We will be starting our first year with TOG in August. Switching from using Sonlight for 5 years. I still want to do read alouds, though. If I'm reading the curriculum right, it only suggests two read alouds: God King and Peril and Peace. That's only 1 read aloud per 9 weeks. I'd really like to do more than that.
Have any of you used books already on the list for read alouds? or have any of you added books?

TIA!

This is my first year too but my thought was you could choose some LG literature books to read aloud. If you don't want to use the primary resource list you could choose from the alternate list. There are SO many books to choose from I think it would be easy to add them is as read alouds.
I haven't really done TOG yet, so I guess I might not be the one to answer.

Renee

We did Year 1 last year with LG and UG. There is a LOT of reading from the Bible. I always did this out loud. On weeks where there were many chapters to read from the Bible, we would read from a childrens' Bible. When there was not so much, I would read from my Bible. I thought this was a good choice anyway, to make sure my kids understood well if I filled in or explained as we went.

These are both good suggestions, but what I am looking for really in a read aloud is a wonderful chapter book that we can all 'experience' together.
God King is that kind of book (we've actually read it aloud already in on of our Sonlight programs, but it's worth doing again!).
Other examples of wonderful books to read aloud:
Where the Red Fern Grows
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
Charlotte's Web
etc.

So, I agree that we'll be reading books outloud during school, but I specifically want a chapter book to experience together.

Does this make sense?
Any other thoughts?

TIA!

Grateful,

I, too, used Sonlight. I know exactly what you mean.

The good news is Year One is kind of bare on this front, but in Year Two there are lots more read alouds.

If you do not have a D level student, you could consider using some of their literature selections OR using the alternate literature selections for that. With older students, you might be able to read aloud some of the R level literature. I don't think this would work with every piece but some like the Odyssey and Aeneid could be read aloud (were written to be done aloud).

But the last thing you can do is search out some read alouds on your own. If you've been using Sonlight, take a sneak peak at what they are using. There are other sources that you may wish to look at as well (the Rainbow Resource catalog divides books this way, and you'll have to read the descriptions.) I would also ask around.

A couple of suggestions from me:

We enjoyed the Famous Men of Rome book used in Unit Four and I think I would look at Famous Men of Greece. Ditto for the other Roman school mystery by Winterfield.

Theras and His Town by Caroline Dale Snedeker.

Gladiator by Richard Watkins. (I have boys)

For the Temple by Henty.(Also Cat of Bubastes)

Thanks, Pat!
I will look into For the Temple and Cat of Bubastes.
We have and have read Theras and His Town (read it aloud already and we liked it!) and I have Gladiator (bought it for my son, didn't know it would be a good read aloud).
I so appreciate the help! I'm hesitant at just picking a book on a list because (as you know) certain books are better for reading aloud than others.
I'll look in my RR catalog, thanks!!


Do you mind... how long did you use Sonlight and how long have you been using TOG?

Oh, Pat! The Cat of Bubastes looks perfect! Thanks! I'd like to have at least 2 per unit (ya' know we're used to more than that, so that would be light but still have that connection). So that plus God King again would be nice.

I think Unit 4 would be covered with some other books I bought, but I'll double check, or For the Temple would be great, too!!

We've always heard good things about the Henty books, if you've read others that would fit in Year 1 units 2 &/or 3, I'd love to hear from you. I'll peruse.

in Him,