silver Posted February 15, 2018 Share Posted February 15, 2018 I'm looking for a grammar curriculum for elementary school ages (starting around 2nd or 3rd grade). Things I'm hoping for in it: * More than one level * Diagramming included (it's OK if it doesn't start diagramming until 3rd or 4th grade) * Short lessons, preferably not 180 days worth * Not too expensive (I'll be using separate programs for spelling and composition and don't want to break the bank with the combination of the three) * Not heavily scripted. I've looked at FLL many times, and I don't think I can handle the heavy scripting of it. It's OK if writing/composition is included as long as it's either short assignments or I could easily skip those parts. I'm also OK with secular or Christian. I've looked at Climbing to Good English, and it looks like it might fit the bill. But samples are so slim that I'm not seeing how much diagramming teaching/practice is in the books. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HomeAgain Posted February 15, 2018 Share Posted February 15, 2018 English Lessons Through Literature. Diagramming starts in level C/3 (one is secular, one has proverbs as part of the copywork). You can buy the workbook or create your own grammar pages using the teacher's guide. There are 107 lessons in it. However, it is an inclusive program with literature, copywork, and beginning writing exercises. If you want a good book that's just grammar, try The First Whole Book Of Diagrams. You would have to make copies, but the book is set up so that it slowly progresses from subject|predicate to more complex sentences as parts of speech are introduced. Each step has a page of samples and then a blank diagram page to create your own work. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ms.Ivy Posted February 15, 2018 Share Posted February 15, 2018 (edited) CTGE has diagramming but it isn't too deep in that area. The books focus a lot on mechanics. I use them mostly because they can be done independently and they include a lot... phonics review, practice identifying syllables, writing addresses, outlining, dictionary usage and alphebetization, etc. The grammar is there but I prefer to teach grammar from Rod and Staff or Well Ordered Language and use CTGE for review and independent practice. Well Ordered Language also has diagramming. Level One teaches how to identify the parts of speech and then in Level Two it moves to traditional diagramming. We use Writing and Rhetoric and I have found WOL to be a nice compliment. My older kids have used Rod and Staff grammar, and while very thorough, it is pretty boring compared to WOL. WOL is my 3rd grader's favorite part of school. Eta, as far as time spent, we spend an hour on WOL total per week. It is pretty simple to pick and choose how much the kid really needs to do to grasp the concept. The books have way more practice than you will need to do. Also you don't need the student workbook, just the teacher's guide and the PDF of worksheets to print as needed. It can be clunky to figure out at first but the enjoyment factor was a big deal for us. Edited February 15, 2018 by Ms.Ivy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silver Posted February 15, 2018 Author Share Posted February 15, 2018 English Lessons Through Literature. Diagramming starts in level C/3 (one is secular, one has proverbs as part of the copywork). You can buy the workbook or create your own grammar pages using the teacher's guide. There are 107 lessons in it. However, it is an inclusive program with literature, copywork, and beginning writing exercises. If you want a good book that's just grammar, try The First Whole Book Of Diagrams. You would have to make copies, but the book is set up so that it slowly progresses from subject|predicate to more complex sentences as parts of speech are introduced. Each step has a page of samples and then a blank diagram page to create your own work. I'm actually looking for a replacement to ELTL. I've used levels 1-3 and am almost done with level 4 with my older kids. The writing lessons in level 4 have not been working with my kids. I've been trying to supplement it with a separate writing curriculum, and it's just getting to be too much to try to fit them both in. I love the grammar instruction in ELTL, but my kids need more hand holding for writing and they don't like the chosen selections used for narrations/outlines. I could make it work, time-wise, if we only did the grammar lessons and diagramming exercises, but it's kind of expensive to buy it and drop the poem, fable, copywork, dictations, copia, narrations, etc. The diagramming book you linked looked interesting. Is there a website with more sample pages somewhere? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HomeAgain Posted February 15, 2018 Share Posted February 15, 2018 The diagramming book you linked looked interesting. Is there a website with more sample pages somewhere? Not that I have seen. Just imagine the sample pages with the words erased, and those are the work pages. Cathy Duffy has a comprehensive review on it, too. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
countrymum Posted February 15, 2018 Share Posted February 15, 2018 (edited) Abeka grammar is comprehensive. For just grammar you can only buy the student work text and perhaps the teacher text for answers and skip the writing units. You don't need the lesson plans. This brings the lesson numbers down. I always found it straightforward and easy to do pretty independently. Grammar really starts in 3rd though 2nd is alright. You can also not do every book and get what you need to. Eta. They have lots of diagramming too. It builds gradually. FWIW I used it as a student and was very prepared for a 200 level English majors grammar class. The writing is not so great so using something else is great skip abeka writing. Edited February 15, 2018 by Rjha 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silver Posted February 15, 2018 Author Share Posted February 15, 2018 CTGE has diagramming but it isn't too deep in that area. The books focus a lot on mechanics. I use them mostly because they can be done independently and