How the Make the Most of CC’s Challenge 3

Welcome to our Challenge 3 Page!

Chemistry, Shakespeare, music study, American history, and oratory of Cicero all make Challenge (Ch.) 3 memorable and challenging. At this point the students are pros at discussion and sitting in on their class is a real joy!

Here are some tips, downloads, and lessons learned from when we worked through the year.

My youngest is entering Ch 3 in the fall of 2026, so I’ve updated this page with the new books for the fall of 2026!

This page is part of our series on how we homeschool with Classical Conversations. 
Check out a full list of all the resources on our main CC page here.

Table of Contents for This Page

  1. How to Grade Challenge 3
  2. Logic (Math)
  3. Grammar (Latin)
  4. Research (Science)
  5. Reasoning (Formal Logic)
  6. Exposition
  7. Debate
  8. Artsy Fun
  9. Other Resources

I know there’s a lot of information here, but I’m going to try hard to use headings and bold lettering to make it easy to scan!

Help Contribute!

If you have some suggestions or additional samples of student work you’d like me to add here, please send them to me at: Julie (at) RidgeLightRanch.com

And now for some legal stuff

I try to use affiliate links whenever possible. So, if you use one of these links I may get a few pennies from it. However, the cost to you will be the same. I promise that I never choose what to suggest to you based on the benefit I might receive from it. You can learn more about our affiliate policy here.

Classical Conversations has asked me to tell you that “References to Classical Conversations do not constitute or imply endorsement by the company.” I’m guessing you knew that, but now we’re all on the same page.

Five Common Topics- Circle Sticker

I’m assuming you already read about how we do Classical Conversations and about how we do Challenge, where I cover:

I also want to remind you to also talk with your CC Director. This page is one mom’s advice and each CC group does things a little differently.

Now let’s move on to the Challenge 3-specific material!

How to Grade Challenge 3

I cover all the general information about Grading in Challenge on my general CC- Challenge page. I hope you’ll read that first!

Since high school means transcripts, please be sure to sit down with your student and explain what this spreadsheet is for and what it measures (it doesn’t exactly measure learning, as I mentioned in the Grading in Challenge segment)!

Within this Excel spreadsheet are two tabs- one for each semester. Each Subject below has some additional details on how I grade that subject. Since this is an excel file, you may need to right-click and choose “save as…” in order to open the file.

Updated August 2026!

Free Download: Ch 3 Grading Spreadsheet

1. Logic (Math) Strand

I have a lot to say about Logic-Math and most of it applies to all the Challenge levels, so I’ve moved that info to a separate page. I don’t know anything about CC’s Math Map, but I this is helpful to yo u anyway:

Saxon Math

2. Grammar (Latin) Strand

Again, I have a lot to say about Latin and most of it applies to all the Challenge levels, so I’ve moved that info to a separate page. I hope it helps:

Latin in CC-Challenge

3. Research (Science) Strand

Exploring Creation with Chemistry (Apologia)

Science is always one of my favorites and I’m excited about it again this year! This year in Chemistry, students cover everything from atoms and molecules to thermodynamics, all from a Christian worldview. Every 1 to 2 weeks the students read a new chapter of the book, and complete a Study Guide quiz and a Chapter Test. In class, students discuss the concepts, complete experiments, and write in their lab journals. At home, students write the lab results into formal lab reports. (There are a few experiments students may complete at home as well.)

It’s good to note that the publisher assumes students are proficient in basic algebra by the time they take this course! It was interesting to me that Saxon’s Algebra 2 book includes some basic chemistry word problems, so they weren’t entirely new for my son.

I think this is definitely honors level if you do all the labs and tests and such. In fact, my oldest did a few days of extra studying and passed the Chemistry CLEP test after he finished this course. It’s a hard test and has the lowest passing rate of all CLEP tests, so I think that speaks to how thorough this curriculum is! If your student is not a science type, scale it back (ideas below) to a non-honors level! (I have more about CLEP tests on my Homeschooling High School page.)

What to Purchase for Research (Science)

I like to purchase all this at Rainbow Resources, but you can also buy straight from Apologia. Check each place for the current prices! There are several different sets you can buy, so once you decide which of these you want, look for the corresponding bundle.

  • Exploring Creation with Chemistry Student Textbook: by Kristy Plourde (Published by Apologia). Be sure you’re using the same edition as the rest of the class!
  • Exploring Creation with Chemistry Solutions and Tests Manual- Unless you plan to skip all the tests, you need this! It has the answers for the tests AND all the study guide-type parts of the textbook. Be sure to photocopy the tests if you’re going to use them for a younger sibling!
  • Optional: Exploring Creation with Chemistry Student Notebook– According to Apologia, this large spiral-bound book “is essential for successful independent study and designed to help your students get all they can out of this chemistry course.” We love these are think they are totally worth the money! (If you get this, you don’t need a separate Lab Journal)
  • Lab Journal: Your student can use just about anything for their lab journal. In Ch 1 we used a graph paper composition book last year ($2-4 depending on sales) and it seemed to work great. However, in Ch 2 we used the Student Notebook (mentioned above) instead. The back half of it is a lab journal, partially filled out for the students. We plan on using the Student Notebook again.
  • Optional: The Students Lab Report Handbook by John D Mays. CC also recommends and we bought it but didn’t use it any of the last few years. Maybe we’ll use finally use it this year? My undergraduate degree is in science, so I could walk him through setting up a basic lab report without the book. Hopefully, we’ll use it in future years.
  • Optional: Videos to go with the Apologia textbook – We’re trying these this time through (fall 2026), so I’ll let you know what we think at the end of the year.
  • Optional: Audio version of the Apologia textbook – We really enjoyed having this to listen to as well. This allowed me to keep tabs on what my son was learning, even if he was completing most of the work on his own.
    • You can purchase the CDs from Apologia’s website.
    • When I couldn’t find this on Amazon like other years, I emailed the company, here’s their response:

