Adding Writing Into Our Curriculum: A Review of Daily 6-Trait Writing Grade 3

 

I received a COMPLIMENTARY copy of this book from Timberdoodle in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I compensated in any other way. This post contains affiliate links. Please see my Terms of Use and Disclosure Policy page for more information. Thank you.

While many of the subjects our third-grader has been studying include some writing, nothing focused on it specifically. So, I wanted to add writing to our curriculum, and with the opportunity to review Daily 6-Trait Writing Grade 3, it was the perfect time.

About the Workbook 

The workbook is designed to be used in a classroom setting. The lesson plan information is located at the beginning of each week for the teacher. Because of the way the book is set up, two of the four days of worksheets has the teacher's lesson plans located on them. So, you will need to decide – how will you share the work with your child(ren)? I photocopied side one and four for our daughter and then pulled out day two and three of the workbook.

Each week has a similar set up. Monday introduces the idea or concept, children practice it with short passages and questions on Tuesday and Wednesday, brainstorm ideas on Thursday, and then write on Friday. 

The book has 5 units: 

• Ideas
• Organization 
• Word Choice
• Sentence Fluency 
• Voice 
• Conventions 

And each unit has five weeks of lessons. These lessons are geared towards being taught with more than one child. For example, opportunities are given for students to work together and for you to collect ideas from a classroom of children. I found some of this put pressure on our daughter. She wasn't always willing or able to answer every question in the teacher lesson plans, so I had to adapt lessons quite a lot. 

Our Thoughts 

I really like the idea of Daily 6-Trait Writing Grade 3 as it provides short assignments focused on key topics that will help your child become a better writer. Mixed in are short grammar lessons, such as the discussion of commas when teaching about organization. These two topics fit hand-in-hand. 

With each week following a similar teaching pattern, children who thrive on consistency will do well. Knowing what to expect is important for children, and this workbook sets them up for success. However, if they find one or more activity difficult, they may dread those days. Our daughter was not fond of writing when we started out, so Fridays were not a fun day for her. I ended up staggering when I would start each week, so that the activities did not always fall on the same days. In other words, weeks would start on a Wednesday or Thursday, and then we would pick up again on Monday.

As a former teacher, I really wanted to like using Daily 6-Trait Writing Grade 3 in our homeschool. Unfortunately, I am finding out that the longer we homeschool, the more books designed for the classroom don't work for our family. With teaching only two children who don't happen to be on the same level for writing, it was difficult to make this resource work in our curriculum.

This is a good resource if you are teaching multiple children out of one workbook. With reproducible student pages and the opportunity for lots of class discussion, this will really help you add writing into your curriculum. There is an assessment rubric, so if you are unsure as to how to grade or evaluate your child(ren)'s work, you can do so easily. The tools are there to help teachers (and parents). 

One of the features I really like is something quite simple. At the end of the book there is a page of proofreading marks. I really like that the common proofreading marks are all listed on page. We'll be copying that and keeping that in the front of our language arts notebook for easy reference! 

Other Things to Know When Adding Writing Into Your Curriculum 

Daily 6-Trait Writing Grade 3 is published by Evan-Moor®. Permission is given to photocopy the pages in the book for single-classroom use. Correlations are available online for the current standards. So if you are interested in adhering to national standards, you have that information at your fingertips. 

There is a handy "How to Use This Book" guide in the beginning. This explains the teacher overview pages, the student activity pages, and ways to use the book. You can teach the lessons trait by trait or just pull out the lessons for the topics where your child(ren) need help and extra support. 

More Curriculum Choices 

Are you looking for more for your homeschool? Check out my other posts featuring Timberdoodle products. 

• Dice, Decks, and Boards: Penguins Huddle Up™ Game
• Including Geography in Your Homeschool: A Review of Skill Sharpeners Geography - Grade 2
• Supplementing Fifth Grade with a Geography Workbook

Puzzles and Homeschool Science

I received a COMPLIMENTARY copy of this puzzle from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I compensated in any other way. This post contains affiliate links. Please see my Terms of Use and Disclosure Policy page for more information. Thank you.

As you may have seen in past posts, puzzles and homeschool science is a natural fit for our family. I have one more fun puzzle to share with you from Genius Games. The last puzzle is The Human Eye, which is part of the Dr. Livingston's Anatomy Jigsaw Puzzle Series. It provides a larger-than-life look into the anatomy of yet another human structure for your homeschool classroom. 

The Human Eye Puzzle 

This 544-piece puzzle comes in a beautiful box with a magnetic closure on the flip lid. You could easily display the box on your bookshelf as it looks like an encyclopedia spine at first glance. It was illustrated by Mesa Schumacher, a certified medical illustrator, so it is 100% medically authentic. The inside of the box contains a diagram that labels the different parts, making for a unique science lesson while working on the puzzle. 

