This information will help you get organized and prepared to homeschool your child using the Core Knowledge Third Grade History and Geography curriculum.
Free Resources
How-to Videos: Watch the videos to learn to use the CKHG curriculum to homeschool.
Unit-Specific Prep Checklist: View and download the checklist. Includes notes for each unit of the curriculum including which activity pages to print, library books that may be needed, required advanced preparation broken out by lesson, as well as a list of additional unit-specific supplies.
Daily Schedule: View and download the free daily schedule for homeschooling Third grade using the Core Knowledge curriculum and MEP Math curriculum.
Primary Materials
Units: There are 7 units in the Grade 3 CKHG curriculum. All students start with Unit 1 and progress through the units in order. You will download each unit separately from the CK website. Each unit will be downloaded as a file folder containing multiple files including the Teacher’s Guide and Student Reader.
Teacher’s Guide: This is the primary resource for history and geography lessons. When you are ready to start a lesson with your student, you will simply open the PDF file for the Teacher’s Guide on your tablet or laptop, navigate to the lesson indicated on the daily schedule, and work through the instructions in the Teacher’s Guide for that lesson.
Student Reader: This reader contains both images and text and is used on most school days. This reader can be accessed as a PDF file on your student’s device.
Timeline Cards: This file is included for most units. The Teacher’s Guide will specify when to use the Timeline Cards in a lesson. Information on how Timeline Cards are used can be found on pg. 8-9 of the Unit 2 Teacher’s Guide. While printing and displaying the Timeline Cards is ideal, the file can also be accessed and reviewed periodically instead. The Teacher’s Guide will prompt you to use Timeline Cards during lessons.
Online Resources Website: Most lessons call for accessing this website which contains additional lesson resources:
https://www.coreknowledge.org/curriculum/history-geography/ckhg-online-resources/
To find a specific resource, click on the name of the unit and click on the chapter number. Save this website so you can access it easily during lessons.
Getting Organized
Activity Pages: Activity pages (and the answer key) for each unit are found in the back of the Teacher’s Guide for each unit. More information will be available in the unit-specific prep checklists. Activity pages are often used over multiple school days. Save all activity pages until you have completed the unit.
Unit Assessments: Each unit ends with a day for student assessment. The assessment document and answer key are found in the back of the Teacher’s Guide in the Teacher Resources section. You will need to print the assessment pages.
Organization & Time-Saving Tip: Print all the assessment and activity pages for all 7 CKHG units at the beginning of the school year (these pages are always located in the back of the Teacher’s Guide). Place all the pages in a binder together or have the pages spiral-bound at your local office supply store. This not only saves you from having to print pages at the beginning of every unit, it also ensures you always have previous activity pages handy as many pages (particularly maps) are used over a number of lessons.
Performance Task Activity: Each unit’s Teacher’s Guide contains a Performance Task Activity to reinforce what was learned in the unit. These activities are scheduled on the daily schedule for the end of each unit.
Combined Unit Documents: The Teacher’s Guide, Student Reader, and Timeline Card files for Unit 5 (Canada) and Unit 6 (Exploration of North America) are combined. The first part of each file covers Unit 5. For example, the Teacher’s Guide pg. 1-52 are for Unit 5 and pg. 53-131 are for Unit 6. Similarly, the Student Reader pg. 1-24 are for Unit 5 and pg. 25-71 are for Unit 6. The titles of both the Teacher’s Guide and Student Reader match Unit 6. If you downloaded both the Unit 5 and Unit 6 materials from the CK website, these files are duplicates.
Important Tips
Library Books: Whenever possible please select several of the recommended books from the unit’s resource list (located in the introduction section of the Teacher’s Guide) and request them from the library in advance. These books can be used as time allows, when specifically called for in a lesson, or can be left out for your child to read on their own in their free time. If library books are not an option, YouTube often has videos of books being read aloud and these can be used as an alternative.
Art History: Several lessons call for displaying and discussing a piece of art with the student. These art images can be Googled or if you prefer a hard copy, Core Knowledge sells an art pack for each grade level that includes high quality prints on card stock.
Globe and Maps: Many lessons suggest using a globe, world map, and/or US map. If you do not have one, most CKHG Teacher’s Guides have at least one world map in the back with the student pages. Units covering US history typically have a US map in the back of the Teacher’s Guide. Alternatively, you can Google map images and save the links for future use.
White Board: Many lessons suggest using a white board, chalk board, or board/chart paper. If you do not have one available, you can use a plain piece of paper to write out or draw the information called for in the activity.
Classroom-Based Activities: Some activities in this program are clearly designed for a classroom setting. Please adjust the activity as needed for your situation. For example, for an activity that suggests students work in teams, you can act as your student’s teammate. For activities that involve putting on a play or presentation, your student can present one part of the information or you can make the activity a family activity and involve siblings, etc.
Topic Duplication: You may notice what appears to be duplication between topics in the CKHG lessons and the CKLA lessons. This is intentional and provides the opportunity to reinforce key concepts by approaching them from multiple perspectives. For example, a student will have a history lesson about Ancient Rome and then maybe a few weeks later will also study Ancient Rome in a CKLA lesson.
Third Grade CKHG Unit-Specific Prep Checklist
This checklist will help you prepare for each new unit of the Core Knowledge Third Grade History and Geography curriculum. Please refer to the specific unit list prior to starting a new unit. It will guide you through what what documents to print, when a library book is needed, unit-specific supplies that should be gathered, and special notes for lessons in that unit.
