New curriculum that's getting a "thumbs up" from me!

[AmyCC]

I just wanted to pass this on for others who are considering new purchases for the coming fall. We tried a few new things this year, but these two stand out as winners in our home school: Fix-It! and Analytical Grammar.

I've got two girls doing Analytical Grammar this year. My 8th grader is doing the whole book in one year mostly as a review before she heads into high school work. My 6th grader is using AG over two years. AG is doing a great job of laying out those foundational grammar principles, and the girls don't complain about using it either! (Always a nice benefit.)

My 6th grader is also using Fix-It! this year. I wanted to improve her editing skills and this curricula has been excellent. It's reinforced the grammar and punctuation skills she's learned over the years; it's also taught her a few new concepts. She loves the story she's working through and looks forward to seeing "what comes next" in the tale.

Anyway, just wanted to share what's working for us. I know AG has gotten lots of board time in the past, but I wasn't sure if many of you knew about Fix-It! (I purchased mine through IEW, but you may be able to get it from RR also.)

Amy

[Myrtle]

How does Analytical work?

By that I mean, how is it organized? What kinds of activities would a student do?

I have heard good things about this program but it's more than I want to spend only to find out that I don't like it.

[AmyCC]

At the beginning of the week, the student reads a "lesson". Then each day is followed up with exercises, mostly good old fashioned parsing and diagramming. On the last day of the week they take a test. It's not a flashy program but it's systematic and thorough.

I agree that it is spendy. When you use it over two years the price per year is a bit easier to swallow though.

HTH!
Amy

[Sue in St Pete]

There are videos at the website that explain the program. It's like seeing it at a convention. Very nice! I love AG. Here's my review:

Analytical Grammar website is http://www.analyticalgrammar.com. The videos at the website do a great job of explaining the program. We are using Analytical Grammar for 6th-7th-8th grade. AG breaks it up into 3 seasons. 6th grade has 10 weeks of daily grammar work, then review 1x every 2 weeks. 7th grade has 7 weeks of daily grammar work, then review 1x every month. 8th grade has 17 weeks of daily grammar work and then you are done. It can be completed in 1 or 2 years as well. We have completed Season 1 and are reviewing the rest of the year.

Season 1 - basic grammar (parts of speech, parts of a sentence, basics of diagramming
Season 2 - advanced grammar (verbal phrases and subordinate clauses) (this completes the study of grammar)
Season 3 - application of grammatical knowledge to the rules of capitalization, punctuation and usage

Pros:
• Clear and concise
• Pick up and go (little to no preparation required from mom)
• Teach lesson on first day of week and student can work on their own for rest of week. Only checking/correcting required from mom.
• Each lesson has a theme (American flag, humorous Johnny Carson story, women & math, Mexican-Americans, Martin Luther King Jr., Jewish Americans, fairy tales, etc.) which makes the lessons more interesting.
• Sentences are much more complex than Shurley grammar
• Novelty of getting a letter grade on test
• Comfort of letter grade for perfectionist mom (ds is missing some but still getting an A)
• Student book turns into a reference manual when you remove student exercises.

Cons:
• None that I have found
• Some say it’s expensive. I spent $120 but will use it over 3 years.

Disclaimer: I have a master’s degree in Operations Research, which is concerned with all things efficiency. Part of the reason I love AG is that it is the most efficient use of my time and my child’s time. This leaves time for other wonderful things like math, history, music, and sports! I suppose if you are a good teacher and you teach grammar year after year after year, you learn to make your lessons more and more efficient. That must be with the author, Robin Finley, did.