Please share what you are using for 3rd Grade.

[BlessedMom]

Please share what are you using for 3rd grade?

 

What have you loved?

 

What would you change and why?

 

Thanks in advance for your time, it is greatly appreciated.

[lionfamily1999]

Love:

Latina Christiana (we did Prima Latina last year)

FLL 3

Challenge Math (it's not the whole math program, just one part, but I LOVE it)

Groovy Geometry (same as above)

Hey Andrew! Greek (3)

E=MC^2 Classical Chemistry

SotW 2/3 (we had to catch up)

 

It's good, I wouldn't change it, but love is too strong a word:

WWE 3

Spelling Workout C

 

Thing we dropped:

Atoms and Molecules, Usborne Book of Science - could not make it work, didn't feel like we learned anything.

[hmschooling]

Heart of Dakota (Bigger Hearts For His Glory)(Hist, Sci, Bible, Poetry, Copywork, Dictation, Narration, Writing, Geography, Literature, Notebooking, etc.)

English From the Roots Up V1

R&S Grammar 3

Math Mammoth 3

Calculadders

Verbal Math 1&2

 

I've already changed, and changed, and changed some more...so this is what I love! Wouldn't change anything other than I need someone to watch my 3yo so I can do it consistently everyday!

[Angel]

MFW Adventures (Bible, Science, History)

 

Saxon Math 3

 

Queen's Language Lessons for the Very Young Vol. 1

 

Discover the Deck writing program

 

All About Spelling Level 2

 

Handwriting without Tears Cursive

 

Artistic Pursuits K-3 Book 1 (at co-op)

 

 

Let's see what do I love...Artistic Pursuits is awesome (I happen to be the one teaching that class) and All About Spelling is working great, too. I do love Adventures (dd is loving Adventures), however, I think the science is a little weak. Dd still loves it, but it IS over pretty quick most days. Extra science is easy to add, though, so no biggie there. I LOVE the book basket in Adventures. Handwriting without Tears gets great results.

 

I hate any math :D but Saxon is a great fit for dd. That's important.

 

I'm not far enough into Discover the Deck to give a real review yet. We added it in this month.

 

I like Queen's Language Lessons, but it is TOO much copywork. Even though I'm pulled more in a Charlotte Mason direction, I just can't get into copywork. I like the workbook format and the small lessons, we can do a few a day.

 

I'm debating a change in English, only because I'm scared to do English the CM way :blush: If I change, it would be to R&S which I'm pretty sure wouldn't be a good fit for dd, so I'm still wavering on this.

 

So far I plan to keep with My Father's World for next year and go into Exploring Countries & Cultures. I like the style of MFW and the ease of use (I love having it planned out for me).

 

I'm debating doing something else for science next year, but not sure what. I would want it to correspond (loosely) with MFW if I did.

 

I think that's it :)

[momto2Cs]

This is after a lot of tweaking, and we're finally happy with it all...

 

Writing Tales 1

G.U.M. (Grammar, Usage, Mechanics)

Saxon Math 3

SOTW 1-2 (Ancient Greeks up to Vikings)

E=McQ Classical Life Science

Maps, Globes, Graphs

A cheap cursive book I picked up somewhere

A reading list I put together

Composer of the Month (www.classicforkids.com)

Art class at charter school

[lionfamily1999]

Heart of Dakota (Bigger Hearts For His Glory)(Hist, Sci, Bible, Poetry, Copywork, Dictation, Narration, Writing, Geography, Literature, Notebooking, etc.)

English From the Roots Up V1

R&S Grammar 3

Math Mammoth 3

Calculadders

Verbal Math 1&2

 

I've already changed, and changed, and changed some more...so this is what I love! Wouldn't change anything other than I need someone to watch my 3yo so I can do it consistently everyday!

I know EXACTLY how that is.

[King Alfred Academy]

This is what we are doing for 3rd grade this year:

American History...Time Travelers CD for the projects and a guide. I am including a ton of other books to read as well as videos and audio.

Math...Right Start. Have been adding in some "living books" and other activities a bit but plan to be more consistent with that. He really learns well through narrative.

Science...NOEO Chemistry I. We really like this program.

Language Arts...We were doing GWG but switched to MCT Island Level and all of its components. I am amazed at the level of retention he has now. Again, I think it is the narrative aspect of learning.

Spelling...Phonetic Zoo. LOVE this! We have tried SWO & AAS (didn't work well for him, but is FABULOUS for my younger ds) and are so happy to have finally found a program that fits him. An audio program is key for him.

