Having a good literature program in place is very important to us as a homeschool, and recently we have added the Memoria Press Literature for third grade. This is an amazing program that gives us the opportunity to explore classics like The Farmer Boy and Charlotte’s Web.
About Memoria Press:
Memoria Press is a family-run publishing company that was founded in 1994 by Cheryl Lowe. They offer easy-to-use classical Christian education that can be used for homeschools and private schools.
We first discovered Memoria Press this year while I was looking for a grammar and composition program for my third-grader. My third-grader is understanding and loving the programs, so I had a feeling that the literature set might be a hit as well.
This Memoria Press Third Grade Literature set includes both student study guides and teacher’s manuals for the following books:
• Paddington Bear
• Mr. Popper’s Penguins
• Charlotte’s Web
• Farmer Boy
How We Used The Program
My third-grader chose to start the set off with Charlotte’s Web. We have read this book many times. Once we added the study guide, it really made a difference.
We read together daily, and so we did a chapter a day of Charlotte’s Web, and then completed the study guide. Sometimes I read the chapter to him, and sometimes he read it to me.
Before we started the lesson we would open up our study guide and go over some of the things that we were going to be talking about for that day, which in the end seemed to help him pay closer attention.
Charlotte’s Web
Mr. Popper’s Penguins
Each chapter in the study guide is broken down into the following:
Reading Notes
Vocabulary
Comprehension Questions
Quotation
Discussion Questions
Enrichment
The reading notes aren’t actually vocabulary words, but more like what I call slang words or words that the child may not be familiar with. Following the word is the meaning. For example, a few of the words that you’ll find in the Charlotte’s Web Reading notes are Fridgidaire, spang, acute attack of indigestion.
I actually had to laugh when I read Fridgidaire. While most adults know that it’s a brand of refrigerator, my aunt called every fridge a Fridgidaire. She used to always tell us to put the milk back in the Fridgidaire.
Following the reading notes is the vocabulary. The word is written in a sentence like it is in the book. Here’s an example of that:
I don’t feel good at all. I think I’m languishing.
Following that sentence is a blank line for the child to write the meaning of the word.
Before we started reading the chapter of the day I always talked about the words in the “Reading Notes” and “Vocabulary”. While I read, my 3rd-grader kept the workbook in front of him. Talk about excitement the minute he heard a reading notes word or a vocabulary word. But in a way it was pretty awesome. I had 100% of his attention because he wanted to be ready to answer a question at any given time.
I loved the comprehension questions as well. It gave them the opportunity to put it into their own words. Some of the answers to the questions were short, while others were a tad long.
The Quotations and Discussion questions are a nice touch as well. The discussion questions are open ended and really had them think about the answer. There were days that we some how managed to make this section take forever. It just opened up discussion with everyone, including my five-year old.
A Bear Called Paddington
Farmer Boy (Little House)
The last part is the Enrichment. I like that depending on the day it would vary. They would copy a paragraph, but it would ask them to do different things with it. Some days, it would tell them to pay close attention to the italicized titles or to be sure to indent the paragraph.
While we weren’t able to work through the entire program, I have looked at all the different books that we will soon be studying.
Mr. Popper’s Penguins
We are actually getting ready to start this one next week. Remember I let my 3rd grader pick the one he wanted to do for the review? He chose Charlotte’s Web because it’s his favorite story. However, if I was starting this at the first of our school year, Mr. Popper’s Penguins would be my first book. It’s a little different than the other’s and I think it’s great. It’s perfect for that beginning of the year, or introducing something new to your child.
Mr. Popper’s Penguins has Pronounce and Spell, Vocabulary, Comprehension Questions and Activity. I love the activity part and looking forward to doing this with my 3rd grader. For example, the activity may have them draw a picture of the Popper Family, Find the locations Mr. Popper dreamed of, etc.
A Bear Called Paddington
I’ll be following Mr. Popper’s Penguins with A Bear Called Paddington. Who doesn’t love this classic tale? This study guide is very similar to the others as far as layout. Instead of Activities, it does have the Enrichment exercise. With this, again it varies from lesson to lesson. One lesson may be to put the sentences in the correct order, one may be to copy a paragraph, or even composition some days. It also includes a tasty little recipe for Orange Marmalade.
Farmer Boy
Last, but certainly not least will be Farmer Boy. I adore this book and we read it last year as a read aloud. I can’t wait to do it again but with the study guide. I feel that this is going to make a world of difference with my 3rd grader.
Once again the layout of the study guide is very similar to the others. The parts that are a tad different is the Enrichment exercises. Depending on the day, they may be copying a paragraph, the last four paragraphs, or even to explain what certain phrases mean.
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