Books - RTR ideas for short attention spans

[kellybell]

Reading in RTR just not interesting my 9yo dd. She would just rather I read a book with big pictures and not so many words. She just sits on the couch while 12yo dd and I get absorbed in it all. I want her to be getting something here...what would you do?

If you are talking about book basket in general, then you go and find the books with few words and great pictures. That's fine. You know, there are history subjects that leave me cold too and sometimes it takes a well-written picture book to get me interested in the subject.

IMO, it's better to have a below-grade-level picture book that leaves an impression than a "more appropriate" chapter book that is either despised or quickly forgotten.

Go for the picture books then for you younger one.

[cbollin]

I'm talking about August Caesar's World and The Bronze Bow...any type of long chapter book.

ACW is a tough book, isn't it?

How about making some coloring sheets for her to fill in while you are reading? Pages such as the ones right before the Parts work well. That would be things like p. 2-3, 60-61, 130-131, 196-197, 274-275 and stuff like that. Then the 9 y.o can at least see the names of the people involved in roman history and you and oldest can move along and enjoy it all from the book. The 9 y.o will then have a nice notebooking page and a reference point for when listening to you and oldest talk about it.

It really is ok if the 9 y.o doesn't learn all of the Roman history stuff right now. Focus on the Bible and the science and let her glance through book basket pictures to see the sights. (and I'm saying that as someone whose oldest did RTR in 4th grade at that age.)

I know we've struggled with long chapter read alouds from deluxe with our 2nd child. We had to actually change our approach on it. Oldest (7th grader) gets to read ahead and finish the book. That way she isn't waiting on younger kid. Then when it is time to read out loud, we go a bit more slowly through the read aloud and let oldest help 9 y.o get excited about what is going to be happening. And we have to review and talk out loud. Our 9 y.o doesn't have the best comprehension skills in language when hearing a book that is above her reading level. So, we make sure she is understanding the story line. It's been hardest on my dh because he is just starting to realize that he talks so fast and reads too fast that she can't follow along without the help. He's been so busy reading the words on the page that he forgets he is telling a story to the kids.

anyway, that's how it works over here with the read alouds.

-crystal

[dhudson]

I have my younger ones draw and color a picture about the book we are reading. My little girl really gets into this and illustrates many scenes from the books we are reading and then we put them in her notebook. She may not have many narrations but she remembers what we've read because of the pictures she's drawn.

[cbollin]

We've been doing that, but it doesn't interest her in the book.

Would she like to play dress up and act out some of the scenes??? (or just play dress up and play her own Roman scene while looking at science books in book basket?)

-crystal

[TammyB]

Tracy,

I've been thinking about your little girl and am praying that you are able to find a solution.

I wonder if her interest in history would be piqued if she were able to read picture books and easy readers on topics of her own choice? Perhaps you two could take a special trip to the library where you let her (with the help of the librarian) find things that look good to her.

That would be a bit of an unschooling approach, but I would rather do that than see a child bored with history. :)

Praying you find an answer,
Tammy

[HSmommi2mine]

I let my second grader sit out most of ACW. I summarized it for her. Once you get to SOTW, it will be much better. Dd loves SOTW but she did not like ACW. She liked the Usborne books though and some that we got from the library. I figure she will get it all again when that book is a better fit for her. Novels we have to read more quickly than scheduled or I lose her.