Moxie Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 Any suggestions?? We've always used Growing With Grammar but I wonder if it is too lite?? I'd love some ideas! What about Grammar Island? Does it take a year to go through? Does that series ever get into diagramming? Is the teacher book necessary?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted August 20, 2014 Share Posted August 20, 2014 If you go with MCT, you can just get the teacher book, except for Practice Island, where you might want the student to have their own book. It never gets to diagramming. Instead, it teaches a different type of analysis that covers the same things just in a different way. It's just as in depth as diagramming, just different. MCT didn't really work for us, but many love it. We did enjoy Grammarland at that age. Mostly, I've just come around to the idea that doing grammar year after year is pointless. We've done what I think was good for elementary. We'll pick it back up again in a year or two. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted August 20, 2014 Share Posted August 20, 2014 Grammar Island just takes a few weeks to go through, then you spend the rest of the year practicing with Practice Island, and extending grammar concepts to understanding sentences using Practice Island. It's really nice, interactive, discussion-based. It doesn't introduce diagramming at this level, but a lot of people think diagramming is better left for older ages, anyway . . . it's a little bit more analytical. I think it's Level 4 where it first comes into MCT's program. I agree that you just need the TMs for everything but the practice book. Another (new) option that combines grammar with writing instruction (sentences, paragraphs, and one-paragraph reports) is Treasured Conversations, which was written by a long-time board member. Here's the link: http://www.treasuredconversations.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thescrappyhomeschooler Posted August 20, 2014 Share Posted August 20, 2014 We've use MCT for years and love it. You can keep going back to Grammar Island throughout the year if you want, but it is meant to go through thoroughly once, and then spend the rest of the year practicing the concepts that you've learned. We do use the practice book, but honestly, you can use the method on any sentence. I've had the boys take a sentence from a history book or a read aloud and do the four level analysis on it, too. He does demonstrate diagramming a little bit in Grammar Voyage, but he doesn't really get into diagramming. If your child understands the four level analysis, they should be able to understand diagramming, too, if you want to introduce it later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moxie Posted August 20, 2014 Author Share Posted August 20, 2014 We've use MCT for years and love it. You can keep going back to Grammar Island throughout the year if you want, but it is meant to go through thoroughly once, and then spend the rest of the year practicing the concepts that you've learned. We do use the practice book, but honestly, you can use the method on any sentence. I've had the boys take a sentence from a history book or a read aloud and do the four level analysis on it, too. He does demonstrate diagramming a little bit in Grammar Voyage, but he doesn't really get into diagramming. If your child understands the four level analysis, they should be able to understand diagramming, too, if you want to introduce it later. So, Grammar Island would be a good level for a 3rd grader and we would spend a year on it? And, just getting the teacher book for both of us will work?? Just trying to figure out what I need to order. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moxie Posted August 21, 2014 Author Share Posted August 21, 2014 Bumping so I can finish ordering our books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moxie Posted August 21, 2014 Author Share Posted August 21, 2014 Bump, bump, bumpity bump. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thescrappyhomeschooler Posted August 21, 2014 Share Posted August 21, 2014 Sorry! Island level would be good for a third grader. It's not going to take the whole year to go through it, but you can use what you've learned in it to review and to analyze other things. Yes. The teacher book is enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
My3girls Posted August 21, 2014 Share Posted August 21, 2014 We're using FLL and reinforcing with copy work and dictation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRmommy Posted August 22, 2014 Share Posted August 22, 2014 Grammar Island just takes a few weeks to go through, then you spend the rest of the year practicing with Practice Island, and extending grammar concepts to understanding sentences using Practice Island. It's really nice, interactive, discussion-based. It doesn't introduce diagramming at this level, but a lot of people think diagramming is better left for older ages, anyway . . . it's a little bit more analytical. I think it's Level 4 where it first comes into MCT's program. I agree that you just need the TMs for everything but the practice book. Another (new) option that combines grammar with writing instruction (sentences, paragraphs, and one-paragraph reports) is Treasured Conversations, which was written by a long-time board member. Here's the link: http://www.treasuredconversations.com/ I've been meaning to ask you if Treasured Conversations would work for a 3rd grader for grammar. We used FLL3 until lesson 35 or so last school year. I've been dreading using it this year. I read the website for TC, and it sounds very intriguing even though I don't think my 3rd grader would be ready for parts 2 or 3 yet. Could we do just part 1 to replace FLL3? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScoutTN Posted August 22, 2014 Share Posted August 22, 2014 My 3rd grader really enjoyed FLL 3 last year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
domestic_engineer Posted August 22, 2014 Share Posted August 22, 2014 If you are going to go the MCT route, I'd get Grammar Island (Teacher's Manual) and Practice Island (Teacher's Manual) as a minimum. Optionally, I'd add on Practice Island Student book. Grammar Island introduces the grammar concepts, while Practice Island is where DC will "put it into action." Grammar Island can be done in a couple of weeks/months depending on your pacing - but it definitely won't last an entire year. Practice Island has 100 sentences to analyze. The combination of the two books ought to get you through a whole year. Side note: Be sure to check the TM when doing PI because there are times where the teacher needs to introduce details that are not covered in GI. (For example, active v. passive voice, possessive pronouns, 4 types of sentences, verb tenses, etc) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted August 22, 2014 Share Posted August 22, 2014 I've been meaning to ask you if Treasured Conversations would work for a 3rd grader for grammar. We used FLL3 until lesson 35 or so last school year. I've been dreading using it this year. I read the website for TC, and it sounds very intriguing even though I don't think my 3rd grader would be ready for parts 2 or 3 yet. Could we do just part 1 to replace FLL3? Yes, absolutely, you could do part 1 to cover the parts of speech and basic mechanics, and you'd get the benefit of working on word choice in the sentence context, which is totally compatible with the sentence work you do in Sentence Island. Then you could do parts 2 & 3 alongside Paragraph Town whenever he's ready! ETA: Oops, justicemom, when I responded I thought you were the OP so I answered as if you were using MCT, too. Even if you are not, I think the answer to your question is still yes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caclcoca Posted August 22, 2014 Share Posted August 22, 2014 We also use First Language Lessons Level 3 in the third grade. I started it with my third child two weeks ago. We use Writing with Ease Level 2 with it. So far we have needed to use WWE a level behind FLL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PRTGSw2K Posted August 22, 2014 Share Posted August 22, 2014 (edited) .. Edited July 20, 2016 by PRTGSw2K Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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