# Suggestions for 3rd grade curriculum?



## mammabooh (Sep 1, 2004)

We homeschooled for kindergarten, son went to public school for 1st and 2nd, and now we are going back to homeschooling.

I know it's a very personal thing, but what are your suggestions for curriculum? I just threw a bunch of stuff together for kindergarten, but I don't believe I should do that for 3rd!

Our son is very good at reading, LOVES to do math worksheets, and is an excellent speller, in case that helps you narrow anything down. 

Thanks!


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## Pigeon Lady (Apr 4, 2004)

mammabooh,

I've always used these books for my son:

http://www.booksamillion.com/product/9781561893706

Supplemented with whatever books he's chosen from the library, history and science documentaries recorded from tv etc. 

He's always hated anything with bright colors or lots of illustrations. These books are pretty plain inside which might not suit a lot of kids. 

I don't think I've ever spent more than about $50 a year on school. 

He's done great. He's now about to begin 9th grade. We're going with an online HS for most of his subjects so it's going to start costing us a lot more now.

But anyway, these books have worked for the basics.

Sounds like your son is doing really well. If they like to read it makes learning much easier because they absorb so much without even realizing. 

3d grade scared me to death because we spent Sept/Oct of that year traveling in Germany and England. Then, Oct to December we pretty much lived in motels while waiting for housing to become available on the army base in Maryland. We were also traveling back and forth to VA looking at properties for sale. April we found our farm here in VA and son and I moved here while Ken finished up his last year in the army. It was a crazy year with just about no structure whatsoever. I'd picked up that book at the PX on the army base in Germany and it was about the only real school he did. I was a wreck when we found out that VA requires end of year testing, but he scored 90 to 100 on just about everything except spelling. Spelling's been the bane of his life.  Glad your little chap doesn't have that problem.

Sorry I'm rambling.

Good luck with whatever you choose.


Pauline


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## rean (Nov 18, 2008)

Switched on Schoolhouse is good, as are Lifepacs.

If you are looking to save money, I suggest Christian Light Education.


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## cindy-e (Feb 14, 2008)

We're classical, so what I do is different. YMMV.  
*We start latin in 3rd. I like Lively Latin these days. TOP notch, and negates the need for a second grammar book. 
*All the same, we use Writing Tales for english. (have to get it from lulu.) *We use Elementary Challenge Math and ALEKS (online) for math because it will let them go at their own pace. 
*We use Story of the World for history, but I think it's a bit dry for my boys who don't like to sit still and listen as much as my girls did, so we supplement with books from www.hickorygrovepress.com. They have hands on history books relative to the era of history you are studying. We also bring in music and art from the period we are studying. Veritas History cards are good for this. 
*The classical approach does not do formal science in the early grades. Instead, it does nature study and art (particularly drawing) because it believes in honing observation skills so that science data can be accurately taken in by the older student and synthesized/interpreted by the older mind. We are extremely blessed to have had an art teacher who used to be a Disney Animator, so I did not have to have curriculae for that. We have gravitated toward nature programs at local parks and rec. centers (they usually have one) and also birding. You cna get coloring books of birds and field guides like Audobon and Petersons and make them copy *exactly* what they see in the field guide on the coloring page. That careful observation of exactly what they see there will make them better at all of the sciences that they will do later. (Also, we have used the Holling Clancy Holling books and science experiments that teach about what science understood during the period of history we are studying. Also from hickory grove...). Then in 6th grade, they start formal science with general science and end up 2 years ahead in the sciences according to the typical public school scope and sequence.  FWIW, my kids have all been educated this way and have all scored off the charts on science in the elementary grades before formal science instruction. 
We start formal music instruction at this time too. (well, with one, I did it in 2nd grade, but I think that was too young!)

FWIW,
Cindyc. (who doesn't seem to have the ability to summarize! Maybe I need to work on that! L!)


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## Our Little Farm (Apr 26, 2010)

rean said:


> Switched on Schoolhouse is good, as are Lifepacs.
> 
> If you are looking to save money, I suggest Christian Light Education.


