This was our first year using Fix It! Grammar. What attracted me was that I could use it with both my kids who are in 7th and 9th grade. Little preparation was required of me, other than read over the lesson so I would be familiar with the skills introduced for that week. I also liked that it was practical. Grammar is taught in context, rather than a chapter’s worth of new grammar concepts before moving on to the next topic. I feel like my kids have a good grasp on most grammar concepts at this point. I started with Book 1 anyway, because it was unlike anything we used before. We currently try to cover two lessons a week when we have few other outside obligations.
Learn it – Teacher and student explore a new grammar concept. The concept is also printed on cardstock in the back of the workbook to be cut out and referred to.
Fix It – Locate and fix the errors in the four short passages each week.
Discuss It – See how the grammar applies to the passage.
Copy It – Rewrite the corrected passage into a notebook.
Vocabulary – write the definition of the word in bold in context for each passage in a notebook.
Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW) generously mailed us both the Teacher’s Manual Book 2 Robin Hood as well as one printed copy of the Student Book 2. The Teacher’s Manual includes a complete download of the Student Book for you to print for additional students if you choose. We doubled the first couple of lessons, because we were already familiar with how to use the program. We soon scaled it to the four day per week plan, as it starts to move quickly. New grammatical concepts were introduced and I wanted to be sure they were “getting it”. As in Book 1, the format in Book 2 is the same. We discuss the new concept, fix the errors, define vocabulary words, and rewrite the sentence.
The Teacher’s Manual is clear, concise, and includes easy to follow instructions for each week. Both Teacher’s Manual and Student Book contain a glossary for reference about specific grammar rules with examples. The grammar cards in the back of the Student Book are also fantastic for reference and review. You can even get creative and use them for reinforcement games.
I love this way of teaching and learning grammar! Knocking out grammar, vocabulary, and handwriting practice all at once is a huge time saver for our family. The practical use of sentence editing is great for older students. After using this with a 7th and 9th grader, I believe this is something we can continue to use to keep reinforcing grammar skills throughout high school in a quick, concise way. My daughter really likes the program because it’s easy to her. The boost to her confidence has been welcomed as we have struggled with other subjects lately. My son likes it because he can get finished fast – typical for any 13 year old who would rather be outside.
Several other crew members have reviewed this one, as well as other books in the Fix It! Grammar series. Click below to read what they had to say!