Cathy Duffy Reviews home > Unit Studies & All-In-One Programs > Tapestry of Grace

Tapestry of Grace

Publisher: Lampstand Press
Author: Marcia Somerville
Review last updated: 2009

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

 Instant KeyPublishers InfoPricingProduct Photos

Tapestry of Grace

more product photos

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 Book Encyclopedia 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."]

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.

Year-Plans of TOG each consist of four units. You can purchase individual units to spread out your costs. This 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.

The original version of TOG, called the Classic version, has been replaced by the Redesign version (although Year 4 will not be complete until 2010). While the first impression of this curriculum is a bit overwhelming, once you've gotten familiar with the layout, it should be fairly easy to use. With Redesign, the entire program has been reformatted so that it is easier to read and locate things. It is logically organized for each week. Using tabbed separator pages for each week—available for $12.50/set from Lampstand Press—will make it even 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. 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 Classic version, there was a separate Base component your needed to purchase. This 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 excellent writing instruction (a Writing Scope & Sequence and Writing Assignment pages for twelve levels), plus new supplements. Writing assignments and evaluation forms are provided for all four years of TOG. Student work pages can be printed directly from The Loom (PDF format). All of this makes the task much easier for the parent/teacher who is unsure about how to teach writing skills.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.

TOG is now also available in Digital editions (DE). For PCs, you need Windows XP, Vista or 7. For Macs, you need OSX 10.4 or later. Digital editions can be updated for free. Customers may print all the pages they wish for their family. Redesign is presented in full color in both print and digital editions, but you might choose to print DE pages in black-and-white for practical reasons.

Along with the ongoing switch to the Redesign format and digital versions, TOG has come up with a couple of new items that are very helpful, although most items are only available either as a download 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 available for the first three years.

Pop Quiz is a supplement intended to help dads participate in the learning process in a practical fashion. Audio CDs, recorded by Scott Somerville, give dads an overview of each week's studies. They also include questions for leading discussions. There are 2 CDs for each unit sold as a set, and you can also save by purchasing the complete set of 8 CDs for the entire year.

Another supplement 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. 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 priced at $24.95 per year.

Families who want these supplemental products can "bundle" them together with their copy of TOG by purchasing a "Bonus Bundle" that includes a full Year Plan of TOG, MapAids, and a set of reinforced tabs plus your choice of one major option (such as Writing Aids, Evaluations for all levels, Lapbooks for the full year, or every Pop Quiz for the Year Plan) and one "bonus" option (your choice of one level of Evaluations, one Lapbook one Pop Quiz, or a $15 fit certificate). All these items are included in the introductory sample disks, which provide three full weeks of everything they produce.  This allows you to find out if Tapestry of Grace will work for your family before you buy anything--and with their new digital delivery system, you can wait until you finish the first three weeks before you pay for and download the rest of your unit. (Go to: Egypt http://www.tapestryofgrace.com/egypt/index.htm and Sail to the New World http://www.tapestryofgrace.com/newworld/index.htm )

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.

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.

******************************

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

Pricing

Please click here to purchase TOG through our affiliate link.

Printed version: $225 for complete Year 1 package or $60 each for individual units units.
Digital editions: $170 each or $45 each for individual units


Instant Key

    Learning Styles: all
    Suitable for:  one-on-one or group plus independent work
    Audience ages: grades K-12
    Need for parent/teacher instruction:  moderate to high
    Prep time needed: moderate to high
    Need for Teacher's Manual: the teacher manuals are the core books for the program
    Educational Approach: multi-sensory unit study
    Religious perspective: Protestant but with fair treatment and inclusion of Catholicism and Orthodoxy

Publisher's Info

Lampstand Press

  • PO Box 5798
    Rockville, MD 20855
  • 800.705.7487
  • www.tapestryofgrace.com

Product Photos