lexi Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 Has anyone used this? It looks like it is being beta tested. I love the look of the middle school and high school stuff. I really want to do a better job with lit study. Thoughts? Reviews? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeaConquest Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 I think Chelli is testing it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexi Posted November 25, 2014 Author Share Posted November 25, 2014 Bumping.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chelli Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 Has anyone used this? It looks like it is being beta tested. I love the look of the middle school and high school stuff. I really want to do a better job with lit study. Thoughts? Reviews? I've used a little of the first grade Lightning Lit, but I dropped it. Now I'm using the 2nd grade Lightning Lit with Sophia. Is there anything specific you'd like to know? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluedarling Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 I used the first grade a couple years ago when it was in Beta. I liked it, but it has a very school-like feel to it (lots of writing for 1st grade.) My dd was already working above grade-level, and she didn't care much for it, so we changed. It may have just bored her because of the level, or it may have been the writing (or both). Other than printing off stuff (because it was Beta) it was very easy to implement, and I would use it again if I could (if there were higher elementary levels at this time to choose from.) I thought the exercises covered things I would like my child to learn, like alphabetization, punctuation, etc. And the writing wasn't necessarily a negative imo. I don't think it would have been bad to work more on the writing! The exercises did get a bit repetitive/old, though, after awhile. Overall, I think its a great choice if wriitng isn't an issue or you're willing to work through that aspect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexi Posted November 25, 2014 Author Share Posted November 25, 2014 I've used a little of the first grade Lightning Lit, but I dropped it. Now I'm using the 2nd grade Lightning Lit with Sophia. Is there anything specific you'd like to know? I couldn't see any samples (maybe I'm not looking hard enough). I wanted to know what type of exercises are included. I wanted something that is mostly lit study with other concepts tied in. We have grammar well-covered and are trying some things for writing. Do you feel it lends itself well to having lit discussions. My daughter (3rd grade) is a good reader but wants to do lit study. I need something planned out so I stick with it. This looked neat. Mosdos also looks good. So, was trying to decide between the two. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexi Posted November 25, 2014 Author Share Posted November 25, 2014 I used the first grade a couple years ago when it was in Beta. I liked it, but it has a very school-like feel to it (lots of writing for 1st grade.) My dd was already working above grade-level, and she didn't care much for it, so we changed. It may have just bored her because of the level, or it may have been the writing (or both). Other than printing off stuff (because it was Beta) it was very easy to implement, and I would use it again if I could (if there were higher elementary levels at this time to choose from.) I thought the exercises covered things I would like my child to learn, like alphabetization, punctuation, etc. And the writing wasn't necessarily a negative imo. I don't think it would have been bad to work more on the writing! The exercises did get a bit repetitive/old, though, after awhile. Overall, I think its a great choice if wriitng isn't an issue or you're willing to work through that aspect. My daughter doesn't love writing so I'm wondering if I could modify the writing.....hmmm..... Did you not feel there was enough variety in lessons and exercises? Did it feel like busy work? Like I said in my other post, I'm wanting mostly lit study so I'm wondering if this would fit the bill for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thegirlwhopaintedtrees Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 Here is my review of it for TOS: http://www.nurturinglearning.com/lightning_literature_grade_1/. I love the very detailed literature component and storyline notes for the teacher to lead a discussion. I am still using this part of it. I like the grammar activities. It's just enough not to be busy work, but because there is a lot of writing, we often do the exercises orally. It would be an expensive way to do literature study if you weren't going to use the workbook (unless you can buy the teacher's manual alone). My review has lots of photos and then there is a link to other reviews of it so you could get a much better feel for it and if it is what you need. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexi Posted November 25, 2014 Author Share Posted November 25, 2014 That was super helpful! Thanks! I don't mind the literature and some of the composition but I don't need or want grammar. I am NOT ok with that binding either! Or the shiny paper! Yuck. I'll have to think about it. My daughter wants literature study (she wants to be an author) and I want something easy to use. I might ask them about beta testing 3rd grade.