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Creating these homeschool high school literature suggestions for teens is more satisfying now that my teens graduated. Looking back, I know their love of reading came from being exposed to a variety of genre. Also, look at my page How to Homeschool High School.
Having a variety of genre to choose from is just one element of keeping teens reading into adulthood.
Beyond reading to fill a high school credit, use your time with your homeschooled teens to shape and develop their thinking.
Contrary to what some educators think, teens are still questioning beliefs. Their thinking is not fully matured. Issues raised in literature gives you the opportunity to analyze beliefs.
Too, high school and college courses require your teens to interpret literary terms and techniques.
I found this was best done by classic literature.
The point is whether your teen is reading American, British, or World literature he is gaining a greater understanding of the world.
That is something which will stick with him well into adulthood.
This high school literature list will give you a starting point in choosing the best literature for your family.
Moreover, don’t fret if your teen is still not loving to read.
Some of these books will ignite a fire and did I mention some are short?
Whether you have a teen who is a voracious reader or who is an unenthusiastic reader, I have some high school literature suggestions for all.
See, I had to learn the hard way that a teen should have a choice in what he reads.
I remember being in English class in middle school and reading about boring topics.
I was a good reader, but not an enthusiastic reader until I read The Raven by Edgar Allen Poe. He’s not an author I thought I would be drawn to as a teen.
However, his stories and poems invoked a love for reading detective stories along with his great storytelling. I loved everything about that poem, the figurative language, the dynamics, and the theme.
Homeschool High School Reading
The point is I would have never picked up his book on my own when evaluating my choices.
So your teen needs your help. It literally takes one book your teen can’t put down for your teen to look at reading differently.
Now as a parent, it is a learned balancing act when each teen got to the high school level.
I tried to find their interests and themes they loved to weave that with other genre they weren’t interested in or thought so at the time.
Also, another way to engage your high school kids is to learn through a theme.
We love history in our house and learning history through living literature has been one of our very favorite ways to learn history.
Why Some Homeschoolers Choose to Read Banned Literature
Next, I also had to decide how I wanted to talk to my teens about sensitive subjects.
A lot of homeschoolers, including myself, reject some modern reading lists.
However, the similarity stops there when choosing literature. Families and teens differ in how they want to handle sensitive topic.
When you research about banned books, the Washington Post stated, “The American Library Association launched Banned Books Week in 1982 to celebrate the freedom to read.”
However, every since then, the topic of banned books sparks controversy for any education.
You too have to decide if you’ll present these banned books to your teen.
It’s been my experience that the sensitive subjects in books allows me the chance to direct my children about mistakes of the past.
I didn’t want to cover up mistakes in history, but to expose them so we learn from them. Most important that we don’t repeat them in the future.
Children relate to everyday things and some kids lives have had painful turns they couldn’t control. Although my kids didn’t experience the sadness of divorce and death at the time, they had friends who did.
Homeschool High School Books
It helped my sons to form a compassion for their friends. Every child has a different maturing rate and I was sensitive to each teen’s emotions.
The point is that you are the only one to know whether you want your children to read banned books or not. Me? I will do the choosing for my family and determine the values; you probably feel the same way.
As you see from this quick list that the books reflect personal tastes of each teen. In the end, you want your child to enjoy reading.
I stressed way too much about balancing the genre when my focus should have been on the short time I had with each teen.
Besides being forced-fed never worked for any reader. So use this list to begin your list for your unique teen.
Lastly, this is by no stretch all that each kid read in high school.
As I pore over my huge amount of books, I’ll update this post for you.
The point today was to get this quick glance to you.
In the end what matters is creating a lifelong reader.
Remember what Francis Bacon said “Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested; that is, some books are to be read only in parts; others to be read, but not curiously; and some few are to be read wholly, and with diligence and attention.”
One hurdle for delight-directed learning is how to easily add language arts to homeschool unit studies.
The fear of missing something huge can keep some tied to a boxed curriculum. The beauty of unit studies is being able to study topics which ignite your child’s interests.
With that being said, language art skills need to be applied to bodies of knowledge instead of learning language arts skills in isolation. This approach to learning the components of language arts makes it meaningful.
