Tapestry of Grace

(This is an updated review from that appearing in 100 Top Picks.)

by Marcia Somerville

Lampstand Press

Tapestry of Grace(TOG) is a unit study curriculum that covers most of the major subject areas for students in grades K through 12. Some features that make it especially appealing are Christian worldview studies incorporated throughout the curriculum, a chronological approach to history as the basic organizing theme, and a classical education approach based on the grammar, dialectic, and rhetoric stages of learning.

Subject areas covered include history, English (writing and literature), fine arts, some science, geography, church history including missions (more extensively covered than I recall seeing in most other curricula), Bible, and history of fine arts and sciences (reflecting a classical approach). You will need to use other resources for phonics, English grammar, math, foreign languages, and high school lab sciences.

While the TOG volumes include actual World BookEncyclopedia information on many topics as background information for you as the teacher, for the most part students will

read information from recommended books that you purchase or borrow for them. Some books you will use frequently and should purchase (e.g., history resources and literature anthologies that are used many weeks and are essential to the plan of study). Some will be used over a long enough period of time that they also should be purchased (e.g., Tales from Shakespeare by the Lambs). Many will be used for only a week or two and might be borrowed. While some titles are strongly recommended, in most cases there are a number of choices listed, which helps families with limited resources that need the flexibility. If you don’t have a big budget, living close to a library will be a real asset if you use TOG.

The lengthy Resource Lists in each level (referred to as Year-Plans) of TOG list all recommended books by category, with very informative annotations for most that will help you decide which will be most useful for your children. [Note: TOG now sells all the core books recommended for Redesigned volumes at their online bookstore called “The Bookshelf.” For the Classic volumes, TOG maintains online links to items at Amazon.]

Like many other unit studies, while TOG uses many books, it also includes multi-sensory learning options to address different learning styles and interests. These range from reading, writing, and simple art projects through costumed reenactments.

TOG covers the same general topics for all students simultaneously, but instruction and activities are divided into four levels of learning reflecting the classical Trivium (with the Grammar stage divided into two sections). The divisions are: Lower Grammar (K-3), Upper Grammar (3-5 with a purposeful overlap here to address the reality that young students the same ages are rarely progressing at the same rate), Dialectic (6-9), and Rhetoric (10+). If you are unfamiliar with these terms, you should read up on classical education in books such as Designing Your Own Classical Curriculum or The Well-Trained Mind or search for one of the many internet sites on the subject.

The author describes numerous options for starting at different times and for families with children of different ages. Permission is given for reproduction of pages for your immediate family. Co-ops can reproduce pages if every family has purchased that Year-Plan of TOG. Classroom licenses are available for larger organizations.

There are four Year-Plans to TOG, and the idea is that you will progress through each Year-Plan at one level of difficulty for each child (lower grammar, upper grammar, etc.), then go through each again four years later, shifting children up to the next level. You can see that the youngest children might go through each Year-Plan three times. A possible alternative is to take two years to cover a Year-Plan of TOG if you are starting with younger children. (The flexibility of this program is one of its major assets!)

Year One: The History of Redemption covers Creation through the fall of Rome. Year Two includes Medieval World through the signing of the U.S. Constitution. Year Three: The 1800s addresses both American and European history. Year Four: The Twentieth Century covers world history, although U.S. History is a major component.

In the original Classic editions, each Year-Plan of TOG actually consists of four units plus a Base component of materials that span the entire Year-Plan—materials such as Introductory Notes, the Writing Component, and Resource List. This structure allows you to start in TOGClassic at lower cost by purchasing a Base plus one unit to begin for only $70. It also allows you to select areas of history to cover. For example, if you have already studied ancient civilizations up to but not including Ancient Rome using another curriculum, you can begin with only the units you need rather than the entire Year-Plan.

While the first impression is a bit overwhelming, once you’ve gotten familiar with the layout, it should be fairly easy to use. It’s logically organized for each week. Using tabbed separator pages for each week—available for $12.50/set from Lampstand Press-- will make it easier to locate things. The parent/teacher should familiarize him or herself with the background material and discussion threads for each week. Overview charts actually work as general lesson plans. (I think I would be likely to copy a set of these for each child to have in his or her assignment binder.) The overview charts are followed by student pages for each level that should be photocopied for each student. These pages include questions, activity instructions, charts to be completed, etc.

