J&JMom Posted July 17, 2016 Share Posted July 17, 2016 (edited) As part of our language arts program, I do one on one novels studies with each of my boys. Historically, twice a week during the 8 week quarter, I either assign or read aloud a chapter or two of the text and complete/discuss the accompanying Memoria Press study guide questions. This has worked with my advanced reading older son who completed the older titles in the MP sixth grade program (now considered 7th grade) and seventh. I am looking elsewhere for his 8th-grade titles as I believe the MP 9th grade titles too advanced/dry for him ATM. I have selected 3 books for this year using whatever I can scramble from the net: The Pearl, The Outsiders, and Call of the Wild. I'll select another title later. But, what is really confounding me is titles for my younger son who is barely at grade level. The MP 6th grade titles are well above him as they are 8th-grade reading level, though Robin Hood and King Arthur would interest him. The suggested titles of Heidi and Lassie from MP 5th grade will probably bore my boy who doesn't like dogs, and we already read/worked Lion, Witch, Wardrobe guide his 5th-grade year. I have no idea what to read with him. Should I simply read aloud the Robin & Arthur books and discuss without the guide, or select different books (which?). We have already read extensively in our 3 short years of homeschooling so many of the standard titles he has already read or planned as a group read aloud. We are doing a discussion based novel study with Tuck Everlasting over the summer, but this is a repeat as we read that one aloud 3 years ago, but he doesn't remember it. We start in 3 weeks. Go. lol. Edited July 17, 2016 by J&JMom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ikslo Posted July 17, 2016 Share Posted July 17, 2016 What about Shakepeare graphic novels? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted July 17, 2016 Share Posted July 17, 2016 (edited) There is nothing set in stone that says you "must" start doing more formal literature studies in 6th grade… or 7th grade… or even 8th grade. ;) For a reader who is just now starting to become comfortable with reading, regardless of age/grade, perhaps spend the year just letting the student get solid with reading by doing some solo reading and some together reading ("popcorn" style -- "you read a page, I read a page") of great books at a grade 4, grade 5, and grade 6 level. Save a more more formal Lit. study and introducing literary elements for when this individual student is ready in his own unique timetable of development -- and let older sibling soar at his own advanced level. No reason to have to repeat what you did with younger student just because it worked for older student, esp. when younger student's interests and abilities are so very different. ;) One other thought -- actually, having read extensively can be a real help when it comes time to ease in to literature studies, as the student has familiarity with the story, and so does not need to spend all their energy in getting the plot and characters figured out, so the repeat reading allows you to go deeper. Like you are doing with Tuck Everlasting. So you might go ahead and repeat some books for your younger son, if you'll be studying them now more formally. Just a thought! Below are some ideas for you; hope something helps! And BEST of luck in your new year of Reading great books and Literature studies! Warmest regards, Lori D. good books at a grade 5-6 reading level: The Toothpaste Millionaire (Merrill) From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler (Konigsburg) The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (Robinson) The Wolves of Willoughby Chase (Aiken) The Phantom Tollbooth (Juster) Knight's Castle (Eager) The Secret of Platform 13 (Ibbotson) Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (Fleming) The Great Turkey Walk (Karr) By the Great Horn Spoon (Fleischman) Holes (Sachar) The Twenty-One Balloons (DuBois) The Golden Goblet (McGraw) Detectives in Togas (Winterfeld) Adam of the Road (Gray) -- Medieval England The Kite Fighters (Park) The Big Wave (Buck) The Master Puppeteer (Paterson) The Sign of the Beaver (Speare) Case of the Baker Street Irregular (Newman) The Great Wheel (Lawson) Land I Lost; Water Buffalo Days (Nhuong) Behind Rebel Lines (Reit) Heart of a Samuri (Preus) The Black Stallion (Farley) Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH (O'Brien) Ben and Me (Lawson) Mr. Revere and I (Lawson) The Green Book (Walsh) Enchantress from the Stars (Engdahl) ____________________ Or, if you want book ideas and guides for either DS: roughly 6th grade range: Redwall -- Garlic Press Discovering Lit. guide; Progeny Press guide My Side of the Mountain -- Garlic Press Discovering Lit. guide Tuck Everlasting -- Glencoe Lit. Library guide The Horse and His Boy -- Progeny Press guide Sounder -- Glencoe Lit. Library guide The Cay -- Progeny Press guide The Westing Game -- Blackbird & Co. guide The Witch of Blackbird Pond -- Blackbird & Co. guide; Glencoe Lit. Library guide; Progeny Press guide Johnny Tremain -- Glencoe Lit. Library guide; Progeny Press guide A Wrinkle in Time -- Blackbird & Co. guide; Glencoe Lit. Library guide; Progeny Press guide Where the Red Fern Grows -- Garlic Press Discovering Lit. guide; Progeny Press guide roughly 7th-8th grade range: The Hobbit -- Garlic Press Discovering Lit. guide Eagle of the Ninth -- Progeny Press guide The Bronze Bow -- Progeny Press guide The King's Fifth -- Mr. Ward's Novel Study; Amos Fortune, Free Man -- Progeny Press guide Island of the Blue Dolphins -- Glencoe Lit. Library guide; Garlic Press Discovering Lit. guide; Progeny Press guide Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry -- Garlic Press Discovering Lit. guide Maniac Magee -- Progeny Press guide The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle -- Glencoe Lit. Library guide Bridge to Terebithia -- Glencoe Lit. Library guide; Progeny Press guide The Adventures of Tom Sawyer -- Glencoe Lit. Library guide; Portals to Lit. guide; Progeny