“My approach is to focus all my attention on the sentences – try to get them as good and honest and interesting as I can." (George Saunders, award-winning author) This worktext seems to “back up" a bit from the older Sentence Composing for Elementary School. Starting with some basic sentence training such as sentence basics like subjects, predicates, and fragments, then sentence imitating tools are introduced. There are seven instructional segments each with several practice activities and a quiz to review material. “Puzzle Pieces" is an example of one activity giving students experience unscrambling sentences. Includes 94 pages, 35 activities and 7 quizzes. ~ Janice
Getting Started with Elementary School Sentence Composing
Description
Getting Started with Elementary School Sentence Composing introduces the powerful Sentence-Composing approach at a perfect time — elementary school — to give students a strong foundation in writing. Using real sentences by authors as models, the approach provides practice with four tools that skilled writers use to build strong sentences:
* Openers to vary sentence beginnings
* Splits to vary sentence middles
* Closers to vary sentence endings
* Mixes to add details in two or three places
Along the way, Don and Jenny Killgallon provide support for students, including:
* Basic sentence training – activities to understand subjects, predicates, and their roles in sentence building
* Broken sentences – exercises to identify, repair, and avoid fragments
* Vocabulary scaffolds – "quickshots" to include an immediate, clear definition in context for challenging words
The Sentence Composing method by Don and Jenny Killgallon is a highly effective, literature-based writing method that teaches students to write with greater maturity, variety, and style. Using proven techniques of imitation, students analyze and practice sentences from master writers to dramatically improve their own composition skills.
This series develops sentence sense, grammatical understanding, and compositional fluency by having students unpack, manipulate, combine, imitate, and expand high-quality sentence models.
Key Curriculum Features:
- Uses real sentences from acclaimed authors as models (from Roald Dahl and Katherine Paterson in elementary to Harper Lee, Orwell, and Angelou in high school)
- Progressive techniques including matching, unscrambling, combining, imitating, expanding, and multiplying sentences
- Strong integration of grammar taught in the context of real writing
- Spiral development of skills from elementary through high school
- Focus on sentence maturity as the foundation for strong paragraphs and essays
Program Levels & Series:
- Getting Started series: Introduces the Sentence Composing method used in the core program at each of the Elementary, Middle School, and High School levels
- Sentence Composing series: Core program for Elementary, Middle School, and High School
- Additional focused series: Grammar, Paragraphs, and Nonfiction at all 3 school levels
Program Components:
- Student Worktexts: Non-consumable books with clear instruction, models, and practice exercises
- Answer keys and reference sections included in most books
The Sentence Composing approach stands out for its unique “imitation leads to originality” philosophy and its remarkable ability to help students write richer, more varied, and more sophisticated sentences. It is an excellent choice for homeschool families seeking a powerful, focused writing and grammar program that produces confident, skilled writers.
Browse all Sentence Composing books and series below!
| Product Format: | Paperback |
|---|---|
| Grades: | 3-5 |
| Brand: | Heinemann Publishing |
| ISBN: | 9780325092300 |
| Length in Inches: | 9.25 |
| Width in Inches: | 7.375 |
| Height in Inches: | 0.25 |
| Weight in Pounds: | 0.45 |
