Literature Lessons from LOTR

[MamaChicken]

For those who have used it, had your child read the books before doing the curriculum and then reread them, or were they reading the first time as scheduled by the curriculum?  My son loves LOTR, and parts of the LL look like he'd enjoy them, I'm not sure if he wants to start back at the beginning of the books.

I'd love to hear how this curriculum worked at your house.

 

[Lori D.]

For those who have used it, had your child read the books before doing the curriculum and then reread them, or were they reading the first time as scheduled by the curriculum? My son loves LOTR, and parts of the LL look like he'd enjoy them, I'm not sure if he wants to start back at the beginning of the books.

 

Our family had read aloud the entire trilogy of The Lord of the Rings twice before doing LLftLotR. We read the entire trilogy together again when doing LLftLotR. It was not a hardship or boring for us, but that is because The Lord of the Rings is one of of our all-time favorites. ;)

 

 

I'd love to hear how this curriculum worked at your house.

 

LLFtLotR is designed to be done solo by the student, but we thoroughly enjoyed doing it aloud together (myself and 2 DSs). However, I do know many students on these boards very much enjoyed doing the program solo. I also have seen posts in which families say the program NOT be a good fit for a student -- usually because the student already had done some formal Literature studies previously and LLftLotR was way too light for them. I think it would also be a "fail" if the student did not care for or connect with the books of The Lord of the Rings.

 

LLftLotR schedules 2 chapters per week, which took us about 1 to 1.5 hours of reading aloud per week. At that scheduled rate, you finish right at the end of a 36-week school year. You might try using an audiobook version that is the full story (NOT an abridged version), as that can make the reading feel less daunting.

 

Don't know how old your student is, or if he has done any previous formal Literature study or literary analysis, but I'd say LLftLotR is great for a gentle, beginning exposure to format Literature and literary analysis. So, grades 7-9 are ideal, with grade 6 a possibility for a strong reader and thinker, and grade 10+ a possibility for a student who has done little to no formal Literature study before 

 

LLftLotR was a high-water mark and an especially-enjoyed program in our years of homeschooling. However, as with just about any program we use, we freely adapted it. We skipped the "busy-work" fill-in-the-blank comprehension questions and vocabulary pages. After reading the chapters in the book, we read the chapter notes for those chapters and used the discussion questions at the end of the chapter notes to then springboard in to our deeper discussion. We also took 1 to 3 weeks to spread out and do one of the 12 additional units, which, in addition to the chapter notes, are the real "meat" of the program. We skipped virtually all of the suggested writing assignments (between the chapter notes and the units, you get about 1 suggested writing assignment about every 2 weeks). We used a separate writing program, as LLftLotR has NO writing instruction, and no grading rubrics -- just the suggested writing assignment ideas.

 

If your student did the entire program as written, and did it solo, it would likely look something like this, with 1 hour/day, 5 days/week:

Mon. = read the 2 chapters in the book

Tues. = for 1st chapter: do fill-in-blank comprehension and vocab. pages; read chapter notes; answer discussion questions

Wed. = for 2nd chapter: do fill-in-blank comprehension and vocab. pages; read chapter notes; answer discussion questions

Thurs. = use time as needed to do one of the 12 units, and/or work on a writing assignment

Fri. = use time as needed to continue to do one of the 12 units, and/or work on a writing assignment

 

HOWEVER… I see from your signature that you have 2 students, ages 12 and 10 -- that's a PERFECT age to do LLftLotR aloud together, if both students like The Lord of the Rings! MUCH more fun to share discussion, and you can easily adapt -- skip the fill-in-the-blank comprehension questions and vocabulary -- or do those pages aloud like a quiz show (even take turns being the "host" reading the question and even you take a turn being a "contestant" to answer). Enjoy the chapter notes and discussion together -- you get a lot more mileage out of discussion when there are 3 of you, rather than just 2 (parent and child). And you'll all enjoy the 12 units together. Several families on these boards have done the program with students as young as 10yo by either adapting, doing it aloud, or even by spreading it out over 1.5 to 2 years (interspersing other books along the way).

