How do you all "do" literature?

[CAmomof4]

My third recent post involving my current Crisis of Curriculum, having to do with history/lit issues.  We are 8 weeks into our school year already, and the part that I always envisioned as being the most enjoyable - literature - has turned into just part of the drudgery, just one more thing to be "checked off the list" each day like a spelling test.

 

I'm wondering what you all do for literature for your elementary-age kids.  This is our 3rd year HSing and only my oldest (2nd grade) is able to read books on her own.  I have always bought the literature selection of whichever curriculum we are using, this year VP.  The book selections are great, but I always feel pressured to do the accompanying "lit guide," which consists of mainly page after page of comprehension questions.  It is quite tedious for both me and my DD, but unless we are "doing" a lit curriculum I feel like it doesn't count, like she isn't learning or something.  Does this make any sense?

 

I've recently re-read this part of WTM to try to refocus, and SWB just recommends free-reading time (with quality books of course), but other than a little narration work, no other assignments or activities.  Does anyone do this with their own DC?

 

Honestly I'm going to have to make some sort of change, as my kindergartener is just starting to want to read real books on her own, and is ready for more advanced stuff in readers and read-alouds than Bob-book type stuff.  But of course, all the literature I've already read with my 2nd grader, she has listened in on, and I can't imagine running two different simultaneous lit programs with zillions of worksheets and activities, let alone four different ones when my boys get older!  And yet I feel like I'm somehow cheating my kids if I don't have fun activities to go with whichever book we're doing.  (Although I doubt anyone would miss the worksheets.)

 

Has anyone else experienced these things I am rambling about?  What does lit look like in your school?  Am I being waaaay too uptight??  Help!!

[Rosie_0801]

The books I categorise as literature don't have any output attached to them at present. I read. She listens. Mostly. I think. :p

 

We work on narration and answering comprehension with FLL and history reading.

 

I never do fun activities. I am not fun. :p

 

If you feel the need to do *something* with your literature other than random conversation, why not use the comprehension questions as prompts? Sure kids need to learn to write about stuff, but they need to learn to talk about stuff too.

 

What do your kids talk, play and sing about? I know my dd has been getting something out of our reading when my eavesdropping yields such results. :)

[librarymama]

I've worried about "doing" literature myself; however, so far this year I have handed my 2nd grader a book as "assigned independent reading". He reads and that's it. We do talk about it when he wants to, but for the most part I just have him read it. This way I know he's reading good literature in addition to the free reading silly choices he makes (lately Diary of a Wimpy Kid  :001_rolleyes: ).

 

I do want to get more involved with his study of literature and comprehension discussions with him at some point, but probably not for a couple of years or more. Right now my goal is just to expose him to good books and have him enjoy them without worrying about being tested or even having to narrate them back to me. 

[sweetpea3829]

Literature...ahhhhhh...lol.

 

Here's what we are doing so far.

 

First of all, we do audiobooks.  I choose a good audiobook and we listen to a chapter every day for breakfast and lunch.  Currently, I'm actually reading the book outloud because we started the Guardians of Ga'Hoole series (which is a bit violent, so definitely SCREEN IT before you let yours hear it), listened to the first four books on audio and then our library system didn't have books 5 and 6.  I had the whole series on Kindle, so I'm reading it outloud.  I hate reading outloud but...you do what you have to.  

 

Anyways...audiobooks are great.  It can take awhile for young kids to learn HOW to listen to a story, but they will learn.  One of the reasons we listen at mealtimes is because there isn't anything else to distract them.  

 

 

As for literature itself...beginning this summer, I assigned a book to my oldest two.  They read a chapter on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.  For each chapter, they had to find two words that they did not know the meaning of, and look them up in the dictionary.  They had to write down the word, note the page number in the book (so we could reference context), find it in the dictionary, write the part of speech and the appropriate definition.  

 

I also read the chapter and wrote down a number of questions to ask during reading circle.  The first question always referenced the setting, the main and supporting characters and the plot lines of the chapter.  I told them when they gave me an oral summary of the chapter, their goal was to summarize the plot line in one or two sentences.  

 

Then I'd ask them my comprehension and thinking questions.  If I couldn't come up with good ones, I would print some from the internet.  This is assuming, of course, that the book you're choosing has available online lit guides...so far that hasn't been a problem for me.  

 

They would then share their vocab words, read them in context, and then tell the definition.  

 

 

That was it!  Now during the coming school year, I will require a bit more of them as far as writing exercises.  We are using Progeny Press and Total Language Plus lit guides.  

 

 

The two students I'm doing this with are 8 and 7.  The 8 yr old is a 3rd grader and the 7 yr old is working at a 3rd grade level, at least.  