Writing...um...well...I am soooooo up in the air about this. We have not done anything but copywork this year. I have yet to be "sold" on using MCT alone, so I want to use something along with it. I have was going to use IEW but then bought CW. After looking at it, I think I am going to use IEW. We'll start it in a few weeks.

Latin...Latin for Children. Just started this program so I can't really comment about it.

Keyboarding...Keyboard Town Pals. This is okay for learning, but not sure about practice. Will probably have to get something else for that.

Art...Atelier dvd courses and Artistic Pursuits. Like both of these. We alternate every week because the Atelier is expensive and there are only a few lessons on each dvd.

Also doing Mindbenders (cd-rom), ETC (just for fun), and LOTS of reading.

[MrsMe]

We are using:

 

CLE Reading

CLE LA

HOD Bigger for History/Science/Bible (completed cursive)/dication

BJU Math

 

I went back and forth between HOD and WP AS1, but I just don't want to spend 2 years (1 more year after this one) studying American History. We've already done it for 2 years. So this month I switched to back to HOD Bigger. We did WP AS1 the first half. I love WP and almost all the book choices. But another year of American History seems daunting to me. HOD will give us the overview of everything we haven't covered yet.

 

Last year we morphed HOD Beyond with MFW Adventures. Bigger gives us a bit more. I just couldn't pull in science as well with AS1; just can't seem to finish it all and I like Bigger's science. Plus next year I really want to do Preparing.

 

Doesn't seem like much listed up there, but we did complete Cheerful Cursive last semester and HOD adds in geography, art, poetry. So I feel covered.

 

Let me add: We love Flylady's "Riley Challenge" for dd! I knock it down a bit, but it's a good addition.

[Surfside Academy]

My oldest is doing the following:

 

MUS Delta

WWE 3

FLL 3

SWR for spelling

Wordly Wise

Art and science are done at a weekly coop.

 

We were doing MFW Adventures but it wasn't quite what I was looking for so we recently switched over to TOG (history & bible) and it's great. I'm pleased with all the curricula he's using!

[Heidi @ Mt Hope]

We are just heading into 3rd grade.

 

RightStart Math

Finishing up FLL, might try MCT next

Sequential Spelling (love!) (Phonetic Zoo was on my list, but I decided to try SS first.)

Handwriting Without Tears Cursive

Finishing up Prima Latina, moving on to Latina Christiana

Story of the World with AG and lots of living books for history and literature (our favorite subjects!)

Christian Kids Explore Chemistry (this series has been a perfect fit for us)

[AngelaNYC]

This is what we currently use and love:

 

• Ambleside Year 2 (living books for history, science, literature, biography, poetry, and geography. Narrations, timeline, nature study, artist study, composer study, French, and Spanish. Full CM approach).
  
• Teaching Textbooks Math 5
  
• HoP Master Reader program
  
• Spectrum 3rd Grade Reading (comprehension, grammar, vocabulary, etc.)
  
• Lots of field trip classes
  

The only thing I would change is to be more consistant and regular. I'm still trying to figure out how to do 2-3 field trips a week while fitting in everything academic we've planned. :tongue_smilie:

[Karen in CO]

Here is what my third grader is currently using.

 

French - Rosetta Stone - love and she has started doing French copywork which she loves. (currently her favorite subject)

Math - Saxon 5/4 and Life of Fred fractions (after years of hating math, it is now her second favorite subject)

History - Story of the World 3 with the activity guide and workbook pages I found somewhere free on the internet. Plus, she is following along with an American History stories that she is listening to with her little sister and adding in some books for herself.

Writing - it is the bane of my existence right now. We've been doing copywork; we've been following WWE3; we've even done some SL3+4 LA. I'm really not happy with it right now.

Vocabulary - inspired by someone else's idea, I am using a copy of MCT's list of classic words and having my dd do a vocabulary map for each word (again found it somewhere on internet for free).

Art - she is taking art classes at the art school

Literature - reading through her own list of classic books

Science - we do this loosely following her interests and reading tons.

 

everything else - art, hands-on science, music, chess, p.e., ... are all done once a week at a ps enrichment school.

[s.z.ichigo]

Just wrapping up third grade here.

