I loveeeee LA curriculums. We're very happy with ours right now but it is still so satisfying to hear those pages flip over and see how other people choose to teach their little ones. The prompts for comprehension and the freedom to do other things is delicious. We are so lucky to have so many resources in homeschooling.
Thank you for such a through review. My only thought is to show a little more of the student book. These kinds of reviews are SO helpful when looking through all the curricula options. Thanks again.
Interesting point about “twaddle” around 4:45. I had to Google that 🤣 Sounds like the perfect way to describe TGTB reading selections. So lofty and light-hearted, that the child is not being given the opportunity to have deeper internal dialogue. I truly believe children have greater capacity to learn lessons & formulate their own perspectives by reading “heavier” stories and not preventing them from the “bad.” I firmly believe kids need small doses of “reality” even at young ages (within their age range). By presenting them with a pre-chosen set of books that are heavily sugar-coated, they have no chance to bite into something with meatier substance, and their cognitive abilities to discern the world around them can be stunted. Hope that make sense - it does to me 😊
You have some great selections for this year! I know you guys will enjoy them At first I was a little worried what the student workbook would look like when you were going through the teacher one but I think they did a great job on the student workbook! Simple, yet colorful and exciting. Thanks for giving us a look at it!
I know, right? The teacher book is pretty useful, though. The student book contains just the right amount of writing, IMO. The composition exercises are excellent!
This year we used 2nd and 3rd grade books. We haven’t finished them but so far it’s a great LA curriculum. Very complete. I love the composition part. Our soon yo be 4th grader wants to continue this curriculum. Our 3rd grader might choose a different curriculum.
I'm also combining Torchlight & Build your Library, yay! It makes things go slower but that's ok. Lightning Literature looks so good! I just ordered it for the fall (because I needed to make life more complicated...) We also use Bravewriter for many books. Thanks for your awesome reviews
Tanya!!! I really just can’t!! Where did you find this. It’s such a jewel. I love the layout of the workbook. 💗😍 The amount of writing it awesome! That’s really why I chose Beowulf’s Grammar, the vibrant colors & less “twaddle” if you will, in the over-writing department. I love how thorough, yet concise you are. 🤓🤫Yet another curricula for my to stalk...until next year...🤤
Tashiba, we have similar curriculum research issues, lol. 😂 😘 we just finished 2 weeks in this and we both LOVE it! I think I’ve found something to stick with, gasp!
Totally agree with you about our personal response towards literature. I was looking at this program and Mosdos Press when planning our current 4th grade year. I ended up choosing Mosdos and am truly enjoying it. I will definitely check Hewitt out again for next year since I have a grammar program and writing program separately (Fix it Grammar and Essentials in Writing). Do you feel that Hewitt covers grammar and writing well so far? Are you supplementing grammar or writing? Best of luck in your year as well.
I think Hewitt does a great job with grammar and composition. Right now I’m also using THTB Level 3 but we may drop that soon. We use Explode the Code as well just to practice spelling/phonics. We tend to hunt and peck thru various workbooks to get extra practice on our weak spots. I have to check out Mosdos! Tell me more!
I think it's definitely one you should check out. I am a secular homeschooler too. I purchased the student workbook, teacher guide, and test cd. I like the background information provided for the stories in the teacher guide as well as the critical thinking questions, applying and relating the lessons learned into our personal lives. It is all short stories , not novels, however. There is poetry too. I have a book basket for my son. He is reading novels on his own (currently reading Treasure Island), and we do guided reading with Mosdos. He is an advanced but quick reader, and I want to make sure he is thinking deeply about what he reads. Thanks for the great review on Hewitt Literature. This is my first year with Mosdos and I'll definitely keep Hewitt in mind for next year.
Blue nails?! Yes!! 💙 Woah Tanya... 7.4k subscribers... YES!! And this looks like a great literature program. LOVE Sarah plain and tall... SO sweet!! And 🐖 Charlotte’s web 🕸❤️
I am loving this program so far! We just wrapped up “Sarah, Plain and Tall” and everyone loved it. I didn’t realize hat there are 5(!) books in the series. I’ve only read the first 2. Thanks for the subscriber congrats! 🎉 💖
I am kicking myself because I finally got all my curriculum ordered last week and was looking for something like this and had not found anything. I wish I had waited another week now!
