I’ve structured this page for those who like to piece together their own curriculum but I know there are a lot of people (seems like most I encounter) who just appreciate to find a trusted curriculum that will package it all together for them in a box for a reasonable price. If that is you, this is my best recommendation: Memoria Press Third Grade Classical Core Complete Set.
Note: You can also customize the above set if your child needs different levels: Third Grade Customizable Complete Curriculum Package
For those eclectic folks who like a bit from this and a bit from that, look down below to get ideas from my best suggestions from varying different curriculums. All curriculums mentioned below I have used and loved:
- Third Grade Curriculum Manual – – the most amazing done for you book of them all! Every lesson plan and what you should do daily already perfectly planned. Masterfully done and takes the guess work out of it (the manual includes every book mentioned below).
Latin
If your student is new to latin they do not need to do Prima Latina (from second grade). This course moves at a slower speed (they don’t do latin every day) and small assignments. They will cover the content that was learned in Prima Latina, and much more.
- Latina Christiana Student
- Latina Christiana Teacher
- Latina Christiana Pronunciation CD
- Latina Christiana DVDs
- Latina Christiana Review Worksheets
- Latina Christiana Review Worksheets Key
- Ludere Latine Student
- Ludere Latine Answer Key
- Latina Christiana Flashcards (these are not included in the package above because many students got them in second with Prima Latina, if you are new to Memoria Press you will want to purchase them here)
Spelling
Grammar
- English Grammar Recitation I Student
- English Grammar Recitation I Teacher
- English Grammar Recitation Flashcards
- Core Skills Language Arts 3
Reading: Novels and Literature Guides
- Farmer Boy
- Farmer Boy Student Guide
- Farmer Boy Teacher Guide
- Charlotte’s Web
- Charlotte’s Web Student Guide
- Charlotte’s Web Teacher Guide
- A Bear Called Paddington
- A Bear Called Paddington Student Guide
- A Bear Called Paddington Teacher Guide
- Mr. Popper’s Penguins
- Mr. Popper’s Penguins Student Guide
- Mr Popper’s Penguins Teacher Guide
- The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
Poetry
- Poetry for the Grammar Stage Anthology, Third Edition
- Poetry for the Grammar Stage Student, Third Edition
- Poetry for the Grammar Stage Teacher, Third Edition
Classical Studies
They will cover Greek Myths in 2 years (3rd and 4th)
- D’Aulaires’ Greek Myths
- D’Aulaires’ Greek Myths Student Guide
- D’Aulaires’ Greek Myths Teacher Guide
- D’Aulaires’ Greek Myths Flashcards
Timeline
Timelines are essential for helping children to fit the different pieces of history together in their mind.
Christian Studies
- The Golden Children’s Bible
- Christian Studies I Student
- Christian Studies I Teacher
- Old Testament Flashcards
- Memory Verse Flashcards
Math
- Rod & Staff Grade 3 Math Student Book (includes Supplemental Worksheets)
- Rod & Staff Grade 3 Math Teacher Manual (includes Worksheets Key)
- Rod & Staff Grade 3 Math Blacklines
- Rod & Staff Grade 3 Math Speed Drills
- Multiplication Flashcards
- Division Flashcards
Science
This year the children will take in depth study of mammals
- What Is the Animal Kingdom?
- The World of Mammals
- What Is a Mammal?
- Mammals Student Guide
- Mammals Teacher Guide
Composition
Cursive
American Studies/Geography
- Don’t Know Much About the 50 States
- States & Capitals Student
- States & Capitals Teacher
- States & Capitals Flashcards
Read-A-Louds
These are books that are chosen because of their beauty in prose, art, and content. I feel it is essential that we read to our children, and when we read aloud it is a good idea to choose books that are a grade level above our children’s reading level. This will increase their vocabulary and improve their own reading as they hear harder words and more complex sentences read well. These are good books that have survived the test of time—books that are well written and beautifully illustrated.
Read-A-Loud Novels
- Winnie the Pooh by A.A. Milne *
- Mary Poppins by P.L. Travers *
- D’Aulaires’ Book of Norse Myths by Ingri and Edgar Parin D’Aulaire *
- American Tall Tales by Mary Pope Osborne *
- The Saturdays by Elizabeth Enright
- James Herriot’s Treasury for Children by James Herriot, ill. by Ruth Brown & Peter Barrett *
- A Day on Skates by Hilda van Stockum *
- The Indian in the Cupboard by Lynne Reid Banks
- The Borrowers by Mary Norton
- The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett *
- Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin
*Denotes hardback
Read-A-Loud Picture Books
- Casey at the Bat ill. by Katie Khan
- Cupid and Psyche by M. Charlotte Craft *
- They Were Strong and Good by Robert Lawson *
- The Stranger by Chris Van Allsburg *
- Persephone by Sally Pomme Clayton *
- Chanticleer and the Fox by Barbara Cooney
- Rikki Tikki Tavi by Rudyard Kipling, ill. by Jerry Pinkney
- The Tale of the Firebird by Gennady Spirin *
- Over the River and Through the Wood by Lydia Maria Child, ill. by Christopher Manson *
- The Gift of the Christmas Cookie by Dandi Daley Mackall *
- An Orange for Frankie by Patricia Polacco *
- The Nutcracker by E.T.A Hoffmann *
- The Nutcracker by Stephanie Spinner *
- Twas the Night Before Christmas ill. by Matt Tavares *
- Christmas Day in the Morning by Pearl S. Buck *
- Rapunzel by Paul O. Zelinsky
- King Midas and the Golden Touch by Charlotte Craft
- Pegasus by Marianna Mayer *
- The Tale of the Three Trees by Angela Elwell Hunt *
- The Ugly Duckling by Hans Christian Andersen, ill. by Jerry Pinkney *
- The Little Match Girl by Hans Christian Andersen
- Thomas Jefferson Builds a Library by Barbara Rosenstock *
- Squanto & the Miracle of Thanksgiving by Eric Metaxas
*Denotes hardback
Supplemental American History Books:
We focus on geography in grades 3-6 in our Classical Core Curriculum because it is beneficial for students to know where the historical events they study take place in the context of each other. But grammar school years are a great time to introduce American history too. So we go through these four sets of American biographies and novels as a supplement to our 3rd grade Classical Core package. They are purchased separately but they will be referenced in the Third grade classical core curriculum guide and assigned as reading each week.
Third Grade Set includes:
- Leif the Lucky
- Meet Christopher Columbus
- Pocahontas
- The Cabin Faced West
- Meet George Washington
- Sarah, Plain and Tall
- Daniel Boone
- Meet Thomas Jefferson
- The Bears on Hemlock Mountain
- Benjamin Franklin
- Meet Abraham Lincoln
- Clara Barton
- Riding the Pony Express
- Helen Keller
- Laura Ingalls Wilder
- A Penny’s Worth of Character
SOLD SEPARATELY: DISCUSSION QUESTION GUIDE FOR THESE READERS
Supplements
These are not part of the core but can be purchased separately