4th Grade Writing Curriculum: On the hunt for the right one | Secular Homeschool

[@svetiksky7553]

I"m very grateful for your video! Thank you very much for your time!

[@TheMommaLibrarian]

@@svetiksky7553 You’re welcome! Thank you for watching!

[@amandamendoza4181]

The struggle is real but I find the more I contemplate and the more I look at it makes it harder. But now I’m really liking a few of these! 😂 I think we just have to pick the best we can for that kid and that year, because honestly with any of these you can’t really go wrong.

[@LMB678]

I've been in the same boat looking for a good writing curriculum. We were using Essentials in Writing and I liked it last year when we were really starting the writing process. I just purchased Winning with Writing Curriculum from Jac Kris Publishing. I went ahead and bought the 5th grade one for my 4th grader. I like how they teach outlining before a rough draft and walker you through it step by step. It's also super affordable!

[@TheMommaLibrarian]

Thanks for the suggestion-I’ll check it out!

[@notenoughhomeschool8463]

We love WriteShop! We've used it for several years! It is a lot of prep... thankful for the teaching videos for my older kids.

[@TheMommaLibrarian]

So far my daughter really likes it! Thanks for watching!

[@KrishS0918]

What is the teaching video

[@notenoughhomeschool8463]

@@KrishS0918 The person who made them took them down shortly after Demme bought WriteShop.

[@JusttheAlbrights]

Thank you! I’m really happy that I found your channel. My son is a very reluctant writer. I’ve been pulling my hair out. I already purchased writing rhetoric. I’m thinking of also getting Writing Without Tears.

[@michellegf]

We love lighting lit, but agree that writing is a weaker component of the curriculum. I’ve been looking into different writing options for 4th grade year, so this was really helpful thank you!

[@TheMommaLibrarian]

Thanks for watching! Excited to see what you choose. I love how simple you keep everything.

[@TeamVeen]

Thank you for sharing this!

[@jessicazanetti4781]

I’ve been going back and forth with a few that you mentioned as well. Also for fourth grade. We’re using the building writers now and I ordered the writing skills workbook and it should be here this weekend. It does look promising though.

[@TheMommaLibrarian]

I hope you find a good fit! Thanks for watching 😊

[@brenkm955]

I have also used and loved LL for my 4th grader but am currently taking a break from it for various reasons. I too thought the writing portion was weak and supplemented with WriteShop for a bit before moving onto Writing & Rhetoric. My son is more of a math/science kid and really dislikes LA, so it’s too soon for me to say what’s actually working, although so far I enjoy W&R and he finds it tolerable.😅 Thanks for sharing so many options!

[@TheMommaLibrarian]

Thanks for watching and sharing your experiences!

[@chrystalfromalaska]

I have really been liking voyages in english. . I havent found anything else like it that i like. I dont use the teacher book much cause he wr have the text book and work book. And its colorful and has grammer and writing. I pair it with mosdos press for some literature.

[@TheMommaLibrarian]

Thanks for sharing!

[@karendavis4793]

My 10 year old struggles with writing. We started Lightning Literature this year and quickly learned that the composition part was not going to work. We added Just Write 2 which he likes...but was also looking at some of the same resources in your video. Ugh...Decisions, decisions, decisions!

[@upcountrycharlottemason]

I adore Michael Clay Thompson for language arts. It is comprehensive, but outside of the box. The author conducted research to design his program and it shows. If you prefer worksheets, it is not for you. My son is now a Freshman in high school and is reading and writing on a graduate level, and I attribute that to MCT. By the way, my son is a science/math/engineering oriented thinker. So the fact that he is so high achieving in language arts, says a lot.

[@TheMommaLibrarian]

Thanks for watching and sharing!

[@jop4112]

Did you take the online classes or just use the student and teacher books for Island, Town, Voyage etc.?

[@TheLearningLadder]

They all look great options!

[@TheMommaLibrarian]

Thanks for watching!

[@TheJonesClan6182011]

Hi there, I really enjoy your content! I was wondering about Writing & Rhetoric. Did you finish Book 1 and use Book 2 or beyond? I really like it but as a secular homeschooler, I am trying to see if it would work for our family.

[@TheMommaLibrarian]

Thanks! So I ended up reselling Book 2 because there was too much content that didn’t fit in with our secular homeschool. I loved Book 1 and I didn’t find it to be a problem for us overall. I am using it again next year with my son for fourth grade, too.

[@TheJonesClan6182011]

@@TheMommaLibrarian Man that’s such a bummer! I really love the way it works. I guess one book is better than none! Thanks for letting me know!

[@louisemunro9437]

Writing & Rhetoric is my pick for when we get to grade 3. I can't stand the hollowness of form-based writing curricula. Students end up being able to write a smoothly structured essay about nothing of substance. Writing is thought in ink, so a program that focuses on developing thought alongside form is vital to strong, meaningful writing. I wish wish wish it was presented fully secular, but it's like the Christians have stolen the progym from the polytheistic Greeks and Romans and tried to christian-wash its origin as a secular character and thought development program.

[@TheMommaLibrarian]

Thanks for watching!

[@chrismiller9084]

As of today, which curriculum do you all like the most? Thanks

[@TheMommaLibrarian]

Probably Writing and Rhetoric. I plan to use it again with my son. However this year we are using something I’ve discovered more recently called The Writing Revolution. But my daughter would probably say her favorite is Write Shop. She really enjoyed that one.

[@EducationalRoots]

We did Love That Dog in my class. Kennadie loved it.

[@TheMommaLibrarian]

Yes! I read it years ago and thought it was amazing! I love Sharon Creech.

[@EducationalRoots]

@@TheMommaLibrarian We haven’t read any of her other books, but I should check them out because Kennadie really liked that book.