We’ve officially wrapped up both Year 1 and Year 2 of IEW’s SSS Level A, so it’s time for a proper comparison. I know one of the biggest concerns parents have when looking at Structure and Style is the repetition—is it really necessary? Won’t kids get bored?

That’s exactly why I’m doing this. After completing both years, I finally have the full picture, and I want to share what I’ve seen, what worked, and why that repetition is actually built in for a reason. If you’ve been wondering whether moving into Year 2 is worth it, or if it just feels like more of the same, this breakdown should help.

If you’ve missed my previous articles:

• IEW as a holistic writing option
• Homeschool writing options with IEW
• Components of IEW structure and style
• 10+ IEW tools you should know about
• YOU ARE HERE
• From Doubt to Confidence – our honest review of IEW’s SSS

Do you prefer watching a video instead of reading? Then you might like my YouTube video instead:

What’s Inside a SSS Basic Package?

Structure and Style for Students Level A is designed for grades 3–6 and is divided into two full years of instruction: Year 1A and Year 2A.

One thing I appreciate about IEW is that they don’t assign levels strictly based on grade. Placement is determined by your child’s reading and writing level, which makes much more sense. That said, no matter which level you choose (A, B, or C), always begin with Year 1—because that’s where the foundational instruction starts.

The entire program is thoughtfully structured to make writing feel manageable for both kids and parents. Everything is laid out clearly, and the package walks you through it all, step by step, across 24 weeks of instruction.

Here’s what you get in the SSS Basic Package:

I love how the whole thing is cohesive—from the sturdy box it’s shipped in, to the matching designs, colors, and layout. And while I know the design isn’t the most important thing, I do appreciate when a curriculum looks clean and intentional. It shows.

Color codes for Structure and Style for Students:

• Green – Level A (Grades 3–5)
• Blue – Level B (Grades 6–8)
• Purple – Level C (Grades 9–12)

The student and teacher books are printed in black and white, with a few colored reference pages to highlight structure and style tools. There aren’t any flashy visuals, but that’s actually a strength—SSS keeps kids focused on what matters: the process of writing.

Everything is introduced incrementally, so students aren’t overwhelmed, and they get plenty of support along the way. It’s structured, thorough, and reliable—which is why so many homeschoolers keep coming back to it.

IEW SSS Level A Year 1 vs. Year 2 Comparison

A lot of parents hesitate with IEW’s Structure and Style for Students because they worry it’s too repetitive. After all, every level covers the same units, right?

Well—yes and no.

Yes, the same structural models show up again, but IEW isn’t repeating them just to fill space. This is a mastery-based program. The idea is that kids revisit those units with new skills and greater depth each time. That’s how they move from just understanding a concept to actually using it with confidence.

Since we’ve completed both Year 1 and Year 2 of SSS Level A , I figured it’s the perfect time to compare them side by side. I’ll walk you through how things progress—from reading levels and structural units to stylistic techniques and checklists—so you can actually see how IEW’s incremental approach works in practice.

Similarities between SSS Level A Year 1 and Year 2 – Overview

The IEW SSS Level A Year 1 and Year 2 have the same structure in terms of layout and materials. They share key elements that lay the foundation for writing success, but they also build upon each other in an incremental manner.

Both year 1 and year 2 of IEW SSS Level A program share several fundamental components that we’ve covered above. You get:

• A gentle and predictable weekly rhythm that works well for homeschool families
• 24 weeks of step-by-step video lessons
• Student binder and packet
• Teacher’s manual with detailed margin notes
• Access to online resources

Both years also revisit foundational units and stylistic techniques. So yes, you’ll see Unit 1, 2, 3 again… but with a new level of expectation and more depth. It’s intentional.

If you’re using IEW’s Fix It! Grammar alongside SSS (which we do), it pairs smoothly with both years. You also get optional literature suggestions for extra practice.

So in short—same structure, familiar format, consistent tools. That’s not a bad thing when you’re building writing skills.

Differences between SSS Level A Year 1 and Year 2 – Overview

Now, let’s talk about the interesting stuff—the differences between year 1 and year 2!

If you’ve done Year 1A and are wondering if Year 2A is worth it—yes, it is. It builds naturally on the foundation your child already has, without overwhelming them.

The repetition is strategy. Each year refines the same skills, going deeper and pushing your child a little further. And if your child isn’t quite ready to leap into middle school level writing, Year 2A gives them one more round of solid practice—with growth built in.

