Name: Spreading the Feast Gathering
Start: 2025-07-11T00:00:00-05:00
End: 2025-07-12T23:59:59-05:00
Location: LaGrange, KY

This topic has 8 replies, 5 voices, and was last updated 13 years, 3 months ago by Tia.

Viewing 9 posts - 1 through 9 (of 9 total)

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February 15, 2012 at 5:06 pm
Tia
Participant
Could someone paint me a picture of what a CM complete Language Arts program would look like for a third grader? I have all these things floating around in my mind…dictation, narration, copywork…
I’d love to see a few examples of what this might look like so I can streamline my thoughts. By language arts, I mean all of it…the reading, writing, telling, etc…
I know we are transitioning next year to some “more things” with regard to this, and I’m just having a hard time wrapping my head around it.
Thanks so much!! 🙂
February 15, 2012 at 5:35 pm
Bookworm
Participant
Do you have the SCM language arts book, Hearing and Reading, Telling and Writing?
February 15, 2012 at 5:41 pm
Tia
Participant
Yes, I do! I love it, but I’m only about a quarter of the way through it. So far, the stuff I’ve read on narration and literature has been very helpful. But i haven’t gotten to the rest of it yet. I sort of went into panic mode this morning when I realized how fast this year was going…
February 15, 2012 at 6:00 pm
Tristan
Participant
If you look at the SCM Free Curriculum Guide you’ll see these marked under grade 3 for Language Arts type stuff:
Copywork and Transcription : details here: http://simplycharlottemason.com/planning/scmguide/copywork/
Gentle Intro to English/Grammar: details here: http://simplycharlottemason.com/planning/scmguide/grammar/
And narration for history of course.
February 15, 2012 at 6:45 pm
nerakr
Participant
I don’t know how CM this is, but this is what I have in mind for my 3rd grader next year (boy):
Narration-haven’t been consistent in this area, so we’ll work more on it orally, alternating between history and science.
Copywork-look for signs he’s ready for transcription instead. Debating about whether to start cursive. (Penmanship is his worst subject)
Grammar-Ruth Heller and Brian Cleary books; Meet the Puncs series; other similar books. After reading each book, spend some time (about a month to 6 weeks, 1x/week) on the concept from the book. I compiled a list of language arts concepts from picture book from Homeschool Share that I could use for “living examples.”
Poetry-Rosetti, Hilda Conkling, Sara Teasdale, Susan Coolidge
Spanish-continue Salsa Spanish
HTH,
Karen
February 15, 2012 at 10:58 pm
Sonya Shafer
Moderator
The chart at the beginning of chapter 2 in the Hearing and Reading, Telling and Writing book might a helpful place to start. (Those of you who don’t have the book can still see the chart in the free sample download.) It lists these aspects for grade 3:
- Good literature, as opposed to twaddle
- Vocabulary learned naturally through context, not a separate subject
- Reading for instruction; i.e., practicing the habit of attention when listening to a reading
- Oral narration
Those four items are integrated in other school subjects like history, geography, and Bible.
The next three items would be separate language arts-type lessons.
- Beginning reading; i.e., making sure the child is comfortable and progressing in fluency with reading
- Copywork and Transcription (3rd grade would be making the transition to transcription)
- Poetry: mainly reading together and enjoying, but could also include memorization and recitation
Does that help any?
February 16, 2012 at 3:02 am
Tia
Participant
Yes, I looked over the chart again and this does help. Apparently, I had looked at the chart before because I had notes written in the margins. lol
She is already reading quite fluently and needs no more instruction in this area. Would this be a reason to go ahead and begin dictation/spelling or should I still wait a year?
I was also considering having her begin the transition to reading her own lesson books next year. I’ve noticed she retains information she’s read herself more readily than that which is read to her. Although, her narrations from read aloud subjects are far beyond what they were at the start of the year. Do you have any reservations about this that I may not have considered?

February 16, 2012 at 3:25 am
Bookworm
Participant
If she needs no more reading instruction, I’m not sure I’d begin dictation yet. There is a LOT going on in dictation. Those little brains have to do a lot of things at once! Remember what you dictated, remember how to spell it, remember how to write it— I’d still wait just a little while. How is her handwriting? That’s one thing I waited on for my boys–until it wasn’t quite so painful to write much. When they were still sitting there tending to tense up and stick their tongues out of the corner of their mouths, concentrating for all they were worth–I wanted them to be a little more relaxed before I expected them to remember a several-word phrase, remember how to spell it, and then get it on the paper!
She can certainly begin to transition to reading some of her own books. I wouldn’t stop reading to her and expecting narrations COMPLETELY, though, as you want her to develop BOTH skills–the skill of reading herself and being able to retain and narrate, and the skill of listening and being able to retain and narrate. It’s good to realize she can do the one better than the other–but not so good to give up on the other.
February 16, 2012 at 2:05 pm
Tia
Participant
Actually, her handwriting is meticulous. But, you make some good points and I think it could wait another year. I’m always for putting off something for another year if I can. lol I know the Spelling Wisdom guides start in 3rd grade, so I guess that’s when I thought we would begin spelling…but maybe not?
I’ll be sure to keep reading to her as she begins the transition…good thought.
Grammar…we did a light grammar thing this year and it went fine. But I’m thinking of nixing it altogether until she is older, based on some more CM stuff I’ve read recently. Does this sound acceptable?
It actually sounds like next year won’t be a WHOLE lot different than this year. The transition looks more gradual to me this morning than it looked earlier this week. lol
Thanks!