First Quarter Studies

In Bible, we'll be studying Genesis chapters 1-11 using Explorer's Bible Study, Discovery level, Genesis book.

I'm excited to take the journey with Camille as we move away from Bible stories and start studying scripture. We're starting at the beginning and we'll work our way through the Bible in years to come but this year we're studying Genesis.




In Math, we're using Horizons Math 3 as our main math program and the first quarter (lessons 1-36), review all that has been learned previously with a few new terms & concepts being introduced. I am so grateful that we have the Teacher's guide! Camille sees the difference in the text, now the typeface is smaller in year 3 and she feels like it shows that she is growing up.

As a supplement this year, we're going to use Times Tales to help with multiplication and division math facts.




We are starting Prima Latina this quarter with the DVDs.








We are continuing with Écoutez Parlez, French Oral Program this year, reviewing Unit 1 during the first quarter.





We started Primary Language Lessons by Emma Serl, Updated by Margot Davidson during the last portion of our 2nd grade year. We will continue to work through the book this year with great pleasure. Hillside Education has released an Answer Key and Teacher guide free of charge as a .pdf file.







We are continuing on with the Explode the Code series, starting with Book 7.










We are continuing our poetry memorization with The Harp and Laurel Wreath by Laura Berquist. This quarter we will be memorizing Bird Talk, Merry Sunshine, Foreign Lands, Windy Nights, and Bed in Summer and adding to Camille's growing poetry notebook.





We are cheerfully continuing our history studies with Tapestry of Grace, this year we'll be using Year 3 Redesign. We will also be using Tapestry's Writing Aids, MapAids and possibly Evaluations.

For the first quarter we will be studying 1800-1825: Napoleon Bonaparte, Lewis & Clark, the Louisiana Purchase, Moving westward, the Supreme Court, Presidents John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison and James Monroe as well as studying about South America.

We will be making a quill pen, moccasins, silhouettes, creating maps plus a salt map, cooking South American dishes and making our first attempt to make pottery.


In Science, we'll be studying the human body with Head to Toe Science by Jim Wiese with complementary reading from the Christian Liberty Nature Reader Book 5 as well as other living science books.

We will be creating paper bodies again (we did this in first grade) but Danny will be joining us as we use My Body by Teacher Created Resources.

The kids are itching to use the stethoscope I got for them... :)




Once a week, Camille will work in this informal logic workbook.








At lunch every day we'll be listening to Antonio Vivald's music and I will read this biography to the kids while they eat.








At afternoon tea, twice a week, we'll read Grimms' Fairy Tales. I'm contemplating whether to get an audio version for this or not. We'll see how it goes.







As part of our attempt to have masterly inactivity, the kids have chosen to have an exercise session 2x a week, alternated with afternoon tea.








Camille and I are very excited to start Drawing With Children 2x a week, alternated with handicrafts. We have our art boards and markers all set to start. For handicrafts, we're starting with needlepoint and I even found a little project for Danny!





For character study this quarter we will be focusing on Willingness, I will pull this theme out of all our reading where I can and read from Keepers of the Faith's character book on Willingness at least once a week.

Danny will be starting Horizons Preschool and enjoying reading time with me as well as joining Camille in the studies above as much as possible. I am piggybacking Danny onto Camille's time, while she does what work she can independently, Danny will be doing something with me.

Of course we are continuing our nature studies but these are informal because we never know what God will reveal to us from day to day in our adventures. I'm very excited to start this new year, albeit a bit scared of teaching both kids, there is a wind of change flowing through our homeschool as we embrace a more structured day which I hope will produce many fruits with the kids.