5 Ways to Add Language Arts to Unit Studies
Look at these 5 ways to easily add language arts to homeschool unit studies.
1. Pair a living book with your unit study.
Although you want to include plenty of living books, depending on the unit study topic you may be using more reference type books.
So if you want to include many elements of language arts, choose one well-written living book to accompany your unit study.
Choose the living book with these things in mind:
Aim for the middle to highest reading level of all your children.
Keep in mind that it’s easier to scale down for language art components than it is to scale up for your highest level reader. Choose a higher reading level if in doubt.
In addition, make sure you understand not only the literary elements like plot, setting, and characters, but the theme too. It’s important for a smooth transition for the theme of the one main living book to connect with the unit study topic. The easiest themes for us in the beginning were ones like good v. evil, courage, and persistence. For example, I chose Swiss Family Robinsonby Johann Wyss for our ocean unit study. Surviving on an island as a family if you got shipwrecked appealed as a theme to my kids and is a smooth tie-in to the ocean theme.
You can search for booklist ideas here on my site, but here are some to get you started.
Choosing the right living book means the difference with themes which ignite expressive conversations in your house about your unit study theme and your unit study falling flat and being shallow.
Language Arts For Unit Studies
In addition, look at these other components of language arts which can naturally be pulled from a living book:
defining vocabulary words;
dictation;
narration;
copywork;
outlining;
reciting an oral speech;
reading; and
topics for writing or essays.
The bottom line is that a well-written living book can equal a powerful inclusive language arts component.
When the living book is tied to the unit study topic which has already piqued your child’s interest, you’ve set yourself up for success from the start.
You choose a book and your kids can do a self-paced online language art course. Doing an online self-paced course where your child chooses the book is a great tie-in for the language arts component.
Next, I use quick study guides. Realizing how beautifully I could zero in on the exact skill my kids needed to work on, I use them frequently.
Because Quick Study Guides can put information in a nutshell and organize skill by grade level, I use them as general guides.
Look at a few tips on how to use these quick guides:
Keep language arts concise and straightforward by learning fewer elements.
With my guide in hand, I can pair the objectives on the quick study guide with our main living book to shore up my kids weak areas in language arts.
My kids put the guides in their notebooks to use as reference for their writing or grammar. I made copies and we used a single hole punch to add them to their notebook.
Also, I could use the guides as a way to orally test my kids or if I wanted to create written quizzes I had a guide.
Likewise as my children grew, they can independently review the guides as memorization tools.
Because quick study guides focus on fewer elements of language arts, our language arts focus could be as complicated or as gentle as we need.
Besides, I’m not paying for a full language arts curriculum, but choosing exactly what my kids need to focus on. Did I mention they last years?
Too, if you live near a Barnes and Noble, I’ve collected several of their guides which are called Quamut. They seem to have more guides about hobbies, but I’ve been able to cull through the quamuts for help in language arts.
However, the SparkCharts are another line of handy references which I love also.
Don’t underestimate the power of the simple and uncomplicated to teach straightforward grammar, punctuation, and types of writing.
You’ll love filling up your bookshelves and notebooks with quick and handy references to get to the point while teaching language arts.
3. Use an Ungraded, Multi-Level Resource.
Then, one of my earliest purchases was one of my best purchases which has stood the test of time.
Kathryn Stout created a series of how-to or reference books for subjects which are basically guides for grades K to 12.
Like the author, Kathryn Stout stated on her site she wrote the Design-A-Study guides to provide both a framework of objectives and detailed methods for teaching basic subjects effectively.
Homeschool Language Arts
For example, having a scope and sequence for composition which can be applied to any unit study for all your kids at one time is sanity-saving.
Equally, despite the age differences between your kids reference guides which lays out objectives and goals keeps composition related to the topic.
What I learned from teaching my kids about composition until high school is that boredom springs from writing about meaningless topics.
An ungraded, multi-level resource gives you freedom to learn how to write well on topics which are meaningful to your family.
However, another useful feature of filling your shelves with resources like these is that you’re using them for years. Unlike curriculum where you’re constantly switching out, a multi-age resource is timeless.
