workbook alternative to SWR?

[Another Lynn]

Sorry I know it's been asked before.... I love SWR and really am pretty committed to it, but we need a break from it for the next couple months (maybe to the end of the year). I'm trying to decide if there's a workbook out there my 3rd grader could use for awhile without contradicting SWR's phonograms and spelling rules too much. (BTW we're on list M-2, if that matters)

Thanks for any suggestions you have!

[OhElizabeth]

Someone else will have workbook suggestions, but I had a couple other things to toss out. You can dictate sentences from the Wise Guide, starting at any point you want, even list A. Or try the Calvert spelling cd. It's only $14, great for a change of pace, and will improve her typing too!

[Alana in Canada]

Make one. I'll buy it if it's based on the SWR lists!

[Closeacademy]

I want one too! If anything just for my kids to do on their own at their own pace so they can review what they already know.:)

[one l michele]

For us, I had to take a look at how to make SWR work for us. We dictate 10 words per day, using unifix cubes, ds writes them in his notebook (standard notebook), after every list he has a quiz, I mark the ones he's missed with two checks, quiz those "challenge" words in addition to the list we just finished, if he gets it correct, I erase one of the checks, and we continue on to the next list, repeating. Oh, and if he misses a word, we go over that word in detail after the quiz. This method really takes minimal time and is efficient. It's working for now - LOL!

[Johanna]

It is called my wise grammar book! It was decveloped by a swr consultant. She is from canada. Her name is Nicole Mullen, I believe. Do you need a link? Well, I will go search for it. But, I have this for sale, if you need it.

[Johanna]

Heres the link
its at morningstarlearning.com

http://shop.morningstarlearning.com/product.sc?categoryId=2&productId=28

[Peek a Boo]

instead of a workbook, you can use the charts --the printed ones where the page is already set up. Staple them all together and let the kids "collect" words from other areas. or Post the chart on the wall --have a "scavenger hunt" for a specific phonogram ['ough' sounds].

I haven't actually seen the MWG book --i might hafta check that out :)

[OhElizabeth]

My Wise Grammar just basically puts a few of the enrichments from each week's list into a workbook, fill-in-the-blank format. It was created by a lady teaching school, where you can see that would be very helpful. (crowd of 20 first graders all needing to write their new phonograms 5 times or fill in analogies?) In a home setting, well some people seem to like it and some people don't. It's just one of those things that I didn't really get around to doing. I'd intend to, but the benefit didn't inspire me to the effort. It's fine, but we just didn't need it. At the very least, know that it's not giving you anything NEW. It's just putting into a fill-in-the box format several of the key activities each week from the Wise Guide. I think if you're a very structured user who is going to set aside a particular day in your week for it, you'll probably be the most likely to enjoy and use it. You'll still need to do dictation, etc.

BTW, the word lists in SWR/Wise are copyrighted, so you can't sell workbooks based on it, using the lists, without the permission of the author.

[Mary in NJ]

Another Lynn,

I have three kids on three levels and I needed something that I could pull out and start using. The WISE guide is great, but when you are flipping around through it and the SWR book to accomplish one lesson, it was too much. I used the books and made a pamphlet for each section. In the lower sections, I listed the rules as they were introduced. In the higher sections, I just used the word lists, some old black and white graphic illustrations, and an activity on the back. Everything came from the WISE guide, except the sentences for copywork and the illustrations.

I can email you the one on M-2 to give you an idea of how I made these. You may be able to make something like this and tailor it to your family's needs. So far, it has worked beautifully for my family. My children use the Getty Dubay form of handwriting, so all of the forms are in this typestyle.

If you want to send me your email, I'll post an attachment of one of the pamphlets. I'm heading out of town today and will return Sunday. If I don't get it to you before I leave, I'll send it out Sunday evening.

Good luck!

Mary
ndhomeschoolmom at yahoo dot com

[LisaTheresa]

I just have my son use the SWR companion CD to practice his lists. Each day, I have him do 2 lists from list A to whatever list we left off. If I still need a break, I have him do it again. And on and on. This has been great because it's given him enough extra practice with the lists that I think this last time, he probably got less then 6 or 7 words wrong all the way from lists A - L.

I've also picked up the idea from OhElizabeth of dictating from the Wise Guide. I start at the beginning of the book and just dictate sentences for 10 minutes or so. It breaks things up for us.

Lisa

[LisaTheresa]

When this had been asked before someone recommended a program called Apples Daily Spelling Drill. I bookmarked it in case I wanted to use it in the future. Maybe you want to take a look?

http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?item_no=727011&event=CFN

Lisa

[HiddenJewel]

I ran across this spelling program the other day.

http://www.all-about-spelling.com/

[Closeacademy]

Ok, I am taking the challenge. I am going to write up a set of worksheets and activities for my child to use with the lists. They will include charts, enrichments, search a word, fill in the blanks, etc.

I'll let everyone know how it goes.:)