If this is your first book club....
Parent/Teacher Note:
We realize there is a lot of information provided. Do not let this overwhelm you. Feel free to skip any rabbit trails or magic dust projects that do not fit into your schedule or do not appeal to you.
We have provided you with enough information for several weeks' worth of study. However, this course is designed to be self-led. Please make it work for you -- whether that be over several weeks or several days.
What is included in each course?
- Read, Write, Learn - Each book club includes age-appropriate reading assignments, copywork, and grammar.
- Rabbit Trail: In every online book club, we will go on rabbit trails of discovery. We will hop off the traditional roads of literature and meander down paths about pop-culture, history, biographies, poetry, music, and more. We will take deep dives into some of the subjects touched on in the book and broaden our minds with new adventures.
- Magic Dust: We will also bring literature to life by sprinkling a bit of magic dust along the way. These hands-on projects will take us into the book. We will touch, see, feel and learn on our new adventures.
- Party School: At the end of our book club, we celebrate the book and its characters with food, decorations, and fun activities.
Two Ways to Use Our Book Clubs:
The first way is a self-paced literary study. As the students progress through reading the book, they will progress through the lessons. Activities are included at the end of each reading assignment. At the end of the book, your family can celebrate with the "party school."
The second way to use this course is with a book club. I lead several book clubs that meet once a month. If you would like to learn about setting up a book club with other students, refer to this article. If you meet weekly, you can use the weekly lessons throughout your meetings. If you meet only once per month, at the conclusion of the book, you can use several of the activities listed as one large book club.
Copywork and Dictation:
Copywork and Dictation are great ways to build spelling and grammar skills. For more information on these techniques, read the following article.
How To Know If You Are Using Copywork And Dictation The Right Way To Teach Language Arts
If you are a Charlotte Mason homeschooler, then chances are the words copywork and dictation have come up repeatedly in homeschool discussions. The late Charlotte Mason, an educator who inspired an entire homeschool philosophy, advocated copywork and dictation as two of the key components to educating children in language arts.