Project Happy Home I think Charlie is hiding in my 18yo son’s closet. I’ve been after him to spend just 15 minutes a day on cleaning out his very large closet. Now that he has his first job, he’s asking me where he should store his shirts and pants so they stay nice for work. 🙄 He’s been capable of putting away his own clothes since he was about six. 😂 Parenting adults is HARD I’m finding. He can conquer the world, yet he’s my little boy that needs mommy. I predict Charlie will be found this fall. Dad is teaching him how to set himself up for success by laying out his clothes the night before, and keeping track of his own things so his Steak ‘n Shake uniform is always clean and ready for the next shift. I’m so proud of him overall. He has Asberger’s and they don’t know it at work. I’m just so proud! ❤️❤️❤️
I'm reading some criticism that this is very advantaced for Elementary. Would you agree? How is the pacing? How do you feel about the number of books? Would it be easy to skip any books or would that leave obvious gaps in grammar and writing instruction? Do you feel its comprehensive as a full ELA curriculum or are you supplementing? Are you planning to use this curriculum for next year? Loving your channel! It'll be my first year homeschooling and I'll have a 4th grader and very much like your picks and philosphy. Thank you!
I don’t think it’s very advanced - but that will depend on your child. G9 is very strong in language arts and reading, but this isn’t designed for only advanced students. I have purchased the grade 1 level for my 6 year old, and I plan to use it next year to bridge her 1st/2nd grade year. I did not use it previously and I feel like my son slid right into the curriculum without any trouble. We will be using Grade 4 for him next year. We’ve loved it!
Can you please show us this curriculum or any of the Lightning Literature lesson with the child. I would love to see it in action. I would also love to see how the writing an essay or paper is approached. Is it split up into days, is it on top of the lesson, ect. Thanks for your reviews they have been very helpful. Our kiddo attend public schools but with this virus we are planning a Plan B if they send kids back in the Fall. We have an immune compromised child and also a child with epilepsy so the virtual learning isn't ideal for our learners either. Thanks again!!! You are the Best.
I appreciate the love! I don’t generally film lessons because I find it messes with our flow, but I will consider it. The essay/composition part is split into chunks of work over several days - sometimes a week or more. And most day include a reading, grammar, and writing component. I have been so pleased with this curriculum! We do, however, supplement the grammar with additional resources from Evan-Moor for some extra practice.
Thanks for the review! I’ve been eyeing LL for next year. This year we are doing BYL1 . You mentioned you would talk how you combine LL with BYL at the end of the video but I’m not sure if you did or I missed it 😂 I checked your videos and you had a BYL video from a few years ago but I was wondering if you had a more recent one (preferably for around 3rd grade). Thank you!
I don’t yet, but we love BYL, and I plan to continue using at least the booklists for years to come. My eldest is currently working his way thru BYL 5 and my middle is working her way thru BYL 1.
You always find a new curriculum I have never heard of before! Have you ever looked through/used Learning Language Arts Through Literature? I am wondering how the two compare. Thanks!
Thank you for sharing this. Just out of curiosity, approximately how long does a lesson take to complete on a daily basis? I'm asking because although I love what I see, I feel overwhelmed that it looks so teacher intensive and that it takes up a lot of time. Thank you for taking the time to respond back. I truly appreciate it.
It’s actually not that teacher intensive beyond the reading aloud (if your child prefers it). There is only one short worksheet each day and each composition assignment is designed to take 1-2 weeks, so we spend about an hour in Hewitt each day. 😊
Is there a video with how you are using this with TL and BYL? I can't seem to find it. I have TL and BYL, but just can't stick with them! Really hope this one will be different enough for us.
Wow! How did you find this? I was struggling finding a gentle, yet thorough literature program. This is exactly what I was thinking of creating on my own and now I don’t have to. I love the workbook for the sole fact it is engaging, but not too much writing for my dysgraphic child. Also, the questions are exactly on point of what I was looking for. My son has ADHD too and having a guided follow up discussion is so important to ensure he understood what was read. Plus, it doesn’t hurt this does go perfectly with BYL & TL. Thank you so so much for sharing!
I am really interested in trying out this curriculum next year, but am torn on the appropriate level for my 4th grader. His reading is well above level, however he is a reluctant writer has never done sentence diagramming. Any advice? Do you think it would be easier to add to level 3 or take away from level 4 as needed? I have watched both of your reviews on these so many times, haha. TIA!
