Curriculum Plans for Third Grade

I think I have finalized our plans for our third grade year.  I'm sure I will tweak things here and there and possibly find some new things, especially since I will be doing curriculum reviews again this year for the TOS Crew, but I think this will cover the bulk of what we will be doing.

We will be using Bigger Hearts for His Glory, from Heart of Dakota, which uses a biographical approach to American history from the 1500's-1970's. 

For History the main spines will be First Book in American History, Journeys in Time, and Stories of Great Americans.

For Science we will be reading through One Small Square: Seashore and Woods, Science in Colonial America, and A Pioneer Sampler. 

For Bible we are currently reading through Proverbs and in the fall we will start Community Bible Study, where we both will be studying Luke.

For Math we are using Righstart Level D.  I went back and forth about this for a while and was very close to choosing another math program (we've been using Rightstart since the first level). 

Our daughter struggled last year and I just wasn't sure if it was the program or just her not liking math.  I've decided to slow our pace down and play more games in between lessons.  My plan is to take a year and a half on this level. 

In addition to Rightstart and math games, I am going to have her work through Daily Word Problems, Grade 3. 

For the past two years we used First Language Lessons for Grammar.  We enjoyed it but I have heard good things about Rod & Staff and just happened to find the third grade books at a used curriculum sale.

So for Grammar we are using Beginning Wisely, English 3. 

Spelling is the only subject I am not 100% sure on.  We have used All About Spelling for two years but I wanted to try something new before we continued.  I found Sequential Spelling 1 at a used curriculum sale but I it seems a bit too easy (their online test places her in book 3).  We are currently working through some of it along with a 4th grade spelling list I found online.  Spelling comes naturally for her so once we get through the lists I have made, I'll focus on the words she gets wrong.  At that time I may revisit All About Spelling and purchase level 3.  Oh, and we are also working through Explode the Code 5.

For Writing, we are currently working through Writing Strands 3.  My daughter is enjoying it and we can speed up or slow down the pace as we see fit.

Once we finish with Writing Strands, which will probably be in late fall, I am going to be starting her in Excellence in Writing's Student Writing Intensive (SWI) A.  I am excited about this program and hoping it will take her writing to the next level.

For Handwriting she will be using New American Cursive Book 3.

For Independent Reading we are using the Drawn Into the Heart of Reading Teacher's Guide and Student Book Level 2-3.  I've chosen nine books, each in a different genre, that she is to read independently.  After each chapter is read, we go over discussion questions and sometimes there is a worksheet for her to complete. 

For Read Alouds, I've chosen a different set of nine books, each in a different genre, that I read aloud to her.  These correspond with the units in Bigger Hearts for His Glory.

For Latin she will be working on Latin for Children A. 

She finished Song School Latin already and enjoyed it so we are going to continue with Classical Academic Press.  I think it will be challenging but CAP makes it fun with their songs and online supplements.

So that is the bulk of what she will be working on this year.  I have a couple other workbooks, like Maps, Charts, and Graphs D and Building Thinking Skills Level 2, which she will just work on once a week. 

Looking at this list does seem like a lot, but really it all gets done in no more than about four hours a day.