[Guest]

I have always looked longingly at the literature comprehension guides, but they've rarely made it into my shopping cart because I'm too much of a sucker for actual books, and when push comes to shove, I buy the real books. :svengo: We have tried a few various things, but what we always come back to is simply reading. The couple guides that we've purchased never have even been cracked, :leaving: and one year I did go with a formal "lit program" and hated it. I am another un-fun mom, and when they start telling me to do projects and such...uh, yeah, it doesn't get done. We have always done some form of narration and I think that is sufficient. This year, I am trying to be more intentional about asking questions (via Deconstructing Penguins or Teaching the Classics) for read alouds but other than that, it's just reading. Right now, I wouldn't even be asking them about their personal reading (we narrate from history/science read alouds) but my dd likes to have a time each afternoon where we all sit and "talk" about what we are reading. Very informal.

 

I never do fun activities. I am not fun. :p

 

I guarantee you that you're more fun than I am. :p

[texasmama]

I've never once done a lit guide with my kids.  Not once!  We do literature in the elementary stage by reading and discussing - heavy on reading. 

 

Last year, when my sons were doing 7th grade, I taught a literature analysis class loosely based on Deconstructing Penguins at co op.  No written output required.  Reading and discussion only.  I taught from Figuratively Speaking so the kids learned literary terms.

 

I dislike formulaic guides or "one interpretation is correct" approaches.  Literature is beautiful and alive and should be experienced by each person differently.  I did read a bit from a Bloom's commentary after we read Animal Farm because it enhanced their understanding of the allegorical meaning.

 

So fly free of lit guides, homeschool mama!  It is really okay.  I highly recommend Trumpet of the Swan read aloud, if you have not yet.  Gorgeous, haunting story and very young child-friendly.

[texasmama]

The only literature-connected "project" I've ever done with the kids is making corn cakes during our first year of homeschooling while reading on Little House on the Prairie.

[Curlymom]

For my second grader, I use literature guides for inspiration on what to highlight for him. He hates work books so I don't have him fill out discussion questions, but I like having them available as a guide. I usually don't even keep them around when we read, but I do review them ahead of time. I still read everything aloud to him, he isn't reading willfully on his own yet.

 

My older child needs to work on reading comprehension, so I'm having her go through just one literature guides at a time. We use Memoria Press. She has her book that she is reading for school and the accompanying guide, and then a stack of free reads that I have selected for her that includes classics and award winners. I don't require any additional work for the free reads, and she can do a free read whenever she wants. I also read aloud to her throughout the day, sometimes piggybacking with my younger child and sometimes on her own. Then we have a natural discussion.

[snowbeltmom]

I've recently re-read this part of WTM to try to refocus, and SWB just recommends free-reading time (with quality books of course), but other than a little narration work, no other assignments or activities.  Does anyone do this with their own DC?

This is the approach I take until 8th grade. Even in the high school years, we discuss most of the books rather than write about them.

[Coco_Clark]

We read it. Some days (not all days) we narrate, "what happened in the book today?" Some days (not all days) we discuss, "would you have followed the red bird?" (Lion, the witch, and the wardrobe) "do you think it was right to take the coal?" (The railway children).

 

I read early in the morning, cuddled on the couch, and late at night becore bed. I only read as much as they want (and sometimes that's only half a chapter). I still read picture books just as much as chapter, and will continue to do so for as long as they will let me. They get to pick just as often as do. All of that helps enjoyment. We listen to audiobooks in the car as well.

[CAmomof4]

Ok I feel a little bit better!  :-)

[craftyerin]

We read it. Some days (not all days) we narrate, "what happened in the book today?" Some days (not all days) we discuss, "would you have followed the red bird?" (Lion, the witch, and the wardrobe) "do you think it was right to take the coal?" (The railway children).

 

I read early in the morning, cuddled on the couch, and late at night becore bed. I only read as much as they want (and sometimes that's only half a chapter). I still read picture books just as much as chapter, and will continue to do so for as long as they will let me. They get to pick just as often as do. All of that helps enjoyment. We listen to audiobooks in the car as well.

Pretty much this. 

 

We do not do lit guides.  IMO, they kill the enjoyment of the book. We read, we narrate, we chat about our favorite parts or what we might have done if we were a character, etc.  We move on.  We enjoy the books!  

[rwjx2khsmj]

When my children were younger all our literature consisted of read alouds and the normal conversation that results from an interesting story. Any kind of comprehension exercises or literary analysis was part of sharing the story. Which character do you like best? What do you think might happen next? etc. I also usually asked a different child to give us a brief update of the story each day before we start reading.

 

My older DC have no difficulty reading and responding to literature on their own now.

[regentrude]

In elementary school? I don't see what you would need to do other than reading books and talking about them.

I have never used "comprehension guides" - I see that my kids understand what they read when the talk about their books. The best conversations are the ones initiated by the kids. They may not happen during "school hours"; they just happen when the child feels the need to talk.

 

I find that comprehension questions, contrived discussions with a fixed message in mind, and forced writing are a sure way to kill the love of reading and language in a young child. I find them completely unnecessary. Let them read and read to them, expose them to literature and beautiful language, wake love and interest first.

 

Literature analysis can wait until high school. Kids are perfectly capable of grasping the concept without having been drilled since the early grades in "analysis" - having read and loved a lot of books is the biggest key to later English success.

 

[ScoutTN]

We read. 

