Thoughts on spreading R&S grammar over more than a year?

[Homemama2]

Here's the situation:   :)

R&S works great for us.  No problems using it.  But there are a few school extras that  I would like to fit in so I'm trying to think of how I can juggle around what we use to make room for these. 

 

So I was thinking instead of doing grammar 4 or 5 days a week, would it work to do it only 3 and then take longer than a year to go through the book?  Would this end up hurting them for testing purposes etc?  We would also be doing AAS spelling in fewer days per week so I'd have extra time there too.

 

Anyway, does this sound like a good plan or not?  And if you would NOT do this, could you tell me why?  :)  Thanks!

 

[SilverMoon]

I'd just double up lessons when easier grammar lessons are back to back instead of spreading it out longer. It's already a 4 day a week book.

 

My kids occasionally do two easier lessons at a time just because, and we skip most of the composition lessons. This means we'll finish the book early and have a time spot to devote to something else if we choose.

[Homemama2]

Hmm...that sounds like a good idea.  I didn't think about skipping the composition lessons, which we could easily do since we're using a different writing program and they get plenty of writing.  Thanks!

 

[freesia]

We did 3 days a week last year and finished all by 3 chapters. We are going to pick up there (I am doing the cap/punc chapter from the next book first) and go as far into the 8th grade book as we can. He did fine in the end of the year testing. They don't test explicit grammar anyway--more usage/caps/punc.

[texasmama]

We do grammar two days a week, and I have made schedules for R & S levels 5 and 6, doubling up as needed and skipping composition assignments.  We finish each book in a 36 week school year.  We also do much of it orally.

[redsquirrel]

And don't forget that R&S stops at 10th grade, and I think the 9th and 10th are (maybe) not as much grammar? I know there is something about them that is different. I haven't cared enough to find out yet, lol.

 

So, if you don't finish the 8th grade book by the end of 8th grade you still have plenty of time to get through it.  And as for testing, I bet if they get through the 6th grade book, they have more actual grammar instruction than lots of kids.

 

I use a separate writing program and almost never do the writing assignments in R&S. Occasionally we do one that I think is a little bit different from what he has seen before.

[2_girls_mommy]

It seems as if we will take longer on each book w/at least my younger child for now.  We could only do about 3 lessons a week last year on avg.  We did R&S 4-5 days a week, but she took 2 days w/some of the lessons.  So we didn't even finish unit 4 of 5.  We took our summer off as usual and we jumped back into it this year.  I do the composition exercises in each book, and 2nd and 3rd grade have all of the writing at the last units only, not spread throughout.  I decided she really needs those lessons.  So she is in 4th grade math and spelling, but is finishing up grade 3 English.  I want her to master it, not get through a book, yk? 

 

My other child that has no trouble w/ just reading through many of the lessons and I only assign written work occasionally for her as in diagramming and composition exercises.  So doubling up once in awhile and doing 3 days a week is no problem.  She does much orally.  

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[hollyhock]

If you skip all the composition lessons, it works very well to do 3 lessons per week and get through the book in a school year. This is what I do.

[Heidi]

If you skip all of the composition AND the review lessons (and the 1 or 2 introduction lessons) there are 80 grammar lessons in each book, at least through Book 7.  I'm doing 2 lessons a week for 40 weeks.

[Homemama2]

Thanks for all the suggestions! This looks like it will work well for us.  :)

[Mallory]

We did level 6 for two years when the boys were in 5th/6th and 6th/7th. We just started 7 adn plan to only do half this year and half next. I don't know if we'll do anymore grammar after that or not...