Hake Grammar users...does it have enough diagramming?

[HappyGrace]

Do you like the diagramming instruction and is there enough practice of the diagramming? And is the diagramming varied? In other words, not the same sentence structure to diagram all the time (which is a problem I've had with Shurley!)

 

Also, what are your specific opinions about the writing portion of Hake?

 

Any other comments about Hake? I'm specifically looking at Grade 5 for a rising 4th grade boy (FLL3 and GWG3 this yr. were too easy)

 

THANKS! :)

[Beans]

I'm curious to see what others say as well, as this approach to learning really suits my 7th grader. I didn't notice any diagramming in the samples I saw on the website.

[HappyGrace]

I only see diagramming a few times in the Table of Contents. It is spiral so I assume they review it too, but I have all those questions like I asked in my original post!

[Mom0012]

Once diagramming is introduced, there are usually 2 sentences to diagram each day. IMO, the sentences are pretty varied. Two sentences a day has been enough practice for my son to understand the process and master the skill.

 

I can't comment on the writing. We use IEW, so I've never even really looked at it.

 

I like the program a lot. So much so that after my ds finished level 5 last year, I went ahead and bought levels 6, 7 and 8. My son is finishing level 6 and I have started to see him apply grammar concepts that he's learned to his writing. Today, I was confused over whether a word was an adverb or not in a sentence from my daughter's CLE LA assignments, and my son was able to help us. Now, that is a miracle!

 

Lisa

Edited May 16, 2012 by LisaTheresa

[Deniseibase]

LisaTheresa is correct, there are pretty much at least two sentences in every problem set once diagramming is introduced. HOWEVER - in the Grade 5 book, there's a (what seemed to me) fairly lengthy stretch where they HAVE introduced diagramming, but not MUCH diagramming, and I felt the sentences were not very varied in that initial stretch. However, once they start branching out, the variety is fine. Just letting you know so you don't look at that initial stretch and think, "Yuck, no variety" - it will improve! :)

[HRAAB]

The sample (6th) I looked at had 30 problems in addition to the practice set. Is this normal? How long does it take to finish? It seems like a lot of problems, but since there are 107 lessons it wouldn't have to be everyday.

[Mom0012]

The sample (6th) I looked at had 30 problems in addition to the practice set. Is this normal? How long does it take to finish? It seems like a lot of problems, but since there are 107 lessons it wouldn't have to be everyday.

 

I'd guess it takes us about 30 minutes a day. I go over any problems my son missed from the previous lesson and sometimes I read through the new lesson with him, then he goes off and does the work. I do allow him to write in the book. I try to schedule it so we do grammar every day at the beginning of the school year and then we're able to cut back to 2-3 days a week at some point after the new year when we're starting to get burnt out on school.

 

Lisa

[RegularMom]

We like the diagramming, and I do feel that there is adequate practice. Even though there are 30 practice problems (the last few of which are diagramming), it doesn't take my dd all that long. We also do the copywork-dictation-journal writing portion, which adds another ten minutes on to the grammar session. But we rarely spend more than 45 minutes on grammar each day.

 

We also used the writing portion this year, and I found it to be useful. The way Hake is structured, on the day you administer a grammar test, you also assign a writing assignment that will last anywhere from 2 days to a week, depending on the individual child. My dd would spend the test day working through the "preparing to write" lesson, and then the next day, she would write a rough draft, but not do a grammar lesson, and then the day after that, she would continue with grammar lessons and we would correct her essay draft(s) and recopy the final piece.

 

It worked well for us, but it is definitely on the drier side. What I found was that if I gave my dd the option to tweek the subject given for certain essays, she enjoyed it more. (Eg: for the essay topic "how to have a birthday party" we changed it to "how to have a slumber party" which made her eyes light up more, and then after the essay was finished, we actually hosted a slumber party.)

 

I will probably continue using the writing portion in Hake 6 and so on, but I also plan to add in some Writing Strands for more variety, at my children's request. I suspect, at some point, Writing Strands will begin to take more priority and the Hake writing portion will drop away. But for now, I find that Hake's writing has something to offer, and I'm glad to use it.

 

Overall, I am really glad to have stumbled across Hake. Even my dd, who has never been all that excited about grammar, said to me that it was the best one we'd tried. All the grammar practice shines through noticeably in her writing.

Edited May 17, 2012 by RegularMom

[HappyGrace]

Thanks-this is so helpful! I'm glad to hear also that the retention is good.