A Brand New Adventure Series for Kids

A Production of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Finish Well Homeschool Podcast, Podcast #174, A Brand New Adventure Series for Kids with Special Guest Mike Curtis, with Meredith Curtis on the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network

A Brand New Adventure Series for Kids

with Special Guest Mike Curtis

In “A Brand New Adventure Series for Kids,” Episode, #174, Meredith Curtis interviews Mike Curtis, pastor and author of a brand-new series (and her husband!). He has written an amazing new series for children and teens: The Noland Kids Adventures. Mike shares his journey that led him to share his story. Learn all about the series and why your kids will love to read it!

 


Powerline Productions, Inc.

Powerline Productions, Inc.

Bringing Homeschool Joy to Families Everywhere!

 


Show Notes

Introduce Mike & Ministry https://www.powerlinecc.com/

Noland Kids Adventures  https://www.powerlineprod.com/books/the-noland-kids-adventure-series/

How It All Began

Rockford Park, Bedtime Stories to Children, Stories to Grandchildren

Covid-Strikes!

Needed to entertain kids at home listening to sermon

First Novel

The Key House

The Key House by Mike Curtis at Powerline Productions

Newly Inherited House 150-Year Old Secret, Clues to Hidden Treasure

Mystery/ Adventure, Hardy Boys meets The Goonies

Who is This Series Written For?

Christian Kids 10-14

Second Novel

Lost City of Light

The Lost City of Light by Mike Curtis at Powerline Productions, Inc.

Coming November 25th, 2022

How Can Listeners Get Book?

Amazon print or Kindle

Our website PowerlineProd.com

Reviews

Leave Reviews

Spread the Word

What Books are on the Horizon & When?

Legend of the Craftsman King  & Secret of Paradise Cove

The Legend of the Craftsman King by Mike Curtis at Powerline Productions, Inc.    The Secret of Paradise Cove by Mike Curtis at Powerline Productions, Inc.

 

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The Key House

The Key House by Mike Curtis at Powerline Productions

HUGE Black Friday/ Cyber Monday Sale!

Travel God's World God Bless the USA Exploring States & Territories by Meredith Curtis at Powerline Productions Travel God's World God Bless the USA Cookbook by Meredith Curtis and Laura Nolette at Powerline Productions God Bless the USA State Capitals & Abbreviations by Meredith Curtis at Powerline Productions, Inc. Travel God's World God Bless the USA State Flags & Seals by Meredith Curtis at Powerline Productions

 


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7 Classic Books Every Homeschool Mom Should Read

A Production of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Finish Well Homeschool Podcast, Podcast #169, 7 Classic Books Every Homeschool Mom Should Read, with Meredith Curtis on the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network

7 Classic Books Every Homeschool Mom Should Read

In “7 Classic Books Every Homeschool Mom Should Read,” Episode, #169, Meredith Curtis shares her favorites with you – books that have inspired, equipped, and encouraged her. These books will change your life and your perspective. Grab a cup of tea or mug of coffee and learn about some classic books that you will want to read and reread again.

 


Time for Back-to-School with PowerlineProd.com

 

Powerline Productions, Inc.

Bringing Homeschool Joy to Families Everywhere!

 


Show Notes

The bookcase outside my door.

Books impact our lives. Some of my books are like special friends who have spoken into my life and brought forth something new.

L’Abri by Edith Schaeffer

Frances & Edith Schaeffer’s ministry in Switzerland.

Focus on creating a nurturing environment and ministering in and from the home.

For Better or Best by Gary Smalley

As a young couple, we attended this author’s conference and had our first introduction to the vast difference in the way men and women think. Also how different their needs are.

He also wrote If Only He Knew.

Shepherding a Child’s Heart by Tedd Tripp

My favorite book on parenting. It really shows how to parent by imitating Jesus as a shepherd of our children’s hearts.

Hidden Art of Homemaking by Edith Schaeffer

I love art and beauty and classic books. Edith opened my eyes to the true art involved in creating a home from interior decorating to fostering integration of ages, I love this book!

Creative Counterpart by Linda Dillow

A great book on how to be a wife from the relational to the practical including organization.

The Christian Family by Larry Christenson

Every Christian should read this book on the the how, what, and why of God’s design of the Christian family. Covers roles and responsibilities, including the family’s Saviour – Jesus and parent’s role in the spiritual nurture of their children.

Spirit of Loveliness by Emilie Barnes

Lovely inside and out, Emilie reminds us to add beauty in our world to fee our soul. I love all her books but this is my favorite!

