LaMere Academy Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 I'm looking for something like Any Novel novel study, but I've heard some mixed reviews. Besides using individual book guides like Progeny Press or Total Language Plus is there anything out there that will work for any book? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JanetC Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 In the pre-high school level, I think "any book" study guides are fine. The students are still learning how to discover the main components of a novel and do a basic analysis. However, at some point, you really want to use book-specific materials, that analyze the characters and themes at a deeper level than a generic guide can, put the work and the author in their literary and historical contexts, and survey different interpretations of the book. Some resources I like are: http://www.litcharts.com/ http://www.webenglishteacher.com http://www.ntc-school.com/sec/literature/litlibrary/index.html http://www.neabigread.org/books.php Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 Isn't that what the Well Educated Mind is for? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasmama Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 Are you looking for something like Deconstructing Penguins or Teaching the Classics? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 Guides to individual books (for a fee): - Garlic Press Publishers: Discovering Literature series: Challenger Level guides (secular; gr. 7-12) - Parallel Shakespeare materials -- student workbooks and teacher guides (secular; gr. 7-12) - Brightest Heaven of Invention: Christian Guide to Six Shakespeare Plays (Christian; gr. 9-12) - Portals to Literature guides (secular; gr. 7-12; written for a class, so must be adapted quite a bit) - The Great Books (Christian; gr. 9-12; guided worldview discussion rather than literature guides) - Novel Units (secular; for classroom use; can adapt; only "okay") Free resources to individual works: - Glencoe Literary Library (secular; middle school/high school) - Bibliomania (secular; high school/college)- Penguin Group (secular; high school/college)- Sparknotes (secular; high school/college)- Cliff's Notes (secular; high school/college)- Pink Monkey (secular; high school/college) - No Fear Shakespeare (parallel original/modern translation) - Wikipedia articles on literary movements, or articles on specific authors or works Online guides to individual works, for a Fee- Book Rags (secular; high school/college)- eNotes (secular; high school/college) Poetry, Short Story Resources- Dream in Color (free; secular; middle school)- Sparknotes (free; secular; high school/college)- Bibliomania, (free; secular; poetry, short stories, novels, plays -- high school/college)- eNotes (for a fee; secular; poetry)- eNotes (for a fee; secular; short stories) Programs to guide you through any work - Teaching the Classics - Reading Strands - Reader's Odyssey Questions for DIY Literature - Invitation to the Classics -- background info on classic authors/works - SWB's list (free; from Site Resources --> Workshops & Hand Outs --> What is Literary Analysis and When to Teach It) - SWB's audio lecture on literary analysis (for a fee) - SWB's The Well-Educated Mind (book; method she outlines in the first few chapters) - TWEM (past thread -- see Nan in Mass' methods in post #1) - Christian Reading Companion to 50 Classics (James Stobaugh) - Specific literary analysis questions (free; webpage)- Socratic Questions for Kids (free; webpage) How to Read Literature Like a Professor (or the version "For Kids" if not ready for mature themes) explains a lot of common symbols used in literature - How do you come up with questions to prompt discussion/analysis? -- past thread - How do you encourage independent thinking and discussion? -- past thread - Discussions in your homeschool -- how to do it? -- past thread - Doing Literature with my 9th grader -- past thread Lit. Programs - Lightning Literature (gr. 9-12) -- 1 semester programs - SMARR (gr. 9-12) -- individual guides, and 1-year programs - Excellence in Literature (Christian, but can be used secularly; gr. 8-12; five 1-year programs) - Bob Jones (gr. 9-12) (Christian; uses excerpts) - Windows to the World (Christian; gr. 8-12; 1 semester program; can add Jill Pike syllabus for 1-year program) - James Stobaugh Literature series -- more worldview than straight-up literary analysis UNIT study - Where the River Meets the Brook (gr. 8-12) = 1 year study based on Anne of Green Gables books - Literary Lessons from the Lord of the Rings (gr. 7-10) = secular; 1 year program based on Lord of the Rings trilogy - Movies as Literature (gr. 8-12) = 1 year program learning film elements/analysis to see themes as stepping stone to literary analysis "Whole