Little Homeschool Blessings: Apologia Educational Ministries: Writers in Residence {Review}

So when I looked outside, I saw the box was sitting on the doorstep. I brought it in and set it down on the kitchen counter. Ceesa says, "What's that?" My reply was, "Apologia Educational Ministries sent us Writers in Residence for you to review."

I went to the kitchen table to clear the lunch dishes and came back to find the package opened and Ceesa looking through the Apprentice book. "Can I get started now?" "...um, sure." And every day since, Ceesa has been writing fast and furiously. She has even started a book, which she writes in addition to the lessons (in the last 6 weeks of our review, she has completed 13 weeks worth of lessons). I must say her story is quite a good book so far and she is already asking me how old you have to be to get a book published.

We have loved every single thing that we have reviewed from Apologia, so I knew we would like this, but I had no idea Ceesa would take off like she has with writing after this review. I'm so excited that this program has encouraged Ceesa to "find (her) unique, God-given writing voice."

Writers in Residence is a series from Apologia that focuses on the writing process, while incorporating language arts (grammar, structure, punctuation, capitalization, and usage) in a meaningful and Biblically-based context for grades 4-8.

We received the two books included in the Volume 1: Full Set, which are the All in One Student Text & Workbook (Apprentice) and the Answer Key.

The All in One Student Text & Workbook Apprentice (spiral bound) is written to the student and contains:

interviews from Christian authors
a six trait writing model: Ideas, organization, sentence structure, voice, conventions, and word choice
introduction to the writing process: plan, draft, review, revise, review, revise, edit, polish & publish, and evaluate
suggested daily schedule (32 weeks for four days a week)
writing assignments
rubrics
writer's questions
expert models, patterns,
memory inspirations
charts
draft pages
parts of speech lessons
parts of speech assignments
checklists
writer's toolbox tips
word sleuth assignments
sentence structure lessons and diagraming
interview tips, creating questions, conducting interviews, and follow-up reports
letter writing
story element lessons
punctuation and capitalization rules, lessons, and assignments
unit reviews
conducting research and organizing information
and so much more! (This list is based on what Ceesa has done so far and there is so much more to cover. She isn't even half way through yet!)

The Answer Key has:

directions
checklists
evaluation rubrics
suggested daily schedule

In Ceesa's words...

There is an introduction section to get started and then you come to the suggested daily schedule. As you work, you put a check mark for each day that you've completed. {A sample daily assignment looks like...a grammar lesson, capitalization lesson, practice, and an its your turn assignment.}

Each unit begins with a spotlight on Christian writers. Units have modules within them. At the end of each module is a checklist for completion. Each piece that you write has a rubric with a point system. There is an Apprentice Log that you can fill in a bubble for every 10 points. Once you have completed 85%, you can receive a certificate.

I like Writers in Residence because I want to be a writer when I grow up. The program teaches me how to write descriptive and interesting stories. There are fun research projects. It describes things in an easy way. With Writers in Residence, the assignments let me write my own stories and putting the finished copies into my writing portfolio is a great feeling.