Look at few more resources for multiple grades:
The Art of Poetryis another HUGELY successful multi-level tool with great background information for you the teacher and great details. I REALLY love this resource. Look at my post How to Easily Add Poetry to Your Homeschool Subjects where we used it and continue to refer to it.
Having books to give you the big picture along with details of how to implement language arts daily keeps unit studies fun. Plus you know you’re not really missing any big language arts gap.
Look at Listography. Preserve your story through your lists and stay inspired.
Rory’s Story Cubesis a great ways to learn about stories hands-on. Whether you bring a fun element to your homeschool or have a special needs child, rolling the cubes are fun.
Another favorite is Scrabble. Attempt to think of words used in your unit study and spell them. It helps with vocabulary too.
Don’t forget that I have theUltimate Unit Study Planner. Having an eye for detail and creating many unit studies with multiple levels of kids, I know you’ll love it.
Although I feel we need to teach our kids how to write a book report or two, some of the same learning concepts can be done assigning a movie report.
Don’t misunderstand me, I didn’t assign a lot of books reports.
However, a required book report or two helped my kids to prepare for literary analysis in high school.
The same can be done with an oral report. It’s great to have choices is my point.
So I think you’ll love adding this free editable movie report to your language arts curriculum.
Editable Movie Report for Homeschool
Look at how I created it:
There are two versions of the same copy. One version has color and if you need to preserve your ink, one version is grayscale.
Both versions are editable. If you want your kids to practice his beautiful penmanship, just print without using the editable fields.
If your child prefers to use the editable form, type to fill in and then print.
Also, I created more of a book-ish type of report meaning I encourage writers through my form to think deeper than what is happening on the screen. That is how we want to sneak in a bit of critical thinking through the fun of watching a movie.
Movie Review Form
Movie reports are not only fun, but have a way of reviving a love lost in writing or analyzing.
Too, if a child has special needs, he may not able to read without great difficulty or write well. Still, he certainly can be encouraged to express himself in beautiful language.
An editable movie report form can help him to jot down fascinating facts and still think about the elements of literature.
Through a movie, his thoughts can be formed in a visual way instead of reading the pages of a book.
In addition, on the last page I have a place for a writer to draw his or her favorite scene/s.
This page is unnumbered so that your writer can decide if he wants to illustrate more than one scene and print the same page multiple times.
On the other hand, he can divide the last page into 4 squares using his pencil and illustrate more than one scene on the one page.
Your writer decides if he wants to illustrate one scene per page or various scenes on one page, or print one page per scene.
I love options while teaching and I know you do too.
Also, adding the unnumbered last page in this download allows you the freedom of including your youngest learner. He may be at the drawing pictures stage right now.
This way your youngest learner is part of language arts instruction for the day.
Another important component I added to the form to help with older learners is a comparison between the movie and the book.
Because this section simply asks the child to compare the two, you decide which literary elements of the book and which movie parts you want your child to compare.
Lastly, the movie report shares some of the same literary elements or the elements of fiction included in a book report like:
plot;
setting; and
characters.
Another important distinction I made in this form because my kids had a hard time with it too is making the distinction between the plot and the theme.
Teach with Movies
So I have both a Main Idea (more like the theme) section and Plot so that your kids can learn the difference too. It helps them to think critically when filling out these parts.
Some kids do understand the difference between plot and theme until the teens years which I find is normal.
And filling out the section about what is advertised as the main idea about the movie, versus what are the plot and theme (Main Idea on form) can lead to many interesting observations about the movie.
Analyzing literature is something I’ve tried to make fun in our house; analyzing movies is another way to bring fun to language arts.
I hope you’ll love this form. Do you see other ways you can use this form?
HOW TO GET THIS FREE MOVIE REPORT
Now, how to grab the freebie. It’s a subscriber freebie.
That means when you sign up to follow me, you get my emails in your inbox and you get this freebie.
Homeschool unit study spines can make or break your unit study.
While you can use any living book for a great unit study, some resources are more helpful than others to help you plan quickly.
Too, I’ve used many resources through my years of planning unit studies; choosing a spine is key to a successful unit study.
Before I jump into listing some helpful unit study spines, look below at the definition of a spine.
