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Using IEW across the curriculum


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If you do this, would you be so kind as to tell us wanna-bees how you implement it? I am sitting in a writing quandry, and I like parts of IEW. I think I would really like it if I could implement it across the curriculum.

 

I'm considering moving on to WWS at some point, but my 4th grader is ready for that much writing. She is ready for deeper instruction than she's getting, but not necessarily more quantity.

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I previewed the WWS 20 week sample and informally started to have my kids outline every thing we read in our history curriculum. Our history readings come from SOTW, George Washington's World, and Exploring American History from Christian Liberty Press. I read aloud and stop after every paragraph for them to write who/what event the paragraph is about and why is the event important. We do a roman numeral outline using this method. I guess this is what WWS calls the one level outline.

 

We coordinate the IEW American History based writing lessons with these readings. Just this week the kids had 3 source documents about the Declaration of Independence. IEW teaches Key Word Outlines but I had them outline each source using a 2 level outline method (WWS skill). These outlines are complete so next week they will right a summary of these documents using their outlines. They will combine all 3 outlines into one summary (IEW skill). If I have them edit and rewrite the first draft they have to include dress ups in the rewrite (IEW skill).

 

I also have my kids enter writing contests and after I edit the first draft they have to include IEW dress ups. I especially favor varying sentence openers. They tend to naturally include -ly words but I have to remind them to include strong verbs, eliminate some banned words and vary the sentence openers. I include contests b/c I want them to have a lot of practice writing for "real" purposes. Also, I am able to see what is translating from our grammar and writing instruction when they write papers.

 

Last year we exclusive did SWI A and I like it but when they were presented with a topic to write about they didn't know where to start. IEW gives you the source content so you don't have to come up with what to write. So I had to go another direction this year so my kids will know where to start if given a topic to write about. Then I bring in all the IEW dress-ups they learned last year to add style to their writing. Then I began to notice grammar shortcomings to I weave that in using BJU Grammar. I guess I am a piece meal homeschooler.

 

Hope this helps.

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We are in the early stages of IEW, and I am enjoying the potential for implementing it across the curriculum, both for current stuff and for review of past topics.

 

Today I grabbed Kingfisher and pulled a paragraph from a past history lesson, and had DS8 do a keyword outline and paragraph rewrite. He did a good job!

 

We sometimes use a favorite fiction book, a paragraph from Life of Fred (math), a good non-fiction book, or something I'd like to pique his interest in :). He gets writing reinforcement of different styles, and reinforcement of some nice bit of information from something he is or has studying/studied.

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I think the most effective way to implement IEW across the curriculum is to first become VERY familiar with the material presented on the TWSS. After spending a couple of years using IEW's prepared products, I think most teachers would feel comfortable implementing the IEW approach in various subjects.

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Here are some ideas for using IEW across the curriculum. I have included unit numbers.

 

Unit 1 & 2 - kwo outlines and writing from the outline

Use a source from whatever you are using for history or science; i.e. library book or textbook, write a kwo, and then write a paragraph from that outline. For example, if you are studying Ancient Egypt, use a source that has information on the Sphinx and write a kwo and paragraph from that source.

 

Unit 3 - Story Summary

Find a short story related to your history studies and write a three-paragraph story summary. If you are studying Ancient Greece, find a retelling of a Greek myth, and use it as the source piece for your story summary. Baldwin Project has good stories for this type of work.

 

Unit 4 - One-Paragraph Report from a Single Source

Choose a simple and concrete topic from history and use a resource to write a kwo from the resource and then write a one-paragraph report from the outline. When we studied Mayan culture in elementary school, dd wrote a one-paragraph report on jaguar habitat. After your student is comfortable with this, use multiple sources for the topic and teach the fused outline. After this, write several paragraphs about a single subject and teach transition; i.e. three paragraphs about jaguars - habitat, parenting, and hunting. Then, write multi-paragraph reports using muliple resources and fused outlines for each paragraph as well as an appropriate report opener and conclusion (Unit 6).

 

Unit 5 - Find a picture related to your history studies and write a three-paragraph story about the picture using the Unit 3 Story Summary questions.

 

As you are working on the above, teach a new IEW style components; i.e. dress up, openers, etc., every few weeks.

 

This type of work is a good fit for elementary-age children. In fact, mastery of these units is a good goal for many middle-school students.

 

Hth

Edited by 1Togo
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Here are some ideas for using IEW across the curriculum. I have included unit numbers.

 

Unit 1 & 2 - kwo outlines and writing from the outline

Use a source from whatever you are using for history or science; i.e. library book or textbook, write a kwo, and then write a paragraph from that outline. For example, if you are studying Ancient Egypt, use a source that has information on the Sphinx and write a kwo and paragraph from that source.

 

Unit 3 - Story Summary

Find a short story related to your history studies and write a three-paragraph story summary. If you are studying Ancient Greece, find a retelling of a Greek myth, and use it as the source piece for your story summary. Baldwin Project has good stories for this type of work.

