Maisy Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 Those of you who have completed WWS1 and are waiting on WWS2--Any brilliant ideas on how to fill the gap this fall while we wait for the next level? My rising 7th grader completed WWS1 in May (with much success!). I don't want to start another program (IEW, Writing Strands, etc.) only to abandon it later. We're doing R&S 7, and I guess we could limp along with that for a while, adding in WTM literature/history/science writing. I have some MCT, but as wonderful as it is otherwise is, I think it's lacking in the specifics of skill-building. I'm adrift. :confused: Thoughts? Lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsquirrel Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 Well, I am feeling drift-y right with you! We are signed up for WWS2 beta, but that is not going to be a full program. I got Figuratively Speaking for weekly work. I am considering Killgallon, "Sentence Composing for Middle School" but I have NO idea how it works etc. I also plan to continue doing history as suggested in TWTM. That means he will be outlining, writing brief narrations etc. We are using Kolbe lit for 7th & 8th grade and that has some writing. I would strongly consider skipping the writing in Kolbe if I had WWS2. I also use R&S grammar and if push comes to shove I can always use some of their writing assignments. all of that adds up to: Figuratively Speaking weekly WWS2 beta when I have it Maybe R&S if we have nothing else Maybe Kilgallon if I get around to buying yet one more thing Kolbe when it looks good History every week Vague enough for you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebastian (a lady) Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 We found that actually applying the outlining and writing skills developed in WWS were a pretty good challenge. I wouldn't belittle spending quite a bit of time putting this into practice. You could do the WTM thing and simply assign outlines and writing from science and history. Or you could select specific readings and ask for outlines/writing from them. The Elegant Essay is a pretty good writing tool for upper grades, if you're looking for a program with specific assignments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maisy Posted August 17, 2012 Author Share Posted August 17, 2012 Well, I am feeling drift-y right with you! We are signed up for WWS2 beta, but that is not going to be a full program. I got Figuratively Speaking for weekly work. I am considering Killgallon, "Sentence Composing for Middle School" but I have NO idea how it works etc. I also plan to continue doing history as suggested in TWTM. That means he will be outlining, writing brief narrations etc. We are using Kolbe lit for 7th & 8th grade and that has some writing. I would strongly consider skipping the writing in Kolbe if I had WWS2. I also use R&S grammar and if push comes to shove I can always use some of their writing assignments. Thanks! It sounds like we have a similar non-plan! :lol: I, too, have Figuratively Speaking for use once a week. And I've looked at Killgallon, just haven't committed yet. How did you get on the list for WWS2 Beta testing? I know I did this for WWS1, but I don't remember seeing anything about it for WWS2. Thanks a bunch! Lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maisy Posted August 17, 2012 Author Share Posted August 17, 2012 You could do the WTM thing and simply assign outlines and writing from science and history. Or you could select specific readings and ask for outlines/writing from them. This has basically been my back-up plan. This year I've got "plan-my-own-from-scratch" 7th grade science, history, and to some extent literature programs, so adding in yet another course from scratch is stressing me out and making me feel unprepared. Ugh! Regardless of how many awesome things I could/want to plan for us to do, after 7 years of homeschooling I've learned that I'm much happier as an open-and-go kind of gal! :lol: Thanks for your thoughts! Lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Create Your Ritual Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 I would see if you could sign up to be a Beta-Tester for WWS2 as Patty has started sending those out. I would second Sentence Composing from Killgallon. We used the Elem. version this past year and my dc have learned so much. In fact that is the ONE thing they have requested doing every year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsquirrel Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 SaDonna, (and anyone else who is familiar with Kilgallon) What about it makes your kids like it so much, do you think? Do you think a 7th grader would be better starting Kilgallon elementary? Or, just go right to middle school level? How long does an exercise take? Is it a 30 min every day type thing? Also (while I have your eyes) I know Kilgallon has grammar and the sentence composing is separate, but does one need to use both? Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Create Your Ritual Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 I think the SC for Elem. and the Story Grammar for Middle School are fairly similar in that they use correct grammar terminology when teaching the various exercises. I have not done Story Grammar for elem. but when I looked at it, it was a lot different than the SC for Elem. we just completed. So I am planning on moving right into Story Grammar for Middle School. I am not sure why it switches in the middle school books? Having said that I am certain there is value in both sets of books. My kids love the excerpts and they love coming up with their own sentence variations. I like that they are getting a thorough education and a lot of practice in the various types of sentence structure... ie. Appositives, Prepositional phrases, etc. I don't think there is anything super 'elementary' about the SC book, but I can't say how it compares to Story Grammar for Middle school because I don't have that one yet. It takes my dd11 about 15-20 minutes tops to complete an exercise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5LittleMonkeys Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 Kilgallon's Grammar for Middle School and Sentence Composing for Middle School both include instruction in the understanding of and use of many types of phrases and clauses, in addition to creatively using adjectives and adverbs. However, it is only one section of SCfMS, whereas it is the entirety of GfMS. If your student has a good understanding of grammar, specifically those elements mentioned above, he would be better served to jump right into SCfMS. If your dc could use more work with, or has not been exposed to that level of grammar he would probably benefit from doing a run through of the Grammar book first. Both books could be completed in a year, IMO, and still leave time for writing across the curricula. You would still want your dc to continue practicing what he learned in WWS, and there aren't any long writing assignments in Killgallon. My dc liked it because they were producing very complex sentences that sounded as good as an experienced writer's work and because it was a nice creative break from all of the academic writing they normally do. As far as scheduling goes, you can spend as long as you want per day. Some practices in the Grammar book might only take 15 minutes, whereas some may take 30. The practices in the SC book might take 30 to 40. I would say that the SC book felt meatier to me probably due to there being more work with longer passages. