New with question about creative writing

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dlrickett
Posts: 11
Joined: Tue Apr 13, 2010 2:42 pm

New with question about creative writing

Post by dlrickett » Tue Apr 13, 2010 5:19 pm

Hi,

I am planning to do Beyond with my daughter in the Fall. I am new to HOD but am soo excited by what I read about it!

My question is about the aspect of creative writing in Beyond. Is that covered at this level? If so, what are some of the topics/assignments? Is the process of how to write covered at all?

Thanks a bunch in advance for any info you can give me!

LaChelle

Carrie
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Posts: 8125
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Re: New with question about creative writing

Post by Carrie » Sun Apr 18, 2010 3:46 pm

LaChelle,

I'm so glad that you're excited about HOD! We pray it may be a blessing and a fit for your family. :D

I'll just move this post over to the Main Board where more moms will get a chance to see it. All new posts begin on the Main Board. :D

Blessings,
Carrie

Carrie
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Posts: 8125
Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2007 8:39 pm

Re: New with question about creative writing

Post by Carrie » Wed Apr 21, 2010 11:56 am

LaChelle,

We follow a Charlotte-Mason style sequence for writing in the early grades using readings from living books, oral narration, copywork, spelling, and a gentle introduction to grammar to prepare kiddos for the more creative and formal writing to come later. :D We believe that the habits formed when kiddos hear, see, and copy excellent writing go a long way toward training children in producing excellent writing themselves later. In our children's free time we allow them to pursue their own creative writing, however for school time we follow the sequence within our guides. :D

Within Bigger Hearts, our formal writing instruction comes from the prepatory writing exercises I mentioned above along with Rod and Staff grammar. Within Preparing Hearts, we include guided creative writing lessons weekly from poetry, along with written narrations, oral narrations, notebooking, and continued copywork. Within CTC, we include a scheduled formal writing program Write with the Best in addition to the things I've already listed for writing in previous guides. :D For RTR, we include Medieval History-Based Writing Lessons, along with all previous skills I've listed for writing as well (with an increase in written narrations and the introduction of outlining). We've found this sequence to produce excellent writing within our own family and have discovered it to be much different than the volumes of less than stellar writing produced by the kiddos in my classrooms during the 11 years when I taught public school with a writer's workshop format (prior to the last 10 years we've spent homeschooling our own kiddos). :D

Blessings,
Carrie

dlrickett
Posts: 11
Joined: Tue Apr 13, 2010 2:42 pm

Re: New with question about creative writing

Post by dlrickett » Sat Apr 24, 2010 11:49 am

Carrie,
Thank you for your response. I have been researching the different writing theories out there. It makes perfect sense that interaction with rich literature through copywork, narration, and dictation would produce students who are able to think and write well. We are excited to begin homeschooling with HOD! Thank you for taking the time to respond to my question.
LaChelle

Carrie
Site Admin
Posts: 8125
Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2007 8:39 pm

Re: New with question about creative writing

Post by Carrie » Tue Apr 27, 2010 12:57 pm

LaChelle,

You're welcome! I'm glad my explanation was helpful! :D

Blessings,
Carrie

Mibellesmom
Posts: 63
Joined: Sat Oct 08, 2011 5:00 pm

Re: New with question about creative writing

Post by Mibellesmom » Fri May 10, 2013 1:56 am

Thank you for taking the time to answer the reasons behind HOD's selections. I've referred to this thread several times and found it very helpful. I would love if you shared a bit more as to why you've chosen Write with the best in CTC. I noticed that in RTR you recommend an IEW theme book, but IEW program is not recommended for writing in other guides. I have several friends who are passionate about IEW's methods. I confess I am intrigued by the success they have been able to achieve with it.

My son doesn't like writing, but he has made incredible progress from when he started in Beyond. He prefers to re-tell orally. If wasn't for the topic sentence prompt, I could never get him to do the assignment. For that reason, I like the structured approach of IEW, based on what I read so far.

Is there a fundamental difference in philosophy between these two writing programs? If I were to tweak the writing, would it integrate well with the rest of lesson plans? Or be entirely too much? Obviously, you have reasons for your choices. Your insights, would be so helpful. I don't want to second guess my choices.

Thank you so much!

