How to Homeschool Grammar

Should we even homeschool grammar? Well I believe that our children need to know something about the mechanics of the English language. I also feel that knowing the parts of speech will not make us good writers.

Why is Grammar important?

Grammar is important to teach because it can be used to check writing. A child can look at his sentences and ask does it have a noun and a verb. Did I start with a capital letter and end with a period. Knowing grammar can be used as a proofreading tool.

The knowledge of grammar is also good for taking standardized tests. There is usually a language arts sections that asks questions about the parts of speech and punctuation.

How to Homeschool Grammar

I like to spend one or two days on the mechanics of grammar. The other three days we spend on composition. I like to take one day a week and have my children look for grammar errors in their writing.

To teach the parts of speech I have my children look through magazines looking for nouns, verbs, adverbs, and adjectives. We use the pictures to make a noun book or a verb book.

I have also taught grammar using worksheets. If you use online worksheets you do not use printer ink or paper.

English Exercises Online is an online fill in the blanks worksheet. There are also some crosswords. The exercises are for beginners through advanced. The software used was developed by a professor from England who now works in Canada.

English Grammar Quizzes has online quizzes arranged from easy to difficult. You need to have javascript

Scott Foresman Reading: Teacher Resources has worksheets for 1st through 6th grade that you can download. The worksheets are in Adobe format.

I have also diagrammed sentences with different colored legos. You will need a lego base piece and different colored legos for the different parts of speech. The legos provide a visual aid to help children learn the correct placement of words in a sentence.

Grammar Textbooks

We have used Daily Grams and Language through Literature. There are many other fine homeschool grammar books that are good. Look in the language arts section of any curriculum catalog.

Having Fun

I know that grammar is not the most interesting subject. You can make it fun by providing some games. I have used folder games in the past. You can find folder games to download at File Folder Fun.The site has some language art games. The site also has free blank templates, so you can make your own games.

The internet has some fun games and activities that can reinforce what your child is learning about grammar.

In Grammar Gorillas your child clicks on the part of speech that is asked for. The beginning level has nouns and verbs. The advanced level has all of the parts of speech.

In Crazy Tales your child can create tales by filling in blanks. The blanks ask for nouns, verbs, adjectives. Sometimes you are asked to give a proper name or a name of an animal.

Hartcourt School has some grammar games for 3rd through 5th grade. You can play basketball, build a house or build a horse for a carousel.

In Power Proofreading your child reads a story and corrects the grammar errors.

Scholastic Scholastic has some grammar games for grades 3rd through 5th.

Homeschool grammar can help your child become a better writer by providing proofreading tools.

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