Today, I started a new Grammar and Writing Program. As I've been going through First Language Lessons and Writing Strands, I have felt that the lessons are not teaching skills, just spoonfeeding information. As I have looked around for a skill based, principle-based curriculum, Angie steered me toward the Noah Plan/Principle Approach and I have loved everything I have read! This is what she is using for Adam and Grace. I hope you'll bear with me in the transition and start to see more fruits from your children. I don't do this lightly. I have been studying this curriculum in much depth for several weeks. My original idea was to incorporate the principles into my FLL and WS lesson plans, but it became clear that I could not do both, and in order to really understand this method, I just need to dive into it head first. It's never too late to get on the right path!
Grammar
Today, we introduced Sentence Patterns and we worked on memorizing them. I will review them each week so they will have them memorized in a couple of weeks. Here are the sentence patterns:
S-V
S-V- DO
S-V-IO
S-V-IO-DO
S-V-PN
S-V-PA
Those of you who are familiar with CC and EEL will see that these are not the same sentence patterns. I can't tell you how frustrated I was to realize that this is not an exact science! When I googled it, there were numerous versions, some up to 9 and 10 different sentence patterns. So, I have chosen to just go with what the Noah Plan has laid out, as I am happy with the intensity of the curriculum and I'm planning on sticking with it for a while, at least with my own children. I hope you will bear with me and I wade through all this.
Today we discussed all of the patterns briefly, and we will go over all of them in more depth before the semester is done. Another element I will introduce next week and cover through the rest of the year is Etymology. This is the study of root words, suffixes and prefixes. The study of Etymology will improve vocabulary and teach students to use reasoning skills as they encounter new words.
Writing
I introduced the writing process. The four steps of writing are:
Prewriting
Drafting
Revising
Presentation
We briefly experienced all of these by going through the process to write one sentence. I focused especially on the prewriting. I showed them how to use a brainstorming bubble to get ideas for their chosen topic. We then reasoned together how the brainstorming/prewriting process helped improve their ideas. I was pleasantly surprised to see how much they enjoyed the process and how well it got the creative juices flowing. Jameson chose the topic of "the wall" and was able to come up with a very interesting sentence by going through the process.
Assignment:
Go outside by yourself in nature. Sit with your notebook and find something you see to write about. Write your topic in the middle of your paper, put a circle around it, and write as many connecting ideas as you can. Think of what you might see, touch, taste, smell and hear. Take 4 or 5 of your connecting ideas and make 2 sentences out of each. Put all these sentences together to make a first draft of your paragraph. On Thursday, we will talk about revising, adding topic and clincher sentences as well. Eliza was VERY concerned about revising in class, as we had talked about having others read and give feedback. I'm not sure how I'm going to approach that. I want it to happen, but I also don't want to give her an ulcer.
Just an idea: I usually take assignments from the blog and print them out to put in their binders, so they don't have to bug me when they want to do it, and they don't have to rely on their faulty memories.
See you Thursday!
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