CHARLOTTE MASON FORM 3
LIVING BOOKS AND SUPPLIES FOR GRADES 7-8
Form 3 roughly corresponds with grades 7-8 of the U.S. school system. Students ages in Form 3 can span from age 11 through age 15.
For more information about Form 3, or to plan your own custom curriculum, see the CM Your Way Curriculum Form Guide for Form 3.
Or, for more information about Forms in general, see Understanding Forms in a Charlotte Mason Education.
Religious Studies
Living Books for Form 3 Students (Grades 7-8)
Please use the religious texts applicable to your family’s faith and denomination.
If you are not a religious family, see World Religions & Philosophies below.
Christianity
Judaism
World Religions & Philosophies
If you are not a religious family, feel free to replace with books about world religions or spiritual stories.
If you are starting with an older student, feel free to also choose books from the Form 2 World Religions category.
Elements such as character building, virtues, and morality are woven into many other subjects, especially Literature, History, and Citizenship.
You can also wait and add a study of world religions during the high school years.
Literature
Literature for Form 3 Students (Grades 7-8)
- If your student hasn’t read King Arthur yet, now is the time to do that!
- Be sure your student reads a retelling of Beowulf as well.
- Before high school, be sure your student has a good foundation of Greek and Norse mythology (see Mythology section).
- Choose other literature based on your historical time period or your student’s interest.
Mythology for Form 3 Students (Grades 7-8)
- If you are starting the CM method with an older student, please look at the Greek Mythology choices in Form 2.
- If your student has had a good foundation in Greek and Norse Mythology, and Arthurian Legend, feel free to choose from another category such as world mythology or Native American mythology.
- Bulfinch’s Mythology was essential reading in CM’s schools, but it can be delayed until High School if needed.
Greek Mythology
Norse Mythology
Other Mythology
Poetry for Form 3 Students
Anthologies
Themed Anthologies
Individual Poets
Individual Poets
Audiobooks
TIP: Audiobooks are a great way to listen to poetry
Additional Living Books for Free Reading for Form 3 Students
History
Living History Books for Form 3 Students (Grades 7-8)
American History Options
There aren’t a lot of living book options for Middle School History, so my pick is The Story of the Thirteen Colonies and The Great Republic by H.A. Guerber, which isn’t my favorite choice, but it is currently in-print.
I list my absolute favorite books for Middle School History in the Curriculum Form Guide for Form 3, but because they are all out-of-print and hard to find., I do not list them here.
Options for British History
Any of the books listed here can be used as a History Spine for a second history stream focused on British History.
Charlotte used Our Island Story by H.E. Marshall for her Form 1 students, but I think it still works wonderfully for Form 2 and even Form 3 students, especially since it is used as a secondary history stream. It is beautifully narrative and a wonderful way to learn British history.
If you feel that your student needs a more challenging book for British History, you might want to choose A History of England by H.O. Arnold-Forster. Charlotte used this book for students in Form 2 and Form 3.
Options for World History
If you’d rather focus on World History, any of the books listed here can be used as a World History Spine.
Alternatively, you could also spend a year or two in Form 3 studying your state’s history instead of British or World History.
Charlotte used The Story of Mankind by Van Loon for her Form 3 students.
Options for Ancient History
Any of the books listed here can be used as a History Spine for a third history stream focused on Ancient History.
Form 3 students did not study Ancient History, but if your student has not studied Ancient Greek or Roman history yet, I would advise adding that as a third stream of history (as was done in Form 2).
History through Biographies & Events
These books are good examples of books you could use instead of or in addition to the spines listed above.
More books will be added in the coming weeks…
Early American History
American Revolution
American Revolution
Civil War
20th Century
Historical Fiction
These books are good examples of books you could use for History Tales / Historical Fiction.
Early American History
American Revolution
1790-1850
Civil War
20th Century
Other Books & Things I Love for Form 3 Students
These are good examples of books you can use as supplements or just for fun!
Geography
Living Geography Books for Form 3 Students (Grades 7-8)
Adventure North (2016) and Canoeing with the Cree (1930) both remind me of a real-life Paddle to the Sea type of an adventure story. The authors of Adventure North also have a podcast in which they describe each day of their journey to listeners. (Please note that the 1930 book Canoeing with the Cree does have some racial comments.)
Chasing Shackleton (2014) is a real-life recreation of Ernest Shackleton’s 1914 expedition to the South Pole. The PBS show is that goes with it is outstanding.
Richard Halliburton’s Book of Marvels (1937) is one of my son’s favorite geography books. Please note there are some slight racial comments.
Other Books I Love for Form 3 Geography
Citizenship
Citizenship Books for Form 3 Students (Grades 7-8)
- Form 3 students began reading Charlotte’s fourth volume: Ourselves.
- They also used a Classical Dictionary as a help for reading Plutarch (but if you are using The Plenary’s Plutarch Study Guides, a Classical Dictionary is not needed because the annotations and definitions are already provided for you in the margins.)
- If you have not studied Plutarch before, please begin with Stories from the History of Rome by Beesly.
- Students also read a specialized book about government.
Introduction to Plutarch
Plutarch’s Lives: Roman
Plutarch’s Lives: Greek
American Government
Ourselves by Charlotte Mason
Science
Living Science Books for Form 3 Students (Grades 7-8)
Any of the books listed here can be used as a Science book for Form 3
Biology – Botany
Biology – Other
Earth Science
Chemistry
Physics
Secrets of the Universe series by Paul Fleisher
Physics
Nature Lore Books for Form 3 Students (Grades 7-8)
Dallas Lore Sharp series
Usborne Science Books
These books are good examples of books you can use as experiment books, reference books, or “just for fun” books!
Other Books and Things for Form 3 Students
These books are good examples of books you can use for special studies, supplements to the books above, or just for fun.
Videos that accompany The Chemical History of a Candle book
Science Supplies for You and Your Form 3 Student
Supplies and fun things for you and your student!
Picture Studies
N.C. Wyeth
N.C. Wyeth (1882-1945) was an American artist who was known for his illustrations in many children’s books published by Scribner’s.
Johannes Vermeer
Vermeer (1632-1675) was a Dutch artist of the Baroque period. He is known for his domestic scenes of middle-class life.
Grammar
More options coming soon…
Foreign Language
More options coming soon…
Composer Studies
More options coming soon…
Drill / Physical Education
More options coming soon…
Handicrafts
More options coming soon…
0 Comments for “Form 3 (Grades 7-8)”