What is a Homeschool Unit Study Spine
A homeschool unit study spine can be a living book, magazine, mentor, reference book or chart, art or art object, play, musical piece, brochure, movie, encyclopedia, or any other type of book, object, or person which is the main reference or authority for your unit study topic.
In addition, a unit study spine is used to launch your lesson plans, topics, and sub-topics.
To easily plan, a superior spine will support additional ideas, projects, objectives, and concepts about the main topic.
It guides you down a trail to dive deep into the topic.
Look at some of the timeless ones we have used below along with some new ones.
17 Favorite Unit Study Science Spines
I love to pair a living book about a topic with a reference book to use as spines. Sometimes, it’s easier to use a reference book as a spine and add living books as we go along. These are some of my favorite science spines.
Drip―Drop―Splash! Water is essential to all forms of life. So let’s learn all about it! The Water Cycle! With 25 Science Projects for Kids captures kids’ imaginations with a deep look at the world of water. Combining hands-on activities with history and science, The Water Cycle! invites kids to have fun learning about the water cycle, water resources, drinking water and sanitation, water pollution and conservation, water use, water folklore and festivals, and the latest in water technology.
What would happen if you had no bones? You might fall over flat on the floor!
Bones are those hard parts of our bodies that make up our skeletons and skulls, and we need them in lots of different ways. In Skulls and Skeletons! With 25 Science Projects for Kids, readers learn about the bones in their bodies and why we can’t live without them. And bones aren’t just good for humans―many animals can’t live without them! But do all animals have bones? No, they don’t! And why do fish look so much different from birds, even though both have bones? Organisms use their bodies in different ways to successfully live in different habitats. For example, a bird’s light bones are great for flying, but would not support them deep in the ocean.
What’s it like outside? Is it a day for building a snowman, constructing a sandcastle, or planting a garden? Weather and Climate! With 25 Science Projects for Kids introduces kids ages 7 to 10 to the fascinating world of meteorology and all of the ways what’s going on in the atmosphere above our heads can affect us here on the earth! Plus, discover how weather and climate change are linked but not the same, and figure out ways to be part of the solution to the problem of global warming.
The activity in our atmosphere plays a critical role in our lives and in the health of our planet. Today’s weather determines what clothes you wear and what you are going to do after school, while the local climate influences what kind of car your parents drive, what kind of house you live in, and―believe it or not―what foods you eat!
Did you know that without rivers, human life might not have developed as it did? We might be a very difference species if it wasn’t for rivers, as would the other plants and animals who depends on rivers and streams for food, transportation, water, and power!
In Rivers and Streams! With 25 Science Projects for Kids, readers ages 7 to 10 dive in and discover how rivers change the shape of the land while plants, animals, and humans change the shape of rivers. Through fun facts, engaging content, and essential questions, kids learn about the vital role that rivers and streams have played in human history and explore the ways rivers and streams might affect our future. Science experiments that promote critical thinking and creative problem solving encourage kids to make their own discoveries about the waterways they might pass every day.
Bring chemistry to your kitchen with a book that offers hands-on science activities that can be done with ingredients from your pantry and the refrigerator!
What’s going on when you cook in the kitchen? Science!
In Kitchen Chemistry: Cool Crystals, Rockin’ Reactions, and Magical Mixtures with Hands-On Science Activities, readers ages 9 to 12 discover that the cooking, mixing, and measuring you do in the kitchen all has its roots deep in science―chemistry to be exact!
Explore Rivers and Ponds! with 25 Great Projects, introduces kids to the fascinating world of freshwater habitats and the creatures they contain. Combining hands-on activities with ecology and science, kids will have fun learning about the freshwater biome, including lakes and ponds, streams and rivers, and wetlands. Entertaining illustrations and fascinating sidebars illuminate the topic and bring it to life, while Words to Know highlighted and defined within the text reinforce new vocabulary. Projects include assembling an ecologist’s field kit, creating a fishless aquarium, pouring casts of animal tracks, and building a watershed replica. Additional materials include a glossary, and a list of current reference works, websites, museums, and science centers.
Where was the last time you saw a robot? Did you read about one in a book or see one in a movie? Maybe you saw one in a video game!
