Year 3 Program and Books


You should read aloud nearly all of these books to your child if under nine years of age. Strong readers may be able to read them but comprehension and enjoyment will be greatly improved if you read aloud this rich literature.  This practice is also recommended by Charlotte Mason. 

Bible
*How the Bible Came to Us by Doney
**Polite Moments Vol 2 by Gary & Cathy Maldaner
***Hero Tales Vol 1 by Jackson

For personal daily bible reading we suggest:                                             
The One Year Bible for Kids by Tyndale
Bible journal- sermon notes, prayer, character

Writing (asterisks refer to term *1,**2,***3)
"The earliest practice in writing proper for children of seven or eight should be, not letter writing or dictation, but transcription (copywork), slow and beautiful work… Transcription should be an introduction to spelling. Children should be encouraged to look at the word, see a picture of it with their eyes shut, and then write from memory.

A certain sense of possession and delight may be added to this exercise if children are allowed to choose for transcription their favorite verse in one poem and another. This is better than to write a favorite poem, an exercise which stales on the little people before it is finished. But a book of their own, made up of their own chosen verses, should give them pleasure." (Home education, p. 238).

Continue "My America" copybook (see notes on method in History Helps)

Keep a journal

* learn cursive letters, but continue copywork in print 

(learning cursive IS copywork, NOT in addition to)
**practice cursive writing by transitioning slowly over from print to cursive

We use this website for copywork models. I simply type in a phrase from This Country of Ours and it prints it out in a beautiful cursive model.
***May begin occasional written narrations if comfortable with cursive- (1 per wk) (This is according to Program 90 CM)


Spelling

(Informal Dictation)

Children should visualize new words often (Go here for method)

Grammar 

Continue informal grammar instruction with copywork exercises.-What is a sentence? Subjects, nouns, verbs and basic punctuation. 
 
Optional helpful resources

Daily Grams 3-  2pgs weekly (NOT Easy Grammar 3)
Merry Go Round by Ruth Heller
Kites Sail High by Ruth Heller


Read Aloud Tales
Beautiful Stories from Shakespeare by Nesbit (2nd half)
Heroes by Charles Kingsley
Pilgrim's Progress Part 2 by John Bunyan
Chronicles of Narnia by Lewis
*Water Babies by Charles Kingsley
**The Princess and the Goblin
***The Jungle Books by Rudyard Kipling

Poetry
* William Blake, edited by John Maynard
** SarahTeasdale and Hilda Conkling 

*** Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, edited by Frances Schoonmaker

American History
(Revolution1776 - WWI 1917)
Main Text: This Country Of Ours by H.E. Marshall (ends at 1917)
*Caddie Woodlawn by Brink
*Lewis and Clark Expedition –Landmark by Richard L Neuberger and Winold Reiss

    or Of Courage Undaunted  by Daugherty (one option)
* **Carry On, Mr Bowditch
** Children’s Book of America by Bennett and Hague
**If you Grew Up with Abraham Lincoln by Ann Mcgovern and George Ulrich
**Harriet Tubman, Wanted Dead or Alive!
**Daily Life on a Southern Plantation by Paul Erickson
***Buffalo Bill by Ingri D'Aulaire
***The Story of Thomas Alva Edison
***Out of Darkness: Louis Braille

World History
(Renaissance - eve of WW1)
Child's History of the World by V.M. Hillyer
***Children's History of the 20th Century (DK Millennium) by DK Publishing

Biographies:
*Michelangelo by Diane Stanley (3 wks)
*Shakespeare, Bard of Avon by Stanley (9 wks)
*Tyndale,The Bible Smuggler by Vernon

Geography
*Seabird by Holling C. Holling
**Seterra online free Geography drills or Geosafari
***Tree in the Trail by Holling C Holling

World Wall Map or Globe-identify places in History readings
Blank US Wall Map-
*Circle the Louisiana Purchase
*Draw Lewis and Clark’s route
** ***Add the 50 states as they are added to the union in your history readings.
*** Label major Civil War Battle locations.
***Draw Santa Fe Trail as you read about it

Natural History and Science
Keep a Nature Note-Book
Handbook of Nature Study for reference
Various field guides
Choose one Apologia Elementary Science book by Jeannie Fulbright

(our schedule uses the Astronomy Book)
** ***Dinosaurs by Design by Duane T. GIsh

