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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.”
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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?
How to choose the besthomeschool middle and high school language arts curriculum can be intimidating unless you have a road map. Also, look at my page homeschool middle school and how to homeschool high school page for more fun tips
Knowing the elements of language arts is important; knowing that not every teen needs the same amount of instruction for each component is equally important.
Using free language arts curriculum before you make a purchase can be especially helpfulfor many reasons:
Budget friendly curriculum allows you to assess problem areas in greater detail without busting the budget;
A free curriculum can be used as a reference alongside a purchased curriculum;
Your teen may need review in just a couple of areas and you can save your hard earned dollars to buy language arts where he requires in-depth focus or help;
Returning to free curriculum resources throughout the middle and high school years helps your teen review quickly; and
Let’s face it. Teen curriculum resources can be pricey, so having many options at your fingertips helps.
Homeschool Middle and High School Language Arts
Let’s start with a language arts road map.
Step one is knowing the language arts components.
Step 1. Identify the Language Arts Components.
The easiest, but most useful definition is that English language arts is any subject to do with written or oral communication, including listening.
Right away you can see that some things are not formally taught or don’t have to be taught in isolation.
For example, from the time your teen was a toddler, you started speaking to him in full sentences.
He learned your language through the art of conversation and discussion. That part still continues in the teen years.
Too, especially at the middle and high school years, teens need to make sense out of what they have been learning.
Combining language arts elements makes language arts practical and gives teens a reason to understand it.
For example, grammar can be revised or used while a teen writes an essay.
Next, let’s dive into the subject breakdown of what is language arts so you know that you’re covering it and that you choose the subjects your teen needs.
Language arts includes all facets of English: phonics, reading/literature, spelling/vocabulary, grammar, composition, and penmanship. In addition, it includes oral speech.
By this age your child has probably learned to read and write.
So penmanship turns to composition and reading becomes literature. Phonics is now spelling.
Step 2. Isolate the Language Arts Components Needed for Middle and High School Teens.
To help clarify this even further, here are the language art subjects for middle and high school grades.
Literature which is reading and could include literary analysis
Grammar
Spelling (if still needed)
Vocabulary
Composition
These subjects are the ones that most language arts all-in-one programs cover.
Next, now that you know the subjects that fall under the language arts umbrella, look at some of these homeschool language arts curriculum for middle and high school kids.
Step 3. Choose the EXACT Components Your Teen Needs OR Choose an All-in-One Curriculum.
Before you choose language arts, pay attention to the details to see if it’s an all-in-one program which covers most of the subjects for language arts OR if it’s just one component.
I have organized the elements for you so you can quickly see the choices for your child.
Grammar Homeschool Curriculum For Teens
Too, some of the resources can be used as a guidebook to assist your teen in his writing.
The first one I’m diving into is grammar. Grammar is the rules of a language.
Your teen has learned some of the rules naturally, so some of these resources can be used as a reference.
Other resources can be used as separate curriculum to shore up any weakness
Look at this list of homeschool grammar curriculum.
Rod and Staff English. Solid no fluff worktext for doing grammar stand alone or use for a reference. The books in the high school years made great reference books for us. It’s a faith-based curriculum, but I found it easily tweaked for faith-neutral approach.
Easy Grammar. This goes all the way to high school. It’s a secular view and a traditional approach.
Although I feel grammar is best covered in conjunction with writing so a teen sees the value, there are some teens who need grammar in isolation.
Before looking next at the composition options, keep a few key points in mind. If a teen is struggling with penmanship remember that he can type his essays.
Try to not make composition always about penmanship. Yes, it’s about doing neat work, but that is for the final draft.
Composition is about learning how to compose his thoughts. So if you have a teen struggling in both penmanship and composition, focus on one or the other until he gets more practice.
Go gentle in what you require of him if he is struggling.
You would think it would be easier to choose an all in one program which covered a bit of most of the components of language arts. It may or may not be.
The problem at this level is that most providers are assuming that your teen has had a fair amount of each component of language arts.
If you’ve switched homeschool approaches or resources, like most of us have, then you want to be sure you’re clear on what is the focus of the all-in-one language arts curriculum.
For example, it’s been my experience that curriculum may focus more on composition, while another one covers more literary analysis.
While yet another resource may focus heavily on grammar.
All-In-One Language Arts Homeschool Curriculum for Teens
So the important point I’m making is look over the scope and sequence so that you make a good fit for your teen.
Next, look at the options for all-in-one language arts programs.
Powerhouse or Acellus Academy.. They are both by same company. However, Acellus academy is accredited and more expensive, but Powerhouse isn’t accredited. Both are online and offer everything.
Step 4. Combine Many Components of Language Arts for Lasting Benefits.
Finally, the most important benefit of teaching language arts to our teens is so that it sticks with them. Understanding the mechanics of the English languages connects our teens to great minds of the past.
In addition, teaching valuable thinking skills is an important part of communication whether verbal or written.
For language arts to have lasting benefit and to teach thinking skills, combining the components of language arts is a superior way to teach.
When a teen works with a piece of literature, he focuses on grammar, writing, vocabulary, and spelling to name a few.
We want our teens to have a solid foundation for language arts whether he chooses a career track or college track.
More Homeschool Middle and High School Language Arts
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How to build elementary homeschool curriculum directly from Amazon is easier than you think.
