homeschool writing – Little Learner and Mom

As we prepare for another intentional and purpose-driven homeschool year, I’m excited to share our continued journey with Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW) a curriculum that has not only worked but transformed our homeschool experience. For the upcoming 2025–2026 school year, we’ve chosen to move into Structure and Style for Students Level 2B while finishing up and solidifying Fix It! Grammar Level 4: Mowgli and Shere Khan this summer. We’ll then transition into Level 5: The Frog Prince in the fall.

But before I dive into our curriculum plans, let me share a proud mama moment:

My son placed 3rd in IEW’s 2025 National Writing Contest (Level B) this past spring!

This was not just a win it was redemption. Just a couple of years ago, my son had no interest in writing. He dreaded putting pen to paper and often asked to skip writing altogether. But through consistency, faith, and the right tools like IEW and the guidance of our wonderful writing support teacher, Write With Mrs. Brown his confidence grew. Now, he’s writing for fun, rewriting the storyboard for one of his favorite video games this summer on his own time. That’s the power of the right curriculum, and IEW has truly been a blessing to our family.

Why We Chose Structure and Style Level 2B

After successfully completing Structure and Style Level 1B this past year, my son was ready for the next challenge. Level 2B is designed for students who have a strong grasp on the foundational IEW units but are ready to write longer compositions with more complexity, creativity, and independence.

What We Love:

Clear, structured lessons that guide students step-by-step from brainstorming to polished composition.
Continued stylistic practice, such as strong verbs, quality adjectives, sentence openers, and dress-ups.
A variety of writing assignments, including narrative, informational, and persuasive essays.

How We Take Notes

One effective strategy that’s worked for us is using Cornell Notes while watching Mr. Pudewa’s videos. It helps my son stay engaged and reflect on what he’s learning. This method encourages independent learning and active listening two things middle schoolers really benefit from.

Bonus:

We’re also adding the new IEW resource, Strengthening Structure: Models for IEW Structural Units to our lineup. This newly released supplement takes a deeper dive into the nine structural models that form the foundation of the IEW writing approach. It offers reinforcement and extension for students ready to elevate their writing, perfect for upper middle schoolers like my son.

Who Should Use Structure and Style Level 2B?

6th–8th graders who have completed 1B or equivalent
Students ready to increase writing stamina and creativity
Kids who still benefit from a structured approach but want room to stretch
Families looking for a full-year program that balances academic rigor and confidence-building

Fix It! Grammar Level 4: Why We’re Repeating It

Fix It! Grammar has been a quiet workhorse in our homeschool. Unlike traditional grammar workbooks, this program builds editing and grammar skills through a daily sentence from a continuing story in this case, Mowgli and Shere Khan. Each sentence builds on the previous one, helping students internalize grammar in context.

Even though we already completed Level 4 during 2023-2024 school year, we’re intentionally repeating it this summer. Why? Because I want to solidify his mastery before we move on to the more advanced and demanding Level 5: The Frog Prince in the fall.

Why We Love It:

Just 15 minutes a day simple and sustainable
Built-in vocabulary, copy-work, and editing practice
Great retention from daily repetition and cumulative learning
Story format that keeps kids engaged

Repeating Level 4 has already helped reinforce proper punctuation, complex sentence structures, and the use of clauses. It’s been such a helpful decision not remedial, but enriching!

Who Would Benefit from Fix It! Grammar Level 4?

Students who are ready to apply grammar knowledge in context
Kids who’ve completed Levels 1–3 or are transitioning from a traditional program
Learners who enjoy stories and consistent structure
Families who want grammar practice without frustration or busywork

A Long-Term Love for IEW

We’ve been long-time IEW users, and I can truly say it’s one of the most worthwhile investments we’ve made in our homeschool. From Structure and Style for Students to Fix It! Grammar, and now integrating new resources like Strengthening Structure, the IEW suite of materials has helped my son:

Go from zero writing confidence to contest-winning compositions
Develop a love for writing yes, LOVE!
Gain skills that will serve him well in high school and beyond
Write, edit, and revise with purpose, direction, and joy

IEW gave us the structure we needed, the consistency I craved, and the results we hoped for. While there are other programs on the market for writing, we felt that IEW style is a better fit for college preparation for writing.

Don’t Miss the IEW Podcast + Extras!

Another gem of being an IEW family? Their podcast! It’s packed with practical, encouraging, and insightful content for homeschool parents and writing teachers. I’ve learned so much about how to better support my writer and build a more enriching homeschool experience through those episodes.

