As part of the Homeschool Crew I was presented with the opportunity to review the Tapestry of Grace. More specifically year 2 unit 3, in digital format (which I will explain a little later in the review).
Tapestry of Grace (TOG) is a multi-level program which enables children of all ages to study the same topics on different levels. Students will move through a 4 year plan a number of times depending on the age they begin. It is possible to go through these year plans up to 3 times, learning at a higher level each cycle. By 4 year plan, I mean that all of human history is covered in 4 school years. Although, it is up to each family how quickly they wish to move through this curriculum.
I was under the impression that TOG was just a history program, however it actually covers more than that: geography, art, church history, government, literature, writing and composition are also included.
In a nutshell, TOG is to me, a massive teacher’s lesson plan and guidebook. It is huge and takes a while to really grasp. Some reading needs to be done before the program can be implemented. There is an active TOG community which can be very helpful in answering questions and steering new users in the right direction.
TOG is a classical curriculum. Assignments and readings are divided according to this classical method into: Grammar, Dialectic, and Rhetoric. Explanations for the approximate ages and grades these cover is given in the program. My daughter is 7 years old and fits into the Grammar level. Much of my view of TOG comes from looking at this particular level.
As I mentioned, this is somewhat of a lesson plan/guidebook so there are extras needed to actually execute the program. The greatest and most important extra would be acquiring the books needed. This would be an extra purchase, unless they can be found at your local library. I was happy with the book selections, finding them to be of high quality. I didn’t consider any to be twaddle.
Each week many “assignments” are suggested. Readings from the selected texts, worksheets, hands-on activities, art projects, geography lessons, and items for memorization are just some of these. There really are so very many that it would be rather daunting to try and do all of them. (This is actually advised against). TOG is much like a smorgasbord where one goes through and chooses the best or most appropriate items. This program can be used to the degree one desires.
Since so much is covered in TOG, one would only need to add a few extra subjects in order to have a complete “schooling experience” - phonics, math and science, for example. The program is extremely thorough and quite enjoyable. I have no doubt that a child who goes through TOG would learn a great deal.
A few notes on the Digital Edition
The digital edition of TOG is more affordable that the print version. It has certain perks such as saving storage space and it being accessed through the computer makes printing worksheets convenient. It is also much more portable than the large binders required to hold the print version.
Because this is a very large product, it required a little more computer time than I would like. I’m sure I’m not the only one who gets a headache from reading on the computer too long! Of course pages can be printed out, however it took me a while to really figure out which pages I wanted (or needed) to print. And there are hundreds of pages in each unit!
The download process is reasonably easy and the pages are viewed clearly on the computer screen.
To find out more about the Digital Edition, click here.
A few notes on Year 2, Unit 3 - Of Crowns and Colonies
Each unit of TOG is approximately 9 weeks of study.
This unit in particular covers 1559-1780 in Europe and 1607-1750 in America. I like that multiple parts of the world are covered at once. It seems to give a better perspective as to what occurred in the world during that time period and how different events affected people. Students will learn about the Kings and Queens of England, Galileo, and the colonies of America (just to name some of what is covered). The Unit 3 Introductory Notes state that this unit “mainly covers 150 years from the death of Elizabeth of England in 1603 to the American colonies on the eve of the French and Indian war, c. 1750.”
I like the books selected for this unit and am also pleased with the activities suggested. For example: making and playing games that the colonial children would have enjoyed.
Tapestry Of Grace POP Quiz CD and Cards
I was also able to review another product which coincided with this unit: Pop Quiz. A 2-CD set and pre-printed quiz cards.
This is meant for Dads, but could be used by anyone. The CD contains 15 minute audio tracks for each week of the TOG unit. The audio tracks summarize the content of the current week being studied.
Pop Quiz cards are also included. These list questions or conversation starters related to the weekly topics. The questions are clearly divided into the three distinct classical learning levels.
I think this is a great addition to the program and makes it very easy for Dads to get involved.
To learn about this product, click here.
So, what do I think about all this?
As a whole, I like this curriculum. It is thorough, fun, and keeps the family on the same page. I like the idea of covering the same topics numerous times, at higher levels of understanding. However, even though I do like it, I have to say that I still enjoy my simple version of homeschooling.
I found most of it to be fairly straight forward and understandable. My only concern came with the writing assignments which are more difficult without their publication, Writing Aids.
Price Details:
1 Year (4 units) Digital Edition is $170.
1 Year print version $225.
1 Printed unit (9 weeks of study) $60
Digital unit (9 weeks of study) $45
Bonus bundles are also available which include a variety of products. Click here to learn more about those.
Pop Quiz - $15 per unit or $50 for the entire year (4 units).
Tapestry of Grace offers samples for download on their website. I highly recommend looking at these. Click here to find out more
To see what other Moms thought, visit the Homeschool Crew.
Visit Tapestry of Grace at TapestryofGrace.com |
Posted by Anonymous 
