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In Gentle + Classical Creation: Agricultural Science, explore traditional homesteading practices alongside commercial farming as you learn about food systems, agroecology, biological processes, food preservation, and more!

If you desire for your 3rd-6th grade child to enjoy a year of living, hands-on, knowledge-rich science education that includes extensive explorations into traditional agricultural practices and food preparation alongside an understanding of the roles of differently-sized farming operations, then this is the program for you!

(Note: The Teacher's Guide provides book selections for younger and older siblings as well. The Student Text & Journal is also appropriate for 7th-8th graders, however the vocabulary may be too advanced for students under 3rd grade. To integrate younger students, utilize the "Little Sibling Book" recommendations and include siblings in any explorations and hands-on activities.) 

What's Included in the Bundle?

This digital bundle includes:

• Gentle + Classical Creation: Agricultural Science Teacher's Guide (70 pages) to provide insight and a framework for the year
• The Student Text & Journal (178 pages) provides a “Living Story” that your kids will beg to listen to! This story teaches them all of the material for the year in such an engaging way that they won’t even realize how much they’re learning! This unique tool also includes worksheets, informational pages that give detailed explanations of important concepts, vocabulary worksheets, and a page to illustrate and narrate each unit’s concepts for important review!
• 36 Week Planning Grids (24 pages; This item is still being perfected and will be uploaded to your Dropbox by 7/17.) Planning Grids provide you with daily plans, already set out for you!
• Memory Statement Cards for all 3 Levels (54 Cards; 39 pages) give a visual reference to help cement important facts.
  
• Spanish Flashcards (54 terms; 4-Part Cards; 30 pages)
• French Flashcards (54 terms; 4-Part Cards; 30 pages)
• Copywork for 3 Levels of Memory Statements (print and cursive, 21 pages per level) expand this science curriculum to include handwriting as well. 
  
• Nature Collection Notebook (80 pages) for implementing and journaling the optional "Nature Study Strand"
• Header Cards (23 pages) for creating your Memory Statement Board.
• "How to Print" Guide - a single, at-glance-sheet for preparing your files for the year
• Audiobook MP3 Files provide a read-aloud of the "Farm Story" included in The Student Text and Journal. (These are pending production and will begin uploading to the Dropbox around 8/15. The files should be completed by 10/1.)

What ages is it for? 

This program includes memory statements for 3 "levels" to accommodate the memories and vocabulary abilities of students in 3rd through 6th grades.

The "Additional Book Menu" recommendations in the Teacher's Guide include pictures books so that younger siblings can easily tag along. The Student Text & Journal, which is central to the program, is geared toward the 3rd-6th student in terms of vocabulary, content, and concepts.

(Note: The Student Text & Journal is also appropriate for 7th-8th graders, however the vocabulary may be too advanced for students under 3rd grade. To integrate younger students, utilize the "Little Sibling Book" recommendations listed in the Teacher's Guide and include siblings in any explorations and hands-on activities.)

What worldview or agricultural approach is used?

Our philosophy for this topic is to approach it from a small farm/homesteading perspective, but we also provide plenty of information and context about how commercial farming may differ from a small farm in vocabulary, procedures, and practices. Our goal is to learn about food systems as a whole with an emphasis on sustainable practices that fulfill the cultural mandate put forth in Genesis 1:28: “Be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that move upon the earth…”

This curriculum is written from a Christ-centered, stewardship mentality meaning we utilize words like sustainability, and we promote caring for our environment (with, for example, an avoidance of pesticides and herbicides if possible). However, we do not vilify commercial farming practices in any way. We discuss the differences in processes and infrastructure when appropriate, and leave it up to parents to delve into any topics like "factory farming" if they so choose. 

Climate change is not taught or discussed in this program.

2-Unit Sample

If you'd like to read through two of the units of the Student Text & Journal to see if this is a right fit for your child's interests and vocabulary, download that HERE. 

Page Count + Printing Help

This digital bundle includes 615 total pages. However, you can find the individual page counts listed above under "what's included in this bundle." 

Please note that you will not need to print anywhere near this total amount of pages for a single student. We include a "how to print" one-sheet reference guide in your digital files to make this as clear and convenient as possible.

Here are a few notes:

• Teacher's Guide: Easy to read and reference digitally
• Planning Grids: Many print the first couple of weeks, then get into a flow and don't need every week printed. These pages are black and white.
• Student Text & Journal - You will need one of these per 3rd grade+ student (178 pages)
• Memory Statement Cards - This total includes three levels. Most families will only need to print one level which is 13 pages.
• French and Spanish Cards - Most families will pick ONE language to print (30 pages)
• Copywork - You'll only need to print one of these files. Choose the the level you need for your student and then choose between print and cursive (21 pages). These pages are black and white.
• Nature Collection Notebook - These are ONLY if your family chooses to implement the Nature Strand portion of the curriculum. (80 pages; cardstock is suggested)
• Header Cards - These cards are for families who create a Memory Statement Board. You'll only need to print 3-4 pages of these 23 total pages in black and white, but you'll want to use cardstock.

Total pages required for a single student:

• COLOR: 301 pages (including Nature Collection Notebook)
• B&W: 25