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DianaC
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| Posted: April 20 2010 at 6:58pm | IP Logged
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I hope this makes sense - please bear with me.
We've been diligently working with spelling, grammar, reading comprehension, some dictation, vocabulary and reading a good variety of books. I thought I had all of my bases covered. My dd is in 4th grade.
Today, I was looking through the Iowa test booklet and saw that there were questions about "colloquial expressions" and their meanings, literary devices, and a couple other similar topics. We've not covered any of that.
I'd rather not add more language arts workbooks or additional programs to what we're doing. Is there a program (preferable Catholic) that would incorporate all aspects of Language Arts in a Living Learning context?? I've been thinking of looking at Voyages in English - would this incorporate all of this? Somehow I have the impression that it is basically grammar and writing.
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Kathryn
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| Posted: April 20 2010 at 7:59pm | IP Logged
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DianaC wrote:
| "colloquial expressions" and their meanings, literary devices |
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What's that?!?!  I looked these up myself and I know she's never heard of the first. She might would know some literary devices based on what I read. Ok...I just called her in here and asked her and she said nope, no idea (and she's a pretty bright kid).
My daughter attended 4th grade at our local parish school last year which is certainly thorough and rigorous and I don't recall any of that in her curriculum. She's enrolled in Seton 5 this year which again I feel is very thorough and I don't recall any mention of these specific words in any of her texts.
These seem more like middle school type questions to me but I haven't been around that much. That's just my 2 cents and my personal experience.
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Kathryn in TX
(dd 16, ds 15, dd 8, dd 5)
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SuzanneG
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| Posted: April 20 2010 at 8:20pm | IP Logged
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Good grief.   Colloquial expressions??? in 4th Grade???  Excuse me while I laugh! 
Diana, gave you seen a Language Arts Scope-and-Sequence for a 3-4-5 grade level? I'd tend to use those as a guide, rather than those crazy test questions. And, even those......I'd use carefully, taking into consideration each child individually.
THEN...let's say for instance, that you're not confident with your daughters knowledge or usage of certain things, or you start to see a pattern.....you have a lot of options, based on where your concerns lie. Many things you can incorporate or change or focus on..... what you're already doing, instead of adding something totally new.
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Suzanne in ID
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Mom of 7 (Girls - 14, 12, 11, 9, 7 and Boys - 4, 1)
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Jen L.
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| Posted: April 20 2010 at 9:25pm | IP Logged
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The core knowledge books all have "sayings and phrases"
For instance in 3rd grade:
Actions speak louder than words.
b. His bark is worse than his bite.
c. Beat around the bush
d. Beggars can’t be choosers.
e. Clean bill of health
f. Cold shoulder
g. A feather in your cap
h. Last straw
i. Let bygones be bygones.
j. One rotten apple spoils the whole barrel.
k. On its last legs
l. Rule the roost
m. The show must go on.
n. Touch and go
o. When in Rome do as the Romans do.
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Jen
dh Klete,ds (8/95),dd (12/97), dd (11/00), and ^2^ in heaven
"...the best state in which to glorify God is our actual state; the best grace is that of the moment..." St. Peter Eymard
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Jen L.
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| Posted: April 20 2010 at 9:27pm | IP Logged
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I realize that you are looking for curricula, but I can't resist posting the 4th grade ones...
Language Arts: Sayings and Phrases
a. As the Crow Flies
b. Beauty is only skin deep.
c. The bigger they are, the harder they fall.
d. Birds of a feather flock together.
e. Blow hot and cold
f. Break the ice
g. Bull in a china shop
h. Bury the hatchet
i. Can’t hold a candle to
j. Don’t count your chickens before they hatch.
k. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.
l. Etc.
m. Go to pot
n. Half a loaf is better than none.
o. Haste makes waste.
p. Laugh and the world laughs with you.
q. Lightning never strikes twice in the same place.
r. Live and let live.
s. Make ends meet.
t. Make hay while the sun shines.
u. Money burning a hole in your pocket
v. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
w. Once in a blue moon
x. One picture is worth a thousand words.
y. On the warpath
z. RSVP
aa. Run-of-the-mill
bb. Seeing is believing.
cc. Shipshape
dd. Through thick and thin
ee. Timbuktu
ff. Two wrongs don’t make a right.
gg. When it rains, it pours.
hh. You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink.