Press guide Call of the Wild -- Glencoe Lit. Library guide, Portals to Lit. guide The Outsiders -- Garlic Press Discovering Lit. guide roughly 8th-9th grade range: The Giver -- Garlic Press Discovering Lit. guide; Portals to Lit. guide; Progeny Press guide Across Five Aprils -- Glencoe Lit. Library guide; Blackbird & Co. guide; Progeny Press guide I Am David -- Blackbird & Co. guide Julie of the Wolves -- Glencoe Lit. Library guide Walk Two Moons -- Glencoe Lit. Library guide Treasure Island -- Blackbird & Co. guide Animal Farm -- Glencoe Lit. Library guide; Portals to Lit. guide The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde -- Glencoe Lit. Library guide To Kill a Mockingbird -- Glencoe Lit. Library guide; Garlic Press Discovering Lit. guide A Christmas Carol -- Portals to Lit. guide The Time Machine -- Portals to Lit. guide ___________________ And as a quick aside, for your older student, you might look at Lightning Literature 8 (works are classics, but not as advanced as MP, and esp. the second half of the LL8 student work pages move into some solid beginning literary analysis). LL8 can be done largely solo by the student; while we did not care too much for the first two short stories, we unexpectedly really enjoyed the 2 novels that we were previously unfamiliar with, as well as the rest of the Lit. selections. LL7 = 8 units 2 short stories: Rikki Tikki Tavi (Kipling); Bride Comes to Yellow Sky (Crane) 2 poetry units: 6-8 poems in each unit 4 novels: Tom Sawyer; Alice's Adventures in Wonderland; The Story of My Life; All Creatures Great and Small see: contents; sample of student guide; sample of student work pages LL8 = 12 units 3 short stories: A Crazy Tale; Wakefield; Reflections 3 poetry units: 6-8 poems in each unit 6 novels = Treasure Island; A Day of Pleasure; The Hobbit; A Christmas Carol; My Family and Other Animals; To Kill a Mockingbird see: contents; sample of student guide; sample of student work pages Edited July 17, 2016 by Lori D. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J&JMom Posted July 18, 2016 Author Share Posted July 18, 2016 (edited) Lori, Thanks for the lists and the links! I will look at several of the titles and the guides that we haven't read yet. Good point that what worked for older might not work for the younger. I have been doing simple novel studies with my youngest once he was a fluent reader, but not MP until just his past year as his reading level caught up. Before it was quick 2-4 week chapter books using guides I got off 'Teachers pay Teachers" . And because it is fun to "check" off those we have read: good books at a grade 5-6 reading level: The Toothpaste Millionaire (Merrill) From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler (Konigsburg) - Group Read Aloud 2 years ago The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (Robinson) - Group Read Aloud 2 years ago The Wolves of Willoughby Chase (Aiken) The Phantom Tollbooth (Juster) - Group Read Aloud 2 years ago Knight's Castle (Eager) The Secret of Platform 13 (Ibbotson) Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (Fleming) The Great Turkey Walk (Karr) By the Great Horn Spoon (Fleischman) Holes (Sachar) - Group Read Aloud this past year The Twenty-One Balloons (DuBois) The Golden Goblet (McGraw) - Group Read Aloud planned for this year Detectives in Togas (Winterfeld) Adam of the Road (Gray) -- Medieval England The Kite Fighters (Park) The Big Wave (Buck) The Master Puppeteer (Paterson) The Sign of the Beaver (Speare) - Group Read Aloud 3 years ago Case of the Baker Street Irregular (Newman) The Great Wheel (Lawson) Land I Lost; Water Buffalo Days (Nhuong) Behind Rebel Lines (Reit) Heart of a Samuri (Preus) The Black Stallion (Farley) Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH (O'Brien) Ben and Me (Lawson) - Group Read Aloud 3 years ago Mr. Revere and I (Lawson) The Green Book (Walsh) Enchantress from the Stars (Engdahl) roughly 6th grade range: Redwall -- My Side of the Mountain -- Tuck Everlasting -- 6th Novel Study this summer (reading aloud together and discussing youngest) AND Group Read Aloud 3 years ago The Horse and His Boy -- Sounder --Group Read Aloud 2 years ago The Westing Game -- Group Read Aloud 2 years ago The Witch of Blackbird Pond -- Group Read Aloud this past year Johnny Tremain -- Group Read Aloud 3 years ago A Wrinkle in Time -- Group Read Aloud past year Where the Red Fern Grows -- Group Read Aloud this year list roughly 7th-8th grade range: The Hobbit -- 7th grade novel study (Oldest) Eagle of the Ninth -- The Bronze Bow -- 6h grade novel study (oldest) The King's Fifth -- Island of the Blue Dolphins -- Group Read Aloud this past year Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry -- Group Read Aloud this year's list Maniac Magee -- Group Read Aloud last year The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle -- Bridge to Terebithia -- The Adventures of Tom Sawyer --7th grade novel study (oldest) Call of the Wild -- 8th Grade novel study planned The Outsiders --8th grade novel study planned roughly 8th-9th grade range: The Giver -- 6th Grade novel Study (oldest) Across Five Aprils -- I Am David -- Julie of the Wolves -- Walk Two Moons -- Group Read Aloud this year's list Treasure Island -- 7th Grade novel study (oldest) Animal Farm -- The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde -- To Kill a Mockingbird -- 8th Grade Novel Study - potentially A Christmas Carol -- Group Read Aloud this past year The Time Machine -- ---- Edited July 18, 2016 by J&JMom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J&JMom Posted July 18, 2016 Author Share Posted July 18, 2016 OT from my own post :) But I saw on a facebook group I am a member of the CurrClick is having a 'name your own price' sale. I have never been on the site before and note there are a ton of novel studies there. This look to be the same type of thing I got on TpT so I will stock on a few. Hope this helps someone else. BTw sale is July 18-22. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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