my3sons
Posts: 10698
Joined: Sun Aug 26, 2007 7:08 pm
Location: South Dakota

Re: New with question about creative writing

Post by my3sons » Tue May 14, 2013 11:14 am

Hi Mibellesmom! :D In regard to your question here, I remembered this excellent post by Carrie I'll paste below your question! :D It should provide some insight not only into WWTB and IEW, but also into the rest of the HOD's writing choices...
Mibellesmom wrote:Thank you for taking the time to answer the reasons behind HOD's selections. I've referred to this thread several times and found it very helpful. I would love if you shared a bit more as to why you've chosen Write with the best in CTC. I noticed that in RTR you recommend an IEW theme book, but IEW program is not recommended for writing in other guides. I have several friends who are passionate about IEW's methods. I confess I am intrigued by the success they have been able to achieve with it...
Progression of Writing Through the Guides:
This is a good question, but one that takes a bit to answer as at HOD we hit writing all across the curriculum. So, we have a very multi-faceted approach to writing. In LHFHG, we begin with handwriting practice through a workbook until we are sure the kiddos have letter formation down well enough to move on to copywork in Beyond. In LHFHG, we also work on cloze passages, having kiddos practice finishing a sentence by adding a word in the blank that goes along with their read-alouds. They either trace or write the word, depending on their skill level. The Do It Carefully/Finding the Answers or Thinking Skills also provide fine motor skills practice at this age. Some of our art projects in LHFHG also require some writing, as well as the daily math lessons which require written responses as well. I mention the writing in math at the LHFHG level, as that is also a part of strengthening fine motor skills at this age.

In Beyond, we begin daily copywork of poetry and 4 times weekly written spelling word practice. We also practice writing sentences with the spelling words. We add an entry to the timeline almost weekly and do some written work within the gentle grammar lessons once weekly. Oral narration skills and a mini-Drawn into the Heart of Reading in the Storytime Box are practiced daily in Beyond in preparation for the written work that will come in these areas as students progress into Bigger Hearts and Preparing Hearts. Once each genre, students are asked to orally narrate while the parent writes down the narration to keep. We also continue writing in some of our project work and daily in math. Once kiddos begin Drawn into the Heart of Reading, there is also written work within that.

Our focus in LHFHG and Beyond is to allow kiddos to mature and strengthen their fine motor skills a bit at a time, gently build up their spelling and grammar skills, and begin forming the habit of correctly written copywork, before we ask the kiddos to do much formal writing.

In Bigger Hearts, we begin to head into more written work. We have kiddos begin cursive handwriting with the aid of a cursive workbook to practice correct letter formation. We work on 1-3 vocabulary cards each week with words from their history stories. Students use the context of the word to guess its meaning in the story, choose and copy the word's definition in the dictionary, use the word in a sentence, and draw a picture that shows the word's meaning. Students add to a timeline entry each week, and create a history notebook page with guided copywork and sketching from their history stories. They begin daily grammar lessons through Rod and Staff English 2 and should write one small portion on paper each lesson to practice learning to write smaller on wide-lined paper. The last chapter of Rod and Staff English 2 includes some writing lessons, after students have a better grasp of English overall.

In Bigger Hearts, students also copy the Bible verse they memorize each week. In addition they do a science notebook sheet each week with copywork of a Bible verse that matches their science reading. Along with the copywork, they are instructed to sketch and label specific diagrams or illustrations from their science readings. A formal lab sheet with question, guess, procedure, and conclusion is also completed each week, with the question and the steps to the procedure provided in the plans. Experiments match the science readings, giving students some foundation on which to base their guess. Typically, Drawn into the Heart of Reading is begun here too, meaning some writing in that area as well.

In Preparing Hearts, there is daily copywork scheduled to be done in cursive. The copywork rotates by day through history, science, and Bible. Students also do copywork through Draw and Write Through History. Formal written narration instruction begins at this level once weekly. Guiding questions are provided to help students think about what they read before they begin to write. Students begin writing a 3-5 sentence narration and move to writing a 5 sentence narration. As the year progresses, students are asked to highlight or underline the main idea sentence in their narration. Students also begin to keep a Common Place Book, in which they are directed to copy their Bible verses from the week (which they add to as the year progresses because they are memorizing entire Psalms at a time), as well as quotes, and passages from their literature. The students choose a poem to memorize each 9 weeks and this chosen poem is also copied in the Common Place Book.

In Preparing Hearts in science the lab sheet is continued, as well as the copywork and sketching within the notebook, but students also begin answering questions about the readings each week. Vocabulary cards are continued and move up to 3-5 words each week. A timeline is done, in a stairstep fashion or an accordian fashion and added to each week. Rod and Staff English 3 or 4 is used and both levels include formal writing instruction. Studied dictation is underway at this age, training the students in capturing correct spelling in their minds and reproducing it correctly on paper (including punctuation, usage, and grammar too). Students also practice and begin forming the habit of proofreading through comparing their passage to the correctly written one. In Preparing Hearts, we also begin teaching the writing process through once weekly writing lessons that stem from the poetry of Robert Louis Stevenson. Drawn into the Heart of Reading continues to firm up the skills of expressing what was read in written form and in gathering a student's thoughts and getting them down on paper.

In CTC, a formal full-color notebook begins in order to give student one large notebook by the end of the Modern Times guide that will cover all of world history in chronological order. A section is added each year until the notebook is complete. Within the notebook, students create a labeled timeline each week, choose a passage that they found significant from their history story to copy each week, add to a prophecy fulfillment chart that shows how Christ fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies within the New Testament and summarize the prophecy in their own words by comparing the O.T. and N.T. Scripture, write a 5-8 sentence narration (beginning with questions to prompt the student which gradually fade as the year progresses), and do written project work that is directly connected to the history readings. Students also complete postcards for their A Child's Geography: Explore the Holy Land for each country studied. Students continue adding to their Common Place Book by copying Scripture memorized each week and copying the poetry of Robert Frost that they have chosen to memorize each quarter. Weekly, a stanza of Robert Frost's poetry is copied to include on the painting project for the poem for that week.

