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This looks great Carrie. I am familiar with most of these, but the ones I didn't know I looked up and they sound really good.

Carrie wrote: it is definitely much easier to listen to a book on audio than it is to actually read it independently. Kiddos can usually listen many grades above what they can read.

Blessings,
Carrie

Carrie,

This brings up a question then in regards to reading a book versus listening to it at the high school level. My assumption, which could be wrong, is that at the high school level it would be best to read these stories independent of audio books. Would that be correct? Or would it be okay to have them listen to an audio book version that matches the text if they are following along? I also have a couple of thespians who would just prefer the movie - but I tell them they have to read it first.

Blessings.

Jennifer,

This is another great question! I have kiddos who LOVE to listen to audiobooks too. When weighing when to use audiobooks for "school", I always look at the purpose of the reading first to help me decide whether the audiobook is a good route to go or not. For example, if I were to use an audiobook to replace my reading aloud a storytime book in one of our guides, then I think that is a fine substitution (because the kiddos are supposed to be listening to me read aloud that particular selection anyway).

With this in mind, when we take a look at the purpose of the full-length novels in the literature portion of the geography guide, I'd say that the kiddos should read the book (rather than listen). This is because we want to have the kiddos grapple with seeing and reading more difficult vocabulary in context, develop the patience it takes to read more challenging material, practice sifting and sorting to narrate from what they've read (rather than what they've listened to), refer back to the text as they write their written narration (to copy names, places, and dates correctly), and look back over what they've read to select memorable literary passages to copy in their Common Place Books. All of these goals are best met with the child reading the book, rather than listening to it.

Of course there may be exceptions in cases where kiddos are not able to read their own material, however it would be our goal for students to read their own literature selections at this level.

Blessings,
Carrie

I am jumping up and down excited! I was just talking about "The Screwtape letters" the other day, and Cryano!!! What a treat I think I will have the boys/girl read each others lists in the "off season" lol. You know, I am increasingly delighted, and at peace in the choice we have made to use Heart of Dakota. Every year just gets better and better, and with three kids, in 3 different guides, that just means I get to each guide three times, which is even more fun for me!

All of this is awesome.

And now I am starting to have my heart race. We will be starting the high school guides in late fall. High School. It really is just around the corner!

I've been reading C.S. Lewis, so it's neat seeing The Screwtape Letters for the boy pick.

Carrie, I have a quick question about the real books. If my daughter has read, for example, #2 on both the girl and boy lists, but has not read #3 on the boy list, could it be substituted in the #2 slot for her? Or would that mess something up with how you scheduled things? I noticed in your post, that you said the same number in the list could be switched out, but nothing about switching out for other numbers on the list. Does that make sense?

Tiffini,

Your question is a good one, and one it took me a bit to ponder. I think those of you who have kiddos using our earlier HOD guides in a beefing up mode for high school will probably be the only ones who might run into this type of situation (and even then it is likely to be the exception rather than the rule). So, I'll just clarify for anyone else reading this thread that my recommendation for what to do in this type of situation will vary (depending on which books out of the list have been read in order to make the best fit for each family).

So, since your daughter has already read Pride and Prejudice (and I'm assuming has already read Treasure Island, which is part of the recommended substitution option for Pride and Prejudice), then we have a unique situation. After pondering, I believe it would be best to substitute a different Jane Austen title in place of Pride and Prejudice. I would probably lean toward Emma (first) or Sense and Sensibility (second). This should fit in the time span of the plans and also key in on the "character" focus we desire for the novel in this particular slot of the guide to have.

This solution won't work for all books scheduled in our guide, however in this instance it should be fine.

Blessings,
Carrie

Thank you! This helps clear it up for me. I will replace with another Jane Austen as you suggested! I figured you had a method to the order of the books listed (as you always do!) and I didn't want to mess with it.

Will there be specific questions/assignments in the guides for these books or more open ended like DITHR?

twoxcell,

This is a good question. We are using BJU for the critical thinking/questioning/worldview focus and the novels for a more CM-style focus. Together, these two approaches will provide a very solid, interesting program with a good variety of skills covered in an interesting and unique way.

The books will be assigned within the guide by page number, and there will be assigned CM-style follow-ups. These follow-ups will be a combination of written narration, oral narration, and Common Place Book entries. It will actually be refreshing for kiddos to shift back and forth between the two different types of reading, (which meet two different types of goals and require different sets of skills). My own oldest son has truly enjoyed this approach to literature study this year!

Blessings,
Carrie