The IEW Community: Sales, Freebies & Support for Parents

IEW doesn’t just hand you a curriculum and disappear they walk with you throughout your homeschool journey:

Highlights Include:

Live webinars and workshops throughout the year
The annual “12 Days of Christmas Giving”, full of generous freebies and digital goodies
Ongoing homeschool encouragement and tips from the team
Access to free shipping offers and seasonal discounts

Pro Tip: Don’t miss their July Free Shipping Event it’s the perfect time to stock up on wish list items, upgrade your writing program, or grab extras like Student Resource Notebooks, style posters, and themed writing lessons.

IEW Also Offers Live Online Classes

In addition to streaming options, IEW also offers live, online Structure and Style classes! If your student thrives in a structured, live environment with real-time feedback, this is a great option to consider. These courses follow the same methods and reinforce everything we love about IEW but with the added benefit of accountability and instructor interaction.

Final Thoughts

If you’re a homeschool parent looking for a writing and grammar curriculum that builds skills year after year,Structure and Style for Students Level 2B and Fix It! Grammar Level 4: Mowgli and Shere Khan are excellent choices. They work. They grow with your child. And best of all, they encourage a love of words and a sense of accomplishment.

As a mom who once feared her child would never enjoy writing, I can’t recommend this curriculum enough. Here’s to another incredible year of writing, learning, and growing with IEW!

6th Grade, Writing

Evan-Moor’s Daily 6-Trait Writing Grade 6 : Timberdoodle Review!

December 12, 2023December 23, 2023 Little Learner and Mom

We received for Evan-Moor’s Daily 6-Trait Writing Grade 6 for our honest review. This review may contain affiliate links at no additional charge to you.

Evan-Moor’s Daily 6-Trait Writing Grade 6 is a valuable resource for parents seeking to enhance their sixth-grader’s writing skills. As a mom, I have had the opportunity to incorporate this program into my homeschool routine, and I would like to share my thoughts on its effectiveness. As many of you know we are long term supporters of Evan Moor products and they frequent our homeschool every year.

Evan-Moor’s Daily 6-Trait Writing Grade 6 is well-structured, covering a diverse range of writing genres and skills. From narrative and persuasive writing to informative essays, the program ensures a holistic development of writing abilities. Each day presents a new writing prompt, allowing students to explore different aspects of language and expression.

One of the standout features of this resource is its engaging and thought-provoking prompts. The prompts are age-appropriate and often tie into real-world scenarios, making the writing exercises more relevant and interesting for sixth-grade students. This approach not only encourages creativity but also helps students connect writing to their everyday lives. The program includes 125 writing lessons, each of which is designed to be completed in 10-20 minutes. Each lesson includes a writing prompt, as well as a detailed explanation of the trait being focused on. Students are encouraged to revise and edit their work, with the goal of producing high-quality writing.

The program effectively targets various writing skills, including grammar, vocabulary, and sentence structure. The daily exercises are designed to gradually build and reinforce these skills, providing a solid foundation for more advanced writing tasks. I have noticed an improvement in my students’ ability to articulate their thoughts and ideas coherently. Students focus on six key traits: ideas, organization, voice, word choice, sentence fluency, and conventions.

One of the benefits of Evan-Moor’s Daily 6-Trait Writing Grade 6 is that it can be easily integrated into your existing curriculum. The lessons are flexible and can be adapted to meet the needs of your students. Additionally, the program includes rubrics, so students can understand the expectations for each assignment.

The resource includes built-in assessment tools, enabling parents to gauge students’ progress effectively. The feedback loop is crucial in refining writing skills, and Evan-Moor has incorporated this aspect seamlessly into its daily writing exercises.

Evan-Moor’s Daily 6-Trait Writing Grade 6 is a commendable tool for enhancing writing skills in sixth-grade students. Its comprehensive curriculum, engaging prompts, and focus on skill development make it a valuable asset in any educational setting. Evan-Moor’s Daily 6-Trait Writing Grade 6 is an excellent resource for parents who want to help their students improve their writing skills. By focusing on the six key traits of writing, students can develop the skills they need to become effective writers.

Curriculum, Education, Grammar, Homeschool, Writing

Write by Number Review!

May 1, 2023May 2, 2023 Little Learner and Mom

Let me be completely honest with you my son doesn’t like to write, but this year with our curriculum change he became more open to writing. I don’t think my son’s unwillingness to write has anything to do with his inability to write a sentence I think it has more to do with his not knowing what to write and how to organize his thought.

