[kristin0713]

<p>I'm looking for a reading plan/curriculum/schedule for literature similar to the Sonlight 4/5 guide. I've been using the book lists from their site, as well as the book lists from BFIAR, FIAR, and Peak with Books, and the Read-Aloud Handbook and What to Read When.  Between all of these resources, I have tons of lists of books and we always leave the library with a cart full.  But I am really having a hard time getting some kind of schedule or plan down.  My DD will sit with me for over an hour and read book after book, and I am happy to do that for her.  My DS had the attention span of only a couple of books at a time at the most.  I would really like to be in the habit of reading a few new books to them every day, and then as much as my DD would like after that.  I printed out the 3-week sample of Sonlight's 4/5 guide and this is exactly what I am looking for!  A plan for the week with books to read everyday, with some supplemental activities, etc. to compliment the themes.  I don't need a huge collection of activities as much as the set reading plan.  The problem for me with using *just* Sonlight right now is that many of the books in the 4/5 curriculum are collections of many, many stories and they are used for weeks or months at a time.  Some are at my library but some are not and I just can't afford to buy them all. We have a really great local library, so I should be able to do something "like Sonlight" and not have to buy all the books. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>So this is what I am looking for--a reading plan that is set up like Sonlight's 4/5 guide, geared for the pre-school age, that includes mostly books that I can easily find at my library.  Something seasonal or that hits different themes would be great.  I love how Sonlight includes rhymes, poems, stories from different cultures, fables, science, art, etc. and this is all laid out already. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>If this makes sense at all and if anyone has any ideas, I'd love your thoughts. </p>

 

[yllek]

<p>Try the <a href="http://www.cstone.net/~bcp/BCPIntro2.htm" target="_blank">Baltimore Curriculum Project literature lessons</a>, based on the Core Knowledge literature scope and sequence. Like the Sonlight booklist, kindergarten has a lot of nursery rhymes, while first grade covers lots of fairy and folk tales. The BCP plans are not scheduled the way Sonlight is, but the lessons are organized by month and are VERY clearly laid out. And it's free. <img alt="smile.gif" src="http://files.mothering.com/images/smilies/smile.gif"></p>

 

[lmonter]

<p><a href="http://www.amblesideonline.org/index2.shtml" target="_blank">Ambleside online</a>?<br><br>
They have a schedule. <br>
You can tweak it depending on what you find online vs. what you can get from the library and when.  Just spend some quality time finagling on a homeschool planner (I've seen tons for sale, and just as many freebies - or there's always Excel or Googledocs).  That closer to the right track for ya?</p>

 

[CCJWGM]

<p>I am trying to do unit studies with my 5 y.o DD and 3 y.o DS.  DD can sit for HOURS and have me read book after book after book while my DS can only read a few before he needs to run around the room. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>You might check into Little Acorn Learning.  It is waldorf based but I easily use it and add what other things I need to to suit my family.  It has a seasonal theme, book selections, fingerplays, a story (multi-cultural included), questions, crafts, and a caregiver meditation for each week.  As I said, you can easily add in other crafts or activities based on this to satisfy any non-Waldorf tendencies.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I too have booklists galore.  An example of adding in other stuff to LAL might be what I am doing the winter solstice week for LAL.  As a pagan Winter solstice is Yule.   So I am adding in a letter Y craft (a yellow yarn Y) and adding in any Y books I have in my extensive booklists.  Then I also will add in Y named activities from my other resource books.  Ok, y is a bad example because finding y named activities isn't the easiest.  LOL. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Does that make sense? </p>
<p> </p>
<p>I also do non LAL units.  Right now we are doing Gg is for Gingerbread but honestly, I model it after LAL, use the LAL meditations for the week, and just use that model in general to plan the unit.  </p>
<p> </p>

 

[SundayCrepes]

<p><a href="http://winterpromise.com/" target="_blank">http://winterpromise.com/</a></p>

 

[kristin0713]

<p>Winter Promise is PERFECT!  Thank you so much!  I ordered the Journey's of Imagination guidebook and I will be able to get a lot of the books easily at the library.  I also bought a used copy of the Sonlight 4/5 guide and I am going to follow both schedules as I am able to check out the books.  This is awesome--a perfect balance of great literature!  I'm so excited <span><img alt="joy.gif" src="http://files.mothering.com/images/smilies/joy.gif"></span></p>

 

[kristin0713]

<p>OH--and I LOVE that Winter Promise is arranged around the seasons!  <span><img alt="thumb.gif" src="http://files.mothering.com/images/smilies/thumb.gif"></span></p>

 

[scheelimama]

<p>With the Sonlight books, you can get the individual titles often instead of the collections from the library.  Does that make sense?  With your instructor's guide it will make more sense, they list the stories usually instead of only the main book title, so you can look ahead and just go find those stories.  Winter promise looks awesome too!</p>

