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[Nm.]

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Edited March 27, 2023 by Lovinglife123

[HomeAgain]

I think you need to be more descriptive in what you consider mature and what you expect the course to look like.

 

[Nm.]

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Edited March 27, 2023 by Lovinglife123

[HomeAgain]

What about English Lessons Through Literature/Wayfarers?  Level G is appropriate for late middle school.  It does not include any classics that may be deemed inappropriate, but are usually part of high school materials.  I'm guessing you would not like to expose your child to these:

• Lord of the Flies
• Romeo & Juliet (or any Shakespeare)
• The Three Musketeers
• Animal Farm
• To Kill a Mockingbird
• or more contemporary pieces like Ender's Game or I Am Malala

It will be difficult to find materials for high school that omit significant works and still maintain a high quality of instruction.  They seem to be few and far apart.

[8filltheheart]

Literary Lesson from Lord of the Rings and Where the Brook and River Meet are 2 that I can think of.  Windows to the World, maybe.

Keep in mind that you don't need to use any program at all.  You can pick your own books and create your own themes.  I have my kids read things like Lewis's Space Trilogy, Till We Have Faces, The Great Divorce, Screwtape Letters and don't think twice about what anyone thinks about those selections.  My goals are my goals and no one else's objectives matter to me. 

[freesia]

23 minutes ago, 8filltheheart said:

Literary Lesson from Lord of the Rings and Where the Brook and River Meet are 2 that I can think of.  Windows to the World, maybe.

Keep in mind that you don't need to use any program at all.  You can pick your own books and create your own themes.  I have my kids read things like Lewis's Space Trilogy, Till We Have Faces, The Great Divorce, Screwtape Letters and don't think twice about what anyone thinks about those selections.  My goals are my goals and no one else's objectives matter to me. 

Windows to the World uses The Dangerous Game, which she wouldn’t like. 
 

I agree about creating your own mix. 7sisters has individual studies that you could use to do that. I know there are lots others. 

Edited March 25, 2023 by freesia

[kirstenhill]

31 minutes ago, freesia said:

Windows to the World uses The Dangerous Game, which she wouldn’t like. 
 

I agree about creating your own mix. 7sisters has individual studies that you could use to do that. I know there are lots others. 

One thing about Windows to the World though is you can swap out some of the stories or not use every section.  We swapped out one story (I think it was The Necklace?) because DS14 had just written about it at the end of 7th grade and didn't want to do it again so soon. I found another story that could be used to illustrate the same point the guide was trying to make. 

For DS14 for this year, 8th grade, I wanted to use high school or close-to-high-school level materials and assignments to prepare him for going to public school in 9th. We did Windows to the World in the fall and for Spring semester we are going through some of the units in Introduction to Literature by Campbell.   I didn't need as many units as that book had anyway because I am using it for a shorter time, but I think Jane Eyre is the only one there that could be dark (we skipped it since I didn't think DS14 would care for it at all and he might be a bit young for it). 

[Nm.]

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Edited March 27, 2023 by Lovinglife123

[Zoo Keeper]

Picking your own books that you pre-read may work out best.   Keep in mind that while some books may *mention* the topics you are trying to avoid, not all are inappropriate for sensitive or conservative teens to read and discuss.  For example, you really can't get around the adultery in The Scarlet Letter, but it really is more of the consequences of the adultery, not descriptions of the act itself. 

Some more conservative publishers that might work (I have not used all of these, so some may not meet your criteria):

Abeka literature  -- high school textbooks

BJU literature --  jr. high & high school textbooks

Christian Liberty Press courses -- uses texts from Abeka & BJU, plus some of their own.  https://www.shopchristianliberty.com/english/

CLE literature -- conservative Mennonite publisher, so they will avoid some of the same topics you want to avoid.  https://christianlight.org/perspectives-of-life-in-literature-textbook

 

[Nm.]

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Edited March 27, 2023 by Lovinglife123

[Nm.]

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Edited March 27, 2023 by Lovinglife123

[chiguirre]

2 hours ago, Lovinglife123 said:

Examples: I do not want to study living books/textbooks that describe rape, incest, other sexual themes (which are included in some of the programs I’ve looked at), abuse, super dark themes.  I’d rather handle those topics myself, not in the history/literature program.  I don’t read books like that as an adult, and I don’t feel they need it to understand humanity, build compassion, etc.  I would prefer a living book format, but textbooks are okay if it’s engaging enough.