He is moving into middle school in the upcoming school year. I think it’s time that we really target the writing process and get him excited about writing. I’ve looked at several different curriculums over the last couple of months and Write by Number is one that has continually come up on my searches. I first saw Write by Number on a fellow homeschool mom’s Instagram. I decided to take advantage of their 14-day free trial last fall and tuck this program away as my maybe. I knew right away from the trial that this wasn’t your ordinary writing curriculum the lessons are short and your student does not move on until they have mastered that particular stage in the program.

What is Write By Number

Write by Number is a comprehensive writing program for students in grades K through 12th grade. The program is also adaptable for students with special needs. There are 12 stages to the program all students start at stage one. The objective is for students to be able to confidently write an 8-page essay once they have completed all 12 stages. The program focuses on teaching your student to write effectively from the start with the use of sentence patterns. Stages can be completed with your student or independently. If you decide to purchase the hardcover curriculum you will receive a student book which is hardcover and a teacher’s book which is softcover. In the teacher’s book, you will find a section on how to use the curriculum. You will also get some background information on the creator and her recommendations. You will also find workshop videos on the website and the customer service is excellent. Write by Number is not just a writing curriculum students will learn :

Edit
Grammar
Usage and Mechanics
Build Vocabulary and Spelling Skills

Student Book

Students will need a separate notebook and it is recommended they use pens that are not erasable. I would also suggest having some kind of different color correction pen to do edits. Each stage is different and builds upon the previous stage. Students will continue to work through all the stages as they continue to learn a new stage as they continue to progress.

The student book can be used with dependent and independent learners. The book is written to the student so it makes an independent student feel confident that this is not your typical lesson. In the back of the student book, you will find grammar worksheets. The worksheets are to be done in your student’s writing notebook separately. What I did notice is that the worksheets don’t necessarily correspond with the stages in sequence so you need to be sure that when your student is using the appropriate worksheet. Students will always know what stage they’re on because they can look on the right side of the lesson book. On the left side is the paragraph structure for the lesson. I find having the noted stage in the margin is helpful for the student because it teaches them to organize their writing.

Teachers Book

The teacher’s book is comprehensive it gives you insight into the creator and how to use the program. At the beginning of each stage, there is a complete overview of the lesson that includes:

Common Core Standards
Teacher Resources
Student Materials

The teacher’s book also makes suggestions of what worksheets to use and the writing evaluation checklist. There are supportive scripts for you to use with your student if you helping your student complete lessons. The directions for each stage are simple with examples and easy to follow.

How it Works

In Stage 1 (power sentence) students will work on sentence structure using the keyword two. The power sentence sets the tone for future paragraphs. I like using the phrase power sentence better than the topic sentence for students. At first, my son found this assignment a little bit tedious. He soon found out that it wasn’t exactly tedious at all, because we spent two weeks just in stage 1. Stage one is your basic how to write a sentence, capitalization, and punctuation. I have no idea why it was such a struggle for him to use the word two in his sentence, but he was having some issues. You and your learner can decide how many sentences you want your student to write in this assignment. We decided on writing two sentences, but he was puzzled about coming up with two sentences that are quality. Observing my son struggle a little bit with this requirement, put things in perspective for me. He has been writing short stories, reports, and essays all year. His issue was not punctuation, content, and grammar. The issue that was hindering his writing was how to organize his thoughts. The reason why I hadn’t caught this problem earlier is because he and I have always done partnership writing. Needless to say, we did a lot of rewriting in the first week. The second week in stage one was spent building quality sentences and correcting edits.

Lesson Layout

Students write the date in the margin of their notebook page.
Students work on the stage lesson.
Proofread
Rewrite Sentences
Cross youth the original sentences if there were edits
Repeat steps 1-5 if needed

Stage two students are required to write three sentences paragraph. Stage two lesson went over a lot better, his confidence was through the roof. I am happy to report that he did it independently and produced two quality three paragraphs. We only had to do a rewrite once and he was so proud of himself. He read the lesson on his own and completed the assignment. We edited together and he did the rewrite. This time around he was more open to correcting his mistakes and rewriting his sentences. I also noticed his sentences were quality and well thought out. The best part was I had nothing to do with what he wrote!