Some people think robots exist only in our imagination, but actually, robots are all around us right now. Robotics! With 25 Science Projects for Kids offers readers ages 7 to 10 an introduction to the history, mechanics, and future use of robots! Readers explore the history of robotics and discover how the first types looked and moved and what people expected they could do. Compare these early robots to those we have today, some of which don’t even have bodies! Kids discover how robots have changed as decades have passed and see how they now look, think, sense, move, and do things.
Hands-on space science projects help launch kids ages 8 to 11 into learning about fearless female astronauts who broke barriers across space and gender in this full-color book full of real-world connections!
Do you dream of going into space? Do you wonder what it’s like on the moon? In Gutsy Girls Go for Science: Astronauts with STEM Projects for Kids, readers ages 8 through 11 explore the lives of some of the world’s most amazing female astronauts, including Bonnie Dunbar, Sally Ride, Mae Jemison, Sunita Williams, and Serena Auñón-Chancellor―all pioneers in the field of space exploration. Their hard work and dedication to science and experimentation gave the world much new knowledge about space, biology, and more. These brave women took risks and pushed the limits of what we know about life in space.
Energy is a vital part of our lives. It powers our computer, lights our home, and moves our car. It also costs a lot of money and pollutes our environment. In Energy: 25 Projects Investigate Why We Need Power and How We Get It, kids ages 912 learn about the history and science of the world’s energy sources, from nonrenewable fossil fuels such as oil and natural gas to renewable sources such as solar and wind power.
This visual reference book starts with the question "what is an animal?" and takes you through the animal kingdom - mammals, reptiles, birds, and sea creatures. It uses a unique head-to-toe approach that showcases in spectacular detail special features like the flight feathers of a parrot, the antenna of a moth, or the tentacles of coral.This visual encyclopedia is filled with clear and fascinating information on everything about the social lives of animals. Read exciting stories like how animals communicate, defend their territories, and attract mates.
This inspiring children’s reference guide welcomes you to the animal kingdom where you can meet more than 1,500 species, ranging from ants to zebras and everything in between. Stunning pictures bring you face to face with giant predators you know and love, including polar bears and tigers, as well as mysterious microscopic life, including amoebas and bacteria.
From the Moon, Sun, and planets of our Solar System to space exploration, black holes, and dark matter, this completely revised and updated children’s encyclopedia covers all you need to know about the cosmos. The most up-to-date images from space agencies such as NASA and ESA combine with info panels, timelines, interviews, diagrams, and activities you can do at home to help you understand the majesty and wonder of space.
BIOLOGY IS THE STUDY OF LIFE. Life is everywhere, thriving in the city and in the country, teeming in ecosystems around the planetin deserts, oceans, and even the Arctic. And life is right outside your door! Backyard Biology invites children ages 9 and up to investigate living things especially in yards, parks, nature areas, and playgrounds. Trivia and fun facts bring animals, plants, and microorganisms to life, in all their wonder.
This stunning visual guide explores and explains the greatest inventions, ideas, and discoveries throughout the ages, and introduces their inventors. From fire, stone tools, and the wheel to ploughs and paper, discover the first inventions that shaped societies and grew mighty civilizations and empires such as those in ancient Greece, ancient Rome, and ancient China.
From the first strokes of paint on prehistoric caves to contemporary street art in the 21st century, every artistic style and movement is explored and explained in stunning detail. Special features celebrate the lives of groundbreaking painters, sculptors, and photographers, from Dutch master Johannes Vermeer to photography pioneer Julia Margaret Cameron. Many best-loved pieces of art are showcased in iconic images. Marvel at Leonardo da Vinci's mysterious Mona Lisa, the most famous painted lady. March alongside China’s statues of the Terracotta Army, and gaze in awe at Barbara Hepworth's stunning Pelagos sculpture.
From the shimmering surface to the darkest depths, this breathtaking visual encyclopedia presents our blue planet as never before. Stunning photography, accessible information, and fascinating facts are spilling over in this essential guide to the oceans. Take a dip in all the world’s waters to experience their incredible diversity. Make a splash in the icy Arctic waters before warming up in the tropical Indian Ocean. Experience the super size of mighty whales compared to swarms of tiny krill. Cast your eyes to the skies to see circling sea birds before diving down to meet mysterious creatures of the deep.