 

Unit 4 - One-Paragraph Report from a Single Source

Choose a simple and concrete topic from history and use a resource to write a kwo from the resource and then write a one-paragraph report from the outline. When we studied Mayan culture in elementary school, dd wrote a one-paragraph report on jaguar habitat. After your student is comfortable with this, use multiple sources for the topic and teach the fused outline. After this, write several paragraphs about a single subject and teach transition; i.e. three paragraphs about jaguars - habitat, parenting, and hunting. Then, write multi-paragraph reports using muliple resources and fused outlines for each paragraph as well as an appropriate report opener and conclusion (Unit 6).

 

Unit 5 - Find a picture related to your history studies and write a three-paragraph story about the picture using the Unit 3 Story Summary questions.

 

As you are working on the above, teach a new IEW style components; i.e. dress up, openers, etc., every few weeks.

 

This type of work is a good fit for elementary-age children. In fact, mastery of these units is a good goal for many middle-school students.

 

Hth

Thank you, that was very helpful.

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I think you will clearly need the Teaching CD's and then just apply them to various subjects. We used the medieval book for IEW this year but it goes further than I will be going with history. So I jumped off one week and had the kids do their own essay based on a question in history. It worked pretty well. Next year I may be doing more my own thing with the TWSS.

Jennifer in Pa

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I previewed the WWS 20 week sample and informally started to have my kids outline every thing we read in our history curriculum. Our history readings come from SOTW, George Washington's World, and Exploring American History from Christian Liberty Press. I read aloud and stop after every paragraph for them to write who/what event the paragraph is about and why is the event important. We do a roman numeral outline using this method. I guess this is what WWS calls the one level outline.

 

We coordinate the IEW American History based writing lessons with these readings. Just this week the kids had 3 source documents about the Declaration of Independence. IEW teaches Key Word Outlines but I had them outline each source using a 2 level outline method (WWS skill). These outlines are complete so next week they will right a summary of these documents using their outlines. They will combine all 3 outlines into one summary (IEW skill). If I have them edit and rewrite the first draft they have to include dress ups in the rewrite (IEW skill).

 

I also have my kids enter writing contests and after I edit the first draft they have to include IEW dress ups. I especially favor varying sentence openers. They tend to naturally include -ly words but I have to remind them to include strong verbs, eliminate some banned words and vary the sentence openers. I include contests b/c I want them to have a lot of practice writing for "real" purposes. Also, I am able to see what is translating from our grammar and writing instruction when they write papers.

 

Last year we exclusive did SWI A and I like it but when they were presented with a topic to write about they didn't know where to start. IEW gives you the source content so you don't have to come up with what to write. So I had to go another direction this year so my kids will know where to start if given a topic to write about. Then I bring in all the IEW dress-ups they learned last year to add style to their writing. Then I began to notice grammar shortcomings to I weave that in using BJU Grammar. I guess I am a piece meal homeschooler.

 

Hope this helps.

 

:iagree:

 

Ok, I cannot tell a lie. I have spring fever and I care NOTHING about curriculum or educating my child.

 

But you have a cool user name and I don't want you to feel lonely. :D

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Here are three threads where I helped posters with questions about integrating IEW (I realized in searching for these that I have posted advice on IEW over 250 times here... Mr. Pudewa, I will take my check now. :lol:)

 

Planning lessons with IEW

 

Advice for integrating IEW and SL 5 - has a link to an insanely long blog post I wrote about planning writing across the curriculum with IEW

 

Another thread on planning IEW

 

This is the very reason I used IEW. It stremalined our schooling so much, and it gave us meaningful material for writing. I can't recommend IEW used this way highly enough!

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This is all great information. I've been looking at IEW and wondering if I could implement it this way. (I was planning to start off using WWE and implementing through the curriculum, and add IEW later.)

 

However you use IEW, the first step is always to start with the TWSS DVD's... is that correct? Then do you have to do a SWI or can you start with something else with your student??

 

Love the ideas on how to integrate it with other subjects and make it meaningful!!

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This is all great information. I've been looking at IEW and wondering if I could implement it this way. (I was planning to start off using WWE and implementing through the curriculum, and add IEW later.)

 

However you use IEW, the first step is always to start with the TWSS DVD's... is that correct? Then do you have to do a SWI or can you start with something else with your student??

 

Love the ideas on how to integrate it with other subjects and make it meaningful!!

 

IMHO, you should always start with the TWSS, though others have just jumped into an SWI or HBL.

 

You don't have to do an SWI after you learn the TWSS. That's what this thread is talking about: scheduling the writing into other subjects instead of using something like SWI.

 

It was easier when I started IEW; there was just the TWSS, so there were no choices to make. :D

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  • 2 weeks later...
Here are three threads where I helped posters with questions about integrating IEW (I realized in searching for these that I have posted advice on IEW over 250 times here... Mr. Pudewa, I will take my check now. :lol:)

 

Planning lessons with IEW

 

Advice for integrating IEW and SL 5 - has a link to an insanely long blog post I wrote about planning writing across the curriculum with IEW

 

Another thread on planning IEW

 

This is the very reason I used IEW. It stremalined our schooling so much, and it gave us meaningful material for writing. I can't recommend IEW used this way highly enough!

Thank you, thank you, Thank you!!!!!!:)

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