So you haven't read the whole Bible or the Iliad or the Odyssey or Dante or Shakespeare or Greek or Norse myths? 

I'm not being snarky, I'm seriously asking what you have read and want your kids to read. You're going to miss a huge chunk of Western Civilization if you skip anything that's dark. 

I'm sure there has to be a compilation of excerpts that pick the least dark parts of the classics or have Bowdlerized versions of them, but that won't really be reading the classics and you'll be missing some of the central themes of the works.

[Lori D.]

oops... never mind.

😉 

Edited March 25, 2023 by Lori D.

[Lucy the Valiant]

Another perspective is that kids grow up quite a bit between 9th grade & 12th grade. ❤️ So - themes that ARE inappropriate in 9th grade, can be handled with more wisdom (by the student) in later years.

For our teens, it wasn't so much the THEME itself that mattered, but more the author's TONE toward that theme - ex: the difference between referencing / discussing murder vs. a celebration or diminution of murder. (Same for - rape, prostitution, etc.) 

There's also not a required "canon" of classics - it's okay to have robust conversations with kids about books that some folks consider a classic but others consider "not classic." 🙂

[Nm.]

Yes it definitely depends on the tone towards those things, and whether it’s descriptive/vivid. 

[HomeAgain]

2 hours ago, Lovinglife123 said:

Examples: I do not want to study living books/textbooks that describe rape, incest, other sexual themes (which are included in some of the programs I’ve looked at), abuse, super dark themes.  I’d rather handle those topics myself, not in the history/literature program.  I don’t read books like that as an adult, and I don’t feel they need it to understand humanity, build compassion, etc.  I would prefer a living book format, but textbooks are okay if it’s engaging enough.

I don't want to pile on here, but I kept coming back to the bolded again and again.  One of the things that literature affords us to do is to understand another person.  We are in the character's shoes, traveling with them through their trials and gaining perspective along the way.

When we remove the ability to understand hard things through the perspective of someone else, we have a tendency to hold ourselves apart from having true empathy and compassion.  By saying that literature should not address difficult subjects, especially ones that are age appropriate for teens trying to figure out the world, we deny them these lessons or give them a stunted worldview by making sure our point of view is the only one they see.  They never have to wrestle with grey area -and that is a shame.

While some of these books would not be appropriate for a 12-13yo, there are many with difficult situations that would be.  I wish you would reconsider your stance on what is acceptable or not in a course of study and within the range of child development.

[Nm.]

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Edited March 27, 2023 by Lovinglife123

[Guest]

Silas Marner

Dickens - Great Expectations, Tale of Two Cities, Christmas Carol 

Mark Twain - Tom Sawyer, Huckleberry Finn, Pudd’nhead Wilson

[ScoutTN]

I am confused. Are you planning for the coming year with high school level work for a 12/13 yo or are you thinking ahead to when he is actually high school age? 
 

If the former, what has he already read and how well does he write? Can he write a literary analysis essay or do you need to start there? What history are you (or is he!!) wanting to study? Do you want history and literature linked or separate?
 

Imo, there is no way to teach literature or history at a high school level without including some mature themes. No explicit narratives are necessary, though. Ime, things kids are not ready for will often go right over their heads anyway. As the teacher, you can just let those things go by. Shakespeare can be read on many levels.
 

Agreeing with @chiguirre that the Bible, fairy tales, mythology, Shakespeare, and other classics deal mature themes. Not generally in gratuitous or horrifically graphic ways. If your student never reads about war, violence, hate, love, greed, fear, ambition, sex, race, etc. he will essentially never read anything. 

Ime, many substantial works can be read and taught, even for kids with very sensitive imaginations or past trauma, in age-appropriate ways. That will require you reading all the books and tailoring the instruction and discussion to your student, but that’s what we do as homeschoolers all the time. I would not just hand my kid books or a curriculum and let him read. Discuss, discuss, discuss! 

 

 

Edited March 25, 2023 by ScoutTN

[Nm.]

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Edited March 27, 2023 by Lovinglife123

[hollyhock2]

I think I understand what you mean. I am the same way. We also use Notgrass, and their literature selections are good, but I do substitute some of them and add more for variety's sake. I have added books like The Eagle of the Ninth series by Rosemary Sutcliffe, Cyrus the Persian by Sherman Nagel, The Story of the Greeks by Guerber (for more detail about ancient Greece), and a translation of Beowulf. Some of these are easier selections because I like to have a mix of harder and easier.