In all honesty, the composition component of this curriculum is the weakest part. I’d use the grade level appropriate to his read level and supplement with another writing program in a lower level, like IEW or Writing with Ease. For example, while my son is an excellent creative writer, his essay skills needed work, so this year we used LL5 and IEW’s SSSA. We did a few composition assignments from LL, but mainly we used it for just reading comp, poetry, and grammar.
@@ProjectHappyHome Thank you for your response. I'm considering using this for my now 3rd grader, we have finished up his reading curriculum and I want something more writing based. I would love to see more videos on this and how you use it, if you felt you would like to do that. Thanks again.
Technically, yes, though we choose to supplement with other grammar and writing programs. But you do not need to, I just like blending curriculum ingredients into my particular medley.
Just wondering why they didn't include the reading comprehension questions in the student book? That's so inconvient for us to provide to kids to work on it!
Thank you for this extensive flip-through. I admit that I am a curriculum research addict! How much would not using the composition affect what this curriculum has to offer? Also, do you see an issue with reading the literature in a different order or are the lessons cumulative?
The grammar lessons that are tied to each of the books are cumulative, so I would recommend doing the books in order. Substituting a different writing program doesn't impact the curriculum at all.
Thanks for your review. I was hoping to utilize this program to beef up our writing. Do you find this to be a complete writing program or do you supplement? If you do supplement, which program are you currently using or hope to use next year? Thanks so much!
Honestly, I don't think it's the best program for writing. I think it is an exceptional program for poetry analysis, literary analysis, and grammar, but the composition portion is lacking in explicit instruction. We have had great success with IEW Structure and Style 1A (in 5th grade) and Writing with Skill Level 1 (in 6th grade) for sharpening my son's writing skills.
Hi Tanya, I love your videos!!! Thank you for doing that!!!! I'm thinking about homeschool my kids in 2019/2020. I have 2 boys, kindergarten and first grade. I watched your video about good and beautiful and I'm not sure each curriculum choose. English is not my first language, so I'm afraid. What language and arts curriculum would you recommend for someone that is not English speaker???? Thanks again!!!!
Yes! We've used Levels 1-5 so far, and we're about to restart with the youngest. I'll be doing a flipthrough of Level 6 soon. Although we supplement for the composition portion, it has been a wonderful curriculum for our family.
My friend told me about this. I wonder how it's different from learning language arts through literature. I've not used either but have been debating them both.
Can you please share what you are using for 1st grade for your daughter with respect to Literature and language arts? Thanks a ton in advance. Your video are really helpful.
Adding it to my list of videos to make! We are using Shell's 180 Days of Language for K and 1, Explode the Code (1-3, maybe even 4 - she's flying through these), finishing up Teach Your Child to Read in 100 easy Lessons (lesson 76 now), and finishing up The Reading Lesson. We use a smattering of other books as well, so I'll try to mention them in the video. In terms of fiction, we're doing Build Your Library Year 1 and Torchlight Year 1 - very casually!
Sounds great! You are awesome the way you share everything! Thanks for helping:)... can you add history to your list as well? 😊 haha... I guess I am getting too demanding.
I’ve watched this video 3 or 4 times! Could I use this for literature alone? Is it asking enough thought provoking questions for the lit portions. I having a hard time choosing for next year. 😤 Have you reviewed the 4th grade? I love the books in this level but my daughter will be 4th grade. Hmm 🤔 so many questions!! Sorry...😊
Is this curriculum Secular? Did you ever look into Moving Beyond the Page? I’m considering it for next school year with my own twist. It looks so interesting to me but the reviews are so confusing. Thank you for a great review.
My son is going into the 3rd grade but he has never done sentence diagramming. Does the level teach diagramming assuming the child knows it or does it review the basics from the beginning??
There is some basic sentence diagramming taught in level 2, but the curriculum reteaches it in level 3. My son started Hewitt LL in Level 3 and he did not have any issues picking it up. 🙂
@@ProjectHappyHome so good to hear! Thank you! I personally was never taught sentence diagramming but I definitely see the value in it to visually see the relationship between words so I’m excited to use this curriculum with my 3rd and 1st grader next year.
Yes , I too would love to know if you are continuing with The Good and the Beautiful for this year. If so, how do you make time for that plus lightning literature and build your own library? Thank you for taking the time to respond back.
