Kfamily Posted August 19, 2011 Share Posted August 19, 2011 I'm going to make a small order soon and with it I will be including an item or two for my younger dd. We're on a tight budget and moving overseas soon, so I'm using a lot of what I have already for her. I'm concerned that I'm not challenging her enough. I worry that I don't provide enough for her. It is such a struggle to balance all that she wants to do with the foundation she needs to do it well. Does that make sense? Here is what I have planned for her... Math-Singapore Math 3 (I do have an intensive practice book for 3b and challenging word problems) Handwriting-Italics D Grammar/Composition-this is where I could use suggestions...I need a grammar book for her I will be using Imitations in Writing for composition and I have CW Homer if I need to go there next She is already doing written narrations, copywork and will be starting dictation this week. French-L'Art de Lire Levels 4-6 or as far as she can go. We are mid-way through Level 3 and she is doing well. I need the grammar for this subject as well. I need to add more reading though audio books, reading in French, etc. Latin-Latina Christiana I is going well here. We're moving into Lesson 5 next week. She keeps a derivative notebook and we work through the lessons. It's not my favorite book, but I own it and it is working. Science-probably another weak spot here...she wants to study astronomy and I cannot find a book I like. I do plan on using some assorted books we have and making use of the library for this unit. She will also be studying some Earth Science topics..I think I'd like a kit or two here... History-we have plenty of books for this...she'll be finishing A Child's History of the World and Our Island Story. I think I'll be adding George Washington's World to add some depth to her year. I need to make this level more equivalent to what a upper elem. or early middle school student might do. Literature-I have plenty of books for her here too, she'll be reading the following books: A Little White Horse D'Aulaires Greek Myths with study guide Poetry A Children's Homer Treasure Island Swallows and Amazons I need a few challenging reads here too... Any suggestions for English Grammar, Science and book ideas to make History and Literature stronger? Thanks!:001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laughing lioness Posted August 19, 2011 Share Posted August 19, 2011 We've used both WWE - we are on II and R & S 3 and love it. WWE is fun for my 3rd grader, R & S challenging but do-able. IEW's Language Aquistion Through Poetry. LOVE, love, Love it! Genevieve Foster's Books- all are great and 3rd grade is a terrific age to read them out-loud; Augustus Ceaser's World, et.al. Are you doing a historical time period or an overview- nailing that down could help focus your studies. SOTW is our all-time fav history- we have the books and the CD's. I think the CD's are must-haves for any "serious" :001_smile:homeschooler. We also just purchased the MoH CD's and we have LOVED Diana Waring's history CD's. Classical Conversation has history sentences on CD and they are worth the $ imho (Just to be clear, I am fine having my kids learn history via CD- my notsolittles have chuncks of SOTW memorized). Sonlight, Logos, VP, MP all have great reading list ideas. I get their catalogs and make notes on good books. Create a timeline for history. I like Amy Paks Homeschool in the Woods CD's for historical time-lines figures (we just made our own memory cards for World Conflicts with her CD) and she has many helps for creating timeline notebooks and wall charts. Science. NOAA is our home page ; ). NASA also has a picture of the day. Apologia has an eled astronomy course, and they have journals now too. MSB and Bill Nye. We (did till a house fire) own all of the MSB books and several videos. And, depending on the kid, Moody Scence videos. I found them very pedantic buy my notsolittles loved them and learned a lot of science. Living Memory has sections to memorize by science topic. We are memorizing the natural and earth sections this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kfamily Posted August 19, 2011 Author Share Posted August 19, 2011 Thanks Lisa! I need to check Living Memory...I've been tempted many times. What is NOAA? I'll look into this one too. We're finishing CHOW and OIS, so roughly just past the Renaissance and into the modern time period. She wants to study some Ancient Greek history too (like her big sister :001_smile:) and we were going to study D'Aulaires Greek Myths anyway so I'm probably going to add Famous Men of Greece or something similiar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zaichiki Posted August 20, 2011 Share Posted August 20, 2011 (edited) What do I think of her 3rd grade plans? I think you've hit every topic. Sounds well organized. We use some of those same curricula. (So I like them. :001_smile:) Is it challenging enough? I have no idea. I don't know what she can do. I think you'd know that better than any of us. Have you checked out Michael Clay Thompson's grammar books? What about Real Science 4 Kids? I think I remember reading that they're introducing an Astronomy book this year. Book ideas for history/lit? Check out Sonlight's catalog. They have pretty good books listed there. Take a look at the read alouds from Core 3 and the readers from Cores 4-6. Most of the books are available at libraries. ETA: SL has changed its Core labels. I think the above are now Cores D-H. I wish I was as organized as you are. Edited August 20, 2011 by zaichiki Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zaichiki Posted August 20, 2011 Share Posted August 20, 2011 http://www.noaa.gov/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kfamily Posted August 20, 2011 Author Share Posted August 20, 2011 Thanks so much zaichiki! I had not seen the astronomy book at Real Science 4 Kids and I just looked at it. I loved it! It is just the right level for her. Thanks! I have looked at MCT's materials and really have been interested, but..I think for the price I just cannot get a good fit with her. I know Island would not work, Town might work but only for a short time and I think Voyage would be too much to begin with. She's just at an odd place right now for this program. If we had more finances to spend towards this, and space too, I would try it. I know only I really know what she needs...I think she needs a little more....I just need to figure this out. I think my weak areas are grammar and a few more difficult books for history and literature. I think I've solved the science problem with the Real Science 4 Kids book. Whew! And thanks for the link to NOAA....I think dd will find a lot here that will keep her interested. P.S. Anyone have any favorite kits for Earth Science topics...I know I want us to make a volcano...I'd love any suggestions. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenbrdsly Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 I'm putting on my former 3rd grade teacher hat here... I think it all looks very strong with the exception of creative writing and science. Maybe you could add free write in a journal? For science, I think you need a lot of hands-on experiements in there, following an over-arching learning theme. Just my two cents. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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