AGS LiteratureHomeschool bundle includes:•StudentEdition•StudentWorkbook•Teacher’sResourceLibrary onCD-ROM

P A R E N T G U I D E

ThankyouforchoosingPearsontohelpyouonyourhomeschooljourney.Makingtherightdecisionabouthomeschoolingcansetyourchildonanexcitingpathtoalifetimeoflearningandsuccess.Pearsonmakesiteasyforyoutoinspireajoyoflearningwithflexibleprogramstofityourchild’suniquelearningstyle.Thisbuilt-inflexibilityletsyousetthescheduleandthepacethatworksforyouandyourchild.Asyoureadthroughthisguideandreviewtheincludedmaterials,you’llexperiencehoweasyitistopersonalizethecurriculumtomatchyourchild’slearningstyleandensuresuccesswithourengagingprograms.

Plus,youcanrestassuredthatallofthefundamentalsforsuccessareincluded.Thehomeschoolcurriculumyouhavechosenhasbeenthoughtfullydevelopedandtestedbyseasonedprofessionals,tomakesureyourchildreceivesthefinesteducation.

Because You Know WhatMatters Most

WelcometoPearsonHomeschool!

PreparationItisalwaysanexcitingtimewhenyougettoopentheboxwithyournewcurriculum.Allofthebooksandmaterialsarecolorful,thepagesarecrispandtheyarefilledwiththepossibilitiesofthecomingyear.Theanticipationofusingthebooksandteachingyourchildisnewandfresh.Liketheairafteraspringshower,itisinvigorating.Youcan’twaituntilyoucangetstarted.

Openthebundleofmaterials,flipthroughthepagesofeachbook,takeinhowtheylookandfeel.Getfamiliarwithallofthecomponents.Letyourchildshareintheexcitementandcatchtheenthusiasmyouhaveforstartingthisnewadventure.Thesewillbeyourcompanionsoverthecourseofthenextyear.

Onceyougetfamiliarwiththematerial,youmayexperiencetheoverwhelmingfeelingthatiscommontohomeschoolparents:“HowwillIevercoverallofthismaterial?”Youmaybefloodedwithinsecuritiesthatyoudon’tknoworrememberthesubjectorcontent.Allofthesearenormalthoughtsandexperiencesforanyonewhohashomeschooled.

Rememberthevalueofthejourneyyouareon.Focusonthereasonsyouchosetohomeschoolinthefirstplace,thedailyinteractionwithyourchild,andteachingthemhowtolearn.Asthetutor,youastheparentdon’thavetoknowallofthematerial.It’sfinetolearnitwithyourchildasyougothroughthematerialtogether.Youaretheguideforyourchildasyoujourneywiththemthroughthelearningprocess.

TheAGS LiteratureSeriespresentsananthologyofliteraturecollections–materialwrittenbydifferentauthors.Itcanbepoems,plays,shortseries,essays,partsofnovels,folktales,legends,ormyths.TheAGSanthologiesareorganizedaroundselectionsfromcertaincountriesandthemes.ThisseriescoversExploring Literature,American Literature,British Literature,andWorld Literature.

OverviewTheAGS Literature homeschoolbundleincludesthefollowingcomponents: • StudentEdition • StudentWorkbook •Teacher’sResourceLibrary onCD-ROM

Exploring Literaturewillhelpyourchildexamine,interactwith,andappreciateclassicandcontemporaryworksoforiginal,unadaptedliterature.Studentsaredrawnintothisstudybylookingatthedefiningcharacteristicsoftheseliteracygenres:fables,myths,talltalesandlegends,shortstories,nonfiction,poetry,anddrama.Theliteratureselectedforeachgenrewaschosenfrommanyculturalbackgrounds,andincludestraditionalworks,aswellasthosefromcontemporaryauthors.