language arts" (grammar, spelling, writing, lit)- Total Language Plus (K-12) (Christian)- Learning Language Arts Through Literature (K-12) (Christian) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaMere Academy Posted November 24, 2014 Author Share Posted November 24, 2014 Thank you for the ideas, I just ordered Reading Strands for a start. I haven't taught my dd really anything about lit. analysis so I'm looking for a good beginner guide. I actually have Teaching the Classics I think, I'll go find it on my shelves. Thanks again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasmama Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 I like Figuratively Speaking, as well. It is a simple, clear synapsis of the high points of literary terms including examples and simple exercises. It is meant for grades 5-8, I think, but it would be just fine for a high school student as an introduction or even for an adult who wanted to self-educate. I like it a lot and have used it with a literary analysis class in a co op setting. We covered one term a week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 Thank you for the ideas, I just ordered Reading Strands for a start. I haven't taught my dd really anything about lit. analysis so I'm looking for a good beginner guide. I actually have Teaching the Classics I think, I'll go find it on my shelves. Thanks again! Yes, I linked a ton of things because I wasn't quite sure what you were looking for. Hope I didn't overwhelm! ;) I like Figuratively Speaking, as well. It is a simple, clear synapsis of the high points of literary terms including examples and simple exercises. It is meant for grades 5-8, I think, but it would be just fine for a high school student as an introduction or even for an adult who wanted to self-educate. Totally agree with Texasmama that Figuratively Speaking is a great resource to go through for learning about the literary elements as a starting point for what to look for as you read the classics, and how it is working. There are 40 literary elements covered; we did 1-2 a week, doing it aloud together; took 10-15 minutes a sitting, and then we would practice looking for those elements we'd covered in whatever literature we were reading. We didn't use very many Literature programs (mostly DIY here, doing it ala WTM/WEM), but I'd also really like to recommend Windows to the World as a very specific helpful program to get you rolling with literary analysis. It's a 1-semester program that focuses on 6 short stories, though you could easily spread it out over 1 year, interspersing the units with longer works of literature. WttW teaches annotation, how to write a literary analysis essay using your annotations as specific supporting examples, and then covers 8-10 key literary elements and shows how to look for them and what they are doing in the work. There are several guided exercises, and there are some longer suggested writing assignments. I see from your signature that you have 2 students, ages 14 and 15 -- you are in the ideal position of being able to do a lot of your Literature all together, esp. if just starting out with the literary analysis. Makes for great discussion to have 3 of you or more! :) In the pre-high school level, I think "any book" study guides are fine. The students are still learning how to discover the main components of a novel and do a basic analysis. However, at some point, you really want to use book-specific materials, that analyze the characters and themes at a deeper level than a generic guide can, put the work and the author in their literary and historical contexts, and survey different interpretations of the book. I also agree with JanetC here -- while we did a lot of our Literature as DIY, having individual guides for the works really helped us, especially in our first 2 years or so of starting to do literary analysis, with the background info, ideas of things to look for specifically, and ideas for "springboarding" into discussion. We never really used the individual guides completely and as-written (just skimmed for the helpful "tidbits"), and over time, with practice, we found we were hardly using them at all. But just wanted to recommend them as a great starting-out resource. :) Best of luck in your beginning literary analysis adventures! Warmest regards, Lori D. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaMere Academy Posted November 25, 2014 Author Share Posted November 25, 2014 Yes, I linked a ton of things because I wasn't quite sure what you were looking for. Hope I didn't overwhelm! ;) Best of luck in your beginning literary analysis adventures! Warmest regards, Lori D. Not at all, thank you so much for taking the time, it is a great list! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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