Editor in Chief Beginning 1

Editor in Chief Beginning 1
From The Critical Thinking Co.

About the product

Editor in Chief® Beginning 1 improves students’ grammar, punctuation, spelling, capitalization, and attention to detail using a standards-based thinking approach rather than drill and practice. This effective method teaches students to carefully analyze and edit stories. This book includes 16 lessons in grammar and mechanics. Students identify and circle errors in each story and write their correction. The grammatical and mechanical errors in the paragraphs are based on general instructional guidelines for specific grade levels; the content level, however, is ungraded, allowing usage of these materials at many instructional levels. Writing styles and content are varied to sustain interest and to broaden the students’ exposure to different writing formats, such as letters, stories, and dialogue. The illustrations integrated into the context of the activities further spark student interest. The skills developed can be applied to the students’ own writing. Detailed answers are also included.

Our Thoughts

A few years ago, a friend of mine purchased an Editor in Chief for her kids while attending a homeschool conference.   I thought it was a marvelous idea of making the kids look for errors in a text but never got around to purchasing one for my own kids.   So imagine my delight when I received the brand new Editor in Chief Beginning 1 which are geared for students in grades 2 and 3. 

Editor in Chief® Beginning 1 includes lessons and practice with the following concepts:

• Capitalization
• Punctuation
• An and A
• Verb Tenses
• Contractions
• Nouns and Pronouns
• Singular and Plural
• Am, Is, Are
• Me and I
• Subject/Verb Agreement
• Was and Were
• Run-On Sentences
• Sentence Fragments
• Good and Well
• Comparisons
• Homophones

This little gem is perfect to apply grammar lessons learned.   Each lesson starts with a page that will teach your child on the tricks of the English grammar.   For example, in the Capitalization lesson you will learn when a capital letter is necessary.    My 2nd son is currently in grade 2 and we are going through another book to learn basic English grammar.   So when I received the Editor in Chief book, I decided to test his comprehension by writing the text of an exercise on the white board we have in the dining room.    I then asked Dominic to take a different pen and make necessary corrections.    He was able to identify the errors while reading the text.   

Immediately, my 5th grade student asked if he could do one.    However, this book is geared for grades 2 and 3 students.   So I decided to take a text that is at the end of the book to see how my oldest son would do.     The text at the end of the book are a bit more complicated as the child has to find various errors not just the ones based on the lessons.   In a nutshell, as the child advance progressively in the book, he will also get more challenges in the corrections to make.   So I wrote one of the review texts for Alexandre and like his brother he proceeded to identify the errors in it.   

I think the fact that they have to search for the errors help quite a bit to revise the rules and apply it in the sentences that they read.    Both kids did well and since then every day they ask me to do another one.    I am still at the beginning of the book for Dominic while Alexandre works on the ones at the end of the book.    Today, I even made an extra error in Alexandre’s text without realizing it.   He found it no problem.   Smart kid!

My kids are totally hooked on this product and my oldest would love to have one for his level.    I would totally recommend this product to any homeschoolers as well as parents for supplementing lessons from school.   It is well done and creative at the same time.   The kids will love to become the Sherlock Holmes of grammar errors!

The Editor in Chief books are fabulous to challenge your kids to find grammar disasters and punctuation faux pas.   Different levels are available;

• Grades 2-3 => Beginning 1
• Grades 3-4 => Beginning 2  (also available as a software)
• Grades 4-5 => A1 (also available as a software)
• Grades 4-5 => A2 (also available as a software)
• Grades 6-8 => B1 (also available as a software)
• Grades 6-8 => B2 (also available as a software)
• Grades 9-12+ => C1 (also available as a software)
• Grades 9-12+ => C2 (also available as a software)

Editor in Chief Beginning 1 for grades 2-3 is available for purchase on the website of The Critical Thinking Co., Christianbook.com or  at Rainbow Resource.

Disclaimer: Thanks to The Critical Thinking Co. for sending me the above mentioned product for review purposes. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.