What should I use for writing?

[plain jane]

My 5th grade child has done all 4 levels of WWE successfully. She's also done a few of the IEW theme books and can write a solid paragraph, and multi paragraph reports/stories.  However, she is already finding WWS1 difficult and we are only on week 2!

 

I'm at a bit of a loss WRT what to do with her.  Should we keep using WWS1 and take it at a much slower pace? She's going to require a whole lot of hand-holding and I would really like to avoid the water works.  FWIW, she's never cried about a writing program before!  I've looked at TC but that looks too easy for the level she's at.  She's also done some Classical Composition (but only about half a dozen assignments as she found it rather boring).  I also have Write Shop but don't love it but I think she could possibly do it, I'm just not convinced it's a fabulous program.

 

I'm at a bit of a loss and would appreciate any input.  TIA!

[Crimson Wife]

Scholastic Paragraph Writing Made Easy is a good lead-in to WWS1. http://teacherexpress.scholastic.com/paragraph-writing-made-easy

[SilverMoon]

My 6th grader wasn't ready for WWS in 5th either. He was/is a technical, STEM kid who mostly just tolerated writing at that point, and had mastered WWE level skills. I had him do Wordsmith Apprentice instead. It covered several different types of writing and had a fun newspaper element.

 

This year I know he could handle the writing volume, but WWS just isn't going to be a good fit for this kid. He'd think it's torture. Cover Story is getting his writing growing in the right direction.

[Mrs Twain]

You could try School Composition (Maxwell). It is wonderful, and it is free online:

http://books.google.com/books/about/School_Composition.html?id=E_8AAAAAYAAJ

 

You could also use Maxwell's next book called Writing in English.

http://books.google.com/books/about/Writing_in_English.html?id=s1sQAAAAYAAJ

 

[Wildiris]

I am using Writing Workshop with my 6th grader. I am using it in conjunction with writing assignments for history, literature, and science.  Writing Workshop covers basic types of writing, and lessons are usable, bite-sized chunks of activity that a student can do in a single sitting. I am planning to do books B & C in one year. WWS1 was not a good fit for me to teach. We use the Maxwell google book too. 

[mc26]

I am using Writing Workshop with my 6th grader. I am using it in conjunction with writing assignments for history, literature, and science.  Writing Workshop covers basic types of writing, and lessons are usable, bite-sized chunks of activity that a student can do in a single sitting. I am planning to do books B & C in one year. WWS1 was not a good fit for me to teach. We use the Maxwell google book too. 

 

Where do you buy Writing Workshop?

[sagira]

In sixth grade we are using a multi-pronged approach for writing. DS is 11 and a reluctant writer as far as motor skills or effort are concerned. He actually has a vast imagination and prefers "free writing" where only the story counts. We are using the following:

 

Mon: Voyages in English 6 for grammar

Tue: The Paragraph Book 2: The Paragraph That Tells a Story (Thank you, CrimsonWife)

Wed: Sentence Composing for Elementary School

Thu: CAP's Writing & Rhetoric Narrative II Book 3

Fri: Wordsmith Apprentice

 

He also writes across the curriculum: weekly paragraph, weekly outline, weekly note-taking.

 

Although he still doesn't like the effort and actual physical act of writing, he likes what we're doing much better than ILL. He started resisting ILL two years ago big time. He was fine with PLL, but not ILL. I'll have to ask him, but I think his favorite of the whole shebang is W&R. It's also a lower level (4th/5th), but has a creative component that he enjoys.

 

 

[HollyDay]

Jump In? It is a fun writing program (according to oldest dd anyway)

[Sunnybuddy]

My current 6th grader was not ready for WWS 1 in 5th grade either. She was very overwhelmed. It just wasn't clicking for her. I put it up and had her do journal writing, letters, little stories, etc... I pulled WWS back out for this year, and now it's COMPLETELY different. What a difference a year makes! It is clicking for her now.

[warneral]

TC would help with WWS. By week 10, she is learning to outline in a similar way my 6th grader is doing it in WWS. You could jump ahead past part 1 in TC.

[whitestavern]

Neither of my kids were (are) ready for WWS lol.

 

I used Write with the Best and CW Homer for dd

I used Wordsmith Apprentice (way too light IMO) and CW Homer for ds (for 6th). This year we're doing IEW.