No, not yet. We are integrating it with the other curricula for now, but as my son’s work at his cottage school increases, we will re-evaluate. My son is particularly gifted and quick with language arts, so he flies through the exercises. As for incorporating both Torchlight and BYL - plus Lightning Lit - I am planning to continue over 50ish weeks. We will be homeschooling year-round this year, with random vacation weeks throughout. We use BYL/TL mainly as literature/history frames, and this as our grammar/writing frame. I don’t do everything in any one curriculum, though we’ve been doing everything in this one so far.
Thanks! There are so many choices for Language Arts! It's hard to narrow it down to one thing that works, but that's the good thing about homeschooling:) We can use what we want and mix it up.
Thanks for the preview! I am considering this for my son for next year. He will be a fourth grader and we have never done sentence diagramming, do you think it would be hard for him to jump right into this curriculum?
Laura Beth, not at all - my son had never done sentence diagramming before either. We have really enjoyed it this year, and we plan to continue with it next year!
Could this be something I could use with a 4th and 6th grader? We use TGATB for our LA. I am just wanting something to use for Literature and help start them both off learning how to write and discuss books together. Would this be a good start you think?
The problem we have with these types of programs is that my kids FLY through books and don’t want to sit on a book for several weeks. It seems like a nice curriculum, I think my kids would get irritated at the pace. It seems like a lot of work to try and condense down if we wanted to go through it too quickly though
I think you can still get a lot out of this curriculum if you let them read at their pace and simply do the worksheets at their pace as well. The sheets don’t HAVE to coincide with the books - it’s just nice to learn grammar with actual sentences and ideas relevant to their reading. We do these books as Read-Alouds, ans my kids do their faster reading with our library books and the Build Your Library list. 😊
Last year was a hodgepodge because we moved twice - once into interrim housing and then out of state. So we used the library for literature and used great booklists for a guide, incorporating Bravewriter style copywork and grammar pullouts from those books. We also went though Language Smarts from the Critical Thinking Co, but I wasn’t a fan. And Explode the Code Book 4 - always good!
I haven’t used LATL, but my friend Jairy at the channel Boy Boss Mama does! Head over to her channel and I’m sure you’ll see some more detailed explanation of that curriculum. 😊
I haven’t used LATL, but my friend Jairy at the channel Boy Boss Mama does! Head over to her channel and I’m sure you’ll see some more detailed explanation of that curriculum. 😊
I loveeeee LA curriculums. We're very happy with ours right now but it is still so satisfying to hear those pages flip over and see how other people choose to teach their little ones. The prompts for comprehension and the freedom to do other things is delicious. We are so lucky to have so many resources in homeschooling.
Me, too! I can’t get enough, lol. So far, we have been loving this curriculum. What are you using now?
I've never heard of this curriculum and am so glad you found it! It looks really good!
We have loved our first 2 weeks!
Thank you for such a through review. My only thought is to show a little more of the student book. These kinds of reviews are SO helpful when looking through all the curricula options. Thanks again.
Sure! I’ll keep that in mind for the next review. ☺️
Your videos are so incredibly thorough! Thank you so much for posting
Thanks so much for watching! And for the kind words!
Interesting point about “twaddle” around 4:45. I had to Google that 🤣 Sounds like the perfect way to describe TGTB reading selections. So lofty and light-hearted, that the child is not being given the opportunity to have deeper internal dialogue. I truly believe children have greater capacity to learn lessons & formulate their own perspectives by reading “heavier” stories and not preventing them from the “bad.” I firmly believe kids need small doses of “reality” even at young ages (within their age range). By presenting them with a pre-chosen set of books that are heavily sugar-coated, they have no chance to bite into something with meatier substance, and their cognitive abilities to discern the world around them can be stunted. Hope that make sense - it does to me 😊
Totally agree! I loved how you expressed the importance of internal dialogue and evolution for our kids. 💚
You have some great selections for this year! I know you guys will enjoy them
At first I was a little worried what the student workbook would look like when you were going through the teacher one but I think they did a great job on the student workbook! Simple, yet colorful and exciting. Thanks for giving us a look at it!
I know, right? The teacher book is pretty useful, though. The student book contains just the right amount of writing, IMO. The composition exercises are excellent!
Have had this on my shelves for a while and will finally use it this coming school year! Very excited and appreciate your really great overview.
This year we used 2nd and 3rd grade books. We haven’t finished them but so far it’s a great LA curriculum. Very complete. I love the composition part. Our soon yo be 4th grader wants to continue this curriculum. Our 3rd grader might choose a different curriculum.