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Resources

All our curriculum is built around living books 😊

Newspaper Reporting by Meredith Curtis Travel God's World Geography by Meredith Curtis British Literature & Writing High School Class HIS Story of the 20th Century by Meredith Curtis

 


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A Book and a Movie, Interview with Ticia Messing

A Production of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

This week on Homeschool Highschool Podcast: A Book and a Movie, Interview with Ticia Messing.

A Book and a Movie, Interview with Ticia Messing

A Book and a Movie, Interview with Ticia Messing

One of our favorite things is learning with movies, so we are so excited to talk to Ticia Messing about learning with books and movies!

Ticia is an old friend of ours (we talked in an earlier episode about teens and volunteering). She shares about homeschooling her three teenaged sons and one teenaged daughter at Adventures in Mommydom. Her sons are all in high school and driving now, so her world is quickly changing.

Her sons have enjoyed homeschooling for their entire educational lives. Now they have extended their experiences by starting dual enrollment at the local community college. They are each taking one course to help them get a taste for college.

One of Ticia’s emphases in her homeschool is helping her teens explore, define and build career interests. Her teens’ current interests vary from firefighting to game design to restaurant ownership. (One of the ways she helps her teens explore career interests is through field trips. For instance, her firefighting-interested son has had field trips to the local firehall.)

Another of Ticia’s emphases is sparkling up the homeschool year with movies about the books that they read.

She has been using books and matching movies since her kids were in third grade.

For instance, when her kids were young, they read the story of Cinderella. Then they watched the movie: Ella Enchanted. On top of their reading and movie they made snacks to go along with the movie’s theme, such as pumpkin-carriage cupcakes! They followed up by comparing the book and the movie with a discussion.

Recently they read Alice through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll, then watched the Disney movie and the movie Wonderland. They had a great family discussion on the similarities and differences between the movie and book. (Her teens have strong opinions about what they like and do not like about the changes the movies make in the story and/or characters.)

Some of the discussions they have about the movie include:

  • Why did the director make certain casting choices?
  • How can they make sense of plot changes that were made in the movie?
  • Are there absolute travesties in the movie’s version?
  • What did the movie get right?
  • Are there some things that were not in the book but worked well in the movie

Movies with books inspire learning and discussion.

How can parents get the most out of a book and a movie?

If you would like to work together as a family or have your teens work independently with a book and a movie, here are some suggestions.

  • Define your purpose for doing a book and a movie
    • Just for fun
    • Developing a topic they are studying (for instance, when they were studying Sci-fi, they read and watched lots of books and movies)
    • Building thinking and conversation skills
  • Choose how many books and movies you want to cover?
    • For instance, Ticia’s family reads one book and watches the accompanying movie each month.
  • Decide if you want to watch the movie first or or read the book first.
    • Ticia’s family tends to watch Disney movies first, then reads the book.
    • They read the book first on most other kinds of films.
  • Check out Ticia’s list of one hundred movies based on books for tons of ideas.

One way to make the most of books and movies is to use 7SistersHomeschool’s Cinema Studies for Literature Learning Study Guides.

These popular guides help students learn while enjoying classic movies!

The guides take classic movies and use them to teach literature analysis skills. Some of the movies in this series that are based on books include:

Other guides in the series are just the literature-analysis guides for movies. There is no accompanying book.

We allow our teens to actually count these as books for their book lists IF they have completed the guide. The movies that do not have a book to go with them include:

Visit Ticia at AdventuresInMommydom.com for lots of enrichment for your homeschool. She specializes in literature and movies and LOTS of hands-on history ideas. Also, join us for today’s episode about a book and a movie!

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How to Handle Shakespeare for Homeschool Co-ops

A Production of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

This week on Homeschool Highschool Podcast: How to Handle Shakespeare for Homeschool Co-ops.

Teaching Shakespeare in Homeschool Co-op

 

How to Handle Shakespeare for Homeschool Co-ops

Sabrina and Vicki love Shakespeare and they love teaching Shakespeare for their homeschool co-ops. They have had so many fun experiences with their high schoolers as the teens learned about Shakespeare and a few of his most famous plays.

So what are some ways to handle Shakespeare for your homeschool co-op?

Keep it fun! Don’t scare the teens off by taking his works too seriously!

Remember, there’s not ONE right way to homeschool high school and there’s not ONE right way to teach Shakespeare.

Show the teens the timelessness of some of his characters. (Some of the character types are folks you can run into today. Look for Sabrina’s Literature Study Guides for Shakespeare to help with this.) You can start with this FREEBIE on timeless expressions that Shakespeare gave us.

Also, check out this episode with Sabrina that has more ideas on teaching Shakespeare.

