3rd Grade Reflections II 2023-24 Homeschool Curriculum Selections II What WORKED & what did NOT WORK

[@nicolemcgriff8597]

TGTB Level 3 LA is fantastic. My child enjoyed it more than I expected.

[@Grace_Filled_Homeschool]

I use Christian Light Reading for comprehension that goes beyond discussion even though my state doesn’t require testing. It is goes into vocabulary, story elements and higher level questioning we don’t get to with Sonlight.

[@jerilyn-ourhomeschooltable]

We love CLE Reading too

[@Lenaelli14]

Love your videos! These are so helpful! Just wanted to mention when my daughter was learning multiplication facts we used classical conversations skip counting songs I found on KZbin. This really helped her. She'll still go back to these (in her head) at 14. Also, when starting Saxon 5/4 she did the daily timed math fact worksheets. I didn't time her, but she timed herself and would keep track of how she had progressed. These were great for addition, subtraction, etc.

[@sciencemama]

Good idea!

[@brittanyedwards3293]

We’re trying Sonlight-core C next year. I’m so excited, and I’m so thankful for these videos!!

[@amandamendoza4181]

So sweet that you are being so patient with her and helping her along. She is only 8 and 3rd grade work gets hard fast. Praying you guys have a wonderful summer and next year goes a bit smoother!❤

[@zahrayoder5049]

Appreciate this summary of the school year and hearing your experiences with your curriculum options. Thx for sharing!

[@lisascott8801]

I just wanted to say that it's normal for kids to need extra practice with math facts. Only my oldest daughter didn't need specific practice beyond her math lessons, but she memorizes things very easily. My other kids (5 so far) have needed to work on flash cards or play games to make the facts stick, especially for multiplication.

[@sciencemama]

I completely agree ... it took my son a bit before he mastered them too!

[@captain7471]

Definitely try the Facts That Stick, it’s a lot of fun and o think it will help it not be such a fight

[@lisaroper421]

Yay for a year with growth! And hooray for the ability to be flexible when it is needed!

[@EclecticHomeschoolShelf]

My dd did really well with the Math Facts that Stick series (we've done addition, subtraction, and multiplication). I have her use learning wrap-ups daily to continue to practice, and we play games that use math a lot, too (especially during the summer).

[@DeborahGibson-hy7im]

I love watching your videos! I have a summer child a year behind yours (as well as 6 other kiddos). It is tricky with these summer birthdays for what grade and levels to use! We did 2nd grade Sonlight all-the- things with level K core this past year. I’m feeling the need to switch my older kiddos especially to a different curriculum so we are trying BJU press next year and I think we are going to use that for my summer girl as well. I may have to use Sonlight for the readers (I may have some FOMO there 😜), but we are going to start with the 2nd grade package and go from there- I think BJU is a bit more advanced like Abeka and I’m making peace with holding my kiddo back a year. I compared BJU with Abeka and I just feel like I will enjoy BJU more with its DLO parent hub where I can keep track of all the kids at once. The videos sound great, but you can also access the teacher additions on the hub if you want to take over some subjects yourself. Just something you may want to keep in mind as your kids get older! Plus, it can help you manage teaching multiple levels at once. It sounds like you got it all covered for now- just thought I’d mention what we are doing as well in case you need something different later!

[@Evrydaynay]

Thanks for this update! I am planning my upcoming 3rd graders curriculum and this helps! My 4th grader needed some help with her facts. We used the AIM program from Math U See. They have an addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. The program has really helped her retain her facts and has built up her confidence. I even used it on my 2nd grader. I made a video about it on my channel if you want to check it out! Hope ya'll have a great summer!! ❤

[@kristyauringer2116]

Maybe check out writeshop and sequential spelling. Teaches writing and spelling differently.

[@michellefg792]

I feel like we are in the same boat. My 8 (soon to be 9) year old daughter struggled a lot with reading and math so I slowed it down and she pretty much finished 2nd grade now. And we are finally working at a faster pace so she is starting 3rd grade level over the summer and I really hope to catch her up by at least 5th grade. I know age and grade doesn’t matter but the friends she had same birthdays as are ahead. And I don’t want that to get to her!

[@sciencemama]

I completely understand!

[@brittany.powell]

We’ve absolutely loved, and are only using the composition portion from TGTB level 3. So the creative writing, journal writing, sentences, and essays. It’s exactly what my daughter needed. It clearly shows her what the expectations are and it’s mostly independent for her at this point. We’re going to continue to use only the composition from TGTB levels 3-5 and pair it with EIW each year. This next year will be our first year trying EIW and I think it’s going to be a really good fit for my soon to be 4th grader.

[@sciencemama]

Love that you are just using the composition!

[@brittany.powell]

@@sciencemama I’m just bummed that I didn’t look into this resource sooner! It’s been so, so sweet to see my daughter finally find joy in writing using the TGTB composition. I was using 6-trait from Evan Moor, and although it was full of really good information it didn’t help my daughter know how to craft a paragraph from start to finish. It helped with the meat and some toppings, but not the buns if that makes sense lol.

[@captain7471]

I’d really look into something else other that TGATB, it’s very full of holes and gaps, I see people every single day asking for help because after using it for a year or two their kids are lost. It doesn’t flow or teach well at all, it jumps around a ton

[@candycandyissodandy]

Hey there! New to your channel, so this may be a video you’ve already created.. a video on what you would do for a full school year from all the things you’ve learned. Example; recommendations for 1st grade, all the curriculum I would use now! I’m lost and would like to have some solid suggestions!

[@budgetnutritionist]

I love this idea!!

[@sciencemama]

Love that video idea!

[@brittanyedwards3293]

Were there any books you didn’t enjoy as much this past year, or were they all awesome?

[@sciencemama]

There were some slower readers for my daughter but I feel like they were all good!

[@RosalindReloj]

I am in the same spot with my daughter. She wants to know things without practicing.

[@carlak6887]

My son is the same way with the Math Facts, we tried Kate snow both addition and subtraction. it didn't help him because he forgets lol... would you share some more tips.

[@Tezzie13]

Oh your daughter sounds so much like my 8 year old! Math is a struggle for us because she wants to KNOW it before she's even tried 😅

[@abiogbonna3422]

Where do you do the standardize testing?? Thank you!

[@sciencemama]

We get the paper CAT tests and I administer them at home and send them in to be scored! We tried the online option the first year but it glitched and decreased our time, so I switched to the paper!

[@flyingsignals]

Have you seen math “wrap ups” for math facts practice?

[@sciencemama]

No, but thank you for the reminder!

[@BearBettermentSchool]

New set! 😂

[@sciencemama]

Haha, it just happened that way because I was filming something for my book channel!

[@ambermichelle7253]

My son is currently in a school that claim to work a year ahead! I’m pulling him next week! I was reading placement testing for good and beautiful and it says don’t work ahead! Do you think I should just keep him at third grade level? He is very smart but is very active so just wondering if I should stick to 3rd grade level or do 4th grade? Do you have any thoughts on this?

[@sciencemama]

Have you used the placement test on TGTB website? If he is in between you can always breeze through level 3 quickly to make sure he knows it!

[@karivanhorn1765]

We made it like 3 weeks on typing 😂

[@sciencemama]

There is always next year!