May we get an update on how this curriculum is going for you? ^.^ Thanks so much for the inside look! It looks and sounds amazing :o
It is going wonderfully! I think we're going to stick with it for next year! I'll do a homeschool update video soon!
I think we will use this next year. Thank you for introducing me to Lightning Literature!
You’re welcome! I hope my daughters like it as much as my son. 🙂
I'm also combining Torchlight & Build your Library, yay! It makes things go slower but that's ok. Lightning Literature looks so good! I just ordered it for the fall (because I needed to make life more complicated...) We also use Bravewriter for many books. Thanks for your awesome reviews
I feel ya! I think you’ll love LL - it’s very similar to the Brave Writer ethos. I’m going to try some Arrows this year, so we’re on the same page!
Tanya!!! I really just can’t!! Where did you find this. It’s such a jewel. I love the layout of the workbook. 💗😍 The amount of writing it awesome! That’s really why I chose Beowulf’s Grammar, the vibrant colors & less “twaddle” if you will, in the over-writing department. I love how thorough, yet concise you are. 🤓🤫Yet another curricula for my to stalk...until next year...🤤
Tashiba, we have similar curriculum research issues, lol. 😂 😘 we just finished 2 weeks in this and we both LOVE it! I think I’ve found something to stick with, gasp!
Totally agree with you about our personal response towards literature. I was looking at this program and Mosdos Press when planning our current 4th grade year. I ended up choosing Mosdos and am truly enjoying it. I will definitely check Hewitt out again for next year since I have a grammar program and writing program separately (Fix it Grammar and Essentials in Writing). Do you feel that Hewitt covers grammar and writing well so far? Are you supplementing grammar or writing? Best of luck in your year as well.
I think Hewitt does a great job with grammar and composition. Right now I’m also using THTB Level 3 but we may drop that soon. We use Explode the Code as well just to practice spelling/phonics. We tend to hunt and peck thru various workbooks to get extra practice on our weak spots. I have to check out Mosdos! Tell me more!
I think it's definitely one you should check out. I am a secular homeschooler too. I purchased the student workbook, teacher guide, and test cd. I like the background information provided for the stories in the teacher guide as well as the critical thinking questions, applying and relating the lessons learned into our personal lives. It is all short stories , not novels, however. There is poetry too. I have a book basket for my son. He is reading novels on his own (currently reading Treasure Island), and we do guided reading with Mosdos. He is an advanced but quick reader, and I want to make sure he is thinking deeply about what he reads. Thanks for the great review on Hewitt Literature. This is my first year with Mosdos and I'll definitely keep Hewitt in mind for next year.
Blue nails?! Yes!! 💙 Woah Tanya... 7.4k subscribers... YES!! And this looks like a great literature program. LOVE Sarah plain and tall... SO sweet!! And 🐖 Charlotte’s web 🕸❤️
I am loving this program so far! We just wrapped up “Sarah, Plain and Tall” and everyone loved it. I didn’t realize hat there are 5(!) books in the series. I’ve only read the first 2. Thanks for the subscriber congrats! 🎉 💖
I am kicking myself because I finally got all my curriculum ordered last week and was looking for something like this and had not found anything. I wish I had waited another week now!
Aww, that’s my fault! I totally procrastinated on editing this video. 😊
Thanks for sharing! We're trying English lessons through Literature this year but I'm keeping this in mind if we need something different.
We have really enjoyed our first 2 weeks with it!
The Big Wave is wonderful! I’ve read it several times. This looks amazing! I’ve lost my Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, too! 😂
Where are those books hiding? 😂
Project Happy Home I think Charlie is hiding in my 18yo son’s closet. I’ve been after him to spend just 15 minutes a day on cleaning out his very large closet. Now that he has his first job, he’s asking me where he should store his shirts and pants so they stay nice for work. 🙄 He’s been capable of putting away his own clothes since he was about six. 😂 Parenting adults is HARD I’m finding. He can conquer the world, yet he’s my little boy that needs mommy.
I predict Charlie will be found this fall. Dad is teaching him how to set himself up for success by laying out his clothes the night before, and keeping track of his own things so his Steak ‘n Shake uniform is always clean and ready for the next shift. I’m so proud of him overall. He has Asberger’s and they don’t know it at work. I’m just so proud! ❤️❤️❤️
I'm reading some criticism that this is very advantaced for Elementary. Would you agree? How is the pacing? How do you feel about the number of books? Would it be easy to skip any books or would that leave obvious gaps in grammar and writing instruction? Do you feel its comprehensive as a full ELA curriculum or are you supplementing? Are you planning to use this curriculum for next year? Loving your channel! It'll be my first year homeschooling and I'll have a 4th grader and very much like your picks and philosphy. Thank you!
haha also this is my husband's UA-cam account. I'm a mom not a regular dude!
