Winning With Writing
Winning With Writing, developed by JacKris Publishing, is a secular homeschool writing curriculum designed for grades 1 through 8. The program provides a structured approach to learning various writing styles across a 36-week school year, with daily lessons aimed at improving students' writing skills in a variety of forms, from creative writing to persuasive essays (How Do I Homeschool?).
Grades The program is available for grades 1 through 8.
Cost The cost of workbooks ranges from $17.99 to $32.99 per level, with additional costs for answer keys, which are priced at $4.99 each (JacKris Publishing).
Differentiation: What Makes It Special What sets Winning With Writing apart is its affordability and its specific focus on a wide range of writing forms tailored for elementary to middle school grades. The curriculum emphasizes daily practice and gradual skill advancement, which is particularly appealing for families seeking a structured yet straightforward approach to writing education. Each lesson is designed to be engaging and accessible, supporting both independent student work and easy facilitation by parents (How Do I Homeschool?).
How to Get Started To begin using Winning With Writing, parents can purchase the curriculum directly from JacKris Publishing's website. Each level of the program corresponds to a grade level, ensuring that the content is age-appropriate and builds on previous knowledge systematically (How Do I Homeschool?).
How It Works This curriculum is designed for use over a 36-week school year with five days of lessons each week, each carefully structured to build upon the last. The lessons include a variety of writing tasks and are presented in a workbook format that allows for easy tracking of progress. Parents will find this program to be "open and go," with minimal preparation required. It is primarily designed for independent student work but can be adapted for more guided instruction if necessary (How Do I Homeschool?).
Educational Concepts Taught
Creative writing
Persuasive writing
Descriptive writing
Narrative writing
Expository writing
Grammar and punctuation basics
What’s Good About It Users appreciate the curriculum's structured yet flexible approach, which accommodates varying levels of writer's expertise and promotes consistent practice. The affordability of the materials and their effectiveness in enhancing a wide range of writing skills are frequently highlighted as major positives (How Do I Homeschool?).
What Could Be Improved Some areas for improvement noted by users include the visual presentation of the materials, which are quite basic and not as engaging as those offered by some competitors. Additionally, the need to purchase answer keys separately can be a drawback for some families looking for an all-inclusive package (How Do I Homeschool?).
Advice from Parents Parents recommend supplementing the curriculum with rich, diverse reading materials to enhance vocabulary and comprehension skills that will benefit writing. They also suggest setting a consistent daily writing routine to help students develop a habit and improve their writing stamina over time (How Do I Homeschool?).
Who It’s an Ideal Fit For This curriculum is ideal for families looking for a straightforward, effective program that promotes independent learning. It works well for students who thrive with structured tasks and clear expectations (How Do I Homeschool?).
Who It’s Probably Not a Fit For It may not be the best fit for younger students who are still developing strong reading skills or for those who require more interactive and visually stimulating materials (How Do I Homeschool?).
Ways to Get It Winning With Writing can be purchased directly through JacKris Publishing’s website or through various homeschooling supply retailers online (JacKris Publishing).
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