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MNMommy
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| Posted: March 16 2011 at 9:11am | IP Logged
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Not sure that was a great title. I am wanting to use MA Level 2 for my rising 4th grader next year, but I am concerned about her ability to understand the readings. Right now we are buddy reading Catholic Tales for Boys and Girls and she is missing the underlying moral/themes of the stories. She can read all the words and she understands the words, but she's missing the next level of understanding.
I am prereading The Children's Homer and Archimedes and the Door of Science, and I don't see her being successful reading any of it independently. The reading level isn't too difficult (except for the Greek names), but the stories will be difficult to follow. I want to stretch her but not frustrate her. Honestly, neither story is holding my attention so maybe I need to be more enthused??? Am I the real problem?
My dd is sharp, but I don't know how to stretch her further. Should I look elsewhere....maybe at Kolbe's lit? Kolbe has The Children's Homer scheduled for 4th grade as well, so I *think* my sharp 4th grader should be able to get to that level.
My question here is how do I work to strech her to understand more complex story lines? She tears through chapter books with full understanding, but I need to move her to the next level.
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Jennifer
Tired mom to - 10yo dd, 7yo ds, 6yo ds, 4yo dd, 2yo ds
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JennGM
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| Posted: March 16 2011 at 6:48pm | IP Logged
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Jennifer,
I've been thinking about your post all day. I'm not sure if I can really help, but just a few thoughts.
I was thinking you could try to ease into the 4th grade reading through summer reading, to whet your daughter's appetite. Some collected stories of the Ancient Times or myths might help her get into gear for enjoying her year. One book I was thinking in particular is Mighty Men by Eleanor Farjeon. It's pretty exciting. My oldest loved it, although he is a boy, but I also enjoyed it. I'm trying to think of other titles.
From looking around at Level 2, all the reading does surround Greek and early Roman times, their gods, myths, and so Homer and Archimedes are read in context. There would be connections made, so the books read for Science and Literature wouldn't be read in isolation. But perhaps start with the other title instead of The Children's Homer?
I think Caryll Houselander might be harder to read at times and the veiled morals might be missed easily. I wouldn't worry about it. Try reading some other titles over the summer to see how it compares, such as saint books (by Joan Windham, perhaps). Has she read anything by Marigold Hunt? Or how about reading some Father Brennan stories and see how she makes the connections? I know Father usually explains at the end, so maybe that can help a bit.
Some other titles from Sophia that would probably be the next level would be Golden Legend of Young Saints by Henri Daniel-Rops and Twenty Tales of Irish Saints by Alice Curtayne.
Just remember, Mater Amabilis' books are merely suggestions. You know your child best, and also her reading level, and there's always room for suitable substitutions.
I'm always happy to brainstorm different titles to find the right fit, and I know others on the forum have such great ideas!
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Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to  & ds1  '03 & ds2  '07
Family in Feast and Feria
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SuzanneG
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| Posted: March 16 2011 at 7:59pm | IP Logged
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Jennifer~
Do you have an idea of her temperament? This would give me some direction for my brainstorming... is she a sanguine, perhaps? 
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| She tears through chapter books with full understanding, but I need to move her to the next level. |
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Do you think this is truly a capability-thing? If yes...is it a capability of her READING ABILITY or is it her ABILITY TO GO/THINK DEEPER?
Or does she just not WANT to read harder stuff?
Making the distinction would also influence how I'd answer and brainstorm ideas also.
Quote:
| From looking around at Level 2, all the reading does surround Greek and early Roman times, their gods, myths, and so Homer and Archimedes are read in context. There would be connections made, so the books read for Science and Literature wouldn't be read in isolation. But perhaps start with the other title instead of The Children's Homer? |
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This is so true. We are reading a lot from MA 2 this year and even my sanguine-9.5 yo dd is "getting it" and enjoying it after awhile....at first it seemed hopeless ...but as we continued and the dots started connecting, she likes it. I'm speaking mainly of the ancient-history-related-stuff.
And, I DEF. do substitute Catholic Tales for her. She likes the Windham chapter books and Once Upon a Time Saints...and I'm thinking about starting her on the Twenty Tales for Catholic Saints after Lent with her. Also, Saints and Heroes for Kids.
Here are a couple other ideas:
:: you can decrease the number of books and make the readings much shorter than is suggested or how you imagined it. There is NOTHING wrong with having her read a page at a time, stop, narrate. Baby steps with the meatier readings, just like with a beginning narrator.