Got questions or want to see samples of Marc’s work from both years? Just ask—I kept a lot of them for reference.

Category	Year 1A	Year 2A
📚 Reading & Writing Level	Geared toward students in grades 3–5.	Aimed at 4th–6th grade. Feels like a natural progression after 1A.
✍️ Structural Units	Covers core units with more time spent on each to ensure understanding.	Same units but with tighter pacing and higher expectations. Adds Unit 8: Formal Essay and Unit 9: Formal Critique.
💬 Stylistic Techniques	Introduces 6 dress-ups and just 1 sentence opener.	Expands stylistic tools by introducing 4 sentence openers for more variety and depth.
✅ Checklists	Simplified, more guided checklists.	More detailed checklists with less hand-holding, encouraging independence.

📚 READING LEVELS – IEW 1A vs. 2A

Both Year 1A and 2A of IEW’s Structure and Style for Students include cross-curricular source texts that are age-appropriate, engaging, and varied. You’ll find everything from non-fiction, biographies, and fables to recipes, myths, and science articles. The texts are adapted for young readers, so they’re accessible without being too simplistic.

One thing I really appreciate is that the reading material doesn’t feel dry or random. It’s diverse, and it sparks curiosity and if for any reason you want to swap something out, you can easily do that using the alternative texts from the Writing Source Packet. That gives you a lot of flexibility to align the content with your child’s interests or current studies.

Both years also include creative prompts and picture-based writing assignments, encouraging kids to think, imagine, and respond with their own words, not just retell what they read. It’s a good balance between structure and creative expression.

Now, here’s where the progression comes in:
The reading level in 2A is slightly more advanced than in 1A. It’s not a huge leap, but the difference is clear when you compare the actual assignments. In 1A, kids typically read and summarize shorter passages, often just a paragraph or two. In 2A, they’re expected to read and process longer, multi-page texts within the same timeframe.

This increase in volume helps develop stronger comprehension and summarizing skills without overwhelming the student. It’s a gradual push forward that aligns well with their growth as readers and writers.

I’ve included a side-by-side example below comparing Week 1 and Week 19 from both levels so you can see how the text volume shifts.

➡️ STRUCTURE – Units covered in IEW SSS Level A (1 & 2)

Structure and Style for Students Level A walks kids through a full range of writing formats using nine structural units. Each unit represents a different model of writing, taught step-by-step, and revisited to help students move toward mastery.

While many of the units repeat in both Year 1 and Year 2, the expectations increase. The time spent on each unit gets shorter, the checklists get more detailed, and students are expected to apply the skills more independently.

Here’s a quick breakdown of what’s covered:

• Units 1 and 2 lay the groundwork by teaching students how to create key word outlines and retell information in their own words.
• Unit 3 focuses on retelling narrative stories, helping students understand sequence and story structure.
• Unit 4 teaches summarizing a reference, a skill that’s critical for extracting main ideas.
• Unit 5 gets creative with picture-based writing, encouraging imagination and structure.
• Unit 6 introduces multiple references and teaches kids to synthesize content.
• Unit 7 covers inventive writing, giving students room to explore original ideas while staying organized.

Now, here’s the key difference:
In Year 2, students are introduced to two new units—Unit 8: Formal Essay Models and Unit 9: Formal Critique. These are more academic in nature and help bridge the gap between creative and formal writing. They’re placed at the end of the course, once students have developed enough confidence and structure to handle them.

This gradual, layered approach is what makes IEW so effective. By the time students get to formal writing, they’ve already internalized the basics.

Unit	Year 1A (Weeks)	Year 2A (Weeks)
Unit 1: Note Making & Outlines	1 week	1 week
Unit 2: Writing from Notes	4 weeks	2 weeks
Unit 3: Retelling Narrative Stories	3 weeks	3 weeks
Unit 4: Summarizing a Reference	4 weeks	3 weeks
Unit 5: Writing From Pictures	4 weeks	3 weeks
Unit 6: Summarizing Multiple References	3 weeks	3 weeks
Unit 7: Inventive Writing	5 weeks	3 weeks
Unit 8: Formal Essay Models	—	3 weeks
Unit 9: Formal Critique	—	3 weeks

⭐️ STYLE – Stylistic Techniques

IEW introduces style in writing through dress-ups and sentence openers—these are the tools students use to move from basic writing to clear, well-structured, and engaging compositions.

