Extending the Classic Literature Lesson

Classic literature exposes students young and old to moral and social issues in the various styles, themes, and voices of the great authors of the past. It also helps prepare them for literature they will encounter in college English and history classes.
Great literature is something homeschooling parents strive to include in their homeschool language arts curriculum lessons. Reading classic literature, which appeals to all ages, strengthens not only fluency skills, but also aids spelling, sequencing skills, comprehension, reasoning skills, vocabulary, and writing skills.
Going beyond the actual book with extension lessons and projects provides students with additional ways to revisit what they have read, or have had read to them. It helps cement the lessons from the book in their mind, and it can be so much fun for the student. When the student participates in extended literature lessons, they tend to connect better to the author and his story. Many students find the extension activities actually help them understand the book much easier.

How Do You Select Classic Literature?

There are numerous children's versions of the classics available. Stepping Stones, by Random House is one series of adaptations. Titles include Les Miserable and Great Expectations. Another series of adaptation is Classic Starts by Sterling. Some of their titles include Treasure Island and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.
You can randomly select works to explore, or you can choose works that accompany the time period you are studying in history. For example, if you are studying ancient Greece, you might find Mary Pope Osborne's retelling of the Odyssey an appropriate addition to your lessons.

What Type of Literature Extensions Should I Use?

So what kind of literature extension activities should you consider implementing in your homeschool literature curriculum? It depends on the ages of the students with whom you are working. Some activities can be used for various ages with small tweaks. You must be the judge of what your student can handle.
Here are several suggestions to get you started:
Consider having students interact with real authors and illustrators.
Introduce children and older students to online storybooks.
Encourage older students to compare and contrast the electronic versions with the traditional printed versions.
Make your own quizzes and activities to go along with books and themes you are covering.
Have a "Think Aloud" with your student before delving into the book. Let them examine the book title, pictures, offer any connections to a past experience, or ask questions. This verbalization of their internal thoughts helps build understanding.
Have the student make predictions as they read the story.
Design the front and the back cover for a CD to capture the theme or spirit of the book. Include the name of the book and the come up with the title of a hit single to display on the front cover. Illustrate the CD front cover. On the back, list the other songs from the CD, making sure they relate to the book and to the characters' experiences.
Have the student create a bookmark featuring either their favorite character or the character they consider to be most significant from the book. Be sure to include the book title and author as well as the character's name and "portrait" or illustration. On the back of the bookmark, describe your character and explain why he or she is important in your book and how you feel about this character.
Barnes and Noble have commissioned you to design a poster about your book and/or author to display in their store.
Have the student create a setting pamphlet. Select four or five key settings for significant events in the book, or places that had major impacts on the characters' development. Each panel of the pamphlet can represent a different setting with an illustration and short written explanation of how that setting influenced the story or affected the characters' lives.
Have the student keep a journal about the story.
Have the student choose a key character or scene from the book, or focus on an important theme from the book, and develop a stamp to commemorate that character, scene, or theme. Include a picture, a selected phrase, and the stamp's value.
 Using magazine photos, have the student create a collage of images that symbolize important ideas, events, or themes in the book. On the back, explain what each image symbolizes and how it draws on key material from the character's experience.
Have the student create theme images. Theme images are illustrations of key concepts related to the literature. The student selects one word that represents a central concept important to the theme of the book. They illustrate the concept, weaving the word itself into the image in some way. Students then write an explanation of how the image and the word they have selected relate to the theme in a meaningful way.
Have the student research the author and write a mock interview.
Have the student write a review of the book.