I really like the text book he will use as his spine for this coming year. He will use North Star Geography. He also will use various atlases to help him with this study. I may add a book or possibly an entire course on Biblical Archaeology which I think would fit in nicely with Elise's studies. I'm just not entirely sure I want to add anything else to their plates right now.
I'm currently searching out good children's literature for him to read this next year. My goal is to have different parts of the world represented in his reading books this year. Books currently under consideration include:
**The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (USA)
**Anne of Green Gables (Canada)
**Where the Flag Floats (NZ)
**A Waltz for Matilda (Australia)
Storm Boy (Australia)
**The Castaway Convict (Australia)
**Hunter (NZ)
**All Creatures Great and Small (Britain)
Running for my Life (Africa)
**The Dragonfly Pool (Europe)
**The Year of Impossible Goodbyes (Korea)
**Mountain Light (China)
The Land (USA)
**Small Acts of Amazing Courage (India under British rule)
A Christmas Carol (Britain)
The Gammage Cup
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH
Outlaws of Sherwood (Britain)
Jacob Have I Loved
Eagle of the Ninth (trilogy--Roman Britain)
The Best Bad Thing or Journey Home (Japanese American)
Black Beauty (Britain)
**After the Train (post WW2 Germany)
The Secret Garden (British India/Britain)
The Day of the Pelican (Albania)
Treasure Island
Journey to the River Sea (Amazonia)
**Jaguar (S. America/Amazonia)
**Thunder Cave (Kenya)
The White Giraffe (Africa)
The Wind in the Willows
The Fall of the Red Star(?) (Hungary)
The Wolves of Willoughby Chase (Britain) **
The Westing Game **
**The Jungle Book (India)
**The Arabian Nights (selected stories) (Middle East)
Eagle of the Ninth (trilogy--Roman Britain)
The Best Bad Thing or Journey Home (Japanese American)
Black Beauty (Britain)
**After the Train (post WW2 Germany)
The Secret Garden (British India/Britain)
The Day of the Pelican (Albania)
Treasure Island
Journey to the River Sea (Amazonia)
**Jaguar (S. America/Amazonia)
**Thunder Cave (Kenya)
The White Giraffe (Africa)
The Wind in the Willows
The Fall of the Red Star(?) (Hungary)
The Wolves of Willoughby Chase (Britain) **
The Westing Game **
**The Jungle Book (India)
**The Arabian Nights (selected stories) (Middle East)
I've definitely got some parts of the world that are underrepresented (and some that are overly represented). The books in orange are books we already own. (I just bought a bunch of books, so the orange titles are increasing.) Titles followed by an asterix will probably be read over the summer for fun. The ones in green, are ones I'm interested in, but probably won't get at this time. I did find a movie of "Storm Boy", so I think we'll watch that instead of reading the book. The tiles in fuschia are books that Elise will be reading for school that I could have Erik read also. Those with lines through are ones I'm probably going to decide against. I may have one or both of them read some of these books over the summer as part of our family's summer reading program. I clearly have more books purchased or already available at home than he can possibly be expected to read. So, I'll be doing some fine-tuning of my list and adding some to a summer reading list for him. The titles preceded with an asterix are the ones I'm probably going to have him read. Now to figure out if I can add to that list or not.
I think I also may want to add in a biography or two about an explorer, map maker or navigator. We have already read about David Livingstone, Lewis & Clark, "The King's Fifth" and "Carry On, Mr. Bowditch". I just purchased the following books that should meet this criteria.
We've always had a number of books we read together as read alouds. For the upcoming year, we're going to read books that don't necessarily go along with our history studies. We'll read the Lord of the Rings trilogy for sure, but after that I'm not entirely sure. We've read most of the Chronicles of Narnia and would only have one or two of the books to finish the series, so we may read those last few books. I may also read a few of the books on the "reader" list that we won't get to.
He will be using Exploring Creation with Phyiscal Science as his science text. Elise has been using it this year and has learned lots! I will encourage him to work on the Geology Merit Badge for scouts as that kind of goes along with his studies this next year. I also have some extra lab activities that can be added in if time permits, but I know Elise hasn't had extra time this year.
Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World: the extraordinary true story of Ernest Shackleton and the Endurance
How to be a World Explorer: your all-terrain training manual
We've always had a number of books we read together as read alouds. For the upcoming year, we're going to read books that don't necessarily go along with our history studies. We'll read the Lord of the Rings trilogy for sure, but after that I'm not entirely sure. We've read most of the Chronicles of Narnia and would only have one or two of the books to finish the series, so we may read those last few books. I may also read a few of the books on the "reader" list that we won't get to.
He will be using Exploring Creation with Phyiscal Science as his science text. Elise has been using it this year and has learned lots! I will encourage him to work on the Geology Merit Badge for scouts as that kind of goes along with his studies this next year. I also have some extra lab activities that can be added in if time permits, but I know Elise hasn't had extra time this year.
Any thoughts on these or other must read books for a 13 year old boy? I would love some input.
No comments:
Post a Comment