For the rest of high school literature, I pick my own selections that I think are meaningful and appropriate. Some are classics, some are not. Those mostly get read and discussed.

You can always substitute books in a program, too. There are plenty of books out there that qualify as good literature and are appropriate for high school, so you should be able to find a sub for anything you'd rather leave out.

Edited March 25, 2023 by hollyhock2

[Nm.]

@hollyhock2do you use all notgrass in highschool?  I have a feeling I am over thinking highschool requirements

[Guest]

Oh, also The Prince and the Pauper (Mark Twain). 

[Brittany1116]

You might consider Progeny Press lit guides. There are many classics to choose from and they list what themes and elements they discuss from a Christian viewpoint. 

[8filltheheart]

5 hours ago, Lovinglife123 said:

You’re totally right, when I said “good enough” I really meant hard enough.   I want them to be a little challenged, but it doesn’t have to be something AP worthy.  When you choose your own books, how do you “cover” it as literature study?  I know I’ve followed your ideas a long time, but never asked about highschool.

I didnt use the term good enough, so  I think that comment is confused with someone else's. But, I think based on the responses in this thread, I think you can gather why I don't care about anyone else's opinion.  I create literature studies that make them think but think about things I want to challenge them with, not anyone else's opinion about what th they believe they should be challenged with.

I pick themes. I select literature that explores those themes. So, for example. Perelandra, Genesis, and Paradise Lost. We explore the creation stories and Eve/Green Lady.  We do studies centered around the themes man vs man or nature or society, etc. We do studies following allusions. I cant remember what dd was reading earlier this yr that led to Rime of the Ancient Mariner. 

Lots of times we just discuss as reading. Sometimes I use guides or lectures. My kids love literature. I have one who is currently a youth librarian....so all is good. 🙂

 

[Nm.]

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Edited March 27, 2023 by Lovinglife123

[Lori D.]

 

4 hours ago, Lovinglife123 said:

I am thinking ahead.  I will be schooling 5 at that point, and looking at some options.  Notgrass looks like it might do the job for history and literature + adding in books that I choose.  He has read tons of mature themes (mainly historical fiction/ nonfiction- racism, war, poverty, murder, greed, etc) - at this point I’ve avoided sexual themes.  He will likely join us for read aloud time as a group, however it will have to be gentle enough for my younger ones.  WTM has some good ones suggested.  Notgrass’ literature selections look like many of the classics I have read and would be ok with him reading.

@ScoutTN voiced my confusion that I started to type up and then deleted. 😉  Thanks for clearing that up, @Lovinglife123. 😄 

Multiple times I've started / changed / deleted what I thought might be helpful on these posts and questions of yours, and it keeps being too much, or the conversation has already shifted again by the time I have typed up something. 😉🤣

So instead, I'm opting to go instead with a few overall thoughts, and if anything is useful, we can dig deeper into it. 😄 

1. JMO, but your planning/research time right now would be best spent FIRST on determining your overall GOALS (educational/academic AND life goals) for your children.

Up to this point (because you're in the pre-K and elementary years), all of your homeschooling efforts have been exclusively focused for all of your children on learning to read, getting solid with reading / foundational math / foundational writing -- plus accumulating factual information into the content subjects (History, Science, Art, etc.) Now your oldest (currently 6th grade), is moving toward the later middle/early high school (gr. 7-9) years, with the start the brain development in the logic, analytic, and abstract thinking areas. It is a BIG shift in focus from what your focus has previously been. High school (roughly grades 9/10 through 12) is another shift as students are capable of applying that brain maturing into deeper thinking/reading, analysis, and developing supported opinions.

Once you know what is important to you and your spouse as goals for their education, then you can more easily determine what specific programs or materials will best help you reach those goals. Once you know what your goals are, you may find that it will also require re-arranging the way you schedule your schooling, as nurturing those newly-developing analytical skills requires a lot of discussion-time and guidance. So while the older student is more capable of doing much of their work independently -- the older middle school/high school student also needs a lot more parent-teacher time for discussions.

Christine Field's Life Skills for Kids, is a very useful resource for thinking about the overall life goals that we want to expose our children to / help our children develop.