Moreover, there are no shortages of books and references for nature; I prefer field guides which are concise nuggets while teaching a nature unit study.
Of course taking the guides to our outside classroom is the best reason.
Further, many times I’ve used two unit study spines as companions.
For example, the resources I’ve listed above are reference books. I find reference books are extremely easy in helping me to plan a unit study because they put topics in a nutshell.
Living Books For Homeschool Unit Study Spines
However, along with a reference book, some unit studies are better taught alongside a living book.
I find when I add a living book, language arts becomes a natural fit and not a forced fit.
Living books contain two main important things.
The book is written by an authority on the topic; and
They are written in a narrative form meaning a book would explain events and give vivid details in a story form which engages the mind of readers.
In addition, a living book should stir a reader’s emotion and imagination even doing so in a picture book.
However, one of the best features of a living book is that a reader doesn’t realize that he is learning facts in a natural way. Living books are opposite of textbooks.
Lastly, I look for classic books, but they aren’t always living books. Foremost I look for a well-written book which has a high literary quality.
Adding a living book alongside a reference book has been the key to my family covering almost all the subjects in a unit study.
Below, I’ve listedjust a few books we’ve used through years; I want you to have examples of living books for the various ages.
I’ve divided the living books into three sections or lower, middle, and upper reading levels.
Also, keep in mind I’m giving you examples of them and then you can decide where to add them to topics.
Moreover, a series of books like the Shakespeare Can Be Fun introduces sophisticated literature to younger kids in a fun way.
Let a young learner’s introduction to Shakespeare be one he understands. There is plenty of time in middle and high school to learn about literary terms.
Next, I want to share a few more reference books which I’ve used plentifully. The books below are by Chicago Review Press.
Even though these resources are some of my favorite, they are by no means an exhaustive list. My focus in this roundup is to give you visual examples of unit study spines which ease lesson planning by giving you a plethora of examples.
How Unit Study Spines Are Cost Effective
In conclusion, but certainly not less important is knowing the value of unit study spines. Homeschool unit study spines are cost effective for several reasons:
spines cover many ages and that means I divide the price by how many years I’m using it or by how many kids are using it for one year,
there is less waste of resources because we choose exactly what we want to study,
because unit studies are a mastery approach, less money is spent on covering one topic for several years, and
spending less time on curriculum which may not cover our specific educational goals and focusing exactly on my kids’ needs is not only a huge savings, but an outstanding education.
What do you think? Are you ready to give unit studies a try?
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Today in how to choose the best middle school literature I want to help you conquer the overwhelm by giving you a few seasoned homeschooler secrets.
Best Middle School Literature
When I approached the middle school years, there was no lack of middle school literature lists.
I loved having the lists, but I quickly learned that having tips on how to choose literature for my teen was better.
So first, look at these four questions asked and answered full of tips to help you decide which books are best for your family.
Four Middle School Literature Questions Asked and Answered
Question 1. Should I Read Every Book My Child Reads?
The answer is complicated. It’s both yes and no. The way you determine if it’s a yes or no is your purpose.
For example, if you’re wanting to use literature for analysis and to engage your child with understanding an author’s purpose it’s hard to do that unless you read the book.
Middle school is the time that most kids can do some introductory analysis. If you’re wanting to fill the literature requirement for just reading or for enjoyment, the answer is no.
I couldn’t read every book my kids chose, but focused on reading the few we would used for analysis. That secret tip helped me conquer the literature overwhelm in middle school.
In addition, this site for Banned and Challenged Books gives you an idea of the theme or worldview behind some books.
Question 2. How many books should my kid read each year?
That is another subjective answer. Some kids are voracious readers others not so much.
But if you’re using the literature to fill a credit (yes you can get high school credit in middle school), you’ll want to set your goal for a realistic amount.
Looking over some literature lists for middle schooled kids, I’ve seen some unreachable numbers.
Whatever the number of books you come up with lower it. It’s so much better to get through a handful of books with meaningful discussions than to overestimate and rush through them.
That is disheartening for both teacher and kid. Remember you can always add more literature for analysis anytime during the year.
