Frustration with CC

Wow, crash and burn on Classical Composition today.  Day 6 we are supposed to invert the sequence of events of the fable that we are studying.  To practice, we are supposed to tell about the events of our day, backwards.  For example: "We are finally getting to do Classical Composition.  Before this, I was working with Madelynn on her handwriting and phonics instruction.  Before this, I was taking a nap.  Before this, we ate lunch."   .... etc.  Except that is dumb.  I don't know how to say it without saying "before this or that"  Neither did Savannah.  The text, however, gives a beautiful example of inversion of the fable without saying "before this" the whole time.  But I can't do it; how can I even begin to teach Savannah how to do it?

Another problem was the outline.  I was never taught how to do an outline in school (among many, many other things), and there isn't any help in CC about how to write an outline.  We're just supposed to do it.  We figured it out with the answers in the TM, but it would have been nice to have some actual instruction about outlines that I could at least read to Savannah.

*sigh*  I don't know what to do now.  I was thinking maybe we should put it aside and wait until 5th grade, but I'm pretty sure I won't know how to invert any better next year either.  Should I stick with it or drop it?

If I drop Classical Composition, I would do narration, copywork, and dictation like I did last year, and then move into Writing With Skill next year.  The positive side to WWS is that it is written to the student so it can be fairly independent, it has great reviews, and it contains more relevant writing instruction.

Or I can stick with CC and struggle through it.  Maybe that is the only hard exercise.  Another problem is that I'm not seeing the end from the beginning; where are we going with this?  I should probably finish out the week at least and try to find some more reviews about it.

I'm also rethinking my science assignment for Charlotte.  It is a lot of writing.  Maybe just read the chapters?  Write a summary?  Thinking...