"What do "7th" grade and "9th" grade look like to you?"  -- this old thread useful as a starting point for the kinds of things to think about in setting general educational goals.

A few more that are linked on PAGE 1 of the "High School Motherlode #1" pinned thread at the top of the high school board might also be helpful as you think through middle school and ahead to high school:
"If you knew then what you know now" (what would you do differently in the logic stage years)
"High school parents -- what would be your ideal for 7th/8th grades?"
"To all you people with 8th graders (or thereabouts)"

When I give sessions to my homeschool support group on starting to homeschool high school, I advise them to do that goal-setting first, before picking curricula. From the handout I created for our group's families:

"High school is your last “window of opportunity” for teaching, training, and preparing children for college, career, and adulthood. In addition to academic subjects, there are four important areas to plan for, to make sure that what is important to achieve by high school graduation, will become a reality.

Plan and set goals for:
1. finances — research costs; make a budget for what you can spend on high school
2. life skills — teach your student what is needed for success as an adult
3. learning skills — teach “how to learn” & foundation skills for high school learning
4. interests & values — provide support for your student’s gifts, passions, and goals"

2. Also JMO, your planning/research time would be best spent on planning for grades 7-8 -- when a LOT of growth and changes are happening -- rather than trying to think to far ahead for high school -- which won't start for your oldest child for over 2 years, and he will change a lot between now and then. 😉

3. 

2 hours ago, Lovinglife123 said:

... I have a feeling I am over thinking highschool requirements

 

Not quite sure what you mean by "high school requirements"... If you mean what scope and sequence "needs" to be covered for a high school English credit... well, there is a ton of flexibility there, and it largely depends on the level of (and interests) of the individual high school student. 

If you mean what credits do you need to complete in high school to be college prep... that's a different question that's more logistical rather than academic, because you can fulfill "required" high school credits in many many many ways.

If you mean "what should I be doing with my middle schooler in order for him to be ready for the workload / type of thinking required by high school courses... Now you're more on track, as this is the type of goal-setting and planning/research that will best benefit your middle schooler right now. 😉 

Edited March 25, 2023 by Lori D.

[Lori D.]

Once you've thought through your goals... 

Other Lit. options:

1. Consider outsourcing your lit.
This option can reduce parent time in trying to keep up with the high school lit. for discussion with your older student(s) and it also gives you more time for the younger ones), AND student still gets the discussion time and exposure to teaching info about the lit. You might look around to see if you have a good homeschool co-op in your area. Or, you could look at some of the quality online courses.

2. Consider de-coupling your History and Lit.
While, yes, there is benefit from doing some of your Lit. that matches up with your History time period, there are also downsides to letting History "drive the bus of your homeschool" so that History determines what literature you read -- rather than YOU determine what is  the literature that is going to be most interesting, inspiring, challenging, useful/helpful, etc. for THIS particular student at THIS time in their life. That allows you to expand your options of Literature programs or online classes, or to create a literature program uniquely suited for the specific student. Tying the literature to the History means that may end up trying to cover works that may not be age-appropriate for the student (too easy/too hard), or having to spend more time on a mediocre work because it's what is in the program.
 

8 hours ago, Lovinglife123 said:

...  I want the books to be good enough for a high schooler, but still appropriate for younger children theme wise...

Very gently... That could potentially be a disservice to the older student.

Many homeschoolers find that they need to work separately with their high school students so that the older students get the depth, complexity, and maturity that they need (and deserve!), and that will prepare them -- while still in the encouraging and supportive home environment -- for the hard issues and topics that they WILL encounter in the world when they go to college, work a job, live as independent adults. JMO. 

8 hours ago, Lovinglife123 said:

... Also how hard would it be to design my own? ...

Not hard, as many on these boards would be happy to help. 😉 

But it WILL be time-consuming for you -- both in planning/researching/ preparing, and then in DOING a program that you design yourself. However, it is extremely rewarding, and is very interesting and exciting for students to have a course designed to meet their unique interests and needs. The beauty and power of homeschooling at its best! 😄

The high school lit. that I developed each year of high school for our DSs was rich and powerful. We did it all together, and it built memories and allowed us to have wide-ranging discussions that helped to prepare them for thinking through many issues they would encounter in their adult lives. They are in their late 20s now, and we have fantastic, meaningful discussions still. 😄 

 

8 hours ago, Lovinglife123 said:

... Please share... any experience with these..