 

Loved:

 

Saxon 3 - the meatiest Saxon level so far. Using 5/4 next year, though will probably skip a good half of it

Latin for Children A - we both LOVE this program, and look forward to starting level B

NOEO chemistry - NOEO has been a ton better than R.E.a.L. Science, which we had in 1st and 2nd. We just got our NOEO Physics package yesterday and can't wait to start using it

FLL 3 - SO much good stuff in here. We're learning stuff (both of us) that most people never get around to. It's funny to see my third grader knowing grammar that my husband doesn't. Going on to FLL 4.

 

Neutral:

 

Writing Strands 3 - I'm sure it's teaching...something. I'm sticking with the program next year as well...but I don't think I'm seeing the big picture.

Spelling Wisdom - I actually really like Spelling Wisdom, but there is nothing telling me "do this page on this day", so it gets skipped over more often than not. A program doesn't do any good if I never use it. I'll give it another go in 4th grade.

 

HATED:

 

History Odyssey, Level 1, Early Modern - Confusing, non-chronological mess. Wouldn't touch this program again with a 10 ft pole. Going back to good ol' fashioned SOTW + AG and wondering why I ever moved away from what was working before.

[birchbark]

Love

Miquon Math (doing yellow and purple)

Writing Tales I

HWOT Cursive

HoD Bigger Hearts History, Poetry, Music, Read-alouds

La Clase Divertida

Mark Kistler's online drawing lessons

Grapevine Bible Studes

 

Not so much

Easy Classical's earth science-- a good program, esp if you want to include the classical skills of summaries and nature journaling. But I usually skip those due to time constraints and many of the experiments too, so I feel like I spent way too much money for what we've gotten out of it. Also since my ds has read so much (loves the Magic Schoolbus books), that a lot of it is not new information. I kind of feel sometimes like we're just going through the motions. On the positive side though, it is only done one or two days a week

 

English From the Roots Up-- I love the concept and want to contine Greek/Latin root study, but we are not getting much retention with this program alone. Going to look into Vocab from Classical Roots to add in for next year.

 

Healthy Me-- We skimmed through this book during the first trimester for our required health course. I did not like it because it is basically all activities and I am not an activity person. (See science review above. :D)

[robsiew]

My 3rd grader does the following:

 

Bible: Listens to me read one story a day

Reading: Books centered on history, science or classical literature. Orally narrates to me daily. Fun reading in his own free time.

Writing: WWE3, cursive practice and daily science and history narrations (4 days a week)

Math: MUS Delta 2 pages a day (5 days a week)

History: Mystery of History (book 2) three days of lessons, one day of time line/map work (4 days a week)

Science: Elemental Science Biology (4 days a week)

Latin: Prima Latina (one lesson a week)

Grammar: Growing with Grammar (4-5 times a week)

Spelling: All About Spelling (4 days/week)

 

Everything we're doing right now is working, so yes, I love it all!

Memorization: Bible verses for AWANA

Edited January 29, 2010 by robsiew
add

[Annabel Lee]

Love:

Abeka Arithmetic 3 for how it teaches math in such an orderly way.

FLL - like the one-on-one time & the chants/songs for memorizing parts of speech

WWE - love the workbook passage selections & the flexibility to use it w/ my own passages, love the philosophy behind it and that it is gentle

Spectrum LA 3 - nice reinforcement for FLL (my son had to review the pronoun list he hasn't looked at in awhile to do his page today - I didn't know he had almost forgotten it - it was a good "jog" for his memory)

Rosetta Stone Spanish level 1 - Ds learned more from his first 2 lessons of this than the other program we tried.

Apologia Astronomy - Love how it's written to the kids but isn't dumbed down at all.

R.E.A.L. Earth & Space - fun experiments, though I use it as a springboard sometimes

GuestHollow's American History 1 - wish I had checked this out more thoroughly before ordering WP AS 1. Would have saved alot of $$. Using it w/ AS 1 for extra book basket choices and online goodies.

Abeka LA 3 for shoring up phonics/usage/rules/spelling skills

AAS for more spelling rules

 

 

 

Neutral:

Horizons Math 3 - while I still like this program, the teacher notes and workbook pages don't always connect. There are a few times I've had to search through the books to understand workbook instructions. Love their early intro. to geometry and pre-alg., so that's why I use those pieces of it (it was on my shelf so why not?).

 

WP American Story 1 - I like what they're trying to do, which is why I'm giving it a neutral & not a dislike. I don't like the final execution. I don't like using The American Story as a spine. I got a DK/Smithsonian Children's Am. Hist. encyc. to correct the "flow". I don't like studying things unrelated to one another or wondering why the program is skipping back in time and then returning. Do not like those things about it. I have learned to "pick and choose" my way through their schedule as they suggest, but it's an expensive program to do that with.

