How do you "do" literature?

I would recommend you choose a book maybe at a 5-6th grade level and read it to all of your kids(except your “littles,depending how old they are) and then maybe choose books at each of their grade levels for them to read independently. I do just read them aloud to my kids and I do not have them narrate this book,however I do have them narrate the books I read for history. I would “consider” the books I read for history as good literature but these would go under “history” on my school planner since I use them as history lessons. I really do not do any literature based activities. I just read the book and sometimes we will then watch the movie and we discuss the differences. (I did that this past year with Pinnochio and The Wizard of Oz) Hope that helps!! Wendy

Literature is a fummy thing really. It is an open feild of discovery that invites all subjects in. With my 9 year old she does her reading, usually a chapter of a novel and narrates to me. this year she will be doing a “novel study” guide from Veritas Press that she will make a notebook with and well as some simple craft projects it has. Up til now, she has read to me here and there, we’ve read together, she’s read alone then narrated and occasionally done a book report ish project for me.

My 6 year old is going to do First Favourites from Veritas Press which we will read together and it has a few activities to do with each book.

I do read aloud alot in science and social studies as we have been doing those subjects together. i consider say, science questions answered “reading comprehension” for my school portfolios that I have to report on.

BUT I will say, let them have literature that they can just devour and run with. That they can simply form a relationship with because they love the content. You can encourage acting out parts of the story or doing an art project that reminds them of the main character. Or renting a DVD that goes with the topic once the book is finished. It really is open to your interpretation and you will find a way that your children enjoy literature.

i am sure some veteran CMers on here will be able to share good insight too….

“My opinion is that the books are able to speak for themselves. I don’t think they require dissecting or extra explanation beyond whatever questions come up naturally in the children’s minds. As my children get older, I will most likely assign literature to them for independent reading and narration. We also do a separate family read aloud apart from literature. That requires no narration; it’s just good, solid reading. ” -LyndsayD

I agree with Lindsay and you get the most out of literature when it naturally unfolds after readings. But, we have to do a novel study each year for the school we are hooked up under. Often I can use the comprehension Q’s as a tag on to the end of narration and just report that to the teacher contact. Then any art or projects from the novel study get submitted in their portfolios. That’s why I make sure they choose other lit to read for enjoyment. So they can read as little or much in a day as they want to in a story with out haveing to stop at the end of each chapter and “doing” something. So if you can just read and narrate!!!! Just read and narrate!