chiguirre Posted October 20, 2015 Share Posted October 20, 2015 I like Smarr because they have a nice balance of recall questions along with some vocabulary and writing prompts. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted October 20, 2015 Share Posted October 20, 2015 Very helpful, Chiguirre -- like how you listed what about the guide makes it your favorite, because what makes a guide "best" is different for every family. :) Below are our favorites and why -- what specific features each "specializes" in. These are secular, except where noted. Enjoy your Lit. studies, everyone! :) not free: - Garlic Press: Discovering Literature Challenger series (background info on author/times; meaty discussion ??; writing assign. ideas; info on literary elements/lit. topics) - Portals to Literature (written for classroom use, so requires adapting a good bit) (background info; exercises; writing assign.; recall and discussion ??; bites of info for teaching on lit. topics) - Parallel Shakespeare student workbooks / teacher guides (TG: background info; analysis; recall and discussion ??; workbook: meaty work with a variety of topics) - Brightest Heaven of Invention: Christian Guide to Six Shakespeare Plays (Christian; background info; meaty analysis; discussion ??) free: - Glencoe Literature Library (background info on author/times; recall and discussion ??; short vocab. list; useful graphic organizers) - Penguin Teacher's Guides (background info; pre- and post- reading activities; recall and discussion ??; summary of major themes) - Pink Monkey / Sparknotes / Cliff's Notes (background info; summary of major themes; chapter summaries & analysis) - Wikipedia articles on authors, literary movements, literature genres, etc. (background info) not free; depends on the individual guide, as some are weak and some are good: - The Great Books (Christian; background info; guided discussion in Christian worldview rather than a lit. guide) - Progeny Press (Christian; background info; vocab.; recall ??; discussion ?? comparing with Bible verses; writing assign.) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MerryAtHope Posted October 20, 2015 Share Posted October 20, 2015 I have used the free Glencoe guides off and on, and so far they are my favorite. I like to just use selections from them--author info, various info on book, and maybe pull from some of their questions for a short written response (page or so). We don't do a guide for every book we read, just select ones. Last year I used LLATL Gold British Lit--and it wasn't quite the experience I was hoping for, so I'm back with the Glencoe guides this year! Sometimes you can also find free guides other places by googling (we just read Screwtape letters, and there are some awesome guides out there--there was even one that had a daily scripture verse to go with most of the letters, and some great questions.) I've used Sparknotes or directed my kids there when I thought it might fill in more information for them (I found that helpful with Gulliver's Travels and The Scarlet Letter, for example.) I find that helpful when the language is more difficult. I haven't looked at the Penguin guides, so that's a new one for me to check out. I have a friend who liked the Progeny Press guides, but the sheer length would drive me kind of batty! Teaching the Classics is a nice resource, but isn't a specific guide to one specific book. The perfect guide for me would be one that encourages me to "chew" on something from the book for another couple of days, increases it's enjoyment, but doesn't pick it apart to death or try to make every last thing symbolic (whether the author meant it to be or not--I find some discussion of symbolism fun and intriguing, but it's easy to over-do too). Lead me to something unique or meaty. Ask a really good question. When I look through guides, they often seem to be full of questions but few are truly intriguing. I really want just a few intriguing ones! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted October 21, 2015 Share Posted October 21, 2015 I have used the free Glencoe guides off and on, and so far they are my favorite. I like to just use selections from them… Progeny Press guides, but the sheer length would drive me kind of batty! … The perfect guide for me would be one that encourages me to "chew" on something from the book for another couple of days, increases it's enjoyment, but doesn't pick it apart to death… it's easy to over-do too). Lead me to something unique or meaty… I really want just a few intriguing ones! Yes, same here. We were careful to not "kill the love" of the Lit., too. :) I would flip through 2-3 different guides for the same work, pull a few very brief but meaningful excerpts from the guides here and there for a few questions to "springboard" us into discussion, or give us background info, or the occasional writing prompt, but we never came anywhere near doing most or all of any guide. And the further into high school we got, the less we needed the guides… :) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 21, 2015 Share Posted October 21, 2015 (edited) .... Edited June 22, 2016 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin in DFW Posted October 21, 2015 Share Posted October 21, 2015 7 Sisters Homeschool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheAutumnOak Posted October 21, 2015 Share Posted October 21, 2015 We use the Memoria Press guides...I am reading this thread with interest because I don't have experience with other guides and wonder how they compare...Most of the high school guides are not ready yet, so I may have to choose a different guide if we progress faster than they do 😉 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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