Seventh Grade: booklists
Thursday, May 10, 2012 at 9:42AM 
Pictures included have no relation to this content, just some randomness from my Instagram feed
We''re closing in on the end of the school year so I thought I'd share what Grace has read this year. The books that are on this list are only the books that I specifically assigned to her. She loves to read, bringing home bags too heavy to carry, full of books, each time we go to the library. Late into the night she reads books of her own choosing. I don't keep track of those. As soon as I request that she reads a particular book, I can promise you that the book will only be read during the hour and a half of time that I require for that purpose each day. This is not to say that she doesn't enjoy these assignments- some she does, some she doesn't, it's just the nature of things around here. She likes to draw a clear line between "school work" and "just for fun".
We integrated history and literature this year, focusing heavily on the time period of 1860-1914- the US, Canada, and England. We found many interesting parallels to our own little moment in history that we are currently living in, both being significant periods of change, extremes and upheaval. We concentrated mostly on the daily life and social customs of the people from those days. I owe a great deal of thanks to Elizabeth Foss and her daughter, who put together some beautiful learning plans at Serendipity, called Literature for Young Ladies, from which I borrowed heavily when looking for ideas on how to put this school year together for Grace. Those plans can no longer be linked to, but they were wonderful. Obviously, these plans here are tailored to suit my daughter, but perhaps someone else might find this list helpful as a jumping off point for their own homeschool planning.....
History/Literature
*The Story Girl- Lucy Maude Montgomery
*Louisa May Alcott- short story collection
Invincible Louisa- a biography by Cornelia Meigs
In the Days of Queen Victoria- Tappen
Anne of Green Gables- Montgomery
Pride and Prejudice- Jane Austen
Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady-Edith Holden
Edwardian Lady-The Story of Edith Holden by Ina Taylor
Anne of Avonlea- Montgomery
*The Jane Austen Handbook-Sullivan
*Jane Austen's Guide to Good Manners-Ross
What Charles Dickens Ate and Jane Austen Knew- Pool
The Gardener- Kristen Randle (wrong time period, but was too good to pass up)
Mrs. Sharp's Traditions-Breathnach
Daily Life in a Victorian House-Wilson
Anne of Windy Poplars- Montgomery
Oliver Twist- Dickens
Father Brown Mysteries- G.K. Chesterton
Poetry of Lucy Maude Montgomery
Kingfisher Encylopedia
History of US Age of Extremes
* I asked Grace to put a star by her top five favorites from this list.
Movies/shows to complement this curriculum- Little Women, America's Castles, Mrs. Brown, Victoria and Albert, Becoming Jane, Pride and Prejudice, and Edwardian House
The writing portion of her curriculum consisted of occasional write-ups about the books she was reading as well as daily work in the Jump-In writing program and poetry copywork. One assignment that she became very interested in, from Jump-In writing, was a research report. She chose Audrey Hepburn as her subject and read these books in preparation:
Audrey Hepburn-Chris Rice
Enchantment- Sparlo
Audrey- Alexander Walker
The Audrey Hepburn Treasury- Erwin
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These next books were chosen for Grace so that she could gain a stronger understanding of our own family's values and beliefs....
Faith/Home
Hidden Art of Homemaking- Edith Schaeffer
*Family Manager Takes Charge- Kathy Peel
Family Nutrition Book- Sears
*Emily Post Etiquette
*Beautiful Girlhood- Andreola
Mere Christianity-C.S. Lewis
Church History- Crash Course (she didn't like this)-Catherwood
Million Miles in a Thousand Years- Donald Miller
Screwtape Letters- C.S. Lewis
Counterfeit Gods- Keller
The Great Divorce- C.S. Lewis
*L'Abri-Schaeffer
Notes from the Tilt-A-Whirl-N.D. Wilson
Captivating-Eldredge
Doctrine-Driscoll (she ended up putting down the book and watching the videos instead)
Reader Comments (9)
What a fabulous list! Grace is lucky to have such a wonderful education.
We have the same thing here about assigned books versus free reading. Sigh.
A LOVELY collection. I noticed only four stars in the top list - surely that fifth star was meant for me????? :0} I am so proud to be part of that list. Just grinning. I love what she's reading - it gives her material reasons for becoming independent and spunky, but gracious, competent, faithful and service-oriented. Also will bolster her use of language and sensitivity to it. All that and ballet, too? What a girl!
Kristen- Of course! I didn't even realize that there were only four stars in that first list. She loved your book. : )
Thank you Sarah. I have always enjoyed comparing notes with you and seeing what your daughter is reading as well.
This is a beautiful list. Many of these are on my favorites as well. What a wonderful love of reading you have cultivated in your daughter!
This is a beautiful list. Many of these are on my favorites as well. What a wonderful love of reading you have cultivated in your daughter!
Thank you Allison. : ) It is such a treat to be able to share favorite books with our kids.
Hi Dawn,
You mentioned that you like centering your curriculum around great books. We're all readers in our family so I'm curious how you do that.
Greetings, Myriam
Hi Miriam- Integrating history with literature, by reading biographies and/or historical fiction is one way. Writing assignments, like copywork, come from the books. Sometimes cooking and art are incorporated as well. The only subject that I have a really hard time integrating with literature is math. ; )