Need literature analysis and composition ideas for 12 and 14yo

[jamnkats]

They both just had birthdays if that makes a difference. They have always been radically unschooled and have never done any formal academics at all. We have always had a very rich print life and I read to all 4 kids daily. At least an hour to each set.

 

This year we're starting on formal academics for the boys (older 2; 12 and 14) and I'm looking for something other than my "mom" questions and analysis. Whenever I read books to the kids we go over vocabulary, plot points (foreshadowing? metaphor? what do you think will happen next? why do you think he said that? what do you think could have been done differently? etc.), and some applications to real life (what would you have done, why do you think he thinks that, how would you feel, etc.). But I'm guessing there is much better analysis out there and I'm not really sure what I'm wanting for the kids (mainly the boys, I think my questions are still good enough for the girls; 8 and 6).

 

I know of TTC but it is out of my price range. I've looked into LL7 and LL8. Almost all of our literature is direct from Sonlight or Gutenberg project. I need something that does a better job than I do of literature analysis and prompts interesting discussion. I know Lightening Literature is considered "light", but my boys have never had punctuation, grammar or writing instruction, so I'm thinking it might be a good introduction? I'm really interested in their World Lit I and II also - but I think it might be too advanced for the boys? I've tested the 14yo for vocabulary and he reads at a college freshman level; I think the 12yo is on level or above. I don't get the Sonlight IGs so we don't follow a schedule or do their LA stuff.

 

We have been doing Tuesday Tea Times (THEY ADORE IT) and Friday Freewrites and I have Writer's Jungle coming along with The Lively Art of Writing (I think that's the name). I won't force them to do any academics but I will lightly encourage them and encourage them to challenge themselves. Which is why we find ourselves in academia right now. :)

 

I'm not interested in doing any formal grammar right now and we may simply hit it with a foreign language (I'm doing OPOL hit and miss (One Parent one Language) and we'll be doing the Destinos Spanish series). Maybe next year once they have a year of academics under their belts.

 

I've tried to encourage the 14yo to start a journal but he really isn't interested and they regularly do more drawing than writing during Friday Freewrite. So I'm thinking that the people who are dissatistfied with LL7 and LL8 for composition are proving the point that it is probably just right for us. :)

 

So what do you think? Right now we're finishing up Sonlight Core 5 and will go to Core 6 when we finish. Would LL7 or LL8 be a good fit and if so, which one? Should I do the same LL with both boys (so far they are both doing Core 5 and both doing TT Math 7, both doing the same copywork, both reading some of the same books). The 12yo has better comprehension than the 14yo but the 14yo *gets* stuff better than the 12yo and very often will see my (adult) POV in my analysis when we talk about stuff we're reading. We generally go through 1 historical fiction and one non-fiction history book a week, and they read another book on their own each (their choosing from our "library").

 

This is what we're doing now:

 

(girls, 8 and 6) Land of Oz books I read daily + something from Core 1+2 and many other books they pick to read. Writing and drawing and crafts as they desire. Lots of play. Listen in on the boys' books I read to them.

 

(boys 12 and 14) TT Math 7 (they decide how much daily), copy work, non-fiction from Core 5 (or Gutenberg) and fiction from Core 5 (I read an hour or so daily), Friday Freewrite, they read as much as they want (about a book (the 14yo frequently will do a book a day) or two a week).

 

Materials coming and will be adding:

Artistic Pursuits once a week or more depending on what they want to do

TOPS weekly

Core 6 (will replace Core 5 they are already doing)

Writing Jungle (not sure if this will add anything to what they're already doing)

considering LL7 or LL8 (I personally would LOVE LLWorld Lit I and II)

considering Critical Thinking or put that off for next year

Destinos and daily Spanish immersion (we live in Mexico so the only addition will be the Destinos videos and maybe workbook stuff; still not sure if I'm going to do this)

 

So it doesn't look like adding LL will be too much for them (I know many are cringing at such a light workload but I want to start really slowly as they've never done formal study before) but do you think it is a good fit and if so, which level? I'm thinking of both LL7 and LL8...

[8filltheheart]

I'm in a hurry, so in all honesty I skimmed most of your post. ;) I just thought I would share my experience with my older kids. 14 seems like a great age to start doing more analytical writing. My kids normally start moving that way in mid-8th grade. My 12 yos are still working on developing solid writing skills and combining my very high expectations of writing with having to produce an analytical argument (which is a borderline rhetorical age skill) would push them over the top.

 

I start analytical skills orally. We explore, discuss, research, bounce off alternate view points, etc. But having to put that into an independent writing assignment takes multiple levels of skill.

 

A great introduction into analytical essays is LL from LOTRs. My 8th grader last yr wrote a lot of them.

 

HTH

[MIch elle]

LL&C 7 has no writing instruction only composition assignments. If you don't need explicit instruction on composition then it may work for you. It didn't for us. We use IEW writing (IEW Ancient History Based Writing this year) which works well for us.

 

LL&C 7 is light on lit. analysis. If you are looking for light lit. analysis with specific book comprehension questions this also may work well for you. We use CLE reading for detailed lit. analysis instruction.

 

LLATL Am & British are also good for specific lit. analysis and composition (for high school).

 

If you are looking for general lit. analysis to use for any book, here are some free resources:

 

http://hrsbstaff.ednet.ns.ca/mshaw/Revised_Analysis_Sheets%5B.pdf

http://www.pass.leon.k12.fl.us/Book%20Subject%20Areas/Language%20Arts.aspx - look at units 6 in LA 1,2,3

 

Reading Strands, Critiical Conditioning, Deconstructing Penguins, and How to Read Lit. Like a Prof. are excellent resources for lit. analysis.

[Michelle in AL]

Let me say it sounds like you're doing an excellent job of literary analysis yourself. I've used LL8 and I think you would be dissapointed. Your questions seem much more pertinent to the book, than LL8's basic comprehension ?'s. LL8 does do some analysis well, I just think you're doing that part fine at home. LL8 also won't cover any punctuation or grammar.

 

I haven't used the Lively art of writing, but that may be a good place to start.

 

Also, you could just have them write a response to one of the type questions you're already asking.

[Carol in Cal.]

Figuratively Speaking is simple and inexpensive--just teach that list, don't necessarily use all of the specific examples. Some of them aren't that good.

 

Then I would use the logic stage questions in WTM for literary discussions, and use their guidelines for literary papers. But I would add in some discussion of whether the child agrees with the author, or respects the characters--start the discussions that will be the basis for later opinion/thesis papers in the rhetoric stage.

 

WTM is awfully good, and it's easy to think that you know what it says and be missing things that didn't apply to your children when you first read it. I have had that experience this last year with me 11/12 year old, and am on a crusade to stop it from happening to anyone else.

[jamnkats]

Well, I've never read WTM, so I suppose it is time. :)

 

I think we'll stick with Writer's Jungle for writing, my own questions and WTM for discussion and see if Lively Art does anything for us.

 

Thanks everyone for their thoughts - all my materials arrived yesterday (you have no idea what it is like to order stuff in June but not get ANYTHING until someone brings it down to you) and I am in heaven going over everything.

 

The girls are ready for Ancients study but the boys are still on Core 5 so I'm scrambling for the girls now... EEEEK! I think I might just buy the SOTW activity guide and ask the seller to scan the pages for me. EEEEK!

 

:)