:: decrease amount read at a time, increase frequency.
:: add in a "fun book" to read alongside the "meaty book." For example....we are reading Archimedes, but I'm also throwing in Children of the Fox as well....it's lighter and fun reading, yet it takes place during the time of the Battle of Salamis/Marathon, and it's fun putting everything in context and marking it in our Book of Centuries. FUN FUN reading! We also read Spartan Twins FIRST to sort of set them up for the meaty reading. They were reading Spartan Twins (which is a fun, easy read) quickly during the first couple of weeks....as well as a half-chapter at a time of Archimedes...and she SLOWLY makes her way through it.
:: For any challenging book, such as The Children's Homer you could....
1. Wait until there are some connections made before beginning it. So, read other Greece History things B4 starting it...so she understands right off the bat, since she's already being challenged by the reading and comprehension.
2. Start it right away, but REALLY REALLY break those readings down into bit-sized parts and be vigilant about reading with her.
3. Alternate reading aloud with her at first. This really helps some kids, with others it's HARDER. But, it's worth a try.
4. Do the book as a family read aloud
5. Do the book as a read aloud ONLY WITH that child, doing it when there are NO DISTRACTIONS....you are making it a "special thing" and you are setting the stage for success. You are also showing the importance of this meaty read that you want her to be "successful" at.
6. Put a big piece of paper on the wall for her to make notes and scribble things as you read through it. It becomes a conversation piece and a place to put notes, etc. about the book. You would make notes on it too.
Hope some of this helps. These are just my initial ideas. If you zero in on a couple of the other questions I had above, that would be helpful.
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Suzanne in ID
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SuzanneG
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| Posted: March 17 2011 at 12:24am | IP Logged
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Another thought for "stretching her"....now and this summer....get her reading some/more of the LIT from MA--year 1A & Year 2 and Ambleside--year 3 & 4.
How is she doing with her lit readings now? Does she like them? Do you think she is "getting" her lit books? What type does she like? Does she gravitate toward a certain type of book? Spend some time finding her a few harder lit books that she'll be challenged by, but at the same time REALLY enjoy!
Also....get her reading adult-books about subjects that she likes. My daughter loves to read about food and cooking. So, I had her start reading The Joy of Cooking (a few paragraphs or pages here and there) about certain things she was interested in and we were talking about. She LOVES it and it makes her feel so grown up! My first instinct was to get her a kids cookbook or reference book, but then realized this was a good way to get her exposed to a bit higher reading level about something that she likes.
Posting just for fun:
MA - Year 2
The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame
Pollyanna by Eleanor Porter
Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls
Swallows and Amazons and other books by Arthur Ransome
The Midnight Folk by John Masefield
The Hobbit by J.R.R.Tolkien
Black Beauty by Anna Sewell
Heidi by Johanna Spyri
The Little White Horse by Elizabeth Goudge
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
Anne of Green Gables by L.L.Montgomery
Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
Year 3 - Ambleside Lit
A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett
The Water Babies by Charles Kingsley
At the Back of the North Wind by George MacDonald
Men of Iron by Howard Pyle
Alice's Adventures In Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll
The Bears of Blue River by Charles Major
Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Ransome
Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink
On the Banks of Plum Creek by Laura Ingalls Wilder
The Little White Horse by Elizabeth Goudge
The Saturdays by Elizabeth Enright
English Fairy Tales and more by Joseph Jacobs
King of the Wind by Marguerite Henry
The Four Story Mistake by Elizabeth Enright
Then There Were Five by Elizabeth Enright
The Wheel on the School by Meindert De Jong
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Suzanne in ID
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roseberyem
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| Posted: March 17 2011 at 4:14pm | IP Logged
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Just for more info, Kolbe recommend the following books at these reading levels. They are based on 'difficulty of the reading' and 'maturity level needed for themes addressed in the book.'
The Children's Homer 4
Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls 4/5
The Hobbit by J.R.R.Tolkien 6
Black Beauty by Anna Sewell 4/5
Heidi by Johanna Spyri 4/5
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain 7
Anne of Green Gables by L.L.Montgomery 7
Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson 7
Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink 4
My oldest two didn't do The Children's Homer until 6th grade. 
Emily
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Topic: How to stretch my dd for MA Level 2?
