Feels like not enough books?

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  • October 18, 2011 at 6:38 pm
    heatherma
    Participant

    This is our first year with ds 6 and ds4 tagging along.  Loving it, following SCM guide in all subjects.  But here’s a question.  We are often “done” in less than 2 hours which I’m fine with. But we don’t seem to have very many living books to read and we can’t get enough (we also do storytime before quiet time in the afternoons of nice picture books and look at a book at bedtime as well). 

    Here’s what we’re doing right now as far as books go: Daily: devotions, Literature (1 Ch) – doing Charlotte’s Web, just finished Trumpet of the Swan.

    2-3x wk: Science story (picture book or one animal from Character Sketches), Poetry, Bible or History (following SCM mod 1 guide) – so a ch. from Bible or a page from spine.

    I guess I just feel like as far as giving them great heros and grand scopes to think about, and really making connections/remembering the stories… well they’re not much.  Only the Lit selections have been that way. Is this what everyone is experiencing or do I just need to find some more great books to add from different genres? Of course I don’t want more to do or just be busy – so not into that, but  wanting to enjoy more stories in our day, great ones. Any ideas?

     

    October 18, 2011 at 7:23 pm
    Bookworm
    Participant

    Perhaps if you all really hunger for a little more, you could look over the AO selections appropriate to your 6yo and add a few things in.  Perhaps they would like an occasional story from 50 Famous Stories Retold, James Herriot’s Treasury for Children, The Burgess Bird Book, other Thornton Burgess books, some additional poetry, the AO free reading books, Clara Dillingham Pierson nature stories, fairy tales, hunt around on http://www.mainlesson.com for things that you might enjoy.  If they are listening with delight and you aren’t overtaxing them or pushing them hard, then by all means add in a little if you like.  We always had nature stories and fairy tales and two or three literature books going at once; we didn’t schedule them all in all the time but when we were done early we often picked one up to enjoy a little more. 

    October 18, 2011 at 7:27 pm
    suzukimom
    Participant

    For history, you mentioned following the SCM mod 1 guide… so a ch. from Bible or a page from spine….

    are you doing the books in the module for years 1-3?  Boy of the Pyramid?  I think there was a couple more…   that is the living books for history.

    For science – did you pick from the living books mentioned in the guide?  I was doing AO a couple of years ago so we did James Herriot’s Treasure for Children and the Burgess Bird Book…. but I know there are other ones listed in the science section of the SCM guide.

    Are you doing Nature Study?  Picture Study?

    Really for this age, about 2 hours is just right.  No need to lead them down.

     

    October 18, 2011 at 8:04 pm
    heatherma
    Participant

    THanks ladies for your responses! Bookworm: very helpful, hadn’t heard of Clara Dillngham Pierce, will have to check that out.  Last year we did Burgess Bird book and two others by him (you just reminded me about this author! I have 2 of his books tucked away, will go pull them out now), and James Herriot’s which we now own and read often at bedtime, and this summer finished up Little House series and The Gold Thread just for fun; and many of the AO selections already.  I limit the readings so they are pretty short or at a cliffhanger moment, and are quite excited when we get back to it again. We also do alternate a Math Story (livingmath.com is helpful) and a math game for different concepts and bake together at least once a week. 

    Suzukimom: yes we are doing the books listed that are better for 1st grade (not Letters from Egypt or the commentary ones, but everything else). Loved the one on Noah, and am ordering Boy of the Pyramid. It has not been listed to use it yet in the guide, which is perhaps why I felt like we were missing something. And I am waiting on the Pyramid book at the library, so that should help add some interest. (and we get up and do something else after a couple of readings so that helps).

    We have read the science listings for 1st several times and will still get them from time to time. I will occasionally check booklists and put some more on hold at the library.

    We are quite casually doing picture study, music study, nature study with adding to notebooks (taping in feathers/leaves,etc or drawing/painting) at least 1x week or nature walk to a nearby nature reserve.

    I agree that the time seems about right. And then we have lunch, and the afternoons are theirs to enjoy, create, do handicrafts, pretend, get Outside (getting harder to get them out there now that it’s getting colder though).  Helps to see it all written out like that.

    Will just pick a 2nd one for science and maybe get another Lit selection going if they are still clamoring for more.  And then they will just have to go play and give Mom a break from reading already! 😉

    October 18, 2011 at 10:27 pm
    Jennifer
    Member

    We continue to use Ambleside Online for further reading on the subject or for additional reading for fun. 

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