American Literaturereflectsthehopethatalllearnerswillunderstandandappreciateliteraturethathasimpacted,andcontinuestoaffect,thedevelopmentofournation.ThechronologicalapproachofAmericanLiteratureencouragestheconnectionbetweenAmericanLiteratureandeventsinAmericanhistory.

British LiteraturefocusesonliteraturefromtheregionfromAnglo-Saxontimestothepresent.Presentedinachronologicalorder,theanthologyselectionshelpmaketheconnectionbetweenBritishLiteratureandBritishhistory.

World Literaturecontainsliteraturefromaroundtheworldtoprovideanappreciationforliteraturethathasinfluencedthepeopleofourworld.Thisanthologyisorganizedchronologicallytohighlighthistoriceventsthathaveshapedtheworld,andinfluencedthewritingofthetimes.

UsingtheMaterialsPearsoncurriculummaterialsarethoughtfullyplannedtopresentthesubjectinawaythatisengaging.Eachlessonbuildsuponitself,butprovidesflexibilitysoyoucanmakeityourown.

Using the Student Edition TextbookEachStudent Edition Textbookbeginswithanintroductiononhowtouseananthologytext–howthematerialwillbepresented,andhowtoapproacheachselection.Next,thegenredefinitionsthatwillappearinthistextarepresentedtoprovideyouandyourchildwithinformationpriortobeginningthecourse.

TheHowToReadThisBooksectionisthesourceforunderstandingthemethodologyofinstruction.EachStudent Edition Textbookisdividedintounitswitheachunitpresentedinthefollowingformat:•Before Beginning a Unit–describesideasyourchildshouldconsiderpriortobeginningthisunit.•Before Reading a Selection –describesthebackgroundandobjectivesforthereadingselection.•As You Read a Selection–aguidetoassistyourchildastheymastertheskillsandconceptsoftheunit.Notesarepresentedonthesidemarginstohelpthereaderunderstand,andthinkabout,themainideasofthepassage.

•After Reading a Selection–reviewquestionsandactivitiestodevelopgrammar,writing,speakingandadditionalskills.

Using the Teacher’s Resource Library on CD-ROMTheTeacher’s Resource Libraryincludesavarietyofactivities,resourcesandself-guidedmaterialstohelpyouandyourchildthroughthiscourse.InsertthediscintoyourcomputerandfollowtheCD-ROMlinernotestoinstall.ClickontheTOCPDFfiletobegin.

Themainmenuwillfeature:•Activities,Tests,andResources–avarietyofelementstosupporttheStudent Edition Textbook•ActivitiesbyUnitandSelection–activitiesorganizedbyUnit•AnswersforActivitiesandTests–theanswerkeytoallofthestudentexercises• Instructions–howtousetheTeacher’s Resource Library CD-ROM

Tonavigatethesoftware,mouseoverandclickonyourselections.Asyoumovethroughthematerial,aMainMenusectionwillappearoneachpagetoenableyoutoreturntotheintroductionscreen.Additionally,youwillbeabletonavigateforwardorbackwardbyclickingtheNextandBackbuttons,respectively.Finally,toprinttheresources,clickontheitemtobringuptheactivity,test,orotherresource,andthenclickintheredboxatthetopofthescreen.Besuretospecifythepagesyouwanttoprintorallpageswillbeprintedbydefault.

Using the Student WorkbookEachStudent WorkbookcontainsexercisesthatcorrespondwiththeliteratureselectionswithineachunitfromtheStudent Edition Textbook.Theseexercisesaredesignedtodevelopandreinforcetheskillsyourchildislearning.Haveyourchildfollowalongintheworkbookandcompletetheexerciseafterreadingtheliteratureselection.Attheendofeachunitisareviewsectiontoassessyourchild’scomprehensionofthematerial.

Theliteratureforeachbookispresentedinchronologicalorder,groupingsimilarthemes.Theendofeachbookhasanappendix,highlightedbyacolormargin,forareviewofkeyskillsandconcepts.Referencethissectiontosupplementtheskillsyourchildislearningthroughoutthebook.