I'm with Rean. If your child is a good speller than SOS is fantastic. Ours love it. Lifepacs are also good.

I have used SOS from 3rd to now 12th. DD was 97% in our area on her SAT score, so it worked for us! It has come on leaps and bounds since it was first introduced.


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## mammabooh (Sep 1, 2004)

Is Lifepacs the same as SOS only with books instead of computer work?


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## Our Little Farm (Apr 26, 2010)

Not sure mammabooh, I think it's similar. Go on www.aop.com and call customer service, it takes a while to get through sometimes, but worth it.


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## Our Little Farm (Apr 26, 2010)

Monday was their 20% off day. If you decide to go ahead with it, then let them know you are new and would really appreciate that discount. Who knows?


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## po boy (Jul 12, 2010)

This may be helpful

http://www.beliefnet.com/frameset_o...ory/91/story_9103_1.html&script=/frameset.asp


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## mammabooh (Sep 1, 2004)

Our Little Farm said:


> Monday was their 20% off day. If you decide to go ahead with it, then let them know you are new and would really appreciate that discount. Who knows?


Thanks. I get their e-mails, so I have the one about the discount.


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## ovsfarm (Jan 14, 2003)

We used a lot of Abeka for K - 2nd. By third grade I was tired of Abeka and we started branching out to a more ecclectic approach. We started using Math U See for math, Tapestry of Grace for history, and Rod and Staff for English and grammar. We didn't find the right spelling for us until 4th grade, when we settled on Spelling Power. 

I never did find a science I really liked. I was looking for a hardcore science that focused on hands-on practical application and does not contain a bunch of pointless busywork experiments (if I have to have dd suck food coloring up one more stalk of celery I will scream!!!). Something that would turn out more of a Jr. McGyver rather than a science nerd or walking science encyclopedia. For this coming year I will be using Ellen McHenry's basic and organic chemistry. They look really interesting.

One of the main things I learned with 3rd grade was to accommodate dd's own learning pace. Our grammar started with dictionary skills. She crashed and burned on this. I was distraught until a friend reminded me that I had the luxury of skipping that chapter and coming back to it later. Which we did. And in 4 months, she sailed through the dictionary skills part with no trouble at all. She just wasn't ready before. So don't be afraid to adjust things to suit your and your student's needs.

Another thing we really started working on in 3rd grade that has paid large dividends was work ethic. A job worth doing is worth doing well, etc. Dd learned that sloppy work would be sent back to be redone and accompanied by a second assignment. So work done poorly only made double the work later. Now, going into 7th grade, I am starting to see some solid results of that training. She will review her own work prior to turning it in most of the time now, and make her own corrections.

Third grade is fun. It is important, but all grades are. Don't let external pressure rob you of the joy and enthusiasm that make homeschooling so much fun and so successful. Best of luck to you.


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

We are Rod and Staff lovers for Math and English and Reading (actually DS loves everything they do...mom can only take so much textbook). DH was an advanced reader and LOVED their reading program (he started it in 3rd grade). DD my "normal" child does not enjoy the challenge of reading, although she can do it. I'm going to try the 3rd grade reading program with her this year, since we own it, not sure if it will be a good fit for her or not. She wasn't too excited with the 2nd grade, last year so we went a different direction. But she enjoyed their 1st grade Reading.


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## Pigeon Lady (Apr 4, 2004)

SOS was a disaster for us. Son and I both hated it with a passion. We felt like we were in a labyrinth. I ended up trading it to OLF. It wasn't just that they required exact spelling it was that they required answers to be worded just one way. Son would know the correct answer to a question but it wouldn't accept the answer. It was extremely frustrating and time consuming. I've seen other's complain of the same problems. Our minds must process things differently than most. 

Guess I did spend more than $50 that year


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## eruehr (Feb 22, 2007)

We just finished 3d grade this year. We used the Rod and Staff for grammar and math. The grammar was great - the math not so much. Towards the end of the year we discovered Math Mammoth (www.mathmammoth.com) and really, really liked it and will be using that from now on. It is much more extensive and challenging than R&S which was pretty basic.


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