xp: Recommend a Writing curriculum for 5th grade! :) Please. :)

[PeacefulChaos]

Looking into next year, I have no plans yet for what Astro will do for Writing.  He will have finished all of WWE by then.  He's not a kid who really loves to write.  I would rather have a program than not, because of that.  

 

That's all the parameters lol.  Any suggestions?  :)

[Milknhoney]

After reading SWB's recommendation to delay WWS until 6th grade, I started out 5th grade using PHP's Creative Writer. I thought it would be a fun break from the drudgery of "academic" writing. Ds really liked it, but we only used it for a few months before I dropped it. It felt like I was trying to do too much and he was getting bogged down with all the assignments he had. Fifth grade was the first year I was having him hand write all of his narrations/summaries/notes himself rather than me taking dictation from him. So actually, he ended up getting a lot of writing practice just with science, geography, and writing summaries of his literature readings. This year we're back to WWS, and he is doing just fine. I don't think it hurt to take a year off from formal writing, and it probably was a benefit to him as well since WWS is challenging and I need him to be independent so I can focus on younger dd. 

[tmstranger]

I plan to use either IEW or Write Shop when my kiddo gets to that stage. 

[Tiramisu]

Jump In if you want practical writing instruction. Killgallon if you want to beautify writing.

[waa510]

We're using Killgallon with the Write from History series (Medieval) this year. Dd does copywork, dictation and written summaries of selections from Famous Men of the Middle Ages, poetry selections, first-hand accounts, etc. I'm working on integrating her grammar knowledge and using that to create better sentences. We edit and revise her written summaries quite a bit. We also do the writing lessons from Rod and Staff when they come up. 

[IfIOnly]

My kids like Meaningful composition. I think it is teaching them to write very well!  I'm really impressed with the content of the curriculum and what my children are producing.  It guides them incrementally through writing about their own experiences and research papers. 

 

My kids have been challenged to incorporate things like super short sentences (SSS), subordinate clauses, transition sentences, describers, exact and interesting verbs vs. vague and boring ones, snappy closing sentences, and so much more into their writing (these are all examples from the first book!) They learn about these things and then are challenged to incorporate them. It teaches them about varying your writing and gives them experience with applying what they're learned. They also learned about thesis statements, citing, and sources in the first book.

 

It's  :001_wub: MC. Ha!

 

It's advanced, so I don't know that I would use it on grade level. In fact, many of the reviews are from parents who used the beginning level successfully with older kids. 

[IfIOnly]

Here's a link to the skills and projects in the firs book of the series: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7uMzTn1z4JeTEp0VmRLaTFHUUE/view

 

ETA: One thing I forgot to mention is MC has children highlighting occasionally with different colors the different parts of a sentence, paragraph, and essay. It also has them highlight things like the verbs in their writing when kids are learning about verb usage. My visual kids really like the color coding!

 

I also type up their compositions and put them in a notebook for them to read and show others. They enjoy seeing their work collected this way. :)

 

ETA again: Sorry! I just wanted to add that the assignments are short or just right, so my kids don't get tired and sloppy before the assignment it over, which I think is important

 

 http://characterinkblog.com/mc-samples/

[Ellie]

Writing Strands, Level 4 or 5.

[Juliegmom]

My 5th grader is currently using CAP Writing and Rhetoric Book 3 - Narrative. We went through the first two books last year. My daughter enjoys them and I'm seeing progress in her writing. I have an eager writer, but I think the incremental steps and pacing would be good for reluctant writers.

[EmilyGF]

I was really hesitant to use IEW with my now-5th grade boy because I had seen all the critiques of it. Finally, a friend of mine was having amazing success with her daughter and I decided to jump in. It has been a big success here. For him, writing isn't that painful anymore. He is learning how to structure his thoughts and actually writing stuff that sound good.

 

We got the Student Intensive (which is $$$) but comes with the DVD lessons. You could really skip the parent lessons if you use it, though the package comes with them. We watch the DVDs together and then I sort of encourage him as he does the writing, but most of the teaching is done one the DVDs. He's on unit 4 which is laying the foundation for note taking from multiple sources to write reports by learning to condense stories into a set of notes.