LessonPlansLessonplansareimportanttoasuccessfulhomeschoolenvironment.Theyhelpkeepyouontrack,progressthroughthematerialandprovideasteadystructureforteachingyourchild.Itisimportanttoplanoutyourlessonsbutremember-lessonplansareaguide.Youshouldleaveroomtoadapttoyourchildandadjusttheplantoensureheorsheunderstandsthematerial.Theobjectiveistohaveatoolyoucanusetowatchyourchildprogressandmasterthematerialyoupresentovertheschoolyear.

Beforeyoubeginyourlessonplan,reviewthematerialstoseehowtheyarestructured.Usethisasaguidetohelpyouevaluateandformulateyourlessonplanforthecomingyear.Additionally,thereareanumberofitemstoconsiderwhenpreparingyourplan.Howmanydaysperweekwillyouhaveschool?Doyouplantohaveextendedbreaksfortheholidaysorvacations?Thenumberofchildrenyouhaveandtheirageswillaffecthowandwhatyoucandoaswell.

Lessonplansingeneralshouldhavecertainvitalcomponents.Asuggestedlistwouldincludesomeorallofthefollowing: • theportionoftextcoveredduringthelesson •mainideasofthelesson • keyconcepts • questionstoask • activitiestodo • potentialfieldtripideas • assignmentsgiven •materialsandresourcesneeded

TheTeacher’s Resource Libraryincludesanumberofresources.Priortobeginningeachunit,reviewtheavailableresourcesandprintoutthosethatyouwilluseinthelessons.Theseresourcesinclude:Self-StudyGuides,BuildingLanguageArtsSkills,VocabularyActivities,outlinesandglossaries,writingactivities,exercises,andquizzes: 1. ClickontheActivitiesbyunitandselection

2. Selectthecurrentunittoviewthematerials

3. Selectanyitemfromtheseriesofactivitiestoprepareyourchildfortheunit

4. ClicktheNextnavigationbuttontocontinuethroughthereadingpassages

5. Clickonanyitemtoviewandprintthematerial

TheSelf-StudyGuidesarelocatedatthebeginningofeachunit(aftertheIntroductionsectionwithintheActivitiesbyUnitandSelectionarea).Alternatively,thesecanbeaccessedby: 1. ClickingonActivities,Tests,andResourcessection

2. ClickingontheSelf-StudyGuides

3. ClickingonthecorrespondingSelf-StudyGuideselection(clickontheNext navigationbuttontoviewtheotherpagesformorestudyguideselections)

TheSelf-StudyGuidesoutlinetheobjectivesofeachreadingselectionandidentifythecorrespondingpageswithintheStudent Edition Textbook.YourchildshouldworkthroughtheBuildingLanguageArtsSkillsandVocabularyActivitieswhilereadingthroughtheliteraturepassage,thencompletetheSelectionOutline.Attheconclusionofeachlesson,youmaychooseadditionalactivitiesforyourchild.Aftertheyhavecompletedthelessonandactivities,administertheselectionquiztoassesstheirunderstandingofthematerial.

TherearetwoUnitMasteryTeststhatyoucanusetomeasureyourchild’scomprehensionofalltheskillstaughtthroughouttheunit.Haveyourchildworkthroughthefirsttest,thenchecktheiranswerstoidentifyanyareasforfurtherhelp.Ifnecessary,haveyourchildcompletethesecondtest.RefertotheAnswersforActivitiesandTestssectionfromthemainmenufortheanswerstoalltestsandactivities.

Familiarizeyourselfwithanylegalrequirementsyoumayhaveinyourareaorstate,andplanyourlessonsaccordingly.ThePearsonHomeschoolwebsite(PearsonHomeschool.com)haslinkstoeachstateDepartmentofEducationsothatyoumayreviewthelawsandhowtocomplywiththem.