Traditional Academic Co-op (Let’s call it Sylvester)

The Sylvester co-op feels comfortable with textbooks, scope and sequences, syllabi, and grading assignments with rubrics. When approaching teaching Shakespeare, Sylvester co-op teachers will plan for a formal atmosphere. They will spend a lot of time translating Elizabethan English into modern English. They will teach iambic pentameter with counting syllables and finding accents in lines of words. They will discuss rhyming couplets. They might even do some copywork with this FREEIE from our friend, Kat Patrick.

This is all fine and dandy! (Remember, there’s not ONE right way to teach Shakespeare!) But Sylvester co-op, here’s word of advice: You might be tempted to ONLY do those things. Sabrina recommends that Sylvester gets a little loose and have fun. How to do that?

Ask yourselves: Why has Shakespeare remained so popular all these years? Now you can answer yourselves: Because it’s good storytelling with good characters.

While there is strange language, important form and structure, there is lots of interesting stuff to discuss in co-op. Take for instance: Discuss Much Ado About Nothing. It is a Shakespearian rom-com! Anyone who has seen a modern romance-comedy can find points of connection back to Much Ado About Nothing!

Organic, Bordering on Unschooling Co-op (Let’s call it Beatrice)

The Beatrice co-op might be a bit all over the place. They might be allowing a go-with-the-flow, find-a-passage-to-read co-op. They will probably be acting out favorite scenes in a light-hearted manner.

That is all groovy! (Remember, there’s not ONE right way to teach Shakespeare!) But Beatrice co-op, here’s a word of advice: You might be tempted to just have fun with interacting with favorite scenes. However, Sabrina recommends spending a little time explaining why Shakespeare wrote in iambic pentameter.

You know why? Because Shakespeare’s plays were produced by a company (SO many plays for one company to remember, line after line after line). But what Shakespeare knew (like many of his playwright peers) was that the rhythm patters of Shakespeare’s plays made heavy memorization of lines possible (and quicker). That’s because the rhythm of iambic pentameter is similar to English speech patterns and the musicality of the rhythm aids the memorization.

A fun activity for a co-op like Beatrice is to take a conversation the students just had over lunch, write it down, and then change it to iambic pentameter!

The Somewhere-in-between Co-op (Let’s call it Bob)

The Bob co-op is so moderate, a bit of fun, bit of strenuous academics. You have a lot going on at your co-op. You could choose a couple of scenes for creating a readers theater production.

Readers theater is a bit more than just a reading around the room- that’s fun, though, try it sometime. Rather, you will cast students as specific characters. They will read over and study them ahead of time, they read the script as part of the performance.

Usually characters wear black with one special piece that helps identify the character- like the “fool” character wearing a jester’s hat. This piece can be anachronistic, too- like a sea captain wearing a modern sailor hat.

Readers theater works great on Zoom, btw!

I guess our co-ops were a bit Sylvester-sh, Bob-ish AND Beatrice-ish because our homeschool high schoolers did all these activities with their favorite teacher, Sabrina!

SO, how do you handle Shakespeare for homeschool c0-ops?

One way is to use 7SistersHomeschool’s soon-to-be-released Literature Study Guides for Shakespeare! Sabrina has created these guides based on the activities she did with our teens. The guides will include:

  • Much Ado About Nothing
  • Mid-Summer Night’s Dream
  • Hamlet
  • King Lear

Like all 7Sisters study guides, they will be no-busywork, don’t-kill-the-play. They will focus on the timelessness of the plays and characters, a little bit on form and structure, and links to good productions of Shakespeare’s plays for the teens to watch.

Join Vicki and Sabrina (and the Bard) for an inspirational discussion! For more on teaching Shakespeare, try some ideas from our friend, Kat Patrick.

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How to Use Who-Dun-It Curriculum in a Homeschool Co-op

A Production of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Finish Well Homeschool Podcast, Podcast #129, How to Use Who-Dun-It Curriculum in a Homeschool Co-op, with Meredith Curtis on the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network

How to Use Who-Dun-It Curriculum in a Homeschool Co-op

In “How to Use Who-Dun-It Curriculum in a Homeschool Co-op,” Episode, #129, Meredith Curtis explains how to use her most popular English course, Who Dun It Murder Mystery Literature & Writing, in a homeschool co-op setting. It’s easier than you think to teach, homeschool Mom or Dad! Teens love sharing their stories together and discussing classic cozy mysteries in book club. Plus what other course requires you to watch a detective show once a month? The student benefits—logic, creativity, literature understanding deepens, and FUN—enrich high schoolers educational experience and create happy lifetime memories!

