Homeschool Literature Reading List
Homeschool Literature Reading List, Homeschooling is terrific not only because you can help your kids maintain their interest and love of learning, but because your kids can control your curriculum and take sideways turns when desired. Here are some books that are good and promoting critical thinking and you should include in your curriculum.
Homeschool Literature Reading List
The Ten Things All Future Mathematicians and Scientists Must Know-Edward Zaccaro
I love using this book in my science classes because it makes kids think. It made me feel the first time through it, and I catch little nuances here and there still. The book is set up with histories and then asks questions. One of the stories is about how engineers knew the Challenger could fail, but managers ignored them. Why?
The Richest Man in Babylon-George C. Clason
This country has many people who are in debt, spend more money than they earn, and think consumerism is the end all, be all. Most homeschoolers I know don't want to perpetuate those values, and this book is a great way to bring money into the kids' education.
Back before the Great Depression-George C. Clason wrote parables about the richest man in Babylon and other fictional characters. The parables were designed to teach people some common sense things like save money, spend less than you earn, invest, and if something is too good to be true it probably is. These parables were published as pamphlets and given away by banks to customers. Eventually, it was in book form as The Richest Man in Babylon. Each chapter is one of those pamphlets/parables, and each one of those sections strives to teach good money habits.
Mindless Eating-Brian Wansink
From my observations, homeschooled children tend to eat healthier than their brick-and-mortar schooled peers. Even so, society promotes junk food and overeating all over the place. When I was a kid, a large soda at a fast food restaurant was about 16 ounces, and now that is small. When I was a kid, kids were skinny. The "fat kid" was a rarity. Now, when I walk into a schoolyard or a park I often think "Wow, those kids are chunky."
Mindless Eating is an excellent book for food discussions. It's kind because it is not a diet book. It's psychology and science book. If someone is given a bottomless bowl of soup, will they eat more than someone with a healthy dish? Does the price of food affect how much you eat? Does the serving size change how much you eat? How many choices do you need to make each day?
Dale Carnegie's How to Win Friends and Influence People
This book was published during the Great Depression as a response to the lousy economy and the job market. Even so, this book remains an excellent read during any economy. It was one of the books my father made each of his children read before leaving home, in fact. This book has treasures in it like smile even if you don't want to. Before you know it, you'll be smiling for real.
The Odyssey-Homer
Every student should read the Odyssey. It's chock-full of beautiful tales, and even though it was "printed" thousands of years ago, the stories still show up in popular culture, although in different configurations. I think the Odyssey serves to cultivate a love of literature. If your child doesn't enjoy the Odyssey, then consider other traditional novels like Jane Eyre, Frankenstein, or Animal Farm.
Homeschool Literature Reading List Summary
No matter what you choose from the classics, it is one of the best ways to teach reading and cultivate thought and provoking questions. Your children will enjoy these books and they are sure to increase reading comprehension.