I don’t think it’s very advanced - but that will depend on your child. G9 is very strong in language arts and reading, but this isn’t designed for only advanced students. I have purchased the grade 1 level for my 6 year old, and I plan to use it next year to bridge her 1st/2nd grade year. I did not use it previously and I feel like my son slid right into the curriculum without any trouble. We will be using Grade 4 for him next year. We’ve loved it!
Can you please show us this curriculum or any of the Lightning Literature lesson with the child. I would love to see it in action. I would also love to see how the writing an essay or paper is approached. Is it split up into days, is it on top of the lesson, ect. Thanks for your reviews they have been very helpful. Our kiddo attend public schools but with this virus we are planning a Plan B if they send kids back in the Fall. We have an immune compromised child and also a child with epilepsy so the virtual learning isn't ideal for our learners either. Thanks again!!! You are the Best.
I appreciate the love! I don’t generally film lessons because I find it messes with our flow, but I will consider it. The essay/composition part is split into chunks of work over several days - sometimes a week or more. And most day include a reading, grammar, and writing component. I have been so pleased with this curriculum! We do, however, supplement the grammar with additional resources from Evan-Moor for some extra practice.
Thanks for the review! I’ve been eyeing LL for next year. This year we are doing BYL1 . You mentioned you would talk how you combine LL with BYL at the end of the video but I’m not sure if you did or I missed it 😂 I checked your videos and you had a BYL video from a few years ago but I was wondering if you had a more recent one (preferably for around 3rd grade). Thank you!
I don’t yet, but we love BYL, and I plan to continue using at least the booklists for years to come. My eldest is currently working his way thru BYL 5 and my middle is working her way thru BYL 1.
This was an awesome review, thank you for sharing. Did you need anything additionally for writing and phonics?
Nothing for writing, but we supplement with Evan-Moor and Explode the Code for grammar and phonics.
You always find a new curriculum I have never heard of before! Have you ever looked through/used Learning Language Arts Through Literature? I am wondering how the two compare. Thanks!
I haven’t used that one, but I’ve been curious. We’ve lived our first few weeks in Hewitt, so I may have found a keeper for us!
Thank you for sharing this. Just out of curiosity, approximately how long does a lesson take to complete on a daily basis? I'm asking because although I love what I see, I feel overwhelmed that it looks so teacher intensive and that it takes up a lot of time. Thank you for taking the time to respond back. I truly appreciate it.
It’s actually not that teacher intensive beyond the reading aloud (if your child prefers it). There is only one short worksheet each day and each composition assignment is designed to take 1-2 weeks, so we spend about an hour in Hewitt each day. 😊
@@ProjectHappyHome Thank you for taking the time to respond back. I truly appreciate it.
Is there a video with how you are using this with TL and BYL? I can't seem to find it. I have TL and BYL, but just can't stick with them! Really hope this one will be different enough for us.
Wow! How did you find this? I was struggling finding a gentle, yet thorough literature program. This is exactly what I was thinking of creating on my own and now I don’t have to. I love the workbook for the sole fact it is engaging, but not too much writing for my dysgraphic child. Also, the questions are exactly on point of what I was looking for. My son has ADHD too and having a guided follow up discussion is so important to ensure he understood what was read. Plus, it doesn’t hurt this does go perfectly with BYL & TL. Thank you so so much for sharing!
We have really loved our first 2 weeks! I think I may have found a keeper!
I was just wanting a recent update after a year since this was released, did you end up liking it? Love your video!
Yes, we LOVE it! Planning on using it again next year.
I am really interested in trying out this curriculum next year, but am torn on the appropriate level for my 4th grader. His reading is well above level, however he is a reluctant writer has never done sentence diagramming. Any advice? Do you think it would be easier to add to level 3 or take away from level 4 as needed? I have watched both of your reviews on these so many times, haha. TIA!
