Spectrum Writing, Grade 4

My 4th grader is in the full-time remote school program this year due to the pandemic and has been struggling with writing concepts and execution. Online learning is making an already challenging subject to learn that much more difficult. I wanted to find a book that describes all the concepts of writing from the beginning so that I can work through it with him a little bit each day with the hope he will be at grade level by the time he enters 5th grade. I first searched online for free resources, blogs, articles, or other such material that I could use but I couldn't find one source for all of the information I was looking for so I turned to Amazon to buy a 4th grade writing book. You will find several different options available when searching "4th grade writing" but based on the previous reviews, I went with this one and I am so glad I did. It begins with a basic, yet effective, introduction to writing, including an overview of the how's and why's behind writing, the writing process, and how to select effective verbs and nouns to enhance the message around your writing. It provides examples and analogies that are easy for kids to grasp, which enhances the importance of the lesson. For example, when explaining who we write for and the importance of your audience, the book uses an analogy of a band performing at a concert. The band plays for an audience who listens, just as a writer writes for an audience who reads. Then it goes on to explain how your audience can dictate how and what you write. A band director chooses music that the audience will enjoy...that the band would not want to play very serious music for an audience full of children, nor would it want to play "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" to an audience full of grandparents. The same is true of writers...you have to select the appropriate content for the target audience. The rest of the book keeps lessons and messaging simple yet touches upon all of the key elements of writing for this grade level. Some of the material he is learning in class seems too convoluted and moves too quickly for the students to fully grasp the content and practice the newly learned skills. Fancy terminology ( "expository" and "narrative" writing) and complex tools (narrative writing diamond, informational/narrative pillar) that overcomplicate the writing process at this early stage are unnecessary and confusing. This book breaks similar concepts down into terms and processes that are easier to understand. If you are like me, looking for a book that can help demystify the writing process to a beginner and provides effective exercises to strengthen developing skills, this book is a great place to start. If seeking a more detailed book that really augers into more complex topics like genre, deconstructing text, annotating, paraphrasing, word referents, and the like, you probably want to chose another option.

We bought this to work with our child during summer break. Kids tend to loose the curriculum they learn during the summer, and we assign them/work with them a couple pages a day, and it has worked wonderfully. Our children were essentially able to master the next grade years curriculum by the start of the new school year. This brand of books seems to match school textbooks/curriculum as close as possible from all the different brands of books we have purchased. They are well written and follow a natural progression of the subjects, building from the beginning of the school year, advancing to more advanced subject at the end of the grade level. We have made it a tradition to buy the next grade level books every summer, resulting in being more than prepared for class at the start of the year. They also are great for enrichment during the school year on subjects that the student needs a little extra help with. We buy every year.

I chose to buy this as the writing portions of our LA curriculum were not working for us. This has been better and more enjoyable for my kid-who already has had less hesitation in some of the writing aspects that were previously a struggle. The way things are presented in this book have been working well for us!

As a parent, I’m always looking for extra ways to support my child’s learning at home, and this workbook has been a solid tool. The lessons are broken down in a way that’s easy for kids to follow, and it covers all the important writing types they’re expected to know—opinion, narrative, and informative writing. What I really appreciate is that it guides kids step-by-step, from brainstorming to drafting to revising. My child has become more confident in organizing thoughts and writing full paragraphs. That said, I gave it 4 stars because some of the prompts could be a little more engaging—especially for kids who aren’t naturally excited about writing. A few more creative topics would make it perfect. Overall, it’s a great supplement to what they’re learning in school and has definitely helped my child grow as a writer.

If your kids need help with writing this workbook is nice to have. You can even use as a homeschool curriculum.

good

We plan on using this book for our next homeschool year. It looks like it will be a great addition to our curriculum.

Enough teaching for grade