[MariannNOVA]

Third grade twins doing this:

 

HISTORY: Memoria Press Famous Men of Greece

MATH: Singapore 3B and we use Intensive Practice Singapore Math as well

LATIN: CLAA Grammar I

LANGUAGE ARTS: MCT

LITERATURE: Following LCC and adding in other classics

BIBLE: Memoria Press Christian Studies II

GEOGRAPHY: BF Holling C. Hollings Unit

MUSIC: Guitar lessons, Piano lessons, Handbell Choir, Junior Choir

 

I'm sure I am forgetting something b/c that just doesn't sound like everything, but I'm exhausted and my lesson plan book is back at our house so I can't even check that. And, everything there we like -- I've tweaked and switched and we are happy with what you see there.

 

ETA: Phonetic Zoo Spelling - We LOVE THIS!

History Odyssey Ancient Level One: Thought we would use this, but did not care for it at all - it is so unlike HO Level Two.

Edited January 30, 2010 by MariannNOVA

[SnowWhite]

Please share what are you using for 3rd grade?

WinterPromise LA3

WinterPromise American Story 2

BJU Science 3

BJU Math 3

Meet the Masters Art

God Made Music

 

 

What have you loved?

 

We have loved the BJU Math and the WinterPromise Amer Story 2, as well as WP's LA readers.

 

What would you change and why?

 

Changes: Buy the materials package for Meet the Masters in the fall instead of January, Be more consistent with the Music class, Buy the materials package for the BJU Science: All because I have a problem consistently doing the fun hands-on stuff.

 

I think I wish I had used BJU Writing and Grammar for grade 3- we are switching to it for grade 4. This particular student needs more structure for writing assignments than WP provides.

[rdolphingirl]

Just about to head into 3rd grade here with my oldest.

We are going to be using :

 

R&S Reading 3 ---

He has been in R&S Reading since 1st grade and really like it, however I have found I like CLE better and will be using it with the younger two

 

CLE Math 3 ---

We both really like the sunrise math from CLE, and I would not change this if you paid me!

 

CLE LA 3 ---

Just switched to CLE for LA mid-2nd grade because Mom cant handle teaching English from R&S :confused: though ds really liked it, CLE is going good so far and easier on Mom.

 

CLE Social Studies 3 ---

Not much to say here, it looks really good but I am just entering into the age where this subject is needed so dont have much to say here

 

Science :

Apologia Elementary, hope to finish Astronomy and get into Botany -- Will also do R&S Science 3 as time allows

 

For writing he is still just doing various copywork pages, I also have 2 younger boys, both of whom take a lot of time and have "issues" so I need my oldest to be more independent.

 

~Rachel

[Laura W.]

My current third grader is using:

 

Bible - inductive Bible studies by Kay Arthur (adapted, since I'm using it with K-6th grades)

History - Biblioplan year 2

Science - earth science and biology with some books by Michael Carroll, then RS4K pre-level 1 Chemistry

Math - Teaching Textbooks (when it arrives)

LA - CLE LA and Reading

 

What I didn't like - our local internet service has such huge issues we can no longer use the online math/LA we had been.

 

What I like - Biblioplan, CLE (especially the Reading), science

 

What's ok - Bible (just constantly tweaking since I've got K-6th all together; I'll split them into 2 groups next year)

 

Blessings,

 

Laura

[rafgaf4]

Here is what I use for my 3rd grade son.

 

Math - Rod and Staff 3 - 5 days a week

Latin - Prima Latina -4 days a week

History - Memoria Press Greek Myths - 4 days a week

Science - R.E.A.L. Science - Chemistry I - 2 days a week

Language - First Language Lessons 3 - 3 days a week

Writing - Classical Writing Aesop A - 2-3 days a week

Geography - Evan Moore North America - 1 day a week

U.S. State Study - various on-line sites - 1 day a week

Music Appreciation - Piano Lessons and Classical Composers Study- 2 days a week

Art Appreciation - Art projects and library books

Literature - Tales from the Odyssey series by Mary Pope Osborne and various Library books

[Julie of KY]

Sonlight core 3

Finish Miquon

Singapore 3 and Challenging Word Problems

IEW with SWI-A

Wordly Wise C

Typing

Handwriting without Tears

various science including Singapore Science

geography

co-op

art and music as mom gets to it

[Moniksca]

Saxon math 3 will use 5/4 next year

WWE2 will continue with WWE 3 next year

Spelling power-love this

PLL will use ILL next

Ambleside year 1&2 literature, composer, art, poet study-love this

N'allenart art de lire 1-just started but looks great

Happy scribe cursive sheets

A child's history of the world-not sure what we will be doing next year

My own science curriculum

[Jami]

We're using:

 

R&S 3 for math and grammar

WWE 2 and CW-Aesop A (we alternate these)

Latina Christiana

 

For history we're studying Greece and Rome with the VP cards as a general guide and reading from SOTW, Sutcliffe's Illiad and Odyssey and Church's Aeneid.

