LLATL - Why don't I "get it?"

[praisefor3]

After doing 3 years of R&S grammar (which I still love) with DS10 I decided to take a diversion from it this year as I don't think he is quite ready for the intensity of R&S5. I decided on LLATL to add to our focus on writing and literature this year. I got the orange book (4th grade) because I don't think he would be happy at all with the more "girly" literature selections of their 5th grade book. So...yesterday I sat down to plan it out (actually I was forced to sit down since I was on a plane :) ) and I was stumped on how to use it! I was expecting more of a lesson plan, I guess, in the teacher's book (I have both teacher and student activity.) Are we supposed to take some days to read the books first? I never even saw this mentioned. And then do we just move forward with as much as we can get done each day in the order in the book? I was expecting a little more explanation/direction on how best to use the material. Maybe it was because right before this I planned out WWE (which we are using very condensed to make sure his writing skills are what they should be) and everything is layed out so nicely. If you can steer me towards more info on how to use this curriculum, I still think I'd like to use it. I just need a little more help on getting going. Thank you!

[Kissy]

We are using the purple book this year for the first time with my ds and I read somewhere that it is adaptable to how you want to do it. You can schedule to read the book and then do the exercises for the reading then move on to grammar. You can read and do the exercises then move on to grammar or even do the reading, the exercises for reading, and the grammar all at once. It is up to the parent as to how they want to implement it. That being said we are reading it and doing the reading exercises along with it then we will go to grammar and do a couple pages daily then to the next book study. Make sense? It really is very flexible.

[VaKim]

We used it a couple years ago for a break. The only books you actually need to read are the ones that go with the "book studies." When we got to a book study, we just stopped, read the book, then did the chapter. The other chapters, we just did a section a day, or something like that. I'm not sure how you are "supposed" to do it, because I've never seen it written out either. It worked for us.

[bugs]

My ds is 10yo and I decided to take a break from R&S and do LLATL as well. I chose the Tan book because the grammar seemed to be at the same level as the last half of 4th grade R&S. Anyway, I have scheduled his reading to be concurrent with his regular lessons. Then I slip one of the reading activities on a day I think may be appropriate timing-wise. I have his reading scheduled to X amount of chapters or pages per day so he will complete the book within two weeks.
BTW, I do plan on using R&S grammar in sections where he needs more help. It will just be an addition to his work load.