 

Below are some past reviews and thoughts on LLftLotR -- NOTE: most comments in the threads are about HIGH SCHOOL ages using the program. BEST of luck, whatever you decide! Warmest regards, Lori D.

 

Literary Lessons from the Lord of the Rings (a thread from 2014)

Looking for a literature program for high school (specifically links Sue in St Pete's review of LLftLotR)

Literary Lessons from the Lord of the Rings (a different thread from 2008)

Literary Lessons from the Lord of the Rings (a different thread, from 2010)

Lit Lessons from LotR -- have you used this?

LLftLotR: Not getting it (when/why it's not a good fit)

LLftLotR co-op? (posts #4 and 5 info detail some weak areas of the program)

Question: LLftLotR and WttW (suggests other things you can use with LLftLotR)

 

Edited July 15, 2016 by Lori D.

[MamaChicken]

Lori D, thank you for your detailed reply.  We haven't done much in the way of formal lit.  We've listened to the whole audiobook series (loved the reader) as a family and now DS12 is rereading on his own and loves it!  DS10 doesn't love it as much, but we could start out trying it all together.  I like that idea.  I didn't want to admit it, but DS12 loathes comprehension/vocab questions, but is very good at it, so I intend to skip that.  Although the game idea is great, we've often handled history vocabulary and memorization that way.

I really liked the sample discussion and unit studies and would want to focus on that, so its good to hear that you found it valuable without the more workbooky sections.

[MamaChicken]

And those links are terrific!  I think we'll do this, and incorporate a bunch of the stuff from the other threads.  As an excellent reader, but much more a science/math kid than a language arts kid, I think this could be just what he needs (fingers crossed).

[Momto6inIN]

My DS will be in 9th and doing LLftLotR next year. He has read all the books and listened to the audio books multiple times (and watched the movies and written sequels in Tolkien-esque style and created Lego animation Hobbit movies and ... he may or may not be slightly obsessed) :lol:

 

I too am modifying it heavily. Not using the vocabulary work at all and all comprehension questions will be oral discussion, not written. He will do the reviews and tests, but our focus literature-wise will be the unit studies. My real aim for him in English this year is actually to shore up his academic writing, and LLftLotR is just a vehicle for us to give him something literary that he's "into" and that's challenging for him to write about. So here's our schedule:

 

Monday - Read about 3 chapters (this will be mostly a skim/review for him since he's read them so many times)

Tuesday - Discussion of comprehension and challenge questions

Wednesday & Thursday - IEW-style writing assignments based on either the text or the commentary or the unit studies, whichever we're on at the time

 

 

[Lori D.]

And just in case either of your families really are enjoying Lord of the Rings and LLftLotR, and want some really fun extensions to your study on the trilogy and on Tolkien, there are LOADS of fascinating links in MANY of the different posts in this past thread: "Any serious Tolkien fans? A question…"

[MamaChicken]

I totally agree with this.  LOTR is just about the only fiction that DS12 likes.  I've tried so many other things.  He'd rather just read science or engineering books.  If I'm going to get anywhere with literature, I figure I better start here :)

 

My DS will be in 9th and doing LLftLotR next year. He has read all the books and listened to the audio books multiple times (and watched the movies and written sequels in Tolkien-esque style and created Lego animation Hobbit movies and ... he may or may not be slightly obsessed) :lol:

 

I too am modifying it heavily. Not using the vocabulary work at all and all comprehension questions will be oral discussion, not written. He will do the reviews and tests, but our focus literature-wise will be the unit studies. My real aim for him in English this year is actually to shore up his academic writing, and LLftLotR is just a vehicle for us to give him something literary that he's "into" and that's challenging for him to write about. So here's our schedule:

 

Monday - Read about 3 chapters (this will be mostly a skim/review for him since he's read them so many times)

Tuesday - Discussion of comprehension and challenge questions

Wednesday & Thursday - IEW-style writing assignments based on either the text or the commentary or the unit studies, whichever we're on at the time

 

[BlsdMama]

For those who have used it, had your child read the books before doing the curriculum and then reread them, or were they reading the first time as scheduled by the curriculum?  My son loves LOTR, and parts of the LL look like he'd enjoy them, I'm not sure if he wants to start back at the beginning of the books.