 

 


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Show Notes

Welcome to our cozy mystery peer review time. We are mesmorized by the story, trying to figure out the clues.

This is much too fun for a high school English class! Or is it?

When It’s Your Turn to Teach at Co-op

It’s your turn to teach the high school English course and you are stumped.

I have a fun solution!

Mystery lovers unite!

Spend a year reading and writing a cozy mystery

Benefits of Writing a Who-Dun-It

Opportunity (or challenge) of creating a story that others will enjoy

Writing your own literature teaches you so much about literature

The role of logic

Craftsmanship

Reading aloud to edit/craft

Who Dun It? Murder Mystery Literature and Writing High School Class

An Overview of The Year

First half:

  • Reading/watching/analyzing
  • Creating characters/settings/scenes
  • Write short story

Second half:

  • Novels/short stories
  • Work on novel
  • Peer review & crafting as you go

The Planning Is Already Done

How the course is laid out

Work at home

Work in co-op

Creating Characters & Using Dialogue & Description

How do golden age authors do it?

Well-rounded characters

Quotation marks

Close your eyes and listen—can you see it?

Classic Literature & Substitutes

Christie, Sayers, Chesterton, Doyle

Children’s classics: Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys, Mandie, Sugar Creek Gang

Golden Age Classic Mysteries—excellent literature!

Why Book Clubs Help So Much

Talking helps brain connect information

Differing opinions lead to lively discussions

Start with “Did you like this book—why or why not?”

Each book club focus: characterization, setting, dialogue, tone/mood, plot

Why TV Shows Help So Much

Scenes

Storyboard

Perry Mason, Murder She Wrote, Monk, Garage Sale Murders, Matlock

Writing for Peers vs. Writing for No One

When you are reading stories aloud, you have a purpose, an incentive

How writers have grown with this

Responding with affirmation and helpful advice, not critical

Unleashing Creativity

Creating characters, settings, plots, scenes, dialogue, surprise endings—hard work but fun!

Who Dun It Murder Mystery Literature & Writing changes students

The Logic of a Who-Dun-It

Have to make sure everything lines up, is logical, makes sense

Did the reader get enough clues to solve mystery? “How did I miss that!”

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Resources

Our one-credit high school courses use conversational text, living books, hands-on learning, and projects that prepare teens for real life! Enjoy!

 

Who Dun It? Murder Mystery Literature and Writing High School Class Economics, Finances, and Business Economics, Finances, and Business Answer Key HIS Story of the 20th Century by Meredith Curtis
American Literature & Research British Literature & Writing High School Class Communications 101:Essays and Speeches High School Class Foundations of Western Literature by Meredith Curtis
Newspaper Reporting by Meredith Curtis Government: God's Blueprint/Man's Agenda by Meredith Curtis at Powerline Productions Worldview Understanding the Times by Meredith Curtis HIS Story of the 20th Century: High School Workbook by Meredith Curtis

More Podcasts You Might Find Helpful

Finish Well Homeschool Podcast, Podcast #120, Why I Wrote My Own Government Course, with Meredith Curtis on the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network Finish Well Homeschool Podcast, Podcast #114, Easy DIY 5-Year Homeschool High School Flexible Plan, with Meredith Curtis on the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network Finish Well Homeschooling Podcast, Podcast #108, 7 Ways to Make Jesus Lord of Your Homeschooling with Meredith Curtis on the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network Finish Well Radio Show, Podcast #106, 7 Reasons I Teach Newspaper Reporting In Middle School with Meredith Curtis on the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network

Add Humanities to Your Home School

A Production of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Finish Well Homeschool Podcast, Podcast #118, Add Humanities to Your Home School, with Meredith Curtis on the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network

Add Humanities to Your Home School

In “Add Humanities to Your Home School,” episode #119, Meredith Curtis talks about humanities—art, music, literature, economics, government, philosophy, religion, architecture, and theology. Meredith shares how her family adds humanities to their history and geography studies. You can, too! The easiest way is through unit studies. You can also add history labs and geography labs to those classes. Broaden your horizons and have fun at the same time as you enrich your home school and bless your children and teens.

 

 

 


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Show Notes

Humanities and education

What are Humanities?

