Latin, grammar, and composition

[hmsmith]

My dd9 just finished up Rod & Staff English 3 and Prima Latina. I'm pleased with R&S 3. It was her first year of grammar and it really laid a good foundation (for both of us... I didn't get grammar instruction in school).

For 4th grade she will be doing Latina Christiana 1, Classical Composition, memorizing grammar definitions from English Grammar Recitations (not the workbooks) in the form of daily copywork, and all of Rod & Staff English 4 (grammar and composition). Is this overkill on the grammar and writing?

I really want to do the composition in R&S because it is so different than Classical Composition; I think she would benefit from both approaches, so I'm not skipping the writing assignments there. On the other hand, that is two composition currics and a whole lot of grammar.

Classical Composition really doesn't look like it will take much time at all. We are doing the suggested schedule of 1 lesson spread over two weeks.

I was thinking maybe doing Rod & Staff English 5 at half pace instead of book 4 at full pace. What do you think? Would book 4 at full pace, plus Latin, composition, and grammar copywork be a normal load for a capable 4th grader? Or is that serious overkill?

Thanks

[KF2000]

Sounds like you had a great year, and I personally think your plan for fourth is reasonable. My son just finished fourth, and he did do Fable, First Form Latin, and Rod and Staff 4. The only thing from your plan that we did not do was the Grammar Recitation for copywork. Even so, I could see there being room for that without overdoing it but then again I tend to be in the, "let's just do it all!" camp on things like that!

A couple of comments though....you are right about Fable...the workload is very doable, and we did complete the entire R&S, but we did it all orally with me...between doing latin and that, it was plenty. I had my son memorizing the drill questions that go with each lesson, but if you were using the recitation book for that, it would be more streamlined, all in one place, and easier to build on from one year to the next. Rod and staff explains things so nicely that I keep doing them, and the kids enjoy them, which is why I can see doing both. Just watch how your child is handling it, and if it seems to be getting to her then you can adjust.

Hth!
AMDG,
Sarah

[tanya]

I totally agree with Sarah. I don't think this is too much if you do lots of the R&S grammar exercises orally and skip the ones your student has mastered.

Tanya