So, here we are starting stage three at the time of this review. We do Write by Number three days a week and the lessons take 15 mins to complete. I like the rhythm of spending two weeks on each stage and since this is a curriculum that will grow with us over the next few years. I don’t feel rushed to get it done by a certain timeline. I appreciate that Write by Number can be used alongside your current language arts curriculum. Watching my son write his power sentence and rereading his own work, with no assistance from me makes me feel we are on a better track for successful writing.

Hence, I highly recommend Write by Number especially if you have a beginner, reluctant writer, or experienced writer. The lessons are simple and they teach the student to learn how to write correctly using proper grammar, organization, and creativity. To my surprise, my son told me a few weeks ago he wanted to start guest writing on my blog. We recently published his first blog review. It is homeschool convention time if you happen to see the Write by Number booth I highly recommend you stop by and check out the curriculum. At the time of this review Write by Number is still offering its free trial. The cost of Write by Number starts at $99, you also have the option to do the digital pdf reader option at a monthly or yearly cost. If you use Homeschool Planet Write by Number lessons plans are available for $9.95. Check out the trial you won’t be a disappointment. Be sure to check out all of the Write by Number social media platforms by clicking the links below.

Until the Next Time,

Mom

Website: https://writebynumber.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/writebynumber/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/write_by_number/
YouTube: https://bit.ly/3oVQSl8

Grammar, Homeschool, Language Arts

Institute for Excellence in Writing: Fix It! Grammar Level 4!

April 12, 2022April 12, 2022 Little Learner and Mom

Disclaimer: I received this complimentary product through the Homeschool Review Crew!

It is so great to be able to review the revised editions of Institute for Excellence in Writing Level 4 Mowgli and Shere Khan grades 6-8 and Fix-It Grammar Cards. If you missed my previous reviews of Level 2 Town Mouse and Country Mouse and Level 3 Robin Hood be sure to check out those reviews here. So let’s jump into Level 4 Mowgli and Shere Khan.

Just like levels 2 and 3 Level 4 Mowgli and Shere Khan received a revision. Level 4 Mowgli and Shere Khan also include:

Scope and sequence
Table Contents
Proofreed Marks
Vocabulary Chart
Grammar fixes checklist
Writing space

What I really love with Fix-It Grammar curriculums is they continue to build off of each level. So if your student has done the previous levels they will easily transition into the next level. Level 4 Mowgli and Shere Khan don’t disappoint it follows the same setup as the previous levels. Even though my son is still working his way through Level 2 Town Mouse and Country Mouse and will start Level 3 Robin Hood in the Fall, he was more than capable of completing the first few lessons in Level 4 Mowgli and Shere Khan, because it starts off in my opinion with a review and then it continues to build. With that being said my son has a solid foundation in grammar and is working his way through a rigorous spine grammar curriculum. I would recommend that you check out the scope of a sequence of Level 4 Mowgli and Shere Khan before selecting this level. I would also recommend that if your student has not worked in a Fix Grammar book you select the level below.

Level 4 Mowgli and Shere Khan builds on concepts taught in previous levels and presents a thorough explanation of additional punctuation rules, essential/nonessential clauses, complex sentence patterns, transitional prepositional openers, and more.
IEW

Level 4 Mowgli and Shere Khan follow the characters from Jungle Book. Okay, let me admit I had no idea who these characters were until my son told me. Once he told me I was like oh wow really I remember that movie. So the kids will read the sentences and then fix all the grammar, punctuation, and writing mechanics. Students also have daily vocabulary words to review, as well as rewrite the passage. Students complete one lesson per day which should take about 15 mins. The “Learn It” section which starts the week’s lesson off will review the concepts the student will be identifying over the course of the four-day lesson week. There are 30 weeks of lessons and I highly recommend you follow the daily schedule especially if you are using another language arts as your spine. In the back of the book, students will find the completed story and Fix-It Grammar, glossary, and more.

The Fix-It Grammar Cards are an excellent resource to use to help your student review the concepts and help them do the lessons. There are 30 durable colored cards that come complete with a digital list of games and activities. Be sure to check out the other Crew’s reviews by clicking the banner below.

Education, Grammar, Homeschool, Language Arts, Writing

Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW): Fix it Grammar Levels 2 and 3

April 6, 2022June 5, 2022 Little Learner and Mom

Complimentary product received!

When I was in school I didn’t love grammar, but since I have been homeschooling my son I have learned to love it. I am not the best at it but I am relearning along the way with him. We were sent Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW) Level 2 Town Mouse and Country Mouse for grades 3-5th and Level 3 Robin Hood for grades 6-8th.