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbollin Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 I tested last half of level 1, all of level 2, and sorta testing level 3. agreeing with others. I think it's easy to do less writing as needed. pretty good on the lit analysis and discussion. I like the notes in the teacher book to help you not overload your child. I'm doing this with my youngest, so a lot of those notes are things that I wish I had learned early on with my oldest when teaching. I think that we can do the language arts/ grammar worksheets without having the exact book for the vast majority of worksheets. There were times we did the sheets, then read book and it was fine. The lit analysis really comes from the teacher guide. You wouldn't have to use the student workbook to have lit analysis. we do a lot of it orally. using it with a child delayed in language (due to autism). I help her. And in our house, we are reading together or listening on audio version while the book is open. some negatives: in level 2, we struggled to connect with several of the biographies in the pilot version (I didn't check how final compared to pilot.) My child just didn't get it. But I wonder if that was just her and her unique developmental issues. oh well, right? I mean there's no way to have every person like every book. This level (3), I don't like all of the color ink I'm printing, so I'm finding myself not printing the worksheets. We open the file on the screen and either do it out loud, or write answers on dry erase board. If you're interested in the field testing for level 3 just contact them :) the worst thing is that you don't like it and you let them know. You'll have to print what you need to use. I know i modify it enough for my special needs child, that I probably would not have used this program if I had to pay full retail. The teacher guide can be purchased separately (level 1 and 2). so for the price of that to cover many books, it's probably ok. someone asked on samples. here's teacher sample in level 1 https://www.hewitthomeschooling.com/Materials/mItem.aspx?id=3504 that is half way through the year. but I'm not seeing samples on level 2. level 3 is in pilot. right now, we had to read one book and just enjoy the storyline without going into detail. I think my child is at a point in the year of burn out with books. We have to chill out on them. Not sure we'll be able to continue in the pilot for second semester.. but time will tell. We may just need a break for a few more weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbollin Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 ah.. just reading the linked review of final product. that workbook would not have worked for us either like that. I don't know how final product of level 2 was printed. at least with level 3 field testing, you print it your self. they email pdf files. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluedarling Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 My daughter doesn't love writing so I'm wondering if I could modify the writing.....hmmm..... Did you not feel there was enough variety in lessons and exercises? Did it feel like busy work? Like I said in my other post, I'm wanting mostly lit study so I'm wondering if this would fit the bill for me. My daughter was not the best to judge by...it was hard for me to tell what was busy work vs. incorrect level. The lit questions and reading were way too easy for her...the only challenge for her was the quantity of writing. Yes, she perceived it as a ton of busy work. I don't really recall the lit questions that well. My guess is that it would be expensive for just lit questions. I think someone of this board years ago recommended Inside Stories (by Janice Montgomery). I never used it, though. Also Deconstructing Penguins. (I saved them to my paperbackswap wishlist, but never got them.) You might look those up. I've just been letting dd8 read for pleasure, and haven't been teaching literature/reading on its own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexi Posted November 25, 2014 Author Share Posted November 25, 2014 So if I had only the teacher guide could we do the lit? I want lit discussions and intro of literary elements. I would just focus on reading books but my dd specifically asked for something like this because she wanted "more." I think I'll ask about field testing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbollin Posted November 26, 2014 Share Posted November 26, 2014 So if I had only the teacher guide could we do the lit? I want lit discussions and intro of literary elements. I would just focus on reading books but my dd specifically asked for something like this because she wanted "more." I think I'll ask about field testing. Lexi, yes. If you only had teacher guide, you could do the lit. It will have age appropriate discussion starters, and intro to terms used in literary elements. It doesn't mean it will be hard or logic or rhetoric level as of course the guides are out there for 1st and 2nd and 3rd grade. So it may not be very difficult on the Q and A, but it will give you a foundation appropriate for lower grammar stage of learning. you can introduce the terms that appear in the teacher book for the day's reading. some children that might be over their heads. some children may be very advanced in verbal skills with literature. suggested answers are given in the teacher version as well. You can get a rough idea of how it is done in the sample I linked earlier. that is sample chapter of the teacher book only. of course that is for level 1 and the sample is half way in the year. but same kind of format is being used in level 3 field testing version. fewer books are used in level 3 and they stop being picture books. I think the reading list grows a lot by the end of the year and will be advanced. I know on this forum that's a relative term. teacher book will also have the majority of writing assignments/composition. Additionally, you'll find a "free day" in many units where you can expand activities to cover general studies with history/geography kinds of things and expansion topics and related books. That aspect reminded me a tiny bit of five in a row. If you only want the lit, the student book isn't needed. The student book has the grammar/mechanics lessons as well as some handwriting pages where student will copy a favorite sentence (youngest years) and write a quick summary of the plot and personal response to the novel. But you can use blank paper and get the idea from the teacher book. ;) the rest of the student pages/book (level 2 and so far in 3) are grammar, mechanics and "language arts" and not lit analysis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexi Posted November 26, 2014 Author Share Posted November 26, 2014 So helpful! Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy M Posted November 26, 2014 Share Posted November 26, 2014 Have you looked at Reading Roadmaps? That might be more of just the basics in literature study. I think it's by the same company that does Teaching the Classics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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