Art, music, literature, economics, government, philosophy, religion, architecture, and theology

Add Art

Art Appreciation

Creating Art in imitation

Add Music

Music Appreciation: List to audio/ Attend Concert

Play music from time period or country on piano, guitar

Sing Songs

Try dancing (e.g. Old English Country Dancing, Twist, Salsa)

Add Art

Art Appreciation

Creating Art in imitation

Add Economics

Exchange Rate from country to country

Economic philosophy/international trade (compare Phoenicians to Sparta)

Natural Resources (Gold in South Africa & Venezuela)

Companies/Businesses (Nestle, Lego, Paddington Bear, KLM, Aldi)

Add Government

Kind of Government: Dictatorship, Communist, Republic, Pure Democracy, Anarchy)

Excellent Government Leaders (King Alfred, Wilberforce)

Add Philosophy

How philosophers impact later generations (Marx, Freud, Locke, Bacon)

Add Religion

Religions in a Country

Response to the Gospel

Famous church leaders, missionaries, Christian businessmen

Holidays

Add Architecture

Build things

Look at Photos of Famous Architecture

Look for similar styles in your home town

Add Theology

Are there promises fulfilled?

How did God deal with people?

How did God show mercy and grace?

Popular theology at different times: indulgences, purgatory

Theologians like Augustine, Luther, Calvin, Gregory the Great & what they Believed

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Resources

Travel God's World Cookbook by Meredith Curtis Travel to London Unit Study by Meredith Curtis Celebrate Christmas in Germany Unit Study by Meredith Curtis Travel God's World Geography by Meredith Curtis
Let's Have Our Own Archaeological Dig by Meredith Curtis Let's Have Our Own Olympic Games Let's Have Our Own Luau by Meredith Curtis Let's Have Our Own Medieval Banquet by Meredith Curtis
Let's Have Our Own Victorian Tea by Meredith Curtis American History Cookbook Ancient History Cookbook Families Learning Together: American History Art Appreciation by Meredith Curtis Cover
HIS Story of the 20th Century by Meredith Curtis HIS Story of the 20th Century Middle School Workbook HIS Story of the 20th Century: High School Workbook by Meredith Curtis HIS Story of the 20th Century Cookbook by Meredith Curtis and Laura Nolette

More Podcasts You Might Find Helpful

Finish Well Radio Show, Podcast #020, Surprise! Economics is Fun! with Meredith Curtis on the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network Finish Well Radio Network, Podcast #39, Should I Major in Music at College? with Meredith Curtis on the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network Finish Well Radio Show, Podcast #043, Electives We Love with Meredith Curtis on the Ultimate Homeschool Radio Network Finish Well Radio, Podcast #059, A Hero For All Times

Literature Based Homeschooling

A Production of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Lit Based LearningLiterature Based Homeschooling–  Episode 78

Join us we talk about the different approaches to homeschooling.

Four ways to enjoy the stories.
• you read aloud to the kids
• one of the children reads aloud
• the children read independently
• you all listen to an audiobook together

Whether you have all littles, all bigs or a mix of both, literature based learning can work for your family. The beauty of this method is that you can school everyone together for several subjects.

Resources mentioned on the show:

Books mentioned on the show:

Ilyon Chronicles by Jaye L. Knight

The Blades of Acktar Series by Tricia Mingerink

These books are excellent choices to continue your journey in literature based homeschooling:

  • The Read-Aloud Family: Making Meaningful and Lasting Connections with Your Kids
  • The Read-Aloud Handbook
  • Teaching from Rest: A Homeschooler’s Guide to Unshakable Peace
  • For the Children’s Sake
  • Honey for a Child’s Heart
  • Read-Aloud Rhymes for the Very Young
  • The Ramped-Up Read Aloud: What to Notice as You Turn the Page

 

 

HSHSP Ep 164: How and Why to Use Literature Study Guides

A Production of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

This week on HSHSP Ep 164: How and Why to Use Literature Study Guides.

HSHSP Ep 164: How and Why to Use Literature Study Guides. Enrich but don't bore: Literature can be fun and meaningful for the whole family with wise use of Literature Study Guides from 7SistersHomeschool.com #HomeschoolHighSchoolPodcast #HomeschoolLiterature #HomeschoolLanguageArts #LiteratureStudyGuides

HSHSP Ep 164: How and Why to Use Literature Study Guides

Sabrina and Vicki LOVE Literature! In this episode we are recording in Vicki’s office, not very fancy for recording: just a chair draped with a blanket for best sound production! We homeschool moms are often making do with what we have! That’s why we know this wise saying from Vicki: Motherhood is the necessity of invention.

Motherhood is the necessity of invention. Vicki Tillman reminds us to be flexible and adaptable in our homeschooling! #HomeschoolHighschoolPodcast

Why use Literature Study Guides?

Teens often need a little bit of coaching or guidance to get the most out of a book. And we need some wisdom on how to give them that coaching without killing the book! That’s how 7SistersHomeschool.com got started creating Literature Study Guides for our teens and for co-op and group classes. Our guides have been vetted by homeschooling teens and moms who love books and those who don’t love books because: You can be successful as a homeschool mom, even if you don’t love books!