 

Other literature and poetry we read comes from Ambleside Year 3.

 

I think that's everything...it looks like a short list!

[SilverMoon]

.

Edited April 21, 2023 by SilverMoon

[BlessedMom]

Thank you all so much for taking the time to share your 3rd grade curriculum.

You have provided me with many new options to explore for the coming year.

 

Bless you all!

[Halcyon]

My son will be starting 3rd grade this summer. We will be using

 

Singapore 3A and MEP

WWE 2 (hoping to finish in the fall)

SOTW 2/3

HWT Cursive

MCT Classic Words Vocab List

Spelling Wisdom Charlotte Mason

Logic Countdown for 3rd/4th grade

Grammar: Exercises in English Level D

science through k12.com

art through k12.com and Child Sized Masterpieces

Edited February 1, 2010 by Halcyon

[jengjohnson]

My 7 yo is doing third grade work, we're happy with:

 

CLE Math 300

BJU English 3 (Grammar and Writing)

Spelling Workout B & C

CLE Reading 300

Handwriting Without Tears Cursive

HOD's Bigger Hearts for history, poetry, some science, Bible, Read-alouds, and geography

BJU Science 4

Apologia Astronomy

HOD's suggested literature but without Draw into the Heart of Reading

 

Next year, when she's truly third grade age, I'm adding Latin and probably Writing Tales or something else to get her writing more.

[Pata]

We won't start third grade for a several more months, but it's all been purchased, so it's not going to change :). Here's our line up...

 

Math: Singapore Math

Language Arts: Classical Writing Aesop, Spelling Workout, may add FLL 3, but I'm not sure yet, various readers & read-alouds to correspond with our history studies

Latin: Prima Latina

Science: Chemistry for the Grammar Stage

History: SOTW3 with my own state study

Other: Artist/Composers of the SOTW3 time period, Art Adventures at Home, Recorder, Chinese with her tutor

[eternalknot]

Here is what I use for my 3rd grader

 

Math - MUS Delta, 4 days per week (2 lessons per week, he sets his own pace); lots of card games and too much Monopoly for this mom.

Latin - Prima Latina - 4 days a week (2 lessons per week, he sets his own pace)

History - AD500 through 1500s, I threw together my own thing which is literature-based and discussion-driven.

Weaved in are related studies: art, religion, music, science/technology, geography, etc.

Science - Informal independent Study (currently, Human Anatomy)

Language - finished up AAS (spelling/phonics review); Easy Grammar Daily Grams 3/4 (one sheet per day); daily Copy Work taken from Rules of Civility, done in cursive for penmanship practice; one dictation per week; daily board games like Boggle, Scrabble, and crossword puzzles from the newspaper.

Writing - IEW, All Things Fun & Fascinating (our first foray into writing curricula. One lesson per week spread over 3-5 days, depending)

Geography - Informal independent study (currently, US States & Capitals)

Literature - selections relating to and supporting our History studies

Bible & R.Ed. - Christian Studies I (1 lesson per week, over 3 days); Faith & Life 3 (1 lesson per week, over 2 days); Parables from Buddha (read and discussed daily)

PE - organized sports (I make mandatory one team and one individual sport)

 

Looks like a lot once it's written out, but really doesn't seem like a whole lot when we're knee-deep into it LOL.

[iquilt]

My 3rd grader combines with a K/1st and preK student for history (SOTW 3 this year) and science experiments (chemistry from Usborne books). On her own she is doing FLL 3, WWE2, Horizons Math 3, Spelling 3 (just a workbook from Barnes and Noble), Classically Cursive and La Clase Divertida. We did Prima Latina last year and will probably pick up Latina Christiana in 4th. Also she takes piano lessons, sings in our church choir and takes swimming lessons. She has recently asked to learn how to knit so she is spending time daily practicing knitting as well.