Sonlight and Literary Analysis?

[mygracious]

I've used SL core 3+4 and 5 and am not happy with the lack of literary analysis and the new LA program. We're moving on to world history with dd 7th grade, ds 4th and 2nd next year. If I use SL core 6, does anyone have suggestions as to how to incorporate more lit. analysis and reflective writing? Or, is there a program out there I don't know about?

 

What spine texts have others used for world history? (I've heard SOTW is more elementary - what should I use for my 7th grader?)

 

Has anyone used Stobaugh's Literary Analysis?

 

Any other LA suggestions?

 

Thanks!

[Lori D.]

For your 7th grader, you might want to take a look at Hewitt Homeschooling's "Lightning Literature and Composition 7", a full year, beginning literary analysis literature program, covering realistic novel, fantasy novel, autobiography, poetry and short story in 8 units. It is gentle enough that you can still easily have your student to other reading (for example, the Sonlight books) AND a separate writing or composition program.

 

See a sample unit at Hewitt Homeschooling:

http://www.hewitthomeschooling.com/book/blight.asp

 

 

 

No experience with Stobaugh's book, but I have heard others on this board express a dislike/disappointment with that one. You might try posting this question on the high school board for more response.

 

Another option that has received favorable reviews from others on this board is Teaching the Classics. Again, no personal experience, but try posting on the high school board.

 

Another program that has been given good reviews is the CLE (Christian Light Education) literature program.

 

 

For your younger children, how about getting a good lit. study guide and going over a few books slowly and carefully together? Progeny Press puts out some good ones, as does Garlic Press publishers (both have elementary through high school level guides).

 

Also, I highly recommend reading "Deconstructing Penguins", a book which chronicles the authors' doing a book club for elementary aged children and their parents, using some pretty unexpected books.

 

 

Finally, there have been some good past discussions on literary analysis on this board; you might find some of the threads below of interest. BEST of luck in your literature journey! Warmly, Lori D.

 

 

- "Literary Analysis for a 12yo"

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7893

 

- "What is your favorite resource for teaching literary analysis?"

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forum...ead.php?t=5102

[G5052]

Literary analysis is not a strength of Sonlight IMHO. It seems to get better in the upper cores from what I've heard, but I can't say that from personal experience.

 

I'm using CLE reading with both of my children, and it does bring in these types of things in a very low-key way. They use short stories to discuss characterization and such, and my children have been fine with reading both their Sonlight readers and doing their CLE reading. Because we had done zero literary anlaysis before and because I expected some resistence, my older one (5th grade) will actually finish all of the 4th and some of the 5th grade program this year, and then will finish the 5th and do the 6th grade program next year.

 

I also just got Teaching the Classics today (found it used -- hooray!), and I hope to bring that in for some of the Sonlight books this summer. We're going to do lighter school this summer with pretty much just Sonlight history/lit, Latin, Spanish, and math, so that will give me a chance to watch the TTC DVDs and apply them.

 

HTH!

[susie in tx]

We used SL6 for the first half of this year. I slowed it down so that it would take two years and added Lightning Lit 7. It seemed to work very well, though we still weren't able to much "analyzing" of the Core 6 material. It seemed to me that the Core 6 questions were more about reading comprehension than they were about analyzing. I did not have the language arts program for Core 6, so I cannot say whether this was broached in that portion of Core 6 or not.

 

For your youngers, you may find that narrations are all that they need. Or, you might check out the multiple of resources that Lori mentioned. I think she got them all. :)