What TS 2 Has Been Up To

I thought I'd mix it up a bit this week and write about how TS 2 is doing so far this year.  (I'll write separate posts about what TS 1 and TS 3 are up to in the coming weeks.)  TS 2 is in third grade, and we are using the following curricula as part of our Classical Christian/Charlotte Mason style homeschool.

Humanities Core:

Includes History, Geography, Church History, Music and Art Appreciation

TS 2- Tapestry of Grace, Year 2, Units 3 & 4

Language Arts

TS2- Christian Light Publishing Reading, Grade 3 (Reading Comprehension)

TS2- A Reason for Handwriting, Book T (Cursive Handwriting)

TS2- Institute for Excellence in Writing: Student Writing Intensive , Level A (Composition)

TS2- First Language Lessons, Level 3 (Grammar)
TS 2- Spelling Power

Math

TS2- Math-U-See Gamma Level; Math Made Easy 3

Science:

TS 2- Apologia: Exploring Creation with Anatomy and Physiology

Bible:

TS2- Explorer's Bible Study, Beginnings II, Jesus, My Shepherd

Foreign Language:

TS 2- Rosetta Stone Spanish (Latin America)- Homeschool Edition

Art/Music/PE/Sci, SS or Lit Enrichment:

Weekly Piano Lessons

Weekly Homeschool Co-op (PE, U.S. Government and Elections and Art)

Community Sports

In an earlier post, I wrote about how I decided to try TS 2 in the Upper Grammar level of TOG this year.  As it turns out, we have moved back down to the Lower Grammar level for now.   The history readings were too detailed and he was feeling lost and confused.  He seemed to be holding his own with the literature readings, but was a bit overwhelmed with the jump in the amount of reading each week.  It was not an easy decision for me, even though he is on the young side for Upper Grammar level.   In the end, I realized that my goal for history at the grammar level is to expose the kids to the big picture of the people and events of a given time period in an engaging and interesting way.  The best way to provide that experience for TS 2 right now is to stay in the Lower Grammar level.

TS 2 is flying through his MUS Gamma book.  At this point, he has learned his 0, 1, 2 and 10 times tables.  He seems to be understanding the concept of multiplication as well and is applying it successfully to simple word problems.

Spelling Power has turned out to be a truly painless way to work on spelling a little every day.

He is doing well with IEW as well.  I did not realize that the Student Writing Intensive was actually geared to 4-6 grade when I decided on it for TS 2's third grade year.  We are taking it slow and he is doing very well so far.  

We still love First Language Lessons and he has memorized Robert Louis Stevenson's poem, The Land of Nod, already.  Christian Light's Grade 3 Reader and workbook are providing a good foundation for our reading comprehension work this year.  While we read a lot in our homeschool, I still felt TS 2 needed a reading comprehension program that covered all the bases.  Using it, I feel more confident that he is working on these skills more explicitly, more completely and more often than if we just discussed his history readings each week.

TS 2 just finished his Studying God's Word book from last year for Bible.  It was a study of the doctrines of the Christian faith.  Part of his work in this book was to learn the answers to a series of 60 questions about the faith.  I am so proud of all he learned!  I'm working on a video to share.  He just started the Bible study listed above for his daily bible time, and it seems to be just right for him.

Tom is doing science with the test subjects again this year, although we have gotten off to a slow start so far.  They seem to be enjoying the Human Anatomy study and wrapped up lesson by making and eating an edible cell.  Throughout the first lesson, they loved these two videos about cells, and the information they learned in the reading was reinforced through them.  TS 2 especially seems to learn quickly when information is put to music or rhythm.

As for all the extras, co-op started a few weeks ago and TS 2 is really enjoying his classes.  Piano lessons are also going well and he will be performing a piece at co-op assembly in a few weeks.  He was invited to play on the third grade team at the school he attended for pre-k, kindergarten and first grade.  Practices start next week and games start around Thanksgiving.  He is very excited about it!