3rd grade Starting a List

[kahlanne]

I am trying to put together a list of options for third grade to help me narrow things down. I have primarily used Abeka and would like to use something different this year. Abeka worked wonderfully with my first two but not with my third child. After many searches, everything is running together in my mind. Which is why I am making a list of as many of your recommendations by subject so I can research better. Here is what I have so far. If you have any new suggestions, feel free to list them. If you see something that is a must or hate, I would love to hear it especially if you give your reasoning. I am not really searching for a complete curriculum but did list a couple. If there is something you like about one or if you use it for a subject only, I would love to hear from you.

 

Thank you so much, Carol

 

PS...Some of the abbreviations, in blue, I don't understand. Can you clarify?

 

Core/Complete: Abeka, Oak Meadow, BJU and HOD

 

Math:

Singapore, Horizons, Rod and Staff, SP Math, Saxon, CLE Math, Right Start, Math Mammoth, Math U See, Miguon, Teacher Text, and CWP

 

Reading:

Living Books, Develop Better Reading, Classic Worktexts, Shakespeare Worktexts, CLE Read 200, TOG, AO

 

Writing:

A Reason For Handwriting, Copywork, Writing with Ease, Writing Standards, Writing Tales, New American Cursive, Handwriting Without Tears, Cheerful Cursive

 

Geography and History :

Trail Guide to World Geography, Sonlight, Galloping the Globe, American Tales, Horrible Histories, SOTW, BJU Heritage Studies, Homeschool Ponies, TOG, Sonlight, VP, A Child's History of the World

 

Spelling and Vocabulary:

Apples and Pears, AAS, Spelling Workout, Phonetic Zoo, Spelling Wisdom, Spelling Power, Wordly Wise, Vocabulary through Dictionary Skills, RS Spelling, Avko SS, Spell to write and Read, McGuffey's, Wheeler's Elementary Speller, Soaring with Spelling and Vocabulary, Dynamic Literacy

 

Science:

Apologia, CKE Earth and Space, Singapore, MPH, Usborne's books

 

Language:

R&S, FLL, CLE LA, Ruth Heller's books, Easy Grammar, MCT, Growing with Grammar, SWO, WWE, The Phonics Road

 

Health:

Apologia Anatomy and Physiology

 

Poetry:

Music of the Hemispheres, The Harp and Laurel Wreath

Edited June 12, 2010 by kahlanne
needed to add a core/complete comment, aas

[twoxcell]

AAS: All About Spelling

[kahlanne]

Twoxcell, Thanks! I knew that but it slipped my mind. Uggh...first sign of loosing it.

[ElizabethB]

Combined spelling and vocabulary--M.K Henry's Words.

 

Science--Real Science 4 Kids

 

Edit: MCT is Michael Clay Thompson. CWP are the challenging word problem books for Singapore math, they are optional and now OOP but can be found used and a new replacement is out. SWO is spelling workout and WWE is Writing With Ease.

Edited June 12, 2010 by ElizabethB

[Storm Bay]

I. If you have any new suggestions, feel free to list them. If you see something that is a must or hate, I would love to hear it especially if you give your reasoning.

Thank you so much, Carol

 

PS...Some of the abbreviations, in blue, I don't understand. Can you clarify?

 

Core/Complete: Abeka, Oak Meadow, BJU and HOD

 

Math:

Singapore, This is a great program that works well for dc who tend to be strong in math or who learn well with the bar diagrams. It's one of the best ones out their for heuristics. It can be tough for some parents to teach who struggle with math or who get math but not this way. We love it and it has been our main program for my younger 2 for 1-6, Saxon NOt a good fit at our house. Too much review and this methodology didn't work well. I didn't think that the word problems were as strong as SM, but you can supplement if you choose that, , Right Start We bought this--many strengths, but it was too teacher intensive for us, Math Mammoth Want to supplement with this--many of the same strengths as SM, Math U See We use this as our second math during K-6. Great for dc who need the visual. Not as good in the word problem & heuristics area as MM & SM,

 

 

Writing:

Handwriting Without Tears Love this. Ds used it--great for lefties & for dc who have trouble with writing. The lines are much less confusing than most traditional methods,

 

Geography and History :

Trail Guide to World Geography bought this but never used it, Horrible Histories haven't read these, but my dc loved the Horrible Maths, so I'm guessing they are a lot of fun, SOTW big hit here. The writing style is very engaging,

 

Spelling and Vocabulary:

, Spelling Workout Thought this was a very weak program for my younger two so we dropped it, Spelling Power great for natural spellers; my eldest used this,

Science:

We liked RS4K in the earlier years.

