leave out the biographies altogether, if you wanted. I'm sure the literature aspect of it would be sufficient for you, but I'm not sure if it has enough writing. The weekly writing assignments are usually only about a paragraph long. Then there is a more formal book report at the end of each book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom31257 Posted January 24, 2014 Author Share Posted January 24, 2014 Thanks for the suggestions. I was hoping to find something which had additional writing instruction as well. Since the students have had IEW the last two years, it would be nice to see some instruction from a different perspective. Maybe the two don't co-exist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ondreeuh Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 Moving Beyond the Page has a project or essay assignment for each book. We have done several units in the 9-11 and 10-12 ranges and I'll see if I can remember the essays. The View from Saturday - research project on sea turtles (but the kids could choose their own topic). The guide goes through the steps of researching and planning the essay. Number the Stars - expository essay on the role of Denmark in WWII. Tuck Everlasting - the final project is meant to be a debate, but you could morph it into a pro-con essay, or compare-contrast. Roll of Thunder - I think this was supposed to be a power point presentation about segregation. We didn't do that one because we had discussed it so much. I am blanking on the others but I can go through my guides if you are interested. I am guessing that Albert Einstein has you do a biographical essay, and that Best shorts has you write a short story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie of KY Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 Bravewriter - there are samples of combination literature/writing on the website - I think they are called the Arrow and the Boomerang. Excellence in Literature may also give you ideas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saddlemomma Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 Have you thought about this: http://www.everyday-education.com/literature/eng1.shtml It states the program is for high school, but suggest starting in 8th Grade as they have 5 books to complete. Here is a link to their website: (I don't know why they have 2 different sites) http://excellence-in-literature.com/ I would think you could tweak it by cutting down the amount of reading and/or writing if you wanted to start in 7th grade and felt it was too much. You could then continue with it in 8th grade. I'm looking into this myself and it looks quite interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slache Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 Total Language Plus Focus Guides You could take selections from the Veritas Press Omnibus which begins in 7th grade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.