It was such a coincidence that I was getting ready to start my son on the older version of Level 2 Robin Hood when Institute for Excellence in Writing released the new books. I like the old books but I LOVE the new books. The redesign of the new books is super exciting. I love how the company added another book to the Fix-It Grammar lineup. The new Level 2 Town Mouse and Country Mouse is a perfect bridge from Nose Tree.

We are very familiar with Institute for Excellence in Writing we have used Structure and Style for Students: Year 1 Level A Basic and the original Level 1 Nose Tree. I have really liked using both of the above mention products so I was really excited when I was asked to review the newly released Level 2 Town Mouse and Country Mouse and Level 3 Robin Hood.

The new revised edition upgrades still feature the read it, mark it, fix it patterns which can be done in any order. The revised also includes:

Table of Contents
Proofreading chart
Scope and sequence charts
Weekly Vocabulary chart
List of Grammar Fixes
Indiviual daily pages
Writing space

My son has a strong grammar foundation and I was looking for a program that I could add as a complement to our current spine grammar curricula and Level 2 Town Mouse and Country Mouse are perfect. Level 2 Town Mouse and Country Mouse and Level 3 Robin Hood is 30 weeks of comprehensive incremental grammar lessons. There is a detailed scope and sequence on the Level 2 Town Mouse and Country Mouse product detail page under the samples tab. Students will cover lessons that cover:

Parts of Speech
Captialization
Commas
Clauses
Homophones
Stylistic Techniques and much more.

The Level 3 Robin Hood also covers the same items of targeted grammar and mechanics. It reviews the concepts of the previous level while adding:

Additonal Comma Rules
Various phrasel/ Clause Concstructions
Quotations
Indefinite/ Demostrative/ Reflexive Pronouns
Much more

You can also find a sample of the scope and sequence of Level 3 Robin Hood on the product detail page under the samples tab. We haven’t started working in Level 3 Robin Hood as of yet because we started in Level 2 Town Mouse and Country Mouse. We did however start working on the older version because that was originally the next level after the older version of Nose Tree. The company inserted the new Level 2 Town Mouse and Country Mouse so now Level 3 Robin Hood is the 3rd book in the series. The insertion of a new level 2 is a great bridge between level 1 and level 3. I did feel like the old level 2 of Robin Hood was really heavy coming from Nose Tree.

I started my son in the Level 2 Town Mouse and Country Mouse because we are working on a rigorous grammar curriculum and I wanted to use Level 2 Town Mouse and Country Mouse as a way to lighten his load 3 days a week. We are currently on week 7 and he has really enjoyed working the lessons. At the beginning of each weekly lesson I sit down with him and go over the grammar instruction and for the rest of the week, he works on the lessons independently. Students only have to complete 4 days of lessons. So how do lessons go:

Students learns or reviews grammar concept at the beginning of the week
Check the bold vocabulary word (learn defination)
Search for the grammar concepts in passage and correct puncuation
Rewrite passage with corrections

The new design of the Fixt Grammar Level 2 Town Mouse and Country Mouse and Level 3 Robin Hood is perfect because all of his work can be completed in the student book. Each day has its own page, unlike the old version where each sentence from the passage was to be completed on one page on a small line.

How We Do a Lessons

At the top of the lesson page, students have a list of what grammar concepts they need to search for and how they should identify them. I put little highlighted dots next to each one and I tell my son to check off each one he has found. The very top line of the rewrite area my son uses that for his vocabulary word definition. The Level 2 Town Mouse and Country Mouse has primary lines for writing and Level 3 Robin Hood has regular lines with plenty of room for those students that like to write large.

Both of the levels include a downloadable vocabulary list that you can download and retrieve from your files on IEW. We also received the new Fix-It Grammar Cards I LOVE THESE!!!! You have no idea how much I love these cards we use them across our spine grammar curriculum. It is so hard to find grammar cards that are high quality and comprehensive. The great part is that the Fix-It Grammar Cards can use alongside all 6 levels of Fix-it Grammar books.

Looking to check out the other levels of Fix-It Grammar check out the other squad’s reviews by clicking the banner below and if you are curious out Structure and Style for Students: Year 1 Level A Basic review click this link here. Institute for Excellence in Writing Structure and Style for Students series is a great complement to Fix It Grammar levels. Be sure to be on the lookout for our upcoming review of Level 4 Mowgli and Shere Khan.

Until the next time,

Mom and J

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Tag: homeschool writing

Wrapping Middle School Writing with IEW Structure and Style 2B and Fix IT Grammar!