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Jen
dh Klete,ds (8/95),dd (12/97), dd (11/00), and ^2^ in heaven
"...the best state in which to glorify God is our actual state; the best grace is that of the moment..." St. Peter Eymard
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SuzanneG
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| Posted: April 26 2010 at 8:30pm | IP Logged
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Diana~
Did any of this help at all? Do you want more brainstorming for this? We didn't really answer your question, so I'm just coming back to see if we should take it in another direction.
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Suzanne in ID
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Mom of 7 (Girls - 14, 12, 11, 9, 7 and Boys - 4, 1)
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Jen L.
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| Posted: April 26 2010 at 9:04pm | IP Logged
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Disclaimer: I have not used it myself but...
a friend and former teacher uses the K-12 Language Arts and loves it.
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Jen
dh Klete,ds (8/95),dd (12/97), dd (11/00), and ^2^ in heaven
"...the best state in which to glorify God is our actual state; the best grace is that of the moment..." St. Peter Eymard
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Mary G
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| Posted: April 27 2010 at 11:14am | IP Logged
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Jen L. wrote:
| a friend and former teacher uses the K-12 Language Arts and loves it. |
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... and it's probably keyed to the standardized tests like Iowa, PSAT and SAT so that could be a good resource anyway ...
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MaryG
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my website that combines my schooling, hand-knits work, writing and everything else in one spot!
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DianaC
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| Posted: April 27 2010 at 8:17pm | IP Logged
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Thank-you everyone, for your ideas. You know, I haven't looked very closely at Scope and Sequence for LA (but more so for Soc. Studies, Science and Math).
I have been tossing around a few ideas to incorporate for next year. We have been using Seton English for Grammar and I've been thinking that it may be a bit limited - even before I came across these test questions. For three years now, we have worked on nouns, verbs, adjectives, letter writing, homonyms, antonyms, etc.
Ideally, I would like to find a Catholic LA curriculum. Can anyone tell me how comprehensive - or not - Voyages in English is? Is it still a Catholic program?
Another direction I'm considering is incorporating a variety of LA unit studies. A friend lent me her Evan Moor Literature Pockets Book and it looks like it may be fun. Are there other LA studies of this type?
I do remember when I was in 4th grade, we spent time learning about types of bias. I remember being floored at the thought that the news programs and newspapers could have bias.  I also remember in that same grade learning about similes, alliteration, personification and onomatopoeia. I'm sure there were others.
I'd appreciate any ideas in helping us redesign our LA format!
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margot helene
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| Posted: April 30 2010 at 7:12pm | IP Logged
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DianaC wrote:
Ideally, I would like to find a Catholic LA curriculum. Can anyone tell me how comprehensive - or not - Voyages in English is? Is it still a Catholic program?
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What do you mean by "Catholic" program? What kinds of things make a LA program Catholic to you? IMO, the fact that Voyages was originally published by a Catholic publisher didn't make its method "Catholic." What is it that makes study of language Catholic? I don't ask this rhetorically, I really have been pondering this (well, for years now). Is it Catholic if it references Catholic things, like Rosarys or priests? Or is there something inherent in the study of language that can be approached Catholically as opposed to secularly? Maybe you mean free of anti-Catholic bias. Certainly Voyages is that. But is primarily an "english" book. It has grammar and composition, but many kids find it dry.
I'd (really) be interested in what you (or anyone who wants to respond) are looking for in a "Catholic" LA program.
Margot
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DianaC
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| Posted: April 30 2010 at 8:15pm | IP Logged
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Yes, when I refer to a program being Catholic, I mean that I am looking for materials that are written from the Catholic world view.
I was able to browse through a Voyages In English book this week that was published in the 1950s. I loved how it had a chapter on Charles Carroll, and a beautiful picture of a monstrance sitting on an altar with an accompanying poem. There were also poems about Mary, and many sentences that included God and references to various Catholic beliefs and practices. Everything was included in a very natural way.
One reason that I had selected the Seton English for grammar is because each level is based on a particular part of Catholic culture. For instance, the 4th grade book is all about the English Martyrs. My dd very much enjoyed reading the history of these martyrs' lives.
There are so few places anymore to experience Catholic culture, so if I can at least provide written materials that teach about Catholic beliefs and practices, I'd much prefer it over other materials.
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Erin
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Margot
I've pondered this question myself. I haven't many old Catholic LA programs but do have several old Catholic readers published by the Marist Brothers. I do find the selection of literature and poetry excellent and appealing. A perfect blend of national, Catholic and excellent literature.
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Erin
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4Real Forums : Language Arts Come Alive
Topic: Is there an all-inclusive LA program?