In the Base component are about 150 pages divided into a Writing Scope & Sequence and Writing Assignment pages. Parents/teachers draw from the first part to determine what writing instruction and activities are appropriate for each student. Much instructional material is actually included here, although you will need additional resources such as Easy Grammar or Write Source books. The second section pages include writing assignment charts for each of 12 levels (think grades 1 to 12) for each of the four “years” of TOG plus worksheets and evaluation forms. All of this makes the task much easier for the parent/teacher who is unsure about how to teach writing skills.

Now, to make things a bit more complicated, Tapestry of Grace Redesign is the new format for TOG. Thus far, Year 1 is being published in the Redesign format, with the complete Year 1 Redesign slated for completion by March of 2007. Other levels are planned for Redesign production--one per school year. Major changes are:

The Base unit has been replaced by The Loom, which is accessed via Lampstand Press’s website once you purchase TOG Redesign. The Loom includes all the features of the Base, including the excellent writing instruction, plus new supplements. In addition, copies of student work pages can be printed directly from The Loom (PDF format). The Loom is included free if you purchase all four units of the Year Plan, but there is a charge if you purchase units individually.

The four units of TOG Redesign are now printed in full color. Color-coded “bars” on page edges help some in locating your place, but you will still probably want to purchase the optional tabs for the Redesign units.

The entire program has been reformatted so that it is easier to read and locate things.

The price is $30 higher for the complete Year Plan.

Along with the ongoing switch to the Redesign format, TOG has come up with a couple of new items that are very helpful, although they are only available either online or on a CD. Evaluations provides you with assessments/tests for the program, year by year. This should be a great help to busy parents. At present, Evaluations is only available online, but by March 2007, Evaluations will be available only on CD. Only the first year is available thus far, but others are in the works.

Another new item is Writing Aids. Published as a book/CD-ROM combo product, the Writing Aids book serves as a teacher’s guide with student pages to be printed from home computers. Writing Aids serves as a writing handbook that interfaces with ALL TOG volumes, both Classic and Redesign. This will be a one-time purchase since it will cover all genres and assignments in all four TOG Year-Plans. (Click here for the complete review of Writing Aids.)

Yet another valuable supplement, this time available only on CD-ROM, is Map Aids. These are specially designed maps and map activities for each year of the program. “Teacher’s maps” that serve as your answer keys are included. Map Aids are prices at $24.95 per year, but in 2007 a combo disk with Map Aids for all four Year Plans should be available that will save money over the cost of buying four individual CDs.

Like most extensive unit study programs, TOG requires a significant amount of parent/teacher preparation and presentation. Parents/teachers should dedicate a large block of time over the summer to plan and prepare for each school year. Keep in mind that most parents and teachers will be getting a great deal of education of their own as they work through TOG!

Overall, I think TOG’s use of classical education methods combined with the chronological approach helps overcome one of the weaknesses of some unit studies--that children read good books and participate in fun activities but sometimes fail to make connections between topics studied and their chronological relationships. In addition, the worldview threads provide themes for discussions (ideally, directed by parents using Socratic methods) and activities that help children make important connections and understand the significance of what they are learning. TOG comes from a Reformed Protestant viewpoint, but it respectfully tries to include Orthodox and Catholic views as it explores Church history. Consequently, TOG should be easier for those of the latter religious persuasions to adapt than many other unit studies might be.

Each Year-Plan purchased (or separate units thereof) includes three-whole-punched pages plus cover and spine for a binder, but the binder and tabs are not included.

The 36 Weekly Topics covered by each Year-Plan and the resources used are listed (and sometimes shown) on the TOG website along with other information about the curriculum. The site also hosts a bulletin board (called the Forum) where TOG users can get support from experienced users as well as from the author herself. In addition, the site links to complementary websites for various topics covered in TOG.

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Comment from a reader:

I just read your updated review of Tapestry of Grace - thank you for reviewing it as it was through you that I stumbled upon a perfect fit for my family! I did want to point out one other really great product that they are offering for DADS! It's called PopQuiz and can be accessed online at their website - the idea is that (in CD format) your husband (who is often out of the home working and thus out of the loop with regard to actual day to day learning and expectations unless informed by mom) can listen to these CDs and have a concise overview for the week including specific suggested questions to ask the kids and responses that he should be hearing back based on their Classical level... I LOVE how this product includes my husband and doesn't put me in the position of feeding him questions for the kids!
-Jessica Tierney