MariannNOVA Posted July 3, 2009 Share Posted July 3, 2009 I've been reading all the posts I can find about curr choices for 3rd & 5th grade, and I am making progress with what I will order and use. Tonight, I went to the website of the ps (classical Christian) that my three were attending to look at their scope and sequence and to refresh my memory. I would welcome any suggestions on Medieval History and World Geography curr for my 5th grade dd. And, for my 3rd graders (the twins), I would welcome suggestions on Ancient Greece & Rome curr. I intend to use Apologia for Chemistry (5th grader) and Life Science (3rd Graders) as that is what they have been using in school and seem confortable with it. Thanks to all the great information here, I have made some choices and I am getting closer to completing our plan for September, and I am much less :willy_nilly: thanks -- and a happy holiday weekend to all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leaird Posted July 3, 2009 Share Posted July 3, 2009 Apologia does not have a Chemistry book that is appropriate for a 5th grader. The Elementary Apologia books are: Astronomy Botany Flying Creatures Swimming Creatures Land Animals Jeannie Fulbright, the author of the elementary series, is releasing The Human Body this summer or early fall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leaird Posted July 3, 2009 Share Posted July 3, 2009 If you would like to see samples of the Elementary Apologia books, visit the website at https://apologia.securesites.net/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1. Click on the title of the book and you will see several pdf files. The sample module is a complete chapter from the book. It is a wonderful way to familiarize yourself with their books. Jeannie Fulbright has a website that you may also want to check out. The address is http://www.jeanniefulbright.com/home.html. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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leaird Posted July 3, 2009 Share Posted July 3, 2009 It just occured to me that you are wanting to use different books with your 3rd graders and 5th grader. The Apologia books are not written for a specific grade level. You can combine all three children in the same book. It will make your life so much easier. Believe me, I have two children that I have attempted to teach in different books. After three months, I ditched the separate curriculum and combined them in one book for my own sanity. It is hard to get out of the "public/private school mindset." We all think we must teach our kids based on the school's scope and sequence/course of study when we first begin homeschooling. That is not necessary. Who says a 5th grader must learn about chemistry and 3rd graders must learn about life science? Some school official was given the job of dividing all the topics a child needs to learn in their school career between K and 12th grade. I am sure if you look at the scope and sequence/course of study from different states or different private schools, they will be very different. Don't let the schools dictate what your children will learn each year unless you have to. A 3rd grader is perfectly capable of learning about any science topic a 5th grader is learning. The level of work you expect from each child will differ based on their age and ability. The 5th grader can be assigned extra reports, projects, reading, etc... However, the content of the Elementary Apologia books is more than enough for a 5th grader without adding anything extra. If your 3rd graders aren't quite able to complete an assignment, modify it to fit their ability or skip it all together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MariannNOVA Posted July 3, 2009 Author Share Posted July 3, 2009 Everything you've written is SO helpful! In fact, minutes before I read your most recent post about combining Science for the 3rd and 5th, I was looking over Apologia text books and asking myself WHY NOT do just that and give myself a break. :iagree: You are correct --with my kids coming from a classroom and with me being a classroom teacher, I do think within that framework, and I am starting to tell myself that I don't have to do that. You've been a big help! Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leaird Posted July 3, 2009 Share Posted July 3, 2009 I am so glad I could be of some help! We started with the Astronomy book, which is much shorter and easier than the Zoology books (IMO). I had a 3rd and 4th grader at the time. The botany book is also much shorter, but I haven't used it yet. I have it scheduled for this school year. You can take the whole year to do one book, which will be a very relaxed pace. Or, you can move a little faster and do 2 books in a school year. We have successfully done 2 books in a year without overloading ourselves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leaird Posted July 3, 2009 Share Posted July 3, 2009 I want to extend an invitation for you to join the Apologia Yahoo Group. The website is: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Elem_Apologia_Science/. Be sure to check out the files because they have schedules people have designed for dividing the books up into a 1/2 year or a full year. Also, the best places I have found to order the Elementary Apologia books are: Rock Solid: www.rocksolidinc.com $24.97 (free shipping on $95+ orders) Christian Book: www.christianbook.com $24.99 (no free shipping) :sad: Rainbow Resource Center: www.rainbowresource.com $26.50 (free shipping on $150+ orders) These companies price the books way below retail, which is $35/book. If you haven't done so already, order a copy of the Rainbow Resource catalog. It is as thick as a phone book! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted July 3, 2009 Share Posted July 3, 2009 You could use Story of the World with your third (SOTW 1) and fifth (SOTW 2) graders. It would be a bit light for the fifth grader, but if you add in one of the encyclopedias recommended in WTM, it would make a great course. Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lionfamily1999 Posted July 3, 2009 Share Posted July 3, 2009 Memoria Press has Rome and Greek History courses (memoriapress.com). They go along with their Latin class, Latina Christiana. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
