Providing a complete language arts curriculum through engaging literature units, Moving Beyond the Page Literature Unit Study Guides teach vocabulary, grammar, writing, spelling, story elements, and figurative language in the context of popular children’s books. However, they also border on unit studies because of their strong social studies, science, critical thinking, and art/design components. The guides are available at seven levels, and students will need to complete all guides at their age/grade level.
Using literature as a springboard for investigation, exploration, research, creativity, and expression, the guides move the focus outward from the book. This is unlike most literary study guides, which bring the focus continually to the novel itself. Imaginative and artistic children will love the extension activities, which provide opportunities for creative expression as they write stories, draw and design things, use critical thinking skills, journal, reenact scenes, and mentally put themselves in the characters’ shoes. Some of the assignments are rigorous, especially at the lower levels; I can see why these are recommended for gifted students. Since these guides were originally created to enhance a science- and social studies–driven curriculum, there are many activities that go deeper into these subject areas. This is especially the case in pre-reading activities where you set the stage with the time and location of the novel. The author utilizes these research opportunities to maximum advantage, and it helps put the book in context. Often, this facet of literary analysis is skipped or passed over too lightly when we read a book, making it difficult to understand some of the conflict, circumstances, and social culture/customs that are critical to comprehension.
Vocabulary work is significant, with children looking up words, writing definitions, and using target words in compositions. Students learn how to use a dictionary and thesaurus to their advantage. Many activity pages are devoted to grammar, mechanics, and punctuation. Spelling lists, including common and challenge words, appear at the end of each guide.
While the format is standard, the lessons themselves are extremely varied. In one lesson, the concentration may be on a grammatical or literary aspect. The next lesson might have a social studies–related activity. One lesson will have your child writing a persuasive paper; the next, a poem. She may study prefixes and suffixes today and be baking cookies tomorrow! Today a science experiment; tomorrow planning a party! You get the idea. Moreover, there are often several options for assignments, so you can choose the most beneficial one. If you are using these guides as the basis for a language arts program, you will probably want to leave most of the activities intact, but you may still want to moderate some of the writing assignments. And while the lessons are easy to use and complete, some activities are challenging and require adult help and guidance. Lessons that include reading from the novel have a series of questions about the chapter(s) that include some recall questions and some more in-depth discussion questions. You should read the book in tandem with your child in order to assess her responses.
The number of lessons varies by guide, and some of the units include other books and resources. Typically, a unit lasts 2-3 weeks, though you may take longer with some lessons, especially with some of the more involved activities. Every unit ends with a final project, some of which may take a few days to complete. There are three literature units for every concept per level. Using all three allows children to compare and contrast themes and characters across novels within a thematic framework.
Each literature package contains the literature unit guide AND the corresponding novel. NOTE: Student Activity Page sets are NOT INCLUDED in the packages. A single copy of each is included in the guide. Although you are not allowed to reproduce these pages from the guides, they are all single-sided and usable, so you do not have to purchase a separate set of student pages unless you want to leave your guide intact.
Starting at ages 9–11, the guides become Student Directed Literature Units. All instruction is written directly to the student in a conversational tone. The guides are the worktext with no separate student activity pages. Each package contains the SDLU, the corresponding novel, and sometimes other books. Occasional tests are provided with an answer key at the back of the unit. Also in the back are several references/helps, including spelling lists, handy guides to writing and grammar, and a writing rubric.
The guides for ages 12–14 and for high school are structured around two semesters, with five literature guides per semester. The publisher recommends the literature guides be completed in order. Each literature guide provides 12 lessons and a final project. In-depth analysis of story elements and figurative language, challenging essays, and comprehensive grammar assignments enable students to appreciate and emulate the craft of great writers. Thematically, guides aid students in gaining a deeper understanding of everyday life in the past through selected literature and reading assignments.