I'd love to hear how this curriculum worked at your house.

 

 

DS had read the books several times before he did LLotR.  The curriculum helped him understand (and love) the books even more. ;)

[JadeOrchidSong]

My DS will be in 9th and doing LLftLotR next year. He has read all the books and listened to the audio books multiple times (and watched the movies and written sequels in Tolkien-esque style and created Lego animation Hobbit movies and ... he may or may not be slightly obsessed) :lol:

 

I too am modifying it heavily. Not using the vocabulary work at all and all comprehension questions will be oral discussion, not written. He will do the reviews and tests, but our focus literature-wise will be the unit studies. My real aim for him in English this year is actually to shore up his academic writing, and LLftLotR is just a vehicle for us to give him something literary that he's "into" and that's challenging for him to write about. So here's our schedule:

 

Monday - Read about 3 chapters (this will be mostly a skim/review for him since he's read them so many times)

Tuesday - Discussion of comprehension and challenge questions

Wednesday & Thursday - IEW-style writing assignments based on either the text or the commentary or the unit studies, whichever we're on at the time

Would you mind sharing your IEW-style writing assignments? I would like ds to do LLlftLotR since I already own it. We also will skip vocab and orally discuss the comprehension questions. I'd like ds to do writing with it, too; but I don't know how to come up with writing assignments.

[Momto6inIN]

Would you mind sharing your IEW-style writing assignments? I would like ds to do LLlftLotR since I already own it. We also will skip vocab and orally discuss the comprehension questions. I'd like ds to do writing with it, too; but I don't know how to come up with writing assignments.

 

Sure!

This is what I have so far. Assignments for IEW units 1-6 are pretty well set. I'm still watching the IEW-TWSS dvds for units 7-9, so those assignments might change based on what I learn from watching those.

Unit 1 - write key word outlines using a paragraphs from both the novel itself and the student guide commentary and orally retell

source texts: novel pg. 1 starting "Hobbits are" and guide pg. 17 "This Kentucky teacher"

1-2 days

 

Unit 2 - write key word outlines from 3 paragraphs in the guide, orally retell, then write into 3 paragraphs of his own

source texts: guide pg. 36 last 3 paragraphs

2 days

 

Unit 3 - use the story sequence chart to write an outline of an excerpt from the novel - first just summarize/retell the excerpt, then do it again changing the characters and setting, then do it again telling the imagined sequel

source texts: novel pg. 141 "He heard" through "snarling noise"

4 days

 

Unit 4 - write key word outlines summarizing different sections in the guide and write paragraphs using the topic/clincher rule using increasingly longer source texts

source texts: guide pg. 77 question #3 pick a word and find an entry online, guide pg. 71-72 "Love of Language", guide pg. 63-68 pick 3 topics from Tolkien's life and do 3 paragraphs

6 days

 

Unit 5 - write key word outlines asking yourself questions about a picture and what happened before and after and writing paragraphs

source pictures: free printable online pictures of Aragorn and Luke Skywalker for modern day epic heroes using question #4 on pg. 153 of the guide to generate questions, picture of ancient epic hero on pg. 148 of the guide using question #5 on pg. 153 of the guide to generate questions

6 days

 

Unit 6 - generate topics available from each source and choose one, then write key word outlines from each source about that topic, then combine into fused outline and write paragraphs - if have time afterwards can choose another topic from the same sources

source texts: guide pg. 210-214 and 234-236, cliffs notes "about Beowulf" webpage, spark notes "Beowulf context" webpage, www.wwnorton.com/college/english/nael/middleages/topic_4/welcome.htm

6 days

 

Unit 7 - inventive writing using question #1 from pg. 290 in the guide describing your favorite childhood fairy tale or fantasy story, then re-write your favorite fairy tale imitating Tolkien's style

6 days

 

Unit 8 - essays using question #4 on pg. 281 in the guide about why Arthurian stories have inspired so many films and question #3 on pg. 457 of the guide about light and dark imagery in Scripture and the LotR

12 days

 

Unit 9 - formal critique from pg. 450 of the guide comparing/contrasting the book and the movie and which you liked better

6 days