Grammar off the beaten path (or maybe on it??)???

[Another Lynn]

If I don't want R&S, CLE, Analytical Grammar, Queens, BJU, Abeka, Hake/Saxon, MCT.... etc.... what else is there?

 

I DO want diagramming.

 

I think I'm tired of showing my ds the same 4 or 5 "trees" over and over again. Someone give me the "forest" and I'll pick out which "trees" he still needs to meet. Or will that be too much work? (He's 6th grade right now... and my current plan is to ignore grammar a bit and work on writing, but I've got to figure out something for grammar - if not this year, then definitely next.) Btw, he had FLL 1-4 (more or less), a little bit of CLE 5, and a little bit of Daily Grams.

 

Thanks for any ideas!

[thowell]

We are using The Sentence Family along with the Ruth Heller books and the girls are loving them. Although they don't have as much grammar exposure as your son may have. We have taken this year to really concentrate on spelling and writing so I wanted something light and fun for grammar. Even though the Ruth Heller books look young, there is a ton of info in there. You will have diagramming in The Sentence Family but only at the end. Just some thoughts for you.

[prairiegirl]

I have decided to ditch a formal grammar program this year. My oldest has dyslexia and she is having main problems slogging through grammar. So I have decided to go the CM way with copywork and dictation. Through those two things, we work on grammar. I take some sentences from our current read aloud and we use them for copywork, dictation, a grammar concept and diagramming. If possible, I also use it for literary elements as well.

 

We also use CW for our writing program so she is getting grammar through this program as well.

[forty-two]

You could look at KISS Grammar - I think it does a good job of showing the big picture, and the basic method is very customizable. Plus, it's free ;), so you can look it all over and use as much or little as you want. It doesn't do formal diagramming, per se, but you could add it in easily enough. This (pdf) is a nice reference to diagramming you could add to anything.

[Crimson Wife]

What about the applied grammar series by Don Killgallon? In 6th, I'd probably go with Grammar for Middle School. The focus is on improving sentence-writing by imitating the structure of model sentences from literature.

[Stacy in NJ]

The Evan Moore workbooks are great for when you don't want to do one of those intensive grammar programs. They keep the skills working without tedium.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Daily-Paragraph-Editing-Grade-6/dp/1557999600/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1292976975&sr=8-3

 

http://www.amazon.com/Grammar-Punctuation-Grade-6-Evan-Moor/dp/1557998507/ref=pd_bxgy_b_text_c

 

http://www.amazon.com/Daily-Language-Review-Grade-6/dp/1557997926/ref=pd_sim_b_1

[DawnM]

This looks interesting. My kids might actually like that.

 

Dawn

 

So' date=' totally not diagraming but definately off the beaten path, we have been LOVING Caught'ya Grammar: Giggles in the Middle and Hot Fudge Monday.[/quote']

[Mandy in TN]

If I don't want R&S, CLE, Analytical Grammar, Queens, BJU, Abeka, Hake/Saxon, MCT.... etc.... what else is there?

 

I DO want diagramming.

Steps to Good Grammar or Understanding and Using Good Grammar from Walch. You can also get them from Amazon. They are similar to Analytical Grammar.

 

Voyages in English and GUM also include diagramming.

 

Mandy

[Another Lynn]

Thanks for all the suggestions! It is very helpful to look at a variety of approaches and try to figure out what would work best. I'd like to take a minimalist approach, but go in depth at some point along the way.... which sounds like AG. On the other hand, I've seen enough posts from people who said AG was too much that I'm inclined to think I might agree with them.

 

I did run across this:

 

http://rainbowresource.com/product/Only+Grammar+Book+You%92ll+Ever+Need/010215/1293416345-377517

 

The Only Grammar Book You'll Ever Need. It's hard to tell from the sample page, but I think it's only a reference book without exercises.