KISS Grammar

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  • erin.kate
    Participant

    I’m really interested in learning more about KISS Grammar. We currently use Queen Language Lessons and I’ve been very happy with it (I also used half of PLL when I was deciding between PLL and QLL). The whys of KISS seem to resonate with me after spending too much time on their site Embarassed, but I’m still lost as to *how* to implement/use KISS. 

    Does anyone use this? If so, how? Where do I start? I’d be trying it with a 3rd grader … just to get her feet wet. What do you love about it? What are its weaknesses?

    Thank you!

    HiddenJewel
    Participant

    I liked the sounds of KISS and even printed a very large portion of it. But I could never really wrap my head around it.

    Bookworm
    Participant

    I think the major weakness would be that almost no one can figure out how to use it.  Smile

    Monica
    Participant

    I think the major weakness would be that almost no one can figure out how to use it.  Smile

     

    Smile

     

    Very true.  I’ve clicked into that site dozens of times and I can’t wrap my brain around it.

    erin.kate
    Participant

    Because I’m a wee bit neurotic, I think I’ve figured it out, at least enough to say it makes sense on how to start. Tongue out

    So, I’m looking at Grade 3 … here’s a link to the Third Grade Workbook: http://home.pct.edu/~evavra/kiss/wb/LPlans/G03_WB_Start.htm#SV

    This takes you to all of the lessons for third grade … there are about 160 of them, so one a day or so. The first part in an orange box says KISS levels 1 & 2 Introduction. If you click on any of these links it’ll take you further down the page to the actual exercises. There are two levels broken down below (again, in orange boxes), The Basics and Expanding the Basics.

    Following? Haha. Okay, under the orange heading title The Basics, there is a yellow box, titled KISS Level 1.1 Identifying Subjects and Verbs. Clicking on this will take you to a Master Booklet with extra practice and teacher’s notes. Then, below the yellow box are the 10 exercises within Level 1.1, the first one being What Is a Sentence?

    Clicking on that takes you to the printable exercise. To the right of it is a link called Instructioal Material, which will aid in teaching the concept/lesson before introducing the respective exercise. The AK stands for Analysis Key, basically a marked up copy of the exercise for your use.

    This was the most useful reading of all, I think: http://home.pct.edu/~evavra/kiss/wb/LPlans/How_to_Use.htm. Made me think that perhaps I need to start at the beginning, not necessarily at my daughter’s corresponding grade. I need to ponder this more. I’d start here and get a clear understanding of how to begin with KISS, then go from there by grade/level.

    This takes you to an Adaptation of Maxwells’s Introductory Lessons in English Grammar, but KISS’s author goes on to say that almost all of those exercises/lessons are included within the individual KISS grades and reviews. So, just an FYI.

    And, this is a link to all of the printable KISS books. You can print directly from the online link to the left in the column or there is a Word doc available, too, with clear formatting so easy on the eyes, which is not totally true of KISS’s site.  

    Oh, and this is a helpful link to the status of the online workbook status … meaning if they’re complete or soon-to-be complete. 

    Clear as mud? Truthfully, the heavens are starting to part for me and it’s becoming clearer and I’m really liking what I’m seeing! Hope that helps someone a little!

    erin.kate
    Participant

    I’ve also realized something critical to KISS. There are five levels, so it’s not a 3rd-11th grade program in as much as it can be used within those grades. It can be completed in roughly five years. The instruction is identical in every grade, it is the text/material of the presentation that is to the child’s reading level. So, Grade 3 will appeal to third graders with say Elson or Potter, while Grade 6 might include Jane Eyre, yet, the instruction/lesson is the same on prepositions for instance. So, if the child completed through Level 1.5 in Grade 3, they’d move to Level 1.6 in Grade 4 … the sublevels are not repeated. 

    Okay … time for something besides grammar today. Wink

    yo…adrienne
    Participant

    Erin.kate, thank you for those links! I have been looking at KISS for a few months. It is hard to grasp, but once you really spend the time reading and trying to understand, it begins to from and make sense. I have created help files for myself so that I can go back to the links I need when I need them. I printed the first 40 pages of grace 6 level one for me and my daughter so that we could actually START it. I figure that once we start DOING it, then it will begin take better shape in our minds.

    Living in JOY, Adrienne

     

    yo…adrienne
    Participant

    OH and Erin, I have also been using Queen Language Lessons for a few years. My daughter is now 8th grade and we NEED to really formalize grammar. I use Ambleside Online and KISS is recommended by one the advisors. I also about to start Lost Tools of Writing by Andrew Kern and we really need to get a grasp on grammar. I love the concept of KISS, but the man who created it really NEEDED to hire someone to organize and build it into a website. Oh I wish!! I am going to plug away at it anyhow.

    greenebalts
    Participant

    I’m bumping this for updates.  Has anyone given this a try?  I spent some time on the site last week and think I figurued out the sequencing, but I’m wondering about results from long term use. 

     

    Thanks so much,

    Melissa

    Wings2fly
    Participant

    Bumping this with same questions as Melissa.  Has anyone used it for a term and can give us their review?  My grade 5 son is almost done with Writing Tales and I am looking at Queens LL, but am still searching for other options.

    Wings2fly
    Participant

    And the website has been updated.

    http://www.kissgrammar.org

    greenebalts
    Participant

    Thanks for the updated link Wings2fly. I’m also still interested in hearing from anyone using KISS.

    Blessings,
    Melissa
    http://reflectionsfromdrywoodcreek.blogspot.com/

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