Already thinking about next year! Writing! Thinking of taking a year "off" from IEW

[Hoggirl]

Am I the only one who constantly plans and thinks about curriculum?? :lol:
My ds will have completed SWI-B and SICC-B by the end of this school year. I am thinking of doing sumthin' diff'rent just next year. I am not sure why. I like IEW, but, honestly, I am not keen on the lesson plans that go along with their DVD programs. I have thought about doing Volume I of US History from their theme-based lessons as this would mesh well with the time period of history we will be studying. However, what I don't like about the theme-based lessons is that they all seem to kind of start at the beginning. Ds will know all the sentence-openers, dress-ups, and the first level of decorations, so I don't like them being "re-introduced." He just doesn't need it.

Anyway, I thought I might like a change of pace where we could potentially incorporate/solidify what he is already learned through IEW within another program. I don't really want to use Writeshop b/c it looks like he would have to learn a whole other method of marking stuff.

I have always heard mixed feelings about Jensen's Format Writing, but I was thinking something like this might be good just for the sake of variety. Could IEW methods be "layered" on top of this? Should we just carry on with IEW? I keep wondering if all the types of writing will be covered.

Any thoughts?

[HollyinNNV]

I don't know the ages of your children, but there are a couple of new IEW theme based writing programs that are quite challenging. You will be thankful that you are not adding any new stylistic elements. Try looking at the Character Based Writing program and the Progymnasta IEW program.
But, a lot depends upon the ages of your kids.
Holly

[laughing lioness]

Most of IEW covers several of the units so no matter what you do you'll cover the first 5 units. Feel free to go as fast as you want with them. If your student gets Key Word Outlines, do a quick lesson, or not at all, and move on.
We've used IEW for 6 years now and we are still honing and discovering how to write better. But we don't dwell on what we get.
Andrew Pudewa's "Tips & Tricks" CD is worth the $10 (pm me about this if interested).
Also, Logos has some great units that IEW sells as well because they teach writing classically. This year I am teaching their "Grammar of Poetry" to our co-op kids and it is a great review for some of the more advanced dress-ups and stylistic techniques, builds their writing vocab and has stretched the kids by having them write within different parameters. I'm eager to try their "Shakespeare" unit as well.
And yes, I am a curriuculum junkie as well- it's my hobby :001_smile:

[Sue in St Pete]

Hi Cynthia,

We are using Write Shop. I have a review from a lady who used both Write Shop and IEW. Email me if you would like it. I'd rather not post it here because it's not my review.

[Linda...inOwasso]

How about Stack the Deck? Rainbow Resources carries all grades and you can view the program at: http://www.stackthedeck.com/

I don't know how old your son is, but I used IEW writing last year with dd8. I like IEW and will continue with it, but I wanted something a little more *fun* for this year. Stack the Deck fits the bill nicely.

[MIch elle]

We haven't tried it yet but it looks good. Also, IEW Windows to the World has some writing in it as well.

BTW, we liked IEW U.S. History based writing lessons.

[angela in ohio]

What about doing your own thing with IEW? You could start where you like and incorporate any topic you like... :)

[Ellie]

There's always Writing Strands.

[Mandamom]

What about doing your own thing with IEW? You could start where you like and incorporate any topic you like... :)

That's what I was going to say. Give writing assignments based on what you are doing in your content subjects and make sure that they are using a good variety of the dress-ups and sentence openers. You can even use other writing programs and still continue to use IEW style and structure guidelines.


Remember the goal of IEw isn't to use them in every sentence for the rest of their lives but to practice creating a variety of interesting sentences to use in everyday writing. It sounds as if they have the basic ideas down and now you can give them a variety of writing assignments (lit, history, science, etc.) loosely using the IEW guidelines to increase style and so that there is some structure to their writing.

[Hoggirl]

That's what I was going to say. Give writing assignments based on what you are doing in your content subjects and make sure that they are using a good variety of the dress-ups and sentence openers. You can even use other writing programs and still continue to use IEW style and structure guidelines.


Remember the goal of IEw isn't to use them in every sentence for the rest of their lives but to practice creating a variety of interesting sentences to use in everyday writing. It sounds as if they have the basic ideas down and now you can give them a variety of writing assignments (lit, history, science, etc.) loosely using the IEW guidelines to increase style and so that there is some structure to their writing.


There really is no reason to re-invent the wheel. I just need to be more creative in my application of what ds has already learned.

Thanks for the suggestions, though.