claire up north Posted July 3, 2009 Share Posted July 3, 2009 I just finished teaching 5th & 3rd grades to my kiddos...and my youngers are also twins! I think it's a great idea to combine science, and I think you might enjoy combining history, too. I would go with what the 5th grader will be studying (middle ages) and let the 3rd graders jump in. They will love it...all those knights and jousts and hidden monks and stuff. If you get them on the same time period now, it will be much easier for you as they get older and require meatier stuff. As far as what to use for history, I second the suggestion of SOTW & an encyclopedia. We use Usborne's Encyclopedia of World History. I also purchased the SL teacher's guide for this time period. It's about $37. It lays out what to do each day...what pages of SOTW, what pages of the encyclopedia, which read-aloud to work on, what independent reading the kiddos can do to augment the history studies. I really love it; it keeps me on track. hth! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
proverbs356lady Posted July 3, 2009 Share Posted July 3, 2009 It just occured to me that you are wanting to use different books with your 3rd graders and 5th grader. The Apologia books are not written for a specific grade level. You can combine all three children in the same book. It will make your life so much easier. Believe me, I have two children that I have attempted to teach in different books. After three months, I ditched the separate curriculum and combined them in one book for my own sanity. It is hard to get out of the "public/private school mindset." We all think we must teach our kids based on the school's scope and sequence/course of study when we first begin homeschooling. That is not necessary. Who says a 5th grader must learn about chemistry and 3rd graders must learn about life science? Some school official was given the job of dividing all the topics a child needs to learn in their school career between K and 12th grade. I am sure if you look at the scope and sequence/course of study from different states or different private schools, they will be very different. Don't let the schools dictate what your children will learn each year unless you have to. A 3rd grader is perfectly capable of learning about any science topic a 5th grader is learning. The level of work you expect from each child will differ based on their age and ability. The 5th grader can be assigned extra reports, projects, reading, etc... However, the content of the Elementary Apologia books is more than enough for a 5th grader without adding anything extra. If your 3rd graders aren't quite able to complete an assignment, modify it to fit their ability or skip it all together. I just finished teaching 5th & 3rd grades to my kiddos...and my youngers are also twins! I think it's a great idea to combine science, and I think you might enjoy combining history, too. I would go with what the 5th grader will be studying (middle ages) and let the 3rd graders jump in. They will love it...all those knights and jousts and hidden monks and stuff. If you get them on the same time period now, it will be much easier for you as they get older and require meatier stuff. As far as what to use for history, I second the suggestion of SOTW & an encyclopedia. We use Usborne's Encyclopedia of World History. I also purchased the SL teacher's guide for this time period. It's about $37. It lays out what to do each day...what pages of SOTW, what pages of the encyclopedia, which read-aloud to work on, what independent reading the kiddos can do to augment the history studies. I really love it; it keeps me on track. hth! :iagree: Combine your curriculum as much as possible! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura W. Posted July 3, 2009 Share Posted July 3, 2009 I just finished teaching 5th & 3rd grades to my kiddos...and my youngers are also twins! I think it's a great idea to combine science, and I think you might enjoy combining history, too. I would go with what the 5th grader will be studying (middle ages) and let the 3rd graders jump in. They will love it...all those knights and jousts and hidden monks and stuff. If you get them on the same time period now, it will be much easier for you as they get older and require meatier stuff. As far as what to use for history, I second the suggestion of SOTW & an encyclopedia. We use Usborne's Encyclopedia of World History. I also purchased the SL teacher's guide for this time period. It's about $37. It lays out what to do each day...what pages of SOTW, what pages of the encyclopedia, which read-aloud to work on, what independent reading the kiddos can do to augment the history studies. I really love it; it keeps me on track. hth! :iagree:Definitely combine as much as possible. Another suggestion for history. Use Biblioplan. It schedules SOTW, but also has other books assigned for 5th-8th graders. You could use some of the logic stage assignments to beef up for your 5th grader. There are books appropriate for different ages scheduled every week, so you can pick and choose to meet your needs, but you're not having to plan everything yourself. Blessings, Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
islandmama Posted July 4, 2009 Share Posted July 4, 2009 :iagree: I've been combining history too. Last year I combined my 2nd and 7th grader, using SOTW. We used the Activity Guide, which has the coordinating pages from the Usborne or Kingfisher Encyclopedias, as well as mapwork, literature suggestions, and fun hands on stuff for the family. I also used the audio CD's for the 2nd grader while she worked on the coloring pages in the AG... I think it was fine for the younger and older child! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LindaOz Posted July 4, 2009 Share Posted July 4, 2009 My current 5th and 3rd graders are doing medieval history and enjoying it. We are using Sonlight - lots of great reading. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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