Reading curriculum for 4th using real books?

[mom2tbcnm]

does this curriculum exist or am I just dreaming? I am looking for a reading curric that:

-includes comprehension and basic elements of a story (that I don't have to make up the questions for)

-is not in reader form

-uses actual books

-includes a variety of genres

-is easy to teach (more of a workbookish type or projects based)

Is there anything like that? Right now, I am just having ds read books that I mostly pick out for him and do a notebook type page about each one or a book report.

Thanks for the input, Oh my ds is in 3rd grade and hates to read (except for Calvin and Hobbes:)

Katty

[Sue G in PA]

http://www.heartofdakota.com

 

It is a workbook format, has a level 2/3, 4/5 and 6-8, uses real books of your choice (or dc's choice), covers 9 different genres including Biography, Mystery, Historical Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Non-fiction, Adventure, etc. We are using level 4/5 right now and while my dc don't jump up and down to to it, they also don't hate it! Basically, you choose 1, 2 or 3 books to read for each genre. Each genre has 20 lessons. I like it. Another thing to consider is simply letting him read w/out worrying about doing workbook pages. If he hates reading (as my ds9 does), just choose books that will peak his interest and let him go. Talk about the books after in a very informal manner, but don't require anything else from him. I did that with ds9 all this year and he is finally realizing reading can actually be almost fun!

[mom2tbcnm]

Hmmm thanks for the recommendation. I like the examples from the website. Thanks also for " giving permission" for me to just have the kid read. Sometimes I get caught up in the Curriculum stuff and forget that it's ok to just learn :)

Have a great day,

Katty

[HollyDay]

I also agree - we have loved DITHOR for the past 3 years!

[Penny]

Would you please tell me how this works in your day? How do you choose the books, assign reading, etc?

 

I'm really looking for something that does most of the planning for me and gives me the answers too! It doesn't seem like DITHOR does this or am I wrong? How do you make it work? Does it require much planning?

 

Thank you,

 

Penny

[PeterPan]

Also look at the VP lit guides. They have the workbook format you're wanting, cover comprehension with 6-8 questions per chapter, and include enjoyable activities (games, simple crafts, recipes, etc.). Although you can do it any way you want, at the VP school they read the chapter of the day aloud together and then do the worksheet or activity. It's a bit more non-threatening way to get your dc reading. If he just HAPPENS to get so into the book that he wants to read ahead, you just let him, hehe. There are guides to cover a number of grades and levels of books, so you can pick the ones that work best for him, not just whatever says 4th grade. We've been working on the Narnia and Alice in Wonderland guides this year, and I like them a lot. It's also another way to sneak in writing (you answer in complete sentences), which is the real reason I do it, hehe. It's so easy to implement though and quite enjoyable. Sometimes you need something in your day that is easy but still profitable, kwim?

 

As far as the genres and things, the book reports books VP sells cover genres, literary elements, etc. If you do one a week you'll work through them easily. They come grade leveled.

[HollyDay]

DITHOR does not give you the answers. It qives general questions pertaining to the genre. It is designed to make the child think as they read through the book. It is not challenging to the parent but it does not have an answer key either.