The puzzle itself is not your typical square or rectangle, as it is the shape of the illustrated eye. It is 32 inches by 22 inches when complete and shaped similar to a comet. This cross-cut section of the eye depicts the following:

• Optic nerve
• Dural sheath
• Macula and Fovea 
• Retina
• Cillary body 
• Lens
• Cornea
• Pupil
• Iris
• And more! 

Puzzles and Homeschool Science 

While we are not currently studying human anatomy in our homeschool science lessons, puzzles like this are a great way to take a break from normal lessons and talk about something new. Of course, they will also be perfect if you ARE studying human anatomy. 

Puzzles also provide us with some valuable family time offline. As we sit around the dining room table, we can talk about the day, practice important social skills, and learn about the subject of the puzzle itself. It's a fun way to connect. (pun intended) 

My Thoughts

Personally, I found this puzzle to be easier than the heart and brain puzzles we have put together previously. The differences and variety of colors really helped in putting this puzzle together. In fact, we completed this in one evening. 

I would recommend The Human Eye puzzle to families who are interested in completing a fun and challenging puzzle. Whether you homeschool or not, this is a fun family activity. 

Other Puzzles in Our Homeschool 

• Puzzles in Our Homeschool: Dr. Livingston's Anatomy Jigsaw Puzzle: The Human Thorax
• Anatomy Puzzle for Kids: A Review of the Dr. Livingston JR Human Body Floor Puzzle
• Puzzles are Great Fun! A Review of the Human Heart Floor Puzzle
• Puzzles as Science Resources: Doctor Livingston JR. Human Brain floor
• Teaching Homeschool Science: A Review of Owl Anatomy Floor Puzzle
• Homeschooling with a Dinosaur Puzzle
• Studying Anatomy with Puzzles: Pregnant Mother Anatomy Jigsaw Puzzle Review
• Piecing Your Heart Together: A Review of Dr. Livingston's Anatomy Jigsaw Puzzle: The Human Heart

Book Club: Book Review of Up from Dust

 

I received a COMPLIMENTARY copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I compensated in any other way. This post contains affiliate links. Please see my Terms of Use and Disclosure Policy page for more information. Thank you.

Heather Kaufman's latest book, Up from Dust: Martha's Story, is a nice mix of Biblical fiction and the examination of real events from the Bible. In the first book of the Women of the Way series, readers are introduced to the family of Martha, Mary, and Lazarus of Bethany. Events start in the book with the birth of Mary and continue through the lives of the three siblings. 

With the untimely death of their mother, Martha becomes responsible for rearing her siblings with the help of their grandmother and a few women from Bethany. While she and Lazarus are similar in demeanor in some regards, Mary is a rambunctious child who never seems to listen. She is often out wandering on her own instead of fulfilling required tasks. While their father is still with them, that doesn't mean that he necessarily helps raising his children. In fact, he seems to have never gotten over the death of his wife.

Throughout the story, we see the father move to raising sheep, and this is where the first love of Martha appears. A young shepherd is hired to take care of the family's flock. A future seems to be in the works, but hardship strikes and things change. Years pass, and the family has become prosperous. Eventually, their father dies, and Lazarus takes on the full responsibility of the family. 

It is during this time that Lazarus is in charge that the family hosts Jesus. This is where we see events follow the Bible accounts more closely. After all, we don't really know anything about the early lives of the three siblings. So Martha's first love, the relationship with their father, and the friendships in Bethany are all fictional accounts provided by the author. 

My Thoughts 

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Up from Dust. The joining together of Biblical fiction and real accounts was beautifully done. Kaufman explains in her author's note how and why she made the decisions she made regarding the fictionalized parts, which I appreciate. 

The lives of the three siblings really came to life – especially that of Martha. After reading this book, I felt like I really knew her. Even though many of the details were fictional, one could, after researching the time period, easily see the events taking place. Whether or not they would have happened to Martha, it doesn't matter. They are typical of the time and thus historically accurate, in that manner. 

I would recommend Up from Dust to those who enjoy Biblical fiction. It was a good work that I was eager to read each day. My only complaint is in regard to the book cover. The book itself has an odd texture and is not one that I enjoyed holding. I wish book companies would not use textured paper for their book covers. 

Want to Read More Reviews 

Book Club: Book Review of The Worry-Free Parent Workbook

Book Club: Book Review of All's Fair in Love and Christmas

Book Club: Book Review of Tiny Truths Little Lights Devotional

 

I received a COMPLIMENTARY copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I compensated in any other way. This post contains affiliate links. Please see my Terms of Use and Disclosure Policy page for more information. Thank you.

