What to use with Writing & Rhetoric?

[LynnS]

After trying a few (cough) writing programs over the past few years, we've started Writing & Rhetoric: Fable with my son this year. The first week has gone swimmingly, and so far it seems like a great fit. Since there are only 14 lessons in each book, even 2 levels will not cover a year's worth of school. What do others use along with W&R?

We're currently using MCT's Island level for grammar (finished Grammar Island and working through Practice Island, MotH, etc). We had previously been using Just Write, which my son didn't hate; it's fun, but a little on the light side. I could intersperse the Grade 3 (Book 2) Just Write between W&R chapters, maybe, although that level seems to focus a lot on grammar, which we've already got covered. Does anyone have any other suggestions?  

[Clear Creek]

W&R is plenty; I do not add any other writing programs to it. It starts off gently, but by the end of the third book the student is writing an entire story of their own (and doing outlining at a level that is normally expected of a logic-stage student), and the fifth book can easily take a full year if the end material is used. I don't start W&R until 4th grade (and I stretch the first book over that year), so I would expect that as it ramps up it will begin to take considerably longer with a 2nd grader. If you do add anything, then I would go with something easy like Just Write to give his brain a break...W&R is heavy on developing thinking skills.

[Lisa in the UP of MI]

I agree that Writing & Rhetoric is enough.  If you are looking for a little more, just spend some time writing or orally narrating in his other subjects.

[Bluegoat]

According to th ebooks, IIRC, they suggest you can go through two a year.

I only ever used Fable over a whole year, but I tended to divide the lessons up more than the book so they made more than 14, and used a mechanics/grammar program along with it.  

[Targhee]

We used MCT grammar, practice books, and poetry, and read through the writing books (did not complete assignments). We did literature reading in addition to what’s in W&R.  Lively Latin reinforced grammar and vocabulary. And we included critical thinking/Logic in our Language Arts rotation as well (that was our LA on Friday every week), penmanship/copywork, and poetry memorization.  

[SilverMoon]

I believe the recommendation is two books a year, and to stagger writing with grammar.  I found two books plenty writing for one year. You could stretch lessons out by redoing the assignments with different topics or stories if you needed more, or practice what he's learned for some cross-curricular writing.

[LynnS]

Thanks, everyone! Sounds like we're all set with W&R and MCT, and maybe a little light free writing in between. 

[RenaInTexas]

Yep. We have been using MCT & W&R and that has been enough. We write across the curriculum. We have done Killgallon Elementary Sentences and Killgallon Elementary Paragraphs bc my kids needed more writing practice (not their thing).