Writing, Literature and Middle Grade Ramblings

[MamaSprout]

So, it looks like I'm going back to grad school for some additional credentialing next year- 18 months. I also work evenings.

 

I don't see any problem with keeping dd moving forward in most subjects fairly independently if I have a plan. Please give me feedback on some of the programs below to see if they might fit our needs.

 

She'll be a sixth grader-ish, but reads at a high school level and does well with reading comprehension and basic literary analysis. She's a proficient writer, but not writing full essays yet.

 

I like things that are laid out weekly- like CAP's stuff. I need something kind of "open and go" for literature/ language arts. The transition to a high school program is kind of awkward if you want to use full texts and not get into adult topics. We don't like a lot religious instruction in our curriculum.

 

I know what I want to do the year after next- I just need to get her there (feedback welcome): Excellence in Literature, but I think we need another year for it to truly independent for her.

 

What I know we're doing:

 

Writing & Rhetoric 4 & 5. She'll be writing essays by the middle of the year. As an interesting aside, we inadvertently lined up CAP W&R with our history. We started Book 1 in the spring of 4th grade, and Books 2 and 3 are mostly ancient myths and stories. Book 4 appears to cover material from the Middle Ages.

 

Drawing Sentences and maybe Language Mechanic (and CAP's Latin Alive and Memoria Press First Start French 2, so I think we're covered for Writing, Grammar and Mechanics instruction). We'll have a few lessons in Figuratively Speaking left at the beginning of the year.

 

I'm interested in 8's Treasured Conversations but I'm not really sure what level it's best suited for. It looks fairly independent.

 

What I'm considering:

Lightning Lit 8 (we'll spin through 7 this spring probably). It's already driving me slightly crazy- four chapters a week for Tom Sawyer? I'm not sure about To Kill a Mockingbird  for a younger student, and we'll probably finish it in a 1/2 a year. I do like the selections in the Bloom book, though.

 

Kolbe's Junior High Literature: I can't really see samples of the student workbook. How deep are the "comprehension questions". I'm sort of allergic to the checking-your-reading shallow kind.

 

Memoria Press Grade Seven: (As You Like It, Wind in the Willows, Treasure Island, Tom Sawyer, and Poetry & Short Stories Anthology). I think their discussion runs a little shallow sometimes, but since this is out-of-level it might work. Since none of the books are particularly religious, I think it would okay for us. (I have the Lion, Witch and Wardrobe set from 4th grade and thought the allegory was a little heavy-handed). 

 

Writing my own. If I started now, I would be able to put together a check-the-box program for next year, but the idea makes me tired. :o)

 

Is there something out there I've missed?

 

Thanks!

 

 

 

[8filltheheart]

TC is way below her level. It is geared toward 3rd/4th graders.

 

Have you looked at Oak Meadow? Of all the pre-planned programs I have ever purchased, OM has had the most higher level critical thinking assignments. Kolbe, unfortunately, is very much comprehension/regurgitation oriented. I am not overly familiar with OM materials, but ds used 2 courses in 9th grade and I thought they were far better than any other pre-planned options we had ever used.

[Loesje22000]

We used LL7 and now LL8.

Dd reads the whole book first, and then make the assignments I give.

most often she reads the books in free time and does the assingments during classtime.

 

It seemed a little bit odd to me if a child WANTS to read to say: sorry you have read enough this week, you have to wait until next monday...

Of course is patience a good attitude, but we don't practice that during reading books.

[MamaSprout]

TC is way below her level. It is geared toward 3rd/4th graders.

 

Have you looked at Oak Meadow? Of all the pre-planned programs I have ever purchased, OM has had the most higher level critical thinking assignments. Kolbe, unfortunately, is very much comprehension/regurgitation oriented. I am not overly familiar with OM materials, but ds used 2 courses in 9th grade and I thought they were far better than any other pre-planned options we had ever used.

 

I had purchased the 5th grade at one point and resold it. I just took a look at the 8th and 9th grade English, and they look good, although she's read quite a few of the 8th grade books already. The 9th grade one looks as if it could meet her at her level, even through I wouldn't consider her a high school writer yet.

 

Thanks!

[MamaSprout]

Has anyone used this book from Prufrock? There sample doesn't really show any of the pages, just the intro (which always annoys me). Amazon's sample isn't much better.

 

http://www.prufrock.com/Differentiating-Instruction-With-Menus-Language-Arts-Grades-6-8-P371.aspx

 

Thanks!