In science for CTC, students continue with their lab sheets, science copywork/notebooking, and answering questions each week. Vocabulary words are now a part of the science questions at this level, as well as Biblical application questions for the science that require a written answer. Choice of Rod and Staff English 4 or 5 is part of CTC (along with writing lessons within those texts). Half of the chosen grammar is covered in CTC with half the following year, in order to allow time for the formal descriptive writing program Write with the Best that is scheduled twice weekly to alternate with grammar instruction. Write with the Best Vol. I includes units on writing descriptive paragraphs (by describing an object, by describing a place, and by describing a character). It also includes units on writing a dialogue, writing a fable, writing a friendly letter, and writing poetry in rhyming verse. Write with the Best uses classic works of literature for students to use as a model for their own writing. Studied dictation continues in CTC to hone spelling, grammar, writing, and proofreading skills. Drawn into the Heart of Reading begins to go more deeply in the writing area as well, as the study of literature deepens.

In RTR, students add a new section to their history notebook. The notebook includes keeping a timeline each week, writing down answers to research questions based on a place students have read about that day. Research was practiced in Preparing Hearts and CTC orally in preparation for the written answers now required at this level. Students also write an 8-12 sentence narration about their history stories each week without any extra prompts in the guide. This skill was introduced and practiced in Preparing Hearts and CTC. Students complete written information about a character from history each week and also label a different character's picture and mark his/her place of residence on a world map. Students also label corresponding history maps each week. With the Storytime sessions, students add to cards that denote vivid descriptions, new vocabulary, plot twists, strong moods, great lines, and life lessons (doing one topic a day). Students continue keeping their Common Place Book, adding the Bible passage memorized, the poetry of Emily Dickinson they've chosen to memorize, and Bible verses and quotes from their purity study done weekly through Boyhood and Beyond or Beautiful Girlhood. Copywork of Shakespeare quotes is also done weekly in the Shakespeare notebook along with the corresponding Shakespeare readings. Students must also put their own thoughts into words in the inductive study of Philippians and as they ponder their Drawn into the Heart of Reading assignments.

In science in RTR, students continue with the lab sheet and the copywork of verses plus notebooking. However, we add beginning written narration practice once weekly from the science readings with guided questions to help. Sentence starters are also provided to get students off on the correct foot. On alternating weeks, a choice of 3 narration topics is given for the student's science written narrations. There is also vocabulary work done on these same days. Postcard templates from A Child's Geography are used for part of the written narration practice. The last half of Rod and Staff English 4 or 5 provides more formal writing instruction. Medieval-History Based Writing Lessons are scheduled 3 times weekly with units on writing from key word outlines, summarizing references, research reports, formal essay and report writing, narrative stories, literary critiques, creative essay writing with thesis, and the super-essay. Outlining is taught formally through Rod and Staff and key word outlining is taught through Medieval History-Based Writing Lessons. Vocabulary cards are also included within Medieval History-Based Writing Lessons and vocabulary lessons are included in DITHR once weekly as well.

Anyway, I have only addressed the written work and the writing related assignments in each of our guides in this post, but you get the idea that at HOD nothing is random and everything has a purpose. This is why one guide prepares a child well for the next guide in line. We never ask kiddos to do something that we have not introduced and practiced first in previous guides. The new guide Revival to Revolution will continue to build on the skills from previous guides. We strive to strengthen student's skills step-by-step in writing as they grow so that they will be equipped to handle whatever the Lord may call them to do! We are in the writing age, where we are often measured by the words we write. Since God chose to convey Himself in writing to us through His word, we desire our children to be fully prepared to express themselves in that way too. But we want our children to always be mindful to honor the Lord in all that they write.

Blessings,
Carrie


We have now done LHTH through MTMM with our oldest ds, and he has become such a strong writer. This was not his natural bent, but HOD has managed to craft him into an excellent writer in both step-by-step type writing and in creative writing. The variety of the writing programs through the years have taught him many varied skills and styles, and he has now created his own style. The sameness of R & S English, dictation, copywork, oral narrations, written narrations, and poetry study have also maintained balance beautifully and moved my ds along in these areas steadily from year to year. :D Hope something here helps!

In Christ,
Julie
Enjoyed LHTH to USII
Currently using USI
Wife to Rich for 28 years
Mother to 3 sons, ages 23, 20, and 16
Sister to Carrie

Carrie
Site Admin
Posts: 8125
Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2007 8:39 pm

Re: New with question about creative writing

Post by Carrie » Tue May 14, 2013 5:19 pm

This past post may also be of help to you too :D : viewtopic.php?f=6&t=13392&p=95972

Blessings,
Carrie

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