Tiny Truths Little Lights Devotional: Shining God's Light in the World by Joanna Rivard and Tim Penner is a very cute hardcover book for children! I was very happy to receive this book from Zonderkidz™ to review on my blog. 

The hardcover book is 155 pages long and printed on shiny paper. When I first opened the book, it had that wonderful new book smell! Each devotion is split between two pages and includes expository text, a Bible quote, and very cute illustrations of children engaging in the light shining described. 

The main focus of Tiny Truths Little Lights Devotional is that God gives us his unending love, and we can pass that along to others. Thus, our children can shine their own light and demonstrate God's love in simple ways. They can help share God's message without having to worry about how to do it. 

Some of the examples of how to shine their light include: 

• Being joyful 
• Following the example of Jesus 
• Including those who have been left out 
• Sharing God's love 
• Helping others 

The book also shares many examples of how we see God's love all around us. From the wonder of nature to small acts of love like sharing gentle words, Tiny Truths Little Lights Devotional provides concrete and simple examples for our children. 

My Thoughts 

This would make a great gift for a 5 to 9-year-old child. They could read it with their parent or on their own and start to dig into God's Word. There is even a place in the front of the book to inscribe it to the child with the date it was gifted. 

I really like that you can read two pages a day and focus on the love of God with your children. I started out reading the book by myself so I could review it, but my daughter spotted it and wanted it read aloud. We read several devotions a day because they are short and easy to read. After finishing the book, I have no concerns about giving the book to my children to read on their own.

I would recommend this book to families and churches, as it is a cute book that focuses on the light of God.  

Interested in More Books Published by Zondervan? Check out these reviews! 

• Book Club: Book Review of The Berenstain Bears Storybook Bible Search and Find
• Spending Time with the Bible: A Review of Beloved: 365 Devotions for Young Women from Zondervan
• Book Club: Review of the NIV Beautiful Word Coloring Bible for Girls
• Book Club: Book Review of Sunny Days Ahead

Book Club: Book Review of Sunny Days Ahead

I received a COMPLIMENTARY copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I compensated in any other way. This post contains affiliate links. Please see my Terms of Use and Disclosure Policy page for more information. Thank you.

Devotionals are a great way to incorporate more Bible reading into your life and the lives of your children. Sunny Days Ahead: 150 Devotions for Health and Happiness by Lindsay A. Franklin is just the devotional to add to your teen or college-aged child's bookshelf. 

"This world we live in is dark, difficult, and painful," starts the introduction (1). This is such a sad and honest truth. Our children, especially our older ones who are on social media and out in the world, face the sin-fallen world. How do we help them when they feel helpless or hopeless? Sunny Days Ahead provides 150 days of Bible quotes, reflections, and questions to help our children get started. 

About the Book 

The 154-page paperback book features one devotion per page. The Bible quotes are NIV, ESV, or NKJV. Through quotes from both the Old and New Testaments, we see how "God breathes hope into his Word" (1). 

The ten-minute devotions focus on some of the following topics: 

• Goals and dreams
• Money
• Talents and skills
• Serving others
• Role models from the Bible
• The different characteristics of God 

Each devotion begins with a Bible quote, moves into two or three paragraphs expounding upon the quote and relating to the reader, and then a reflection section with space for the reader to write down their thoughts and answers.

My Thoughts 

I really enjoyed Sunny Days Ahead. Even though the book is written for our teens or college-aged children, I felt that so much could be applied to my own life. There are parts that focus on things important to our youth. For example, new life skills they are learning and school/college interactions. But I think parents and children could read this together as part of a normal prayer routine.

I really liked that Franklin told the reader to speak with parents first about troubles and then listed others – pastors, trusted adults, etc. So often our children are told to go to a teacher when their parents should be the first ones to hear about troubles and problems. However, Franklin does write that if there are problems at home or elsewhere, the reader should seek appropriate help.

The only thing I had trouble with was the white text on the yellow background for the devotion headings and reflection text. The yellow did not make it easy on the eyes. 

The book points to being positive but finding that hope in Scripture and the Lord. There is no new age happy advice such as "do what makes you happy." Insights point to biblical and scientific truths. What a refreshing devotional for our families. 

Interested in More Books Published by Zondervan? Check out these reviews! 

• Book Club: Book Review of The Berenstain Bears Storybook Bible Search and Find
• Spending Time with the Bible: A Review of Beloved: 365 Devotions for Young Women from Zondervan
• Book Club: Review of the NIV Beautiful Word Coloring Bible for Girls