AdapttheCurriculumtoFityourSituationOneofthegreatbenefitsofhomeschoolingisthattheinstructionispersonal.Everythingyouteachwillbepersonalizedtofityourchild.TheAGS Literatureprogramiseasytopaceandoffersenrichmentactivitiesandadditionalsupportwhennecessary.PacingEachstudentbookisdividedinto6-8unitswhichwillcoverbetween140-170teachingdayswithoneliteratureselectionperlessondependingonthepaceofyourchild.Asyouworkthroughthecurriculum,adjustyourpacetoencourageyourchild’scomprehensionofthematerial.Assignlesspracticewhenyouareconfidentthatheorshehasanunderstandingofthelessons.Ontheotherhand,ifmoretimeisrequired,slowthepacedownabit.It’smoreimportanttoensureunderstandingandevolvetoyourchild’spacethansimplymovethroughthematerialatapredeterminedpace.Thiswillallowyoutokeepyourchildengagedandinterested.

Teaching is EverywhereAnotherpartofthehomeschoolingbenefitisthatteachingcanoccuranytime.Youcanincorporatelearningintoeverydaylife.Whenyouareoutsideof“school”askyourchildaboutconceptslearnedinpreviouslessons.Tiethemintolifesituationsandworldevents.

Additionally,youcanimplementexercisestoworkoutsideofyourhomeschoolenvironment.Checkyourlocallibrariesforreadingevents,ormuseumsforarteventstoenhanceyourteachingcurriculum.Considerbeginningyourlessonswithfunandengagingactivitiesthatrelatetotheliteratureselection,tobreak-upthepaceandstimulateyourchild’slearningprocess.Anddon’tforgettouseyourownresourcestocomplementthematerial,andtiethelessonsintoyourchild’sinterestsandhobbies.

Conflicting MaterialsAnyhomeschoolparentwillbefacedwiththedilemmaofwhattodowhenyoucomeacrossmaterialinthecurriculumyoudon’tlikeorthatyoudisagreewith.Nocurriculumwilleverbeabletosatisfyallofthebeliefs,opinionsorvaluesheldbyeachfamily.However,thereareseveralapproachesyoucantakeinthesesituations.

Oneapproachistoskipoverthematerialinquestion.Anothersuggestionwouldbetousethisasanopportunityforaspecialteachablemoment.Reviewthematerialwithyourchild.Discussyourfeelingsaboutthematerial,ideaorvaluepresented.Taketheopportunitytoprepareyourchildforthediversityofthought/opinionintheworldandtheneedtobediscerningofprinciplesandideasthatmaychallengeyours.

Thereisadefinitebalancebetweenhavingthefreedomthathomeschoolbringsandtheresponsibilityyouassumeineducatingyourchild.Thegoodnewsisthatmostfamiliesfindthatbalanceanditworksforthem.

Asyouprogressalongthejourney,youwillhavemomentsoffrustrationandmomentsthatmakeitallworthwhile.Remembertokeepitinperspective.Homeschoolparentsliveforthosemomentswhentheirchildrenaremostteachable.Youwillknowwhenthosemomentshappenasyoucanseethelightgoon,theyreallygetit.Cherishthosetimesandusethemasthefueltomotivateyouthroughthetoughtimes.

ThankyouforchoosingPearsonasapartnerinyourhomeschooljourney.Weknowtheimportancethatyouplaceintakingthetimetoteachyourchildandweappreciateyourtrustinustohelpyouandyourchildachievethebesteducationpossible.

ISBN-13:ISBN-10:

978-0-133-21383-60-133-21383-8

9 7 8 0 1 3 3 2 1 3 8 3 6

9 0 0 0 0

Foradditionalprogramstosupportyourchild’slanguageartscurriculum,pleasevisitourwebsiteat:

www.PearsonHomeschool.com

FortechnicalsupportfortheTeacher’sResourceLibrary,pleasecall1-800-328-2560andselectoption3.

Forotherproductrelatedquestions,pleasecall1-800-848-9500orsubmittheContactUsformavailableonourwebsite.