Rather than bore teens with basic rehearsing the information in a book, good literature study guides can help teens build good thinking skills. Good high school Literature Study Guides give a few comprehension (just the facts) question but concentrate on inferential questions and teaching a limited number of literature themes.

However, younger homeschooler are not developmentally ready for inferential thinking. So, we 7Sisters found a way to create Literature Activity Guides for Elementary Readers!

We also have a few Literature Study Guides Guides for late Elementary Readers.

We have introduced a few Middle School Literature Study Guides.

Some high school level books have so much happening in story and character that lots of comprehension and concrete learning must happen.

  • Two of these books we recommend are:
    • Chuck Colson’s Born Again. Mostly comprehension. It is such a big, complicated book. Concentrating on the facts helps teens get the most out of this important political/historical biography. 7Sisters Literature Guide for Born Again helps teens keep track of time, events and characters.
    •  The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom. Mostly comprehension so that teens can keep track of character, events and timeline. There is also a *sum-it-up-process activity* toward the end of the guide.

Most high school level books should develop inferential (deeper thinking, implied information) skills.

  • The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis is a great example. While most people have read The Chronicles of Narnia in late elementary or middle school, teens need to revisit Narnia. Lewis reminds us that, “A children’s story that can only be enjoyed by children is not a good children’s story in the slightest.”
  • Adolescents are developmentally ready to deal with the symbolism, theology, and philosophy that Lewis embedded in each scene of each book.
    • For instance, The Silver Chair draws heavily on Plato’s Allegory of the Cave. This book is a book about the nature of reality, the development of character, and the necessary choice of believing.
    • Or in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, teens learn the concept of *sehnsucht* (the longing for heaven, for things they don’t know yet) that is deeply embedded throughout the book. Our teens have LOVED the revisit to Narnia!

Don't kill the book. Teaching too many literature concepts at once trashes a teen's love of reading. Try 7SistersHomeschool.com's Literature Study Guides for concise, interesting, meaningful Literature Learning. #HomeschoolHighSchool #HighSchoolLiterature #LiteratureStudyGuides #HomeschoolHighschoolPodcast

Most of the other high school level Literature Study Guides concentrate on one or two literary concepts (character arc, foreshadowing, theme, plotline, etc) so that teens don’t loose the love of the book by overdoing the teaching. We want teens to love to think deeply and love reading. You can’t do that by killing the book with too many questions or concepts so we keep the guides short and adaptable to interest and ability levels and personal goals.

How to Use Literature Study Guides for Homeschool High School

Now onto some ideas for using 7Sisters Literature Study Guides. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

  • We recommend using Literature Study Guides every single year but not for every single book. We recommend a rule of thumb of one study guide per month for an average teen. Two or more guides per month are good for college-bound teens.
  • Each 7Sisters high school Literature Study Guide includes suggestions for ways to complete the guide at an Average, College Prep, Advanced or Honors level of rigor. Choose the level of rigor a teen wants or needs. Get your teen involved in the decision!
  • You might find that some books are so interesting that your homeschool high schooler might enjoy working on an Honors level for that Study Guide. Some books may be more intense and even an Honors-level teen might complete some study guides at Average or College-Prep levels.
  • Also choose the number of Literature Study Guides based on the length of the book itself. Some books (such as Les Miserables– even the abridged version) are quite long. Do fewer long books and mix in shorter books like God’s Smuggler.
  • Don’t wait until senior year and cram all your guides in! Do some each year!
  • Remember to be flexible! There’s not ONE right way to homeschool. Some years, monthly study guides might be too much. Some years you need many study guides.

Want some more help with how and why to use Literature Study Guides?

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Want some homeschool high school mom community?

HSHSP Ep 164: How and Why to Use Literature Study Guides

Book Clubs Instead of Book Reports

A Production of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Finish Well Radio Show, Podcast #090, Book Clubs Instead of Book Reports, with Meredith Curtis on the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network

Book Clubs Instead of Book Reports

In “Book Clubs Instead of Book Reports,” episode #090, Meredith Curtis weighs in on the question: should we write book reports or have a book club? She shares why book reports affect the way you read a book and how it is possible for them to suck the life out of reading. However, she gives tips for making them more interesting to write and read. Meredith explains how book clubs can revolutionize literature in your home school and treat the entire family to an hour of fun, food, and great learning. She also gives practical advice to help you get started and questions you can start with to get the ball rolling.

 

 


 

High School Curriculum by Powerline Productions

Powerline Productions, Inc.