Whether you’ve homeschooled from the beginning or suddenly have been thrown into homeschooling, you’ll love the flexibility of being able to choose from Amazon.
I love supporting vendors who sell homeschool curriculum, but in person conventions did not happen everywhere this year because of the pandemic.
Having an option to build your elementary homeschool curriculum is vital and I made this easy for you by creating lists in my Amazon store.
Elementary Homeschool Curriculum Directly From Amazon
First, the essential subjects that you want to teach in the elementary years are language arts, math, history and science.
Of course this doesn’t mean these are the only ones, but those four are the basis for a solid foundation.
Too, in the elementary years one-to-one tutoring does not take as long as the academic load that homeschooled kids in the upper grades carry. While it’s true a younger child may need more breaks, the workload is still pretty flexible in the elementary years and you have time to add other subjects for enrichment.
Now that you understand the 4 BIG ones as I call them, you also need to know how to break down language arts components.
Here are the components of language arts and based on your child’s age, ability, or level, you need to decide which ones he will need to do.
Reading. This includes reading aloud.
Phonics. Normally you want to do this until about 4th grade.
Spelling. Phonics is the precursor to spelling. Don’t be so quick to teach formal spelling because a child needs input first which phonics does.
Penmanship (no this is not composition). This is just what it means, learning how to write. It’s done in the early grades.
Composition comes after penmanship and it is about teaching a child how to compose his thoughts.
Grammar. Normally you start this in the second or third grade.
Language Arts Curriculum from Amazon
Keep in mind the subjects you cover in the elementary grades are just a rule of thumb.
Because kids can be all over the place on levels, I am giving you the big picture so you know how to choose.
It’s worrisome to not know which subjects to introduce and when to introduce them. I want you to be in the know.
So look at the subjects below based on grade level.
If your child is at grades 1 or 2, you want to choose a reading program, a phonics program, and a writing program.
If you child is at grades 3 to 4, you want to choose a reading program, a phonics program, a spelling program, a writing program or composition program and a grammar program.
If your child is at grades 5 to 6, you want to choose a reading program, a composition program, a spelling program, and a grammar program.
Science and history can be as easy as reading a book in the earlier grades and then progress to taking more time like from 3rd grade on.
Curriculum from Amazon
Also, to be sure you’ve covered the bases for subjects, use my checklist for curriculum resources below
Look at this Elementary – Reading List to get you started. Pick a few books along with what your child is reading for history and science and you have an excellent reading program.
Homeschool History and Science from Amazon
In addition, history and science are considered core subjects in some states.
After you add the Big Four core subjects, you can add other subjects. By starting with the Big Four, you know that you have the essentials covered.
If you have many learners under the age of 7 or 8, then covering the Big Four for the day is solid. As your little ones get older and as you have time, you can add other subjects which interest your kids.
Sometimes lesson plans can be too lofty for the elementary ages, but remember play is still a huge part of the learning day too. There is no need to fill your day with too many subjects.
The Big Four subjects a.k.a. language arts, math, science and history are the same ones all the way to High School. There is a lot of years to cover those subjects so include plenty of hands-on activities too.
The beauty of choosing curriculum directly from Amazon is that you not only can meet your kids’ needs, but also meet state guidelines if you have them.
Whether you’re wanting kids to step away from their devices, looking for a nature-inspired book for a unit study, or you want to inspire your kid’s inner naturalist, look at this roundup of books.
A young girl is left deserted on a pacific island off the coast of California. Karana must forage for food, build weapons for protection, and make clothes for covering.
A story of strength and resilience that will inspire. Beautifully written and perfect taking the readers to an island filled with dolphins, otters, and sea birds.
The sole survivor of a plane crash, thirteen-year-old Brian Roberson, finds himself stranded in the Canadian wilderness. He must fend for himself.
Brian slowly learns the survivor skills he needs to stay alive, building shelter, making fire, and foraging for food.
This novel takes the reader through a fifty-four-day journey of perseverance that forever changes a young man and his perspective about life and family.
Gary Paulson has many other novels that are set in the wilderness, and spends his personal time split between Alaska, New Mexico, Minnesota, and the Pacific.
Nature Book List for Kids
This book takes readers on an eco-adventure full of everything from the town’s well know bully to potty-trained alligators. There is a movie that would make a fun follow-up too.
A summer packed with outdoor adventure! Follow these kids as they discover the Virginian woods where they find secret caves, rushing waters, and rare treasure.
These books would be awesome for a state study of Virginia, as there are several more in the series that takes the reader to historical sites throughout the state.
16. Riding the Fumeby Patricia Curtis Pfitsch for ages 11 to 13.
Set among the giant sequoia trees in California, the novel is about a young girl faced with the discovery that her sister who died years earlier may still be alive. A must-read!
You’ll be transported by riveting adventure tales from around the globe, like being dragged off by a hyena in Botswana, surviving a Saharan dust storm, being woken by an intrepid emperor penguin in Antarctica, and coming face-to-face with a venomous bushmaster (one of the most dangerous snakes on the planet)—all told in lyrical prose and illustrations that wonder at the mysterious beauty of the wild.
I hope one of these 20 nature-inspired books will teach your kids about nature and revive a love of the great outdoors.