More suggestions (optional):
Magic School Bus Lost in the Solar system by Joanna Cole and Bruce Degen
Find the Constellations H.A. Rey
Magic School Bus Inside the Earth by Joanna Cole and Bruce Degen
Do Tornadoes Really Twist? by the Bergers
Magic School Bus Inside a Hurricane by Joanna Cole and Bruce Degen
Science Activities Vol 3 (pg49ff) by Rebecca Heddle
Weather by Seymour Simon
Why Do Leaves Change color? by Betsy Maestro

Considering God’s Creation by Susan Mortimer and Betty Smith

Art

Draw 50 People by Ames (try to draw from here once a week) (We recommend that you do not begin with this book if your child is new to drawing or this curriculum. It is best to begin with Draw 50 Animals)
Sketch (use a soft, thick drawing pencil like charcoal; not a regular pencil)
Pictures of people and scenes read about in your Tales (occasionally)

Use the dry brush technique with watercolors-avoid pencil outlines filled in with color.
6 plants and 6 animals/insects per term that the child has observed.


Picture Study
Study reproductions of six pictures by an artist per term and narrate from memory.
Add to computer desktop background. Give each child a 4x6 print. (available for free download at artrenewal.org)

Suggestions:
Michelangelo
Da Vinci
Raphael
 
American Artists option:
Copley
Stuart
Hudson River Artists

Mathematics
Choose a math program
Family Math by Stenmark, Thompson, Cossey, and Hill- for reference (use many word problems)
Rapid mental work with Multiplication Flash cards and occasional computer math game drills
Multiplication Songs CD
Focus on triple digit addition, subtraction. Times tables to 12. Making change from 5.00

Foreign Language
Listen to audio children’s tales with picture books
Children orally narrate from tales in English and foreign language
Copywork once a week from same story

Recitations
Learn one or two suitable passage of 6 verses from chapters in Bible Lessons and/or Psalms per term
Focus on parables
(total of 12 to 18 verses per term)
One Psalm per term
One poem of child's choice from poet studied per term.

Suggestions: (we use the NIV)
*Matthew 5:1-12, Psalm 33:1:9
**Matthew 5:38-48, Psalm 33:10-15
***Revelation 22:1-7: Psalm 33:16-22

Music
Progressive Keyboard Method for Young Beginners Book 1
Continue to practice recorder

Composer Study
Listen to one composer’s biography from VOX masters per term and also his greatest hits.
Sketch what comes to mind while enjoying the music. No lessons.

Suggestions:
*The Story of Bach in Words and Music
Greatest Hits: Bach
**The Story of Handel in Words and Music
Greatest Hits: Handel
***The Story of Haydn in Words and Music
Greatest Hits: Haydn

Singing
Various Foreign Language songs
Learn at least two folksongs per term from Wee Sing America CD
and two hymns per term- http://www.cyberhymnal.org/ or http://www.songsandhymns.org/hymns/

Elocution
McGuffey’s Eclectic 2nd Reader (2nd half) -child reads one story aloud during tea time once a week.

Physical Education
running, throwing and catching a ball

Handiwork
Help in house and garden
Wood carving, beadwork, decoupage are some suggestions
See Handicraft list for more ideas

optional:
The Curious Boy's Book of Adventure by Martin
(see our bookstore for more handiwork guides)

Additional Reading
(strong readers may be able to read some of these on their own)
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by Frank Baum
A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett (girl choice)
Little Lord Fauntleroy by Frances Hodgson Burnett (boy choice)
Treasures of the Snow by St. John
At the Back of the North Wind by George MacDonald
On the Banks of Plum Creek by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Alice's Adventures In Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
Swallows and Amazons by Ransome
Black Beauty by Anna Sewell
Misty of Chincoteague by Henry
Sea Star by Henry

Brighty of the Grand Canyon by Henry
The Family under the Bridge by Carlson
Strawberry Girl by Lowry
Ginger Pye by Estes
Trumpet of the Swan by White
Burgess Animal Stories series- choose any
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang by Fleming, then watch the movie
Wheel on the School by Dejong
Cricket in Times Square by Selden
The Bears of Blue River by Major
Sugar Creek Gang Series by Hutchins (boys especially like this)
Parables from Nature by Gatty (difficult, but good Sunday book for discussion)
Bambi by Felix Salten



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