We discuss, but not formally. What we read becomes a part of our conversations organically. As Rosie said, see if your literature ends up in your kids' imaginative play or conversation when they don't think you are listening. 

 

I read aloud. Lots. DD reads well and reads independently.

 

We are saving any formal lit guide stuff for logic stage.

 

 

 

[BatmansWife]

I got a bunch of the VP comprehension guides for this year.  I'm not really sure yet what I think about them.  Actually....I'm not overly impressed, but I haven't looked very closely at them yet.

 

This past school year we did one MBtP lit guide; Helen Keller.  We really enjoyed that!  So, for this year I got two more; Holes and Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh.  I don't want everything she reads or we read together to have to be analyzed and have a lit unit with it....so, I got just a couple (more than likely I may end up skipping the VP guides). 

 

Last year we did Beautiful Feet for history and really enjoyed that.  That was our first time ever doing a literature based subject (prior to that we just picked out books that looked good and read them).  Up until that point, that year of history was the best we had.  So, we branched out to an even more literature approach this year and are using BookShark.  This is a way that helps us (me) actually get reading together done...otherwise it tends to slip by. 

[Farrar]

I don't believe in lit guides.  If they help and you enjoy them, great.  If not, ditch, especially in elementary school!

 

I read aloud good books.  I strew good independent reads.  In about late second grade, I think, I made a list of required reading books and let the kids pick from them - one per month.  We did that for a few years, but we've since switched to free reading, an hour a day.  They have to alternate between graphic novels/light series and slightly more literary stuff, but they can pick.  I occasionally assign a book - usually a shortish, if meaty one - and we read it together.

 

This year we are also reading short stories and practicing marking up texts and doing a close read.  That's fifth grade.  But all I did was make a list of ten short stories for us.

[jenslp]

Our literature consists of 2 parts. One is reading from whatever book we are on which alternates between one I have chosen to go with our history time period and books that my son has chosen that I have approved.  For these books we discuss them a bit in an unstructured way and he writes a brief book review when he finishes and we add them to our list of completed books.  The second part of our literature is Mosdos Press anthologies.  We are on Jade right now and the student books have a page of pre-reading info and then a post reading section with discussion questions. This is more of a true literature study where he learns about basic literary analysis etc.  At this point he answers the questions orally but eventually I'll start requiring well written responses. 

[HS Mom in NC]

We read wonderful literature every day and talk about it-usually at dinner and during family time.  No lit. guides.  Ever! Lit. guides just make kids and teachers/parents hate literature.

 

You can give assignments for literature analysis in late Jr. High or high school when your children have a wonderful bank of years of excellent literature in their heads and can discuss abstract ideas and write essays.

 

In the elementary years you can talk about parts of a story and ask them to give you examples from their favorite stories. (Main characters, minor characters, protagonist, antagonist, setting, conflicts, resolutions, etc.)  You can have them keep a CM type notebook of their favorite words or quotes to maintain on their own.  Don't grade it.

 

When you introduce things like similes, metaphors, etc. you can have them got down a few examples from their literature readings.  

[EndOfOrdinary]

My son once complained about my lack of fun, so I started having him draw pictures.  He would tell me the important parts of the story, or a great part, or the worst part, whatever.  I would write out his words on the lower portion of a page, he would then rewrite them underneath.  The top would become his picture of the event.  It was apparently fun.

 

We are going to do it again with literary analysis this year, only using passages from classic literature which show a literary term.  He still gets to draw his own image of what is happening.  For the actual books we just read, we talk about them.  My son is an extroverted chatter box.  The only time he won't talk about lit, is when he can tell his father is trying to subtly quiz him about it.  Then Ds gets nervous and shuts right up.

 

I think literature guides are a really good thing for classroom environments because it is really hard to have large discussions where you can tell everyone understands.  Comprehension questions, vocabulary, and essays are really great ways for the teacher to tell that every gets it without having to actually interact with any of the kids. (My husband is a high school English teacher...he kills literature regularly with lit guides, but I can see why he needs them)

[LindaOz]

I'm wondering what you all do for literature for your elementary-age kids.

 

[LindaOz]

 

I'm wondering what you all do for literature for your elementary-age kids.

 

 

 

I have my elementary kids read some assigned reading and the rest is free reading.  I sometimes have tell me about what they read and then, after the book is finished, they write a summary in their journals.  I encourage them to write about what they did or didn't like about the story too - not just write a narration - and that has led to some quite insightful comments at times.

[CardinalAlt]

I often google the books we're doing as read-alouds to find some teacher resources for my own understanding of the book, literary elements it's known for, subtle things happening in the text I might miss on my own... I don't use it with DD, it just flavors and informs the natural conversations we have about our reading! And I usually end up appreciating the book even more.

[JenniferA]

We read or listen to books. My daughter has started naturally asking questions like "what does that word mean?" etc. As far as our book lists, I've picked out books for our year, and we all read/listen to them together. I'll pick out the books each year.  When my son gets to the age of my daughter, we'll read different books. There are so many options, I don't feel like I have to read certain books in certain years. The kids can read (almost) any other books they want to. I don't assign books, but rather hand them books and say "you'll love this."