Both 1A and 2A include the six core dress-ups, but the pace and the level of independence increase in Year 2. Sentence openers, however, are where the noticeable difference lies.

Let’s take a closer look:

1. -ly adverbs – Add detail to verbs (e.g., quickly, silently)
2. who/which clauses – Add extra info about a noun
3. strong verbs – Replace weak verbs for more vivid writing
4. because clauses – Show cause and effect clearly
5. quality adjectives – Make descriptions more specific and engaging
6. www.asia clauses – Add depth with words like when, while, where, as, since, if, although

These are taught slowly and intentionally in 1A. In 2A, they’re introduced more quickly because students are expected to build on what they already know.

In 1A, only the #2 prepositional opener is formally introduced.
In 2A, students get three more openers, giving their writing more structure and variation.

• #2 Prepositional Opener – Begins with a prepositional phrase (In the morning, she…)
• #3 -ly Adverb Opener – Starts with an -ly adverb (Quickly, he turned…)
• #5 Clausal Opener – Begins with a dependent clause (Although he tried, he…)
• #6 VSS (Very Short Sentence) – A 2–5 word sentence opener for impact (She was right.)

These are “dripped in” throughout the year so kids are never overwhelmed. But in 2A, the pace is quicker, and they’re expected to apply them with more independence.

Structure vs. Style: How IEW Teaches Them Differently

• Structure is taught in cycles. Students revisit the same units across levels to deepen their understanding.
• Style is taught in a linear progression. Once a stylistic tool is introduced, it stays in the toolbox. The program doesn’t loop back—it just builds on what’s already been taught.

✅ CHECKLISTS – SSS 1A vs 2A

If you really want to see how the Structure and Style for Students program grows from one year to the next, look at the checklists.

They show exactly what’s expected at each stage—and they highlight how IEW builds writing confidence by layering skills intentionally.

Let’s take Unit 7: Inventive Writing as an example.
Here’s what stood out to me when I compared the 1A and 2A checklists for this unit:

So what are we looking at?

STRUCTURE

In both levels, the structure of the assignment starts the same—kids are still following a clear outline. But in 2A, students are expected to include an introduction and a conclusion, which takes the structure to the next level. It’s a shift from writing a strong paragraph to organizing a full, cohesive composition.

STYLE

In 1A, the focus is on applying dress-ups and just starting to experiment with sentence openers within a single paragraph. The checklist guides them through it one step at a time.

By 2A, kids are writing full five-paragraph stories. The stylistic requirements expand:

• More dress-ups
• Multiple sentence openers
• An expanded banned words list (encouraging students to push for more precise vocabulary)

It’s clear from the checklist alone—this isn’t busywork. It’s skill-building.

REVISION & EDITING

This is one of the things I value most in IEW: the habit of self-editing.

Kids don’t just turn in their first draft. They’re taught to check their own work, using the checklist as a tool—not just a list of boxes to tick, but a way to revise thoughtfully.

And by Year 2, they’re doing that with more independence.

Category	SSS 1A – Unit 7	SSS 2A – Unit 7
Structure	Basic paragraph structure	Full composition with intro + conclusion
Paragraphs	1 paragraph	5 paragraphs
Dress-Ups	Core dress-ups applied once	Same dress-ups, used more than once
Sentence Openers	1 opener (#2 Prepositional)	Multiple openers (#2, #3, #5, #6)
Banned Words	Short list	Expanded list (stronger vocabulary focus)
Editing	Checklist-guided revision with support	Checklist-guided editing with more independence

IEW doesn’t just teach writing—it teaches how to think about writing. That’s what shows up in these checklists. The structure becomes more complex, the expectations increase, but the support is always there.

It’s not rushed. It’s purposeful. And that’s why it works.

Final thoughts…

The IEW SSS Level A lays a solid foundation for strong, structured writing no matter where your child starts. Year 1 and Year 2 aren’t just a repeat of the same content. They’re a guided path forward, helping students grow in confidence and skill, one layer at a time.

What makes this program work is the way it balances repetition with progression. The structural units are revisited for mastery, while the stylistic tools are introduced gradually and built upon year after year. It’s not rushed. It’s not overwhelming. And most importantly, it meets kids where they are, while still challenging them to move forward.

If you’re looking for a writing program that’s clear, consistent, and actually teaches kids how to think about writing—not just complete assignments—SSS delivers exactly that.

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