Notgrass
We used Notgrass Exporing America I found the Lit. portion of Notgrass to be very lacking in instruction in literary analysis and "digging deeper", and a big portion of the booklist is nonfiction biography/memoir (6 of the 12 books), so we just used the History portion.

re: lacking Lit. instruction
By that I mean the program is lacking background info/teaching on common topics in literature; teaching of literary elements; and guidance in lit. analysis. When a program (like Notgrass) lacks this instruction, it means more work for the parent-teacher in having to find a different resource to teach those skills.

re: half the lit. is non fiction
While non fiction is great as a supplement to History, and can also be inspirational, non fiction is not read / discussed / analyzed in the same way as novels, short stories, plays, or poetry. Generally, non fiction of this type is all on the surface, does not present deep and complex themes, and does not have the same beauty and complexity of writing.

BJU
No personal experience, but I have heard from those who have used it that it is rather time-intensive for the parent, and that many of the works covered are excerpts from novels/plays, rather than the complete works of literature.

TG&TB
No personal experience, but I have looked closely at their high school materials, and it is much weaker than I would want to use for high school. A very short lit. list each year, with a number of little-known old works that were selected for being "tame" rather than for quality of writing or inclusion of themes that would lead to deep and meaningful discussions. Again, JMO.

Edited March 25, 2023 by Lori D.

[Nm.]

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Edited March 27, 2023 by Lovinglife123

[Nm.]

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Edited March 27, 2023 by Lovinglife123

[Lori D.]

21 hours ago, Lovinglife123 said:

...  I’m not sure what he should take in 9th to fulfill credits (NYS).  If it’s truly as flexible as you say then I don’t have to worry about it too much...

Alas -- New York is a very different ball of wax for homeschoolers, and -- at least, pre-Covid -- it was very difficult for homeschoolers to get into some of the CUNY and SUNY schools, as they wanted accredited NY diplomas (and would not accept accredited diplomas from umbrella schools), or they wanted the homeschoolers to get the GED (which, technically, a homeschooler who has been awarded their diploma by their parents is NOT a drop-out and so is not eligible to take the GED).

There are past threads on the College Board of these forums about this topic, but all are from 6-10 years back, and pre-Covid, so things may have changed since those people were posting about applying as homeschoolers to NY colleges. As I recall, it sounds like the private colleges in NY were less troublesome. And if going out of state, almost no other colleges/universities are troublesome for homeschoolers. Out of state homeschoolers trying to go to NY colleges was a bit more hoop-jumping.

 

21 hours ago, Lovinglife123 said:

...If it’s truly as flexible as you say then I don’t have to worry about it too much....
...I’m not totally sure what to do for eighth/ninth.  I didn’t want him to have to repeat back to back something like world geography or ancients in 8th/9th.   I definitely am thinking about goals for now through highschool...

1. HOW you accomplish "required" credits is very flexible.

2. WHEN you complete "required" credits can be a little tricky, as some colleges only accept credits towards their admission policies that were done in the 4 years prior to freshman college year (so, no "bringing up" credits from middle school).

3. WHAT credits will be required will Idepend somewhat on what colleges your children apply for admission to (and by the time they are old enough, college policies could have changed), but at the moment, most regular colleges are looking for something like this as the required credits for admission:

4 credits = English (usually 1/2 Lit. + 1/2 Writing, but variations are accepted)
4 credits = Math (Alg. 1, Geom. Alg. 2, + 4th math with Alg. 2 as the pre-requisite)
3-4 credits = Science, with labs for 2-3 of those (some colleges want Biology and Chem, but most are flexible)
3-4 credits = Social Students (most colleges want 1 credit US History; many also want 1 credit World Hist; a few want 0.5 credit  each Econ & Gov't)
2-4 credits = Foreign Language, same language
1 credit = Fine Arts
4-8+ credits = Electives

(For admission to selective, competitive, and top tier universities, a student usually takes 4 credits each in the above 5 academic subjects, and often has additional credits in several. Plus is working at an honors/advanced level for a number of subjects, and may have several AP tests or Dual Enrollment credits, AND solid extracurriculars to show that they are an interesting student as well as an advanced student.)