Being World Changers, Raising World Changers!

We offer books and ebooks to help you homeschool to the Glory of God!

Check out our great literature classes!

 

 

 


Show Notes

What is the purpose of writing about a book or discussing a book?

Why we tried book clubs

Book Reports

Why they can be helpful

Why they can be harmful

Why they are boring

How to make book reports worth writing

Book Clubs

Why they are more fun than book reports

E.G. Robin Hood

Why they are help you dig deeper into the work of literature

How books clubs make you want to read more

What are the challenges?

Book Clubs

Setting up a book club

Having a Focus (Scarlett Letter Symbolism, …)

Food & Drinks

Building a Lifetime Habit

Alternatives to Book Clubs

Homeschool Co-op Classes

Chatting Online

Family Dinner Table

Questions that Work for All Books

Did you like this book? Why or why not?

What was your favorite part of the book and why?

Who was your favorite character and why?

Did anything that happened in the story surprise you? Why did it surprise you?

Does anyone in the book remind you of someone in your family or one of your friends?

Did you like the characters in the book? Why did you like them?

Was their one or more characters you didn’t like in this book? Why didn’t you like them?

Resources

Finish Well Radio, Podcast #024, Link Between Literature and Political FreedomFree Reading Lists by Powerline Productions at joyfulandsuccessfulhomeschooling.com

 

 

 

 

 

These Courses all include Book Club Discussion Questions

 

American Literature & Research Course by Meredith CurtisBritish Literature & Writing High School Course by Meredith CurtisCommunications 101:Essays and Speeches High School Course by Meredith CurtisFoundations of Western Literature High School Course by Meredith Curtis

Newspaper Reporting Middle School Course by Meredith CurtisWho Dun It? Murder Mystery Literature and Writing High School Course by Meredith CurtisWorldview Understanding the Times High School Course by Meredith CurtisHIS Story of the 20th Century: High School Workbook by Meredith Curtis

Valuable Benefits from Reading Classic Literature in your Homeschool

A Production of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

LCP Ep 9: Valuable Benefits from Reading Classic Literature in your Homeschool

 

Stack of classic books for valuable benefits from reading classic books in your homeschool podcast #homeschool #homeschooling #languagearts #classicbooks #classicliterature #literaturestudy #literarystudy #highschoolliterature #highschoolliterarystudy #middleschoolliterature #middleschoolliterarystudy #homeschoolhighschool #homeschoolmiddleschool #literarycafepodcast #homeschoolpodcast

 

Do you cringe when you think about “classic literature”?

Are you intimidated by the thought of tackling challenging vocabulary or complex sentences that seem to go on and on?

Visit Katie’s website for more fun ideas and tips to use in your homeschool at Katie’s Homeschool Cottage  or her Facebook Group.

Join Katie Glennon as she shares important benefits from reading classic literature, starting with easier books and working your way (and their way) up and through more challenging works as they progress through middle and high school.

There are so many academic and personal benefits that you most likely have not considered in reading classic books, but make the effort extremely worthwhile. They range from the very practical like expanding vocabulary to developing your child’s understanding of themselves, their world, and their individual viewpoints and worldviews.

Show Notes

 

Here is a summarized list of the benefits from the podcast. Please listen to the podcast for details and examples about these benefits.

When I use the term “classic literature”, I am not referring to the ancient literature of Socrates or Sophocles or Oedipus Rex. I am discussing books that have withstood the test of time and have earned a valuable place in our culture and on our bookshelves based on their theme and content or their rich use of language to express ideas.

I have compiled lists of suggested book titles for middle and high school for your reference when considering what books to include in your literature study.

Suggested Middle School Reading List

Suggested High School Classic Literature Book List

Important Benefits from including Classic Books in your Homeschool Literature Study

Learn to Appreciate the Written Word as a Piece of Art

When reading quality literature, we can envision a picture in our minds the scene the author is expressing through the written word. Through vivid descriptions, imagery, literary devices and other writing techniques, we are brought into the world or story that the author is describing. We can hear, feel, or see what the characters experience. We absorb the mood and get to know the characters through their dialogue.

Writing is a craft on paper, much like that expressed by artists with paint on a canvas. What we are reading has so much more meaning and we appreciate and enjoy it more when we can understand the techniques that a writer has used to transport us into another world for the moment.

Learn to Understand and also Absorb Complex and More Interesting Sentence Structure

Classic books, especially as you enter high school level literature, contains more complex and sophisticated sentence structure. If we start exposing our children to easier to understand classic books in middle school, they become accustomed to the longer and more complex sentences and how to tackle them when reading. When they enter high school, it will be less daunting to read some of the more challenging works because of the practice they have already gained.

