First Language Lessons Level 3: Student Workbook

Using ás 3rd grade curriculum. So is pretty good.

Good curriculum workbook

Be sure to buy the teacher guide-- I didn't know that! You read from the teacher book as the child reads along and does the exercises in his/her book. At first I didn't like this method at all. It seemed to condescend to the child. But when I asked my third grader, she said she likes the grammar lessons! So we kept going and eventually I came to like it too, very much so. We have both learned so much about the English language, parts of speech, and diagramming sentences. They don't teach this material in elementary schools this way anymore, but I do think it's important for developing strong writers and readers. We did not get through all 100 lessons this year but I think that's okay; it took me most of the school year to learn to do these lessons efficiently, and for my daughter to develop the maturity to focus through them. In addition to the grammar (parts of speech, diagramming sentences), there is dictation, memorization of passages of literature, extension activities, and optional follow-ups. In short lessons each day, I feel my daughter got so much information, and the way you keep coming back to review it, it's great for their retention. I'm glad for this program.

I wish I had purchased this last year. I know some things seem really basic in this book, and the repetition called for in the exercises may seem extreme - especially for a really bright (high IQ) child like mine. But this works! She is so smart that she doesn't LEARN HOW TO STUDY from other programs - this teaches her how to study! Also, you are free to skip some of the repetition if needed...I still like it because it teaches my child how to memorize things that can, in fact, be boring to her. I know homeschooling is suppose to be more interesting than school text books, but our kids need to learn that some parts of learning simply require committing facts to memory, even if we don't really find it very exciting. I have used Winston Grammar, which is very bare bones grammar...not a bad program, but it leaves a lot of details with blanket explanations, and I found myself (very skilled in English grammar- but from college days) struggling to explain the finer points to my daughter. I like First Language Lessons, and I also love, love , love having the lessons completely laid out for me!

Been using these books for over a year starting with the Grade 1 and 2 combo book. I like the simplicity of the lessons and the repetition of them really gave my kids a great foundation for parts of speech. Now when they read they seek them out in sentences. Just started using this one and like the format with where they do the lessons in the workbook rather than in external notebooks. The lessons are simple but they are not as repetitious as the Grade 1 and 2 book so I tend to perform a review before I begin each class and the kids do enjoy it. I am amazed too how little ones can learn really long poems and remember them for a quite some time! A great book that has provided my kids with a wonderful start in grammar, writing, reading and spelling.

Reviewing as a 1-year sabbatical homeschool course, for kids who went to public school last year and will go back next year. (Or would be relevant for those using as a supplement.)I did not expect much of this series, as I paged through it and found a lot of tedium. However. I was surprised by the extent to which my kids enjoyed the course. And, it exceeded my expectations for the reason I bought it, which was to beef up my kids' existing grammar skills, which were relatively good, but not rigorous.PROS:Poetry: My kids loved the poetry memorization. I didn't love all the poetry selections, but they weren't bad. I ended up using a few from the book, and then choosing other more serious poets in place of some of the choices. But, I could see the poetry chosen as being positive for most kids, as my only real complaint with it was being, if anythign, too kid-friendly. This exercise could easily be done without the book, but I appreciated the periodic reminders to repeat poetry previously memorized.Repetition: This is really a pro/con. Wise focuses on memorizing rules and lists quite a bit, and to accomplish this, she includes frequent repetition. Overall, I like this approach. I simply stopped using it when it felt unnecessary. As an example, there's a poem to memorize to remember the articles: a, an, and the. IMO, memorizing that list is a lot simpler than memorizing a whole poem for it. But my kids now have a solid grammar foundation, based both on understanding and memorization; I feel like the one bolsters the other. But I would recommend using the repetition as long as it's useful and then dropping it when it's unnecessary.Ease: Works out-of-the-box: if used in conjunction with the teacher's manual, little if any preparation is required.Organization for multi-levels: Levels 3 & 4 are organized similarly. My younger son did level 3 and older did 4. We were able to do most of our work together, as most chapters in 3 were keyed to similar lessons in 4. 4 added new depth, and I often had my younger son listen while my older son learned and did the exercises in 4.For use as supplement or 1-year course: These worked extremely well for kids who had experience with the loosey-goosey preparation provided in public school. In terms of picking up a bunch of rigor in one year or supplementing while kids are in school, I think this program is excellent. I feel a lot better knowing that when my kids return to school, they will be able to contextualize their grammar lessons within a whole context of grammar, which is what I had wanted for them. This is not a complete soup-to-nuts grammar book, but it does cover the primary structures that most kids will encounter through middle school. It's an excellent balance of scope and depth.Gentle Diagramming: Once my kids got used to it, they enjoyed the diagramming. It's a very soft introduction to diagramming, which worked very well for kids unaccustomed to it beforehand.CONSRepetition: See above.Composition: As we were doing a 1-year course focused on bolstering rigor, I was unbothered by the lack of composition. There are brief letter-writing suggestions at the end, but as the book sets itself out as a resource for most LA needs, it's worth noting how peremptory this is. For our family, we skipped the few narrations exercises (in which children write a synopsis of a writing selection) and the letter writing, and instead used Writing with Ease 3 days a week (for synopsis) and another composition book 2 days a week.Diagramming: I would love to see a few pages of suggestions for free diagramming at the end of the book. The gentle approach to diagramming involves the book drawing the diagram and the child filling it in. By the end, my kids were capable enough (thanks FLL!) to draw their own diagrams. I could see a later edition including more practice sentences without giving diagrams to fill in for kids who grok the material. This was especially frustrating in the Book 4 book. My kids only used this for a year and were ready to do their own diagrams by early spring. If my younger son was doing this book and then Book 4 next year, the soft diagramming approach would be way too easy. Also would be a great way to teach multiple kids who may be at different levels.Overall, very pleased for my needs. I feel like my kids are going back into school with a serious understanding of how language works that will be a framework for everything they do for the next few years.

This is our 5th year using First Language Lessons. I have three children who have been homeschooled and all have used this curriculum. Our oldest is in college now and two younger siblings left in our school.This is a fantastic book! It coincides perfectly with the teacher book. It has all the necessary written portions and even a place for the child to track their poem memorization and grammar rule memorization. Its laid out with day by day, week by week and makes anyone able to teach grammar, writing and memorization to their children. My favorite feature is the three hole punched pages which tear out beautiful and insert immediately into their grammar binders.Even if you aren't familiar with the 'Well-Trained Mind' and their line of products, you won't be disappointed with this product.