To encourage you -- MANY people on these boards have strong students who don't follow the "usual" set of credits and have their students accepted to multiple colleges -- and with scholarships.

JMO, but in the end, I believe it is FAR better to use your time in high school to prepare your student for their future decades of ADULT LIFE than to focus on hoop-jumping for an artificial 4 years in a college bubble. Esp. when that is years out for you right now, and policies may change. And what you really want to focus on now is foundational skills to prepare for solid thinking / writing / analyzing at the high school level when the time comes for high school level courses.

 

21 hours ago, Lovinglife123 said:

...I’m not totally sure what to do for eighth/ninth.  I didn’t want him to have to repeat back to back something like world geography or ancients in 8th/9th...

Instead of history when DSs were that age, we did a fantastic year-long World Cultures/Geography & Comparative Religions course that I put together, with a focus on Eastern Hemisphere nations/cultures. When 80% of the world's population lives there, and when most high school programs focus on Western Civ, I thought it important for us to spend a year on Eastern hemisphere peoples and cultures. 😉

That study was foundational for us for our later high school History studies, as DSs could really see how/why decisions were made in history, often due to the geographical location and/or the religious/social culture.

I wish we had been able to take a 2nd year to continue that study and go more in-depth, as well as having the time to hit lesser-studied Western Hemisphere nations -- like, the Caribbean and Latin/South America. 😄 

 

21 hours ago, Lovinglife123 said:

...Honestly there’s only a couple books I can think of specifically that I want to steer clear of (they are not even classics but included in some of the programs I’ve looked into)...

I was wondering about that. 😉 I couldn't think of any traditional high school classics that focused on s*xual thmes!

 

Edited March 26, 2023 by Lori D.

[Lori D.]

30 minutes ago, Lovinglife123 said:

... eldest passed away...

I am SO very sorry. That is unbearably hard. ((((hugs)))) to you all.

[lewelma]

My younger boy could not handle mature themes that included violence. But he could still handle mature themes.  For his senior year in high school we chose to focus on conformity by comparing Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Persuasion, and Jane Eyre. We also did a massive research paper on the characterization of Jim in Huck Finn.  These books are deep and complicated, but they are not Hand Maiden's Tale or 1984.  Parents know best what a child can handle. There is lots to be learned from any book you choose. Think about what kind of mature themes your child is ready for and focus on those.  

[Brittany1116]

I was also thinking, beyond what you want to avoid, consider what themes he is drawn to and/or what you think would challenge him. The whole of lit is the idea of man versus something, be it self, God, other men, nature, animal, machine etc. 

[hollyhock2]

5 hours ago, Lovinglife123 said:

@hollyhock2do you use all notgrass in highschool?  I have a feeling I am over thinking highschool requirements

No, I don't use all Notgrass. The world history is the only one I use, and then only the first half. Part of the reason is that I'm not American, so I wouldn't do the American history or gov't anyway.

[ScoutTN]

@Lovinglife123 I second Lori’s comments about getting some big picture things in place before thinking about specifics. Your Ds will grow and change a lot in the next couple of years and you may find detailed plans made now less than helpful with the boy and student he will be then. Not saying don’t research, but hold on loosely. And he should get some substantial say in what those high school studies look like! 

When my older child was about 12, I did a deep dive into the pinned threads on the High School board. I took notes and wrote down questions, ideas, and concerns. Hugely helpful!

Then I found 4 moms who had homeschooled kids through high school in my city and asked them a zillion questions about what they did, did not do, wished they’d done, regretted they’d done etc. I chose moms with high academic standards, but with a variety of circumstances, approaches to homeschooling, etc. Hugely helpful! 
 

Enjoy the journey!

 

[ScoutTN]

One way my family has enjoyed literary discussions in the jr high and high school years has been listening to book club type podcasts together. We have read books with Close Reads, The Literary Life, Bibliophiles, The Play’s the Thing, and some others. Fun and takes me out of the teacher role - we all read and learn together. 

[Garga]

I didn't use a program, but I get what you mean about a lot of the books slated for High School being horribly dark. I joked with my friends that when Dracula is the lightest of the bunch, you know you're in trouble.