Our children will also start to speak and write in more interesting sentences, because they actually start to absorb this way of expressing themselves. It comes naturally.

Enrich and Expand Vocabulary

When your children are regularly exposed to a more challenging vocabulary increments at a time, your children will become adept at using the sentence around the word to decipher the meaning of the word in its context. This is a very important and practical skill. They also more easily learn and retain the meaning of the word in the context of the sentence and the story, as opposed to weekly vocabulary lists that are not attached to a memorable story.

These words will then appear more naturally in their speech and their own writing.

Practice Identifying and Analyzing Worldview

In this day, it is important that we help our children identify worldviews that exist today and appear in the written and spoken word as it is presented in books, social media, television, and movies. We need to share with them our family viewpoints, morals, values, and our personal worldviews. Through this filter, we can then identify worldviews in speech and written word we come across or study with our children. It’s important to compare the viewpoints presented by others to our own personal worldviews and determine if they fit with our own and accept them or reject them.

It is through this study and discussion that our children develop their own views and are prepared to enter the world ready to stand by their own beliefs or be swayed and habitually change their viewpoints depending on their surroundings.

Classic literature with its content, themes, and viewpoints is a wonderful resource for this practice and discussion. Wordviews have been presented and have changed throughout literary time periods through history. (In the podcast, we have discussed this with more detail.)

Looking at Literature as a Reflection of History and Society

Because writers do not write in a vacuum and live during different time periods in history and changes in society, their writing will reflect their surrounding events and societal views and their own experiences. When we read classic books, we get a front row seat to events and feelings and beliefs of that time period of that author or of the story.

We can see why and how we are today because of the progression of ideas, events, and beliefs that have come before the present we are experiencing.

Looking at Literature as an Influence on History and Society

Writers not only write about events and beliefs around them to reflect what is happening, but also to influence those events and beliefs to bring about a change. Examples would be Thomas Paine’s Common Sense or Harriett Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Both were written to influence society and instigate change.

The written and spoken word can be powerful tools. Learning to identify pursuasive rhetoric helps our children learn to use these tools effectively and be able to discern when this rhetoric is being used to persuade them to adopt an idea or a belief.

Develop and Practice using Higher Order Thinking Skills

When interpreting and analyzing literature for its worldview and meaning and tying in our own views and experiences, we have the perfect opportunity to practice higher order thinking skills. From comprehending what we are reading to synthesizing what we have read to meld those ideas with our own, there are different kinds and levels of thinking skills that are naturally incorporated in reading and discussing a classic book.

 

Identify and Explore Universal Themes found in Literature and in Life

Classic books are a great opportunity to look at the theme presented in the story and compare it to life and our own personal experiences. These themes might be jealously, greed, grief, love, pride, revenge, or good versus evil. When we read about and explore a theme of a story, we have the opportunity to look at the consequences of actions of the characters and learn lessons from their experiences.

We can compare our own thoughts and feelings from our own experiences and examine them and learn from them. We begin to understand these “universal life truths and human experiences”.

This leads to our next benefit.

Understand and Develop Empathy and Sympathy for Others

A scientific study examined children when they read fiction versus non-fiction and they found children learned something when they read fiction. From reading about different characters and their experiences and being able to see and be a part of the characters’ thoughts and feelings in reaction to those experiences, the children in the study developed an understanding and empathy for those characters.

They were able to learn to take what they learned from those characters and those experiences and transfer an empathy to other people who were feeling a certain way because of the discussions about those characters and comparing their experiences to their own experiences. The children were able to project what they would do and how they would feel and act toward others in different circumstances that demonstrated an understanding of the feelings and motivations of other people. Practicing this with characters in literature helped them to develop this skill.

So you can see that studying classic books does not have to be a dreaded experience of convoluted sentences and long and difficult words and thoughts. It can be a wonderful practical experience to acquire not only academic skills that will help them in college, but important life skills to bring them into adulthood.

Be sure to comment in the Comments box any ideas you’d like to share about how your family has studied any classic books! Any great book titles or authors to suggest? I would love to hear from you!

 

Thanks for visiting! Come back and visit the Literary Cafe Podcast for December’s topic when we look at ways to help your struggling writer learn to write! Don’t miss this episode as I share practical and easy ways to help your writer get over the frustration and “the deer caught in headlights look” when faced with a blank piece of paper.

Make sure you download our podcast at iTunes or subscribe to the Literary Cafe Podcast by clicking on the Android or RSS feed buttons below the recording on this page! And make sure you share this page with other homeschoolers with middle and high school aged children!

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