In all honesty, the composition component of this curriculum is the weakest part. I’d use the grade level appropriate to his read level and supplement with another writing program in a lower level, like IEW or Writing with Ease. For example, while my son is an excellent creative writer, his essay skills needed work, so this year we used LL5 and IEW’s SSSA. We did a few composition assignments from LL, but mainly we used it for just reading comp, poetry, and grammar.
@@ProjectHappyHome thank you!
I started reading the Tao of Pooh and the Te of piglet.
I’ve been curious about those! Are you enjoying them?
This looks fantastic! I am considering using this curriculum next year for my son. Do you plan on doing an LL4 review soon? Thank you!
Yes, next week!! Thanks for watching and stay tuned!
How has this curriculum been going for you this year?
We have LOvED it! I plan on using it for both my older kids next year!
@@ProjectHappyHome Thank you for your response. I'm considering using this for my now 3rd grader, we have finished up his reading curriculum and I want something more writing based. I would love to see more videos on this and how you use it, if you felt you would like to do that. Thanks again.
I have one more question for you. How much time each day so you find it takes on average for each lesson?
So glad I found this. Do you think these are pretty well on grade level? I'm trying to choose between 3rd and 4th for my 9 year old.
Yes, I think they’re on grade level - I love how they choose readers that the child would probably be able to read solo.
Would spelling be the only other language arts component that would need to be added to this curriculum?
Technically, yes, though we choose to supplement with other grammar and writing programs. But you do not need to, I just like blending curriculum ingredients into my particular medley.
Just wondering why they didn't include the reading comprehension questions in the student book? That's so inconvient for us to provide to kids to work on it!
I think the idea is to discuss those out loud with the child. The composition assignments and worksheets provide the writing component.
If my child has read one of the books is it pretty easy to swap for something else or no?
Thank you for this extensive flip-through. I admit that I am a curriculum research addict! How much would not using the composition affect what this curriculum has to offer? Also, do you see an issue with reading the literature in a different order or are the lessons cumulative?
The grammar lessons that are tied to each of the books are cumulative, so I would recommend doing the books in order. Substituting a different writing program doesn't impact the curriculum at all.
Thanks for your review. I was hoping to utilize this program to beef up our writing. Do you find this to be a complete writing program or do you supplement? If you do supplement, which program are you currently using or hope to use next year? Thanks so much!
Honestly, I don't think it's the best program for writing. I think it is an exceptional program for poetry analysis, literary analysis, and grammar, but the composition portion is lacking in explicit instruction. We have had great success with IEW Structure and Style 1A (in 5th grade) and Writing with Skill Level 1 (in 6th grade) for sharpening my son's writing skills.
Hi Tanya, I love your videos!!! Thank you for doing that!!!! I'm thinking about homeschool my kids in 2019/2020. I have 2 boys, kindergarten and first grade. I watched your video about good and beautiful and I'm not sure each curriculum choose. English is not my first language, so I'm afraid. What language and arts curriculum would you recommend for someone that is not English speaker???? Thanks again!!!!
Hi Ana Paula, same here, not English speaker and trying to homeschool too! Which curriculum did you used? I will appreciate any advise.
Do you still use this program for literature? Just now finding this video and it's 3 years old. Looks like a program perfect for our family.
Yes! We've used Levels 1-5 so far, and we're about to restart with the youngest. I'll be doing a flipthrough of Level 6 soon. Although we supplement for the composition portion, it has been a wonderful curriculum for our family.
My friend told me about this. I wonder how it's different from learning language arts through literature. I've not used either but have been debating them both.
I'm not sure as I haven't used the LLAL, but I hear that's good as well!
Can you please share what you are using for 1st grade for your daughter with respect to Literature and language arts? Thanks a ton in advance. Your video are really helpful.
Adding it to my list of videos to make! We are using Shell's 180 Days of Language for K and 1, Explode the Code (1-3, maybe even 4 - she's flying through these), finishing up Teach Your Child to Read in 100 easy Lessons (lesson 76 now), and finishing up The Reading Lesson. We use a smattering of other books as well, so I'll try to mention them in the video. In terms of fiction, we're doing Build Your Library Year 1 and Torchlight Year 1 - very casually!
Sounds great! You are awesome the way you share everything! Thanks for helping:)... can you add history to your list as well? 😊 haha... I guess I am getting too demanding.
I’ve watched this video 3 or 4 times! Could I use this for literature alone? Is it asking enough thought provoking questions for the lit portions. I having a hard time choosing for next year. 😤 Have you reviewed the 4th grade? I love the books in this level but my daughter will be 4th grade. Hmm 🤔 so many questions!! Sorry...😊
I will post the 4th grade flip through next week for you, my friend!! 🤗
Is this curriculum Secular?