 

[kittie313]

<br><br><div class="quote-container"><span>Quote:</span>
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by <strong>scheelimama</strong> <a href="/community/forum/thread/1283186/does-this-exist-another-literature-curriculum-plan-schedule-like-sonlight-not-fiar#post_16098894"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border-bottom:0px solid;border-left:0px solid;border-top:0px solid;border-right:0px solid;"></a><br><br><p>With the Sonlight books, you can get the individual titles often instead of the collections from the library.  Does that make sense?  With your instructor's guide it will make more sense, they list the stories usually instead of only the main book title, so you can look ahead and just go find those stories.  Winter promise looks awesome too!</p>
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</div>
<p><br><br>
That is very true about the Sonlight guides.  I have both of the preschool levels (plus core K and now we're doing core 1) and the guides for both have not just the treasuries listed but the individual stories as well.  I started out core P4/5 initially by just going to the library for the books after I bought just the guide in fact, and while it was a real pain for me to lug 3 kids at that time there while pregnant just to get a pile of books that I'd have to take back in a few weeks and get more, it really did give us a taste of what the program was like and how we didn't want to do it (now we MAKE the budget room for cores because dh doesn't like seeing me try to keep track of a huge pile of library books that I need to return, he said I was just too stressed all the time trying to keep track of all those books and that its a worthwhile investment for our family).  But also, if you feel that the Sonlight guide is too jumpy (common complaint from people about the P4/5 guide) there is a Yahoo group called SL Preschool that has 2 alternate guide options that were user-created in their files section.  You have to apply to join their group to access the guides, but they are truly wonderful.  I've used the theme schedule with my oldest 2 girls, and looked over the other one, and both guides have wonderful books added to them to fill out the core to make it a fuller program.  I highly recommend you look into that group and their guides. </p>

 

[kristin0713]

<p> </p>
<div class="quote-container"><span>Quote:</span>
<div class="quote-block">
<div>But also, if you feel that the Sonlight guide is too jumpy (common complaint from people about the P4/5 guide) there is a Yahoo group called SL Preschool that has 2 alternate guide options that were user-created in their files section.  You have to apply to join their group to access the guides, but they are truly wonderful.  I've used the theme schedule with my oldest 2 girls, and looked over the other one, and both guides have wonderful books added to them to fill out the core to make it a fuller program.  I highly recommend you look into that group and their guides.</div>
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<p>Awesome, thank you so much!  I applied to join last night but haven't heard back.  Now I kind of wish I hadn't ordered Winter Promise as these other guides might just be enough!</p>

 

[Reebekah]

<p>just want to add that we use sonlight....the cost is a BIG stretch for us......but we save $ from our income tax return to buy it......i dont have the time/energy to try to get them at the library all the time.....i have 3 kids, so it's worth it to own the books that i can use over and over because most are not consumable.....and, sonlight resells easily, so i can always get some of my money back if i dont want to keep the books.</p>

 

[SundayCrepes]

<br><br><div class="quote-container"><span>Quote:</span>
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by <strong>kristin0713</strong> <a href="/community/forum/thread/1283186/does-this-exist-another-literature-curriculum-plan-schedule-like-sonlight-not-fiar#post_16102303"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a><br>
 Now I kind of wish I hadn't ordered Winter Promise as these other guides might just be enough!</div>
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<p><br>
You can never have to many leads on quality literature.</p>

 

[littlethingstx]

<p>I use My Father's World.  <a href="http://www.mfwbooks.com" target="_blank">www.mfwbooks.com</a>  I believe there are some similarities to Sonlight and Ambleside.  They both use a Charlote Mason style of learning.  What I would say I like about MFW for it's very simple to follow daily plans.  I did have the same problem with the book list, though.  It was only after I "gave myself some freedom" that I started really enjoying the curriculum.  I could not afford to buy every book that was listed and some of them I did not even like that much.  I surely did not want to purchase a book before knowing if we would even like it here.  What I do now is try to find some of the books at the libary and surprisingly I have picked up some of the books secondhand at thrift stores and yard sales.  If I do not find the books listed, I don't worry about it.  I search for books with that same topic.  If we are studying rocks I might look in the science section for a book about rocks, then check out some books that refer to rocks like Stone Soup, etc..  Sometimes the curriculum has a project suggestion for their books, but you can easily change it to something that works for what you choose to read.  I think it all works out just fine as long as you are reading them quality books. </p>

 

[Lisa1970]

<p>Queen home school has stuff too. I like their things. I have not tried their literature packs and such though. But you might want to look over their site.</p>

 

[kristin0713]

<p>Thanks so much for all the resources!  I still haven't been approved for the SL Preschool yahoo group, I am frustrated because I would love to see those files. </p>