I’ve had different requirements with each kid as my circumstances were different each year, but a good rule of thumb at this age was to analyze between 4 to 6 books or less.
Some years we did more, other years I struggled to get through three books, but it was still solid language arts.
The other books were pure pleasure and met my reading requirement.
Reading for Middle School
Again, this is NOT all your child will read, but it’s the amount you want him to read to help him with the critical thinking part of literature.
Question 3. Do I want my child to integrate other subjects or skills or to use literature as stand-alone?
My answer is to integrate as much as possible. My preference from the time I learned about how to integrate was to use this method for all literature.
Integrate means to combine several skills or to combine subjects. By integrating skills or subjects,
your child learns the practical application of grammar, vocabulary, or writing in a way that makes sense;
the areas of language arts that your child is weak at can be strengthened. For example, he sees the correct spelling of a word in literature and applies it to his writing;
your child can choose literature choices based on his interests or to cover a subject he may not like as well. Unlike public school, your child doesn’t have to follow arbitrary lists. Too, if he is not passionate about history, then well-written fiction prose can help him to fill a history credit. Literature can make a history time period come alive while filling both a literature and history requirement in a more fun way; and
one unexpected benefit was that my kids learned study skills and research skills.
Literature Analysis for Middle School
Question 4. Should I require my child to write book reports?
Although it’s not necessary for kids to write book reports, understanding the purpose of a book report lets you decide if it’s for your family.
Book reports, oral or written, are the blueprints for high school literary analysis.
The point is not whether you assign a book report or not, it’s that your child understands things like elements of fiction, genre, and figures of speech.
Whether you choose to do this orally, through a book report, a lapbook, or reading journal, it’s your choice. I have only one kid that loved book reports, but I orally reviewed with each kid the assigned books.
Next, look at this list of questions to include in a written book report or to go over them orally:
Was it better that . . . ?
What do you think . . . ?
In your opinion . . . ?
How would you change the character to . . . ?
How is ____ tied in or related to ____?
What choice would you have made ____?
Now that you have a quick overview of some of the general tips about how to choose middle school literature, look at this list of books.
Remember that you can choose classics, follow a history theme, favorite author or do a balance of genres. There are many genres to choose from.
Of course, if your child is college bound you will want to do a variety of genre even in junior high.
Reading for Middle School Homeschool
And one final thought there is a huge difference in maturity between sixth grade and eighth grade.
Keep that in mind in looking over this literature list as I provided options for different reading levels. This list below is a mix of literature that works well for this age, but you can always add to it.
Alternatively, you may want to use something besides just a reader or the literature.
Teacher Guides, Themed Guides and All-in-OneCurriculum
For my first time teaching literature at the middle school level I loved using teacher helps and many times I used them as life happened. Why reinvent the wheel?
You can choose a book along with a teacher guide to help you teach the important parts of the book or use an all-in-one guide or curriculum.
Look at some of your options below.
I love Lightning Literature and they’re perfect for the older grades because they have a schedule which helps when you’re first beginning to teach literature.
Still, I had the tendency to over teach literary analysis, but key to keeping it fun is to do a bit each day.
It is a Charlotte Mason gentle approach to literature and fits a lot of my likes; it takes an integrated approach which aligns with how I feel beautiful literature should be learned.
However, one of my VERY favorite resources for middle school kids was created by another homeschool mom.
You’ll love Literary Adventures for Kids which is online and self-paced. You choose the books and course and your child goes at his own pace. All the stress and prep for learning about literature was taken out.
If you’re looking for something that your child can do on his own, or you don’t have time to read every book, you’ll love Literary Adventures for Kids.
My kids can pick the book they want to read and we find the accompanying study guide. The guides cover background information, vocabulary, literary analysis, and more.
Covering history and literature simultaneously helped us to learn how to utilize our time and widen our reading diet.
If your child loves history, then integrating history and literature together makes practical use of your child’s time.
Did I mention that reading doesn’t become a chore, but becomes a time you and your child look forward to during the day?
Finally, paying attention to detail looks different for each book with each child, but that is the purpose of literature analysis. Too, our children can come to view each book loved as an artistic expression. It’s quite possible.
What books are you using for literature analysis for middle school kids?