Here's what we used for high school. I did not use a program. I just had my son read them and we discussed and I made up my own lessons. Once in a while, I came up with an essay idea, so he wrote about 3 essays a year. That might not work for you with 5 kids, but I'll still give you titles:

9th Grade--World Literature
Evaluation:  Class discussion, completion of The Lost Tools of Writing assignments, essays

 Book list:

Instruction:

The Lost Tools of Writing Level 1, from The Circe Institute; ISBN 9780986325717

 Novels:

The Epic of Gilgamesh, translated by Stephen Mitchell; ISBN 978-07432-6164-7

The Odyssey, translated by Stanley Lombardo; ISBN 0-87220-484-7

The Thousand and One Arabian Nights, Sharon Publications; ISBN 0-89531-056-2

Don Quixote First Part, Miguel de Cervantes; ISBN 0-06-018870-7

The Three Musketeers, Alexandre Dumas; ISBN 978-0-14-310500-8

The Hiding Place, Corrie Ten Boom; ISBN 0-8007-9405-2

The Little World of Don Camillo, Giovannino Guareschi; ISBN 978-1-900064-07-1

Picnic at Hanging Rock, Joan Lindsay; ISBN 978-0-14-312678-2

 Short Stories:

“The Country Doctor”, by Turgenev

“The Overcoat”, by Gogol

“The Death of Ivan Ilyich”, by Tolstoy

“The Darling”, by Chekov

“How Much Land Does a Man Need?” by Tolstoy

“The Bet”, by Chekov

“The Secret of Hanging Rock”, by Joan Lindsay 

 Poems:

“Lot’s Wife”, by Anna Akhmatova

“Freedom to Breathe”, by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn 

 

10th Grade-American Literature

 

Evaluation:  Class discussion, completion of The Lively Art of Writing assignments, completion of literary guides, and essays

Book list:

Instruction:

The Lively Art of Writing, by Lucile Vaughan Payne

Huckleberry Finn Novel Units literary guide

The Red Badge of Courage Progeny Press literary guide

The Great Gatsby Progeny Press literary guide

Of Mice and Men Great Works Instructional Guides for Literature

To Kill a Mockingbird Progeny Press literary guide

Novels:

Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain; ISBN 0-590-43389-X

The Red Badge of Courage, Stephen Crane; ISBN 978-1675993941

The Call of the Wild, Jack London; ISBN 978-1512395822

The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald; ISBN 978-0743273565

Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck; ISBN 0-14-017739-6

A Separate Peace, John Knowles; ISBN 0-553-28041-4

The Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger; ISBN 978-0316769174

Flowers for Algernon, Daniel Keyes; ISBN 978-0156030083

To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee; ISBN 978-0060935467

Short stories:

Young Goodman Brown, Nathaniel Hawthorn

The Pit and the Pendulum, Edgar Allen Poe

The Oval Portrait, Edgar Allen Poe

The Most Dangerous Game, Richard Connell (also studied in English 11)

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, James Thurber

The Lottery, Shirley Jackson 

 

11th Grade - British Literature

Evaluation:  Class discussion, completion of Windows to the World assignments, essays

Book list:

Instruction:

Windows to the World, An Introduction to Literary Analysis, Lesha Myers; ISBN 0980100518

Writing with Skill, Susan Wise Bauer; ISBN 9781942968221

Novels:

Beowulf, translated by Seamus Heaney; ISBN 978-0374111199

Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen; ISBN 978-1514648599

The Picture of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wilde; ISBN 0-486-27807-7

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams; ISBN 0-681-40322-5

Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte; ISBN 978-1503278196

Rebecca, Daphne du Maurier; ISBN 978-0380730407

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, Agatha Christie; ISBN 978-0062986139

The Screwtape Letters, C. S. Lewis; ISBN 978-0060652937

Jeeves and the Ties that Bind, P. G. Wodehouse; ISBN 978-0743203623

Short Stories:

The Most Dangerous Game, Richard Connell (also studied in English 10)

The Gift of the Magi, O. Henry

The Necklace, Guy de Maupassant

 

12th grade--I enrolled him in an online school. They did wwaaaaaaaaaaaay less than what I'd been doing in regards to actually reading things, but he did learn some good terminology that I had somewhat skipped (theme, tone, voice, etc.). 

I had been planning on saving Shakespeare for 12th grade if I had still been schooling him. Beyond that, I hadn't made any decisions about what else to read/study for literature.

Edited March 25, 2023 by Garga

[Nm.]

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Edited March 27, 2023 by Lovinglife123
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