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsquirrel Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 SaDonna and 5littlemonkeys, thank you so much. That was very helpful. I got the WWS2 beta sample and it looks like it will keep us busy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MicheleinMN Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 SaDonna and 5littlemonkeys, thank you so much. That was very helpful. I got the WWS2 beta sample and it looks like it will keep us busy! Anyone ready to share how they plan to use the Instructor and Student pages? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmos Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 We are signed up for WWS2 beta, but that is not going to be a full program. Can you explain this, redsquirrel? Do you mean the beta-test is not the full WWS2 program or that WWS2 itself is not a full program? We (luckily, I guess) didn't finish WWS Level 1 last year, so we'll keep plugging away at that. I expect to finish around January. Not sure what we'll do after that. ETA: Anyone know what the expected publication date of WWS2 is? (The final product, not the beta test.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kalmia Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 There is a vintage book that covers material similar to WWS and might do to fill the gap. It includes many excellent passages from literature to demonstrate the concepts taught. I've been reading aloud the instruction and discussing the examples. Writing in English by William H. Maxwell and George J. Smith http://books.google.com/books?id=jZ8CAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=Writing+in+English+Maxwell&source=bl&ots=jkqXJzsRPb&sig=6cuwgXrwgCpuPESPC-Pn3IGDZyo&hl=en&sa=X&ei=Y-AyUKfRG8nY6wHF14DYDg&ved=0CDMQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=Writing%20in%20English%20Maxwell&f=false Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsquirrel Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 Can you explain this, redsquirrel? Do you mean the beta-test is not the full WWS2 program or that WWS2 itself is not a full program? We (luckily, I guess) didn't finish WWS Level 1 last year, so we'll keep plugging away at that. I expect to finish around January. Not sure what we'll do after that. ETA: Anyone know what the expected publication date of WWS2 is? (The final product, not the beta test.) I saw a comment from someone who beta'd WWS1 that they got samples intermittently. I believe this person said that it wasn't every week or month. But, I have no idea how this will work this time. I am staying flexible. I expect, having used WWS1, that WWS2 will very much be a full program when it is done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsquirrel Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 Anyone ready to share how they plan to use the Instructor and Student pages? Well, I have only glanced at the sample, but it looks like it is set up like WWS1. I expect we will use it 4 days a week and just follow the instructions. Am I missing something? Is it different from that? off to check my sample again... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Create Your Ritual Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 Yes, it looks like the Beta version of WWS2 picks right up where WWS1 left off. 4 days a week. I will use this like I did the WWS version and load the student pages on their laptops and just work off of them. If I need to print something I will. Hopefully there isn't a ton of skipping around. I don't know how it would be helpful to beta test the program like that because all roads seem to lead to the next in WWS. It would be hard IMO to jump around it, unless we are just beta testing sections? For example a few weeks of the beginning, a few weeks of poetry, a few weeks of lit analysis? From the sounds of the email that came with the WWS2 beta test, we would be receiving 4 weeks worth at the end of each month? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebastian (a lady) Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 I do understand the need to not be writing lessons. On the other hand you can make this an intrinsic part of science or history. Each week needs an outline and a paragraph or two. You can alternate science and history or require it for both. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmos Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 I saw a comment from someone who beta'd WWS1 that they got samples intermittently. I believe this person said that it wasn't every week or month. But, I have no idea how this will work this time. I am staying flexible. Thanks. That makes sense. I expect, having used WWS1, that WWS2 will very much be a full program when it is done. Me too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmos Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 There is a vintage book that covers material similar to WWS and might do to fill the gap. It includes many excellent passages from literature to demonstrate the concepts taught. I've been reading aloud the instruction and discussing the examples. Writing in English by William H. Maxwell and George J. Smith http://books.google.com/books?id=jZ8CAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=Writing+in+English+Maxwell&source=bl&ots=jkqXJzsRPb&sig=6cuwgXrwgCpuPESPC-Pn3IGDZyo&hl=en&sa=X&ei=Y-AyUKfRG8nY6wHF14DYDg&ved=0CDMQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=Writing%20in%20English%20Maxwell&f=false This does look useful. Thanks for the link! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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