Unit 1: World Rivers
- Read the Unit Introduction: Teacher’s Guide pg. 1-25
- Print the Assessment and Activity Pages: Teacher’s Guide pg. 68-89
- Answers found on: Teacher’s Guide pg. 90
- Review the Unit-Specific Notes:
- Following all core lessons in this unit, the student will be filling out AP 1.4 “Cool Facts About Rivers”.
- Chapter 1: Work through the additional activity (“World Geography”) on TG pg. 31 prior to starting the core lesson also scheduled for that day.
- Chapter 4: Print NFE 1 (Mark Twain’s “Old Times on the Mississippi”), found on the CKHG Online Resources website.
- Gather the Unit-Specific Supplies:
- Images of piranhas via an internet search (Chapter 5)
Unit 2: Ancient Rome
- Read the Unit Introduction: Teacher’s Guide pg. 1-15
- Print the Assessment and Activity Pages: Teacher’s Guide pg. 127-164
- Answers found on: Teacher’s Guide pg. 165
- Review Unit-Specific Notes:
- Timeline cards are used in this unit. The Timeline Cards file is included in the unit file folder you downloaded from the CK website. Information on how Timeline Cards are used can be found on TG pg. 8-9. While printing and displaying the Timeline Cards is ideal, the file can also be accessed and reviewed periodically instead.
- Chapter 1: Work through the additional activity (“World Geography”) on TG pg. 27 prior to starting the core lesson also scheduled for that day.
- Chapter 12: Access and/or print the fiction excerpt “Androcles and the Lion” (FE 1) from the CKHG Online Resources website.
- Chapter 13: The primary source document from “Pliny the Younger’s Letters to Tactitus” (NFE 1) can be accessed via the CKHG Online Resources website.
- Chapter 16: The specific piece of art for the art activity can either be found via an internet search or the third grade art pack can be purchased from the Core Knowledge website.
- Chapter 16: The primary source document from “The Justinian Code (Abridged)” (NFE 2) can be accessed via the CKHG Online Resources website.
- Gather the Unit-Specific Supplies:
- Poster board (Chapter 2 and 5)
Unit 3: The Vikings
- Read the Unit Introduction: Teacher’s Guide pg. 1-12
- Print the Assessment and Activity Pages: Teacher’s Guide pg. 52-68
- Answers found on: Teacher’s Guide pg. 69
- Review the Unit-Specific Notes:
- Chapter 1: The activities are scheduled before the core lesson to give the student an introduction to the Vikings.
- Chapter 6: The additional activities include two teacher read-alouds: “Thor and His Hammer” (FE 1) and “Idun’s Magical Apples” (FE 2). Both can be accessed via the CKHG Online Resources website.
Unit 4: The Earliest Americans
- Read the Unit Introduction: Teacher’s Guide pg. 1-16
- Print the Assessment and Activity Pages: Teacher’s Guide pg. 68-84
- Answers found on: Teacher’s Guide pg. 85
- Review the Unit-Specific Notes:
- Chapters 5 and 6: The specific pieces of art for the art activities can either be found via an internet search or the third grade art pack can be purchased from the Core Knowledge website.
Unit 5: Canada
- Read the Unit Introduction: Teacher’s Guide pg. 1-9
- Print the Assessment and Activity Pages: Teacher’s Guide pg. 35-50
- Answers found on: Teacher’s Guide pg. 51
- Review the Unit-Specific Notes:
- Chapter 1: This chapter is divided into two lesson days. The stopping point for Day 1 is located on TG pg. 14.
- Chapter 2: The “Uncharted Territory” activity is divided into two days. See the activity instructions on TG pg. 24-25 for more information.
- Gather the Unit-Specific Supplies:
- US and Canadian coins (Chapter 2, optional)
Unit 6: Exploration of North America
- Read the Unit Introduction: Teacher’s Guide pg. 55-67
- Print the Assessment and Activity Pages: Teacher’s Guide pg. 112-130
- Answers found on: Teacher’s Guide pg. 131
- Review the Unit-Specific Notes:
- The Teacher’s Guide, Student Reader, and Timeline Card files for Unit 5 (Canada) and Unit 6 (Exploration of North America) are combined. The first part of each resource covers Unit 5. For example, the Teacher’s Guide pg. 1-52 are for Unit 5 and pg. 53-131 are for Unit 6. Similarly, the Student Reader pg. 1-24 are for Unit 5 and pg. 25-71 are for Unit 6. The titles of both the Teacher’s Guide and Student Reader match Unit 6. If you downloaded both the Unit 5 and Unit 6 materials from the CK website, these files are duplicates.
- Chapter 6: Samuel de Champlain’s Journal (NFE 1) can be accessed via the CKHG Online Resources website.
Unit 7: The Thirteen Colonies
- Read the Unit Introduction: Teacher’s Guide pg. 1-19
- Print the Assessment and Activity Pages: Teacher’s Guide pg. 119-143
- Answers found on: Teacher’s Guide pg. 144
- Review the Unit-Specific Notes:
- Chapter 10: Print the “First Thanksgiving of All” activity page (FE 1) found on the CKHG Online Resources website.
- Gather the Unit-Specific Supplies:
- Scrap paper (Chapter 14)
- 8”x8” paper squares (Chapter 14)
The Core Knowledge Foundation is a non-profit organization and has generously made their curriculum free to download. If you are able to, please consider making a donation to support their ongoing curriculum development efforts.
Disclosure: This document contains affiliate links. This means if you click on a link and purchase an item, we will receive a small affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. These small commissions help offset the costs of producing and hosting this content.
Core Knowledge, CKLA, CKHG, and CKSci are registered trademarks of the Core Knowledge Foundation.
Amplify is a registered trademark of Amplify Education, Inc.
MEP Math has been made available through the Centre for Innovation in Mathematics Teaching.
