Need help with writing

[plmzk]

I was wondering if the hive could throw some ideas my way as to a program that does a decent job teaching how to write different paragraphs. I am not that great with the search function on here. This is for a 5th grader.

 

She CAN write a paragraph, but just a simple info 3-5 sentence one. I would like to have her practice writing more different style paragraphs. We are doing Rod and Staff for grammar, so she's good on grammar but her paragraphs are sad to look at...

 

Thanks!

[plmzk]

I wanted to add that we have done W&R book 1 and 2 and I'm not to eager to go for the next book. 

 

She reads above her grade level, she has enough creativity for writing, but I think she needs more practice on writing different kinds of paragraphs. Any suggestions??

[jens2sons]

Look at Here to Help Learning paragraph writing at www.heretohelplearning.com

 

[nansk]

Here are the resources we are using:

 

1. How To Write A Paragraph from Brookdale House, followed by

2. Paragraph Writing Made Easy from Scholastic

 

Both are very simple and easy to use.

 

I will add that her writing will also improve if you add in a book that teaches sentence variety (such as Sentence Composing), and a book that improves vocabulary (such as Vocabulit or Sadlier Oxford Vocabulary Workshop.)

[Ellie]

I was wondering if the hive could throw some ideas my way as to a program that does a decent job teaching how to write different paragraphs. I am not that great with the search function on here. This is for a 5th grader.

 

She CAN write a paragraph, but just a simple info 3-5 sentence one. I would like to have her practice writing more different style paragraphs. We are doing Rod and Staff for grammar, so she's good on grammar but her paragraphs are sad to look at...

 

Thanks!

 

Is your daughter not doing the writing in her English book? R&S does a pretty good job of teaching writing.

[plmzk]

Is your daughter not doing the writing in her English book? R&S does a pretty good job of teaching writing.

 

Ellie,

 

She does do the writing in R&S. We have been writing paragraphs for a while now, and she understands the concept of a paragraph. It may be that I want her to practice more?

 

Today, she was given a picture to write a paragraph about. After her paragraph of 3 sentences (that were good sentences) I had her go back and ask who? what? where? when? why? and incorporate all those answers/ideas into her paragraph to make it interesting. With me pushing her to dig deeper, she was able to expand on what she wrote. If I had all day to spend on just her and grammar, we would have even come up with a full story of the picture, but we quit after the second rewrite where she had 6 sentences.

 

I don't think I am doing the best in explaining/ teaching how to write an interesting paragraph. Maybe I'm looking for something that might guide her to expand her imagination? We are finishing W&R narrative book I. That has been ok in stretching her imagination by a bit. But she's not really enjoying it, and I don't see leaps and bounds in her creativity.

 

Reading all the  responses now, I think  nansk might have hit the nail on the head. I will be looking into a resource to teach sentence variety such as Sentence Composing.

 

Also, Jennifer jens2sons  had a great link! Thank you! I am really interested in trying Here to Help Learning.  Even with all the reading she does, I think she might be needing to see more concrete examples of boring vs. interesting/fun paragraphs.

 

Thank you all so far! I would LOVE to get more ideas either on a resource that helps with igniting imagination, sentence variety, or paragraph practice.