they include a lot... phonics review, practice identifying syllables, writing addresses, outlining, dictionary usage and alphebetization, etc. The grammar is there but I prefer to teach grammar from Rod and Staff or Well Ordered Language and use CTGE for review and independent practice. This is very helpful, thank you. Well Ordered Language also has diagramming. Level One teaches how to identify the parts of speech and then in Level Two it moves to traditional diagramming. We use Writing and Rhetoric and I have found WOL to be a nice compliment. My older kids have used Rod and Staff grammar, and while very thorough, it is pretty boring compared to WOL. WOL is my 3rd grader's favorite part of school. Eta, as far as time spent, we spend an hour on WOL total per week. It is pretty simple to pick and choose how much the kid really needs to do to grasp the concept. The books have way more practice than you will need to do. Also you don't need the student workbook, just the teacher's guide and the PDF of worksheets to print as needed. It can be clunky to figure out at first but the enjoyment factor was a big deal for us. I'll take a look at this. It looks like the lessons are 30-40 minutes long. Is that about right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ms.Ivy Posted February 15, 2018 Share Posted February 15, 2018 This is very helpful, thank you. I'll take a look at this. It looks like the lessons are 30-40 minutes long. Is that about right? 30 minutes at most for the chapter intro lesson, and maybe 15 minutes for three sessions after that in that chapter. We don't do everything possible - we just pick from either practice A, B, or C, and then do a review lesson, and then one day with the poem or fable for that chapter. The first week took longer because I had to learn the analysis system (they have videos for it). It is teacher intensive so I recommend weighing whether it would be a good use of time for you personally. My homeschool picks are a mix of extremely kid-independent work and teacher intensive stuff, depending on what I enjoy teaching or must be done orally. So ymmv. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMG221 Posted February 15, 2018 Share Posted February 15, 2018 O think Growing woth Grammar fits your criteria very well. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kristin0713 Posted February 16, 2018 Share Posted February 16, 2018 We are very happy with Growing with Grammar. It’s pretty thorough and the diagramming gets just a little more complicated each year. I think diagramming starts in third grade. And the student text and workbook can be very independent/student led. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cynful Posted February 16, 2018 Share Posted February 16, 2018 The Good and the Beautiful might work for you. Have you looked at that one yet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silver Posted February 16, 2018 Author Share Posted February 16, 2018 The Good and the Beautiful might work for you. Have you looked at that one yet? I have looked at it. It looked like it would be to hard to tease out just the grammar instruction (ignoring reading, spelling, etc). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caedmyn Posted February 16, 2018 Share Posted February 16, 2018 This isn't quite what you were looking for, but if you really want to simplify, there's a grammar-in-one-year program (ie one year and you're done with grammar) called Get Smart Grammar that uses diagramming to teach grammar. I really like it. I've heard of kids using it successfully as young as 4th grade, though my DD wasn't ready for it then but is doing it successfully and independently (it has teaching videos) in 6th. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silver Posted February 17, 2018 Author Share Posted February 17, 2018 I've been looking at GWG, and I have a silly question. How tall are the books, including the spiral binding? I'm worried they won't fit on our school shelves with the top binding! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silver Posted February 19, 2018 Author Share Posted February 19, 2018 The wkbks are 81/2 x 11 paper. I would add an extra inch for the binding. They fit fine on my IKEA shelves. Thanks! My default shelves are only 11-3/8" tall. We can't fit 3-ring binders, and we'll probably not be able to fit these. I do have some shelves that it would fit, but they are not by our other school books. I wish they had the books in PDF so that I could print them out and bind them with my proclick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
domestic_engineer Posted February 19, 2018 Share Posted February 19, 2018 Thanks! My default shelves are only 11-3/8" tall. We can't fit 3-ring binders, and we'll probably not be able to fit these. I do have some shelves that it would fit, but they are not by our other school books. I wish they had the books in PDF so that I could print them out and bind them with my proclick. You could always chop off the binding and rebind with your proclick. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdventuresinHomeschooling Posted February 20, 2018 Share Posted February 20, 2018 I started Abeka with my third grader. It's easy for us to implement with the workbook and thorough. We will use CAP for writing as I have with my oldest. I wanted diagramming too. One other one I keep looking at is the new CAP grammar series. They start with classifying in the first book and then move to diagramming in level 2 more. But it may be more text heavy than you like. I haven't used it, but they have generous samples. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teek Posted February 21, 2018 Share Posted February 21, 2018 CLE Lang Arts- you can skip the penmenship and spelling. I agree with this. If you're not doing penmanship, spelling, and writing, you can move through it really quickly. The price also can't be beat. You could just buy one light unit (there are 10 in a year and they're just small workbooks) and you'd only be out a few dollars if it doesn't work for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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