Writing, 3rd grade, maybe Grammar

[Janeway]

I am using BJU English, which I have always loved. I feel it is very thorough and easy to implement. But I would like to consider something a little more classical in teaching writing. I think we might be beyond WWE as he is in 3rd grade already. So many options are going through my head. I have always felt intimidated by IEW, both cost and teacher intensive. Isn't that where a parent spends several hours watching videos to learn how to teach the subject before the parent can really get started? And now days, there is a pack to get started, but ultimately, the parent still has to watch the hours of videos? Because I barely get alone time with the TV and often spend my TV time cleaning or folding laundry or something else while watching. I have not 100% ruled it out, but if it is really like this, it won't work for us. He is too young for WWS. I am open to switching grammar too to go to an all around program. I am also open to continuing with BJU English and adding in a writing program. 

[nixpix5]

Here's what we do. Since BJU rotates 2 weeks grammar and 2 weeks writing while we are working grammar in BJU we do IEW All Things Fun and Fascinating. Very good program and not intimidating to implement. It is great. You don't need to have done the full program to use it. Then when it is writing time in BJU we use Fix It! Grammar. We just rotate back and forth like this in 3rd. In 4th I stay with BJU and will use Fable I during the grammar weeks. This way we still get the foundation that BJU provides along with being able to implement progymnasmata without bogging them down in two writing programs. 

[Ellie]

1 hour ago, Janeway said:

I am using BJU English, which I have always loved. I feel it is very thorough and easy to implement. But I would like to consider something a little more classical in teaching writing. I think we might be beyond WWE as he is in 3rd grade already. So many options are going through my head. I have always felt intimidated by IEW, both cost and teacher intensive. Isn't that where a parent spends several hours watching videos to learn how to teach the subject before the parent can really get started? And now days, there is a pack to get started, but ultimately, the parent still has to watch the hours of videos? Because I barely get alone time with the TV and often spend my TV time cleaning or folding laundry or something else while watching. I have not 100% ruled it out, but if it is really like this, it won't work for us. He is too young for WWS. I am open to switching grammar too to go to an all around program. I am also open to continuing with BJU English and adding in a writing program. 

Doesn't BJUP teach both grammar and writing?

Is IEW "classical"?

Although not "classical," I have always liked Easy Grammar and Writing Strands. Both are simple but effective. If you wanted to do something for grammar that does diagramming, you could do that next year; personally, I understood diagramming better after I had done Easy Grammar with my child, so there's that. :-)

[Janeway]

36 minutes ago, nixpix5 said:

Here's what we do. Since BJU rotates 2 weeks grammar and 2 weeks writing while we are working grammar in BJU we do IEW All Things Fun and Fascinating. Very good program and not intimidating to implement. It is great. You don't need to have done the full program to use it. Then when it is writing time in BJU we use Fix It! Grammar. We just rotate back and forth like this in 3rd. In 4th I stay with BJU and will use Fable I during the grammar weeks. This way we still get the foundation that BJU provides along with being able to implement progymnasmata without bogging them down in two writing programs. 

Can you please tell me which Fable 1 you use?

[HomeAgain]

Do you want to add in diagramming or not?

For a progym-style, no diagram option we liked Writing Tales.  It's easy to open and go, has fun games, and slowly ramps up.  It's a two year program and then they recommend moving to Classical Writing in 5th or 6th (we didn't.  We floundered a bit to find another good fit and settled on WWS by 8th after trying CW, LLATL, and MBTP-which was good, but outgrown)
For a progym-style with diagramming, level C of English Lessons Through Literature was great for the youngest.  The emphasis on copywork, beginning written narration, and grammar all connected to the literature book helped him immensely.

We looked at IEW for this year and I nearly bought it.  When I asked the 8yo what he thought after watching the samples with me, though, he balked and said there was no need - that everything being taught in the program was what we do already and what I emphasize on his work.  At third grade, I figured the difference would be minimal.  I ended up buying the old Writing Strands again and he's happily working his way through that.  It has incremental steps and just enough guidance to give him parameters, but not dictate what he will write.

[Slache]

I use IEW and I think nitpix's plan sounds great. IEW looks intimidating bit it is very simple. 

[nixpix5]

7 hours ago, Janeway said:

Can you please tell me which Fable 1 you use?

For my DD Classical Writing Aesops is what she uses. For my DS he will use Writing and Rhetoric Fable and for my other DS I will probably use Writing Tales 1 but possibly Writing and Rhetoric depending upon how he does with All Things Fun

. I much prefer Classical Writing Curriculum but I know my individual children well enough at this point that there is some curriculum that speaks to them more than others. 

[NormaElle]

3rd grade is not beyond WWE. Some of my kids started WWE in third grade.