 

Language:

R&S Many strengths, but not enough writing on its own. My dc start this at the gr 5 level, FLL My ds did 1&2--good for auditory learners who need or enjoy the repetition, , Easy Grammar Great if your dc have trouble with prepositional phrases, but otherwise not so good. All 3 of mine have used this before switching to R&S,

 

 

 

 

My answers are in blue.

[NanceXToo]

I figured I'd throw out there that I use Oak Meadow as a complete curriculum (I see you have that one noted in there) and I absolutely LOVE it.

 

It's not at all dry and textbookish, but it's still very complete. It's a lot of hands on and creative stuff, which we really love. It isn't boring! We just finished using it for fourth grade for my 9 year old daughter and I am really looking forward to using OM5 in the fall with her, and starting OMK with my son.

[whitestavern]

I am trying to put together a list of options for third grade to help me narrow things down. I have primarily used Abeka and would like to use something different this year. Abeka worked wonderfully with my first two but not with my third child. After many searches, everything is running together in my mind. Which is why I am making a list of as many of your recommendations by subject so I can research better. Here is what I have so far. If you have any new suggestions, feel free to list them. If you see something that is a must or hate, I would love to hear it especially if you give your reasoning. I am not really searching for a complete curriculum but did list a couple. If there is something you like about one or if you use it for a subject only, I would love to hear from you.

 

Thank you so much, Carol

 

PS...Some of the abbreviations, in blue, I don't understand. Can you clarify?

 

Core/Complete: Abeka, Oak Meadow, BJU and HOD

 

Math:

Singapore, Horizons, Rod and Staff, SP Math, Saxon, CLE Math, Right Start, Math Mammoth, Math U See, Miguon, Teacher Text, and CWP

 

Reading:

Living Books, Develop Better Reading, Classic Worktexts, Shakespeare Worktexts, CLE Read 200, TOG, AO

 

Writing:

A Reason For Handwriting, Copywork, Writing with Ease, Writing Standards, Writing Tales, New American Cursive, Handwriting Without Tears, Cheerful Cursive

 

Geography and History :

Trail Guide to World Geography, Sonlight, Galloping the Globe, American Tales, Horrible Histories, SOTW, BJU Heritage Studies, Homeschool Ponies, TOG, Sonlight, VP, A Child's History of the World

 

Spelling and Vocabulary:

Apples and Pears, AAS, Spelling Workout, Phonetic Zoo, Spelling Wisdom, Spelling Power, Wordly Wise, Vocabulary through Dictionary Skills, RS Spelling, Avko SS, Spell to write and Read, McGuffey's, Wheeler's Elementary Speller, Soaring with Spelling and Vocabulary, Dynamic Literacy

 

Science:

Apologia, CKE Earth and Space, Singapore, MPH, Usborne's books

 

Language:

R&S, FLL, CLE LA, Ruth Heller's books, Easy Grammar, MCT, Growing with Grammar, SWO, WWE, The Phonics Road

 

Health:

Apologia Anatomy and Physiology

 

Poetry:

Music of the Hemispheres, The Harp and Laurel Wreath

 

MPH is My Pals are Here from Singapore Science. I can't weigh in with a review yet; I just purchased it for next year for my two dc.

[hsmom27]

Well, just to help there's also Pandia Press' HIstory Odyssey and Science Odyssey. Also someone from this board has put together Elemental Science and that seems very popular. Are you doing chemistry this year? There's

Mr. Q's Science and Ellen McHenry's The Elements. Also I LOVE Map Trek from Knowledge Quest for geography, but there's no history with it. Okay I think I'm done being helpful!;)