Did you ever look into Moving Beyond the Page? I’m considering it for next school year with my own twist. It looks so interesting to me but the reviews are so confusing. Thank you for a great review.
This is secular. MBTP seemed like too many worksheets to me, so I skipped it. And it’s so pricey! But I know some people who love it.
My son is going into the 3rd grade but he has never done sentence diagramming. Does the level teach diagramming assuming the child knows it or does it review the basics from the beginning??
There is some basic sentence diagramming taught in level 2, but the curriculum reteaches it in level 3. My son started Hewitt LL in Level 3 and he did not have any issues picking it up. 🙂
@@ProjectHappyHome so good to hear! Thank you! I personally was never taught sentence diagramming but I definitely see the value in it to visually see the relationship between words so I’m excited to use this curriculum with my 3rd and 1st grader next year.
Did you decide that TGATB was too much to tweak to be secular?
Yes , I too would love to know if you are continuing with The Good and the Beautiful for this year. If so, how do you make time for that plus lightning literature and build your own library? Thank you for taking the time to respond back.
No, not yet. We are integrating it with the other curricula for now, but as my son’s work at his cottage school increases, we will re-evaluate. My son is particularly gifted and quick with language arts, so he flies through the exercises. As for incorporating both Torchlight and BYL - plus Lightning Lit - I am planning to continue over 50ish weeks. We will be homeschooling year-round this year, with random vacation weeks throughout. We use BYL/TL mainly as literature/history frames, and this as our grammar/writing frame. I don’t do everything in any one curriculum, though we’ve been doing everything in this one so far.
See above response. 🙂
Thanks! There are so many choices for Language Arts! It's hard to narrow it down to one thing that works, but that's the good thing about homeschooling:) We can use what we want and mix it up.
Thanks for the preview! I am considering this for my son for next year. He will be a fourth grader and we have never done sentence diagramming, do you think it would be hard for him to jump right into this curriculum?
Laura Beth, not at all - my son had never done sentence diagramming before either. We have really enjoyed it this year, and we plan to continue with it next year!
@@ProjectHappyHome - Thank you, if/when you get the 4th grade, I'd love to see a preview! :)
I have it, will do! Thanks for the reminder!
I am sorry if I missed it in your video, but how long did each lesson take?
It varies based on how you do the lessons, but we tend to spend 45-60 minutes on each Lightning Literature per day.
Could this be something I could use with a 4th and 6th grader? We use TGATB for our LA. I am just wanting something to use for Literature and help start them both off learning how to write and discuss books together. Would this be a good start you think?
I think the 4th grade one might work for both grades. ☺️
Thanks ☺️
The problem we have with these types of programs is that my kids FLY through books and don’t want to sit on a book for several weeks. It seems like a nice curriculum, I think my kids would get irritated at the pace. It seems like a lot of work to try and condense down if we wanted to go through it too quickly though
I think you can still get a lot out of this curriculum if you let them read at their pace and simply do the worksheets at their pace as well. The sheets don’t HAVE to coincide with the books - it’s just nice to learn grammar with actual sentences and ideas relevant to their reading. We do these books as Read-Alouds, ans my kids do their faster reading with our library books and the Build Your Library list. 😊
We may just try it. All the books on their lists are my favorites ❤️
Can you share what y'all used for his grade 2 curriculum ?
Last year was a hodgepodge because we moved twice - once into interrim housing and then out of state. So we used the library for literature and used great booklists for a guide, incorporating Bravewriter style copywork and grammar pullouts from those books. We also went though Language Smarts from the Critical Thinking Co, but I wasn’t a fan. And Explode the Code Book 4 - always good!
Do you use arrow from brave writer as language art material?
I have the Quiver of Arrows and I plan on incorporating it this year.
How is this different than Language Arts through Literature? New to both of these ;-)
I haven’t used LATL, but my friend Jairy at the channel Boy Boss Mama does! Head over to her channel and I’m sure you’ll see some more detailed explanation of that curriculum. 😊
I haven’t used LATL, but my friend Jairy at the channel Boy Boss Mama does! Head over to her channel and I’m sure you’ll see some more detailed explanation of that curriculum. 😊
Do you have a video for year 2?
Soon! I hope to post it within the next 3 weeks.