 

We had used WWE through WWE3 and CAP Writing and Rhetoric (which I really wasn't impressed with despite all the hype - my son liked it, but I didn't really see any improvement in his writing). 

 

Emily

[PeterPan]

Not what you think you're looking for, but you might dump writing entirely for the year.  Focus on typing (which UNLEASHED my reluctant writer!) and play lots of games that use language, read great stuff.  You can do debate prompts and debate viewpoints.  I had a book of those (50 debate prompts) but it has since gone oop and gotten $$.  Look for something similar.  You can outline interesting magazine articles once a week using Inspiration or Popplet or other mindmapping software.  

 

If you want to do some writing, once a week do a project from 180 Days or Don't Forget to Write.  Both are good.  We used the daily writing prompts from Jump In around that age, and they were good.  You don't need the whole program, just the daily writing prompts.  I photocopied them and put them into page protectors so they could go in the front of her daily notebook.  Then she just did one a day.

 

But seriously, typing.  That's the key.  As far as games, DixIt, Liebrary, Ticket to Ride.  Anything that improves working memory will help writing, because they need so much working memory to hold their thoughts, organize, motor plan, and get them out.  Playing games will improve writing.   :D

 

Edited November 20, 2015 by OhElizabeth

[SharonUF]

My 4th & 5th grade boys tolerate Progressive Composition fairly well. They hate writing, too. I also started on Outlining by Mary Mueller with my 5th grader. It is challenging thus far, but not writing intensive. He also writes 2 1/2 page narrations each week though. I plan to start WWE next year. The 4th grader is another story entirely. He drags his feet on everything that is not fun so he is still on WWE 3.

 

I really like the typing idea. That will be done on the computer. Computers are fun therefore typing will be fun and get done...I hope.

[Tiramisu]

My kids like Meaningful composition. I think it is teaching them to write very well!  I'm really impressed with the content of the curriculum and what my children are producing.  It guides them incrementally through writing about their own experiences and research papers. 

 

My kids have been challenged to incorporate things like super short sentences (SSS), subordinate clauses, transition sentences, describers, exact and interesting verbs vs. vague and boring ones, snappy closing sentences, and so much more into their writing (these are all examples from the first book!) They learn about these things and then are challenged to incorporate them. It teaches them about varying your writing and gives them experience with applying what they're learned. They also learned about thesis statements, citing, and sources in the first book.

 

It's  :001_wub: MC. Ha!

 

It's advanced, so I don't know that I would use it on grade level. In fact, many of the reviews are from parents who used the beginning level successfully with older kids. 

 

What levels are you using and with kids in what grades?

 

Since I still have this on my shelf...

[IfIOnly]

What levels are you using and with kids in what grades?

 

Since I still have this on my shelf...

 

I started them in the first two books 41 and 4ll to lay a good foundation, but this year they're doing grade level. My 6th grader is doing level 6, and my 7th grader is doing level 7. I'm going to go ahead and order level 4 for my 4th grader and see how it goes and take it slowly, if necessary. I'm bummed that my 6th grader will be missing book 5ll the fiction writing book Creative and Clever and won't be getting to story writing in depth until 7ll Completely Creative. I don't want this to happen to my 4th grader either and want him to do the full serius, so that's also why I'm starting with him this year. 

 

It might not be everyone's cuppa, but I am so thankful we found it.

Edited November 23, 2015 by LavenderGirl

[IfIOnly]

I think I probably could have started with level 5 for both of my kids though. I probably should have called and got placement recommendation. :P I do want them to be on grade level and finish the series by year 11 (there's one book in 11th but we can squeeze that in) because I want them to have an excellent writing foundation before entering CC in 11th.

[happyhappyjoyjoy]

Either Memoria Press Classical Comp Fables w DVD or online or IEW SWI-A w DVD or online.

That's my vote:)

[Carol in Cal.]

Since you're going to have a 5th grader, this is the ideal time to read Rafe Esquith's books, since he teaches fifth grade.  I found them tremendously valuable in terms of ideas, benchmarking, and especially teaching writing and the rudiments of literary analysis.