Grammar and Writing Student Textbook Grade 8 (2nd Edition)

The Student Textbook includes 100-115 grammar lessons (number varies per grade). Dictation or journal writing is a daily assignment. Students start each week by copying a dictation passage (found in the text's appendix). The expectation is that they will study the passage during the week and be prepared to write it from dictation with correct spelling and punctuation at the end of week. Students write on a journal topic for the three remaining days each week (list of topics are also found in the text appendix). This sequence is designed to take about five minutes each day.

Following this process, each of the grammar lessons starts with a vocabulary segment. Lesson 41 of the 6th grade book looks at the prefix mal- along with some example usages. Lesson 84 of the 8th grade book looks at the history of the adjectives procrustean and protean. [Interesting stuff since both words trace their meaning to Greek legends or literature.]

After vocabulary, the lesson's teaching sequence is next. For instance, Lesson 60 of the 8th grade book covers the use of the comma in compound sentences and direct quotations. Reviewing the definition of a compound sentence, comma placement is discussed along with mentioning that a list of seven coordinating conjunctions should have been memorized. Next comes two sets of examples. The student is to identify the coordinating conjunction in three sentences and then properly insert a comma in the next two. Answers for each are provided immediately following. The teaching sequence for commas in direct quotations includes illustrating samples before the student is asked to rewrite two example sentences inserting commas as needed. Proper solutions are clearly explained.

The Practice Set for this lesson contains 12 sentences. Sometimes the student is only required to identify a word, sometimes to rewrite the sentences. In this set there are four questions concerning the vocabulary words. Some lessons (but not all) contain a More Practice worksheet. Some of the More Practice worksheets (called Silly Stories in some levels and Hysterical Fiction in others) are a Mad-Libs-type of activity.

The last portion of Lesson 60 is the Review Set - 30 questions. These include vocabulary, usage, spelling, sentence combining and rephrasing, rewriting for correct punctuation and usage, sentence type and parts of speech identification, and others. The last two sentences are typically diagramming practice. (Diagramming is a significant portion of the instruction with several lessons in each level providing the necessary instruction.) One of the nice features of this Review Set is the micro-size subtexts attached to each review question. These refer back to the lesson where the concept being reviewed was introduced.

This text is non-consumable, as there are no spaces purposely left for rewriting or diagramming. However, white space in general is generous and some might choose to allow students to write in the book.