Friday, March 5, 2010

Summer Reading Goal

I'll start by saying that I like to set high expectations. In my opinion, how can one hope to achieve much if the bar is set too low?  Now, I don't mean that lofty goals must all be met - certainly not.  That would make life unbearably stressful (like for we type A's!!).

I have pounded myself with guilt struggled with feeling like Jefferson (and even Reagan) has not had enough read-aloud time this year and would really like to improve on that, especially as the weather improves (while it was warm, we were getting 1/2 hour in after school on the swings and loving it!). This requires the 'lofty' goal that I stop treating the afternoon time like it's 'mine' and give it back to the kids instead (uhhmm - this will require more coffee people - more coffee!!)! With that said, here is my reading goal for Jefferson and Reagan from now through the end of summer. [Those in orange are to be read by Jefferson or Reagan]

Jefferson:
Swift Rivers (Cornelia Meigs)
Robert Fulton - Boy Craftsman (Marguerite Henry)
George Washington Our First Leader (Augusta Stevenson)
Carry On Mr. Bowditch (Jean Lee Latham)
Meet Thomas Jefferson (Marvin Barrett)
Johnny Tremain (Esther Forbes)
Sarah, Plain and Tall (Patricia MacLachlan)
Justin Morgan Had a Horse (Marguerite Henry)
C. S. Lewis - Master Storyteller (YWAM Janet &Geoff Benge)
The Bears on Hemlock Mountain (Alice Dalgliesh)
The Sugar Creek Gang #14-24 (Paul Hutchens)
Peter Pan (J.M. Barrie)

Reagan:
I Wonder (Christian Light Reading to Learn Series #1)
Helping Hands (Christian Light Reading to Learn Series #2.1)
Happy Hearts (Christian Light Reading to Learn Series #2.2)
Great Truths for Little Children (Grace & Truth Books)
Prudence and the Millers (Mildred A Martin)
Christian Liberty Nature Reader - Book 1 (Florence Bass) - perfect for warm weather nature observation!
Jason & the Golden Fleece
A Children's Treasury of Mythology (Barnes & Noble)
Little House on the Prairie series (Laura Ingalls Wilder)
Amy Carmichael - Rescuer of Precious Gems (YWAM Janet &Geoff Benge)

What do you think??  If I read 3 straight hours per day per child, we should be able to get through this is no time, right?  (hehehehahahasnorthehehe - minus toddlers, cooking, and life in general!)

The problem is that there are just too many books! But it can't hurt to set the bar high!  :-D

Andrea

4 comments:

Momma Roar said...

What a great list and a great goal!


And, let me just add that I'm so glad to know someone else struggles with whom the afternoons belong to!!

Monica said...

Oh, you can so get this done. I have no doubt. In the summers we do a lot of reading in the car since we are on the road more. Or if it's just me and the kids I try to find the book on audio to listen to together. It passes the time and gets us into some great literature.

argsmommy said...

There are so many wonderful books on your list, and a few I will need to look into! I also like the idea of a summer reading goal. I might have to make a list of my own. : )

Cheryl Pitt said...

I agree! Set the bar high, but don't beat yourself up if you don't quite reach it :)