Writing Help

[Tidbits of Learning]

Ok, we have to do the state test for 4th grade this year. My ds10 has done copywork, oral narration, and dictation since starting home school in 1st grade. We started K12 this year and from what I see from my k/1st grader's work...it is similar to what we had done just maybe at a faster pace with the dictation and writing. Well, my 4th grader doesn't seem to be able to make a paragraph. We used HOD before this and he made it through Bigger Hearts. There is just no writing instruction at that level in HOD. I need something that will take him through writing sentences and paragraph formation quickly. It doesn't have to be perfect. It just has to introduce him to the concepts and he has to be able to write a decent paragraph. Any suggestions on something easy to use that will quickly go through writing instruction. Workbooks would be great. I am just not finding anything on just writing sentences and making paragraphs. He really needs work on sentences first and then moving into paragraphs.

[TarynB]

Check out Evan-Moor's workbook Writing Fabulous Sentences and Paragraphs:

 

http://www.amazon.com/Writing-Fabulous-Sentences-Paragraphs-Norris/dp/1557996016/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1356023658&sr=8-1&keywords=writing+fabulous+sentences+and+paragraphs+grades+4-6

[mytwomonkeys]

once your son has mastered a basic sentence, i use this format to teach writing a paragraph. it has worked well with both of my children. start off with simple topics and basic sentences. slowly increase your expectations. to begin with, i would literally number the paper from 1-5 and brainstorm together. slowly transition from that to him writing simple paragraphs alone. once, he has mastered that, you can increase expectations of simple sentences to more descriptive sentences using strong verbs and adjectives. once he has mastered that, move into multiple paragraphs. this has worked well here. it is very incremental and not overwhelming for the child. it also works with any type of writing style, which is perfect for state standardized tests.