“Amazon has removed some of our audiobooks from Audible, and we are working to make those available again. I am so sorry for the inconvenience. Currently the Chemistry audio is not available on Audible. You can purchase the MP3 audio download on our website, or you can check the following distributors for the Chemistry audio: Hoopla, Google Play, Kobo.com, Chirp Books, Barnes and Noble, Libro.fm, Audiobooks.com, Storytel (USA) , Scribd.com, Spotify, [and] Apple Books.”

What Goes in the Binder

  • Notes from the book (Or your student could write these in the Student Notebook.)
  • Chapter Tests
  • Typed formal lab reports
  • Handouts
  • Periodic Table (Optional)

How to Scale Back Research (Science)

Apologia’s Chemistry is Honors level if you’re doing it as the guide suggests (tests, lab reports…). To scale it back, I suggest some combination of the following:

  • Allow your student to use their handwritten notes during the test
    • I allow my students a single 3×5 notecard with notes on it. On the Quarterly tests (included with the curriculum) they are allowed to use all their past notecards. Many of my professors in college allowed a notecard and I found I learned more from making the notecard than any other form of studying! My son usually creates his notecard while completing the Study Guide, which informs him of what will be on the test.
  • Allow your student to complete the tests open-book style
  • Search out and find the simpler tests that others have created for the curriculum.
  • Complete the “On Your Own” questions and the Study Guide together verbally instead of writing it all out (this can backfire for some kids who learn best by copying out the definitions and answers!)
  • Skip a few of the formal lab reports

How to Grade Research (Science)

I’ll grade the Apologia Tests and Formal Lab Reports.

  • Tests- I use the point values assigned in the answer key
  • Lab Reports- 4 times each semester, students have to complete a formal lab report.

I give completion points for completing:

  • Review Questions and Practice Problems, (which my son completed on his own and then we graded them together)
  • Experiments- To earn the full points, my student has to prep for the lab, do the lab, and complete his lab Journal Preparation
Free Download: Lab Report Grading Sheet

4. Reasoning (Formal Logic) Strand

Reasoning again shifts drastically between 1st and 2nd second semesters (Hopefully you’re used to this by now):

–4A. Music Theory (Memoria Press)

Students use the Math in Motion curriculum to learn about the structure of music, new vocabulary, and practice some music analysis and appreciation. The book is both a text and consumable workbook in one, so they have weekly exercises that they do in the book. They also complete a Score Analysis at the end of the semester!

–4B. Philosophy

Prior to the summer of 2025, students read R.C. Sproul’s book The Consequences of Ideas. They created their own “study guide” summary each week and discussed it in class. I really enjoyed reading this alongside my son and the in-class discussions were fascinating to listen in on! Students also presented a Philosophy Lecture at the end of the semester, which were sooooo good! If you’re looking to go deeper in this strand I highly recommend the book!

Starting in the summer of 2025, Ch 3 students will instead be reading Reasoning Together Philosophy by Timothy Knotts. This is published by CC MultiMedia so I guess that’s part of why they switched. Also, I’ve heard it has more source material in it (Sproul’s book mostly talks about each Philosopher, not quoting their original words), which is more classical. I really hope it’s an amazing book because it’s an expensive hardback and not available in audio. When my younger son goes through Ch 3 in 2026-27, I’ll find out!

What to Purchase for Reasoning

  • Math in Motion Workbook (consumable) and Answer Key
  • Music Trivium Table (optional) – we didn’t use it
  • Reasoning Together Philosophy by Timothy Knotts (which replaces The Consequences of Ideas by R.C. Sproul)

What Goes in the Binder?

  • Any loose paper from work done in class.
  • Paper (or a journal) to take Philosophy notes

How to Grade Reasoning

  • Music Theory: I plan to give points for completing each week’s exercises, points for the Score Analysis, and points for participation
  • Philosophy: I plan to give points for each week’s Study Guide, the Philosophy Lecture, and Participation.

5. Exposition Strand

It’s time for Shakespeare and Poetry! Students read five of Shakespeare’s plays, discuss them in class, write a paper on each one, and then dramatically perform a 30-line segment of each play. Meanwhile, they are also working through a poetry curriculum with a bunch of exercises to help them learn to write their own poetry!

Hopefully, your campus does the “Poetry Cafe” events throughout the year. In our community, these were just times that the students brought in snacks, moved over to the couch area, and shared their poetry with each other. It was a fun way to help everyone enjoy something that might have otherwise felt very awkward!

What to Purchase for Exposition

  • Poetry Journal: The students are also working on poetry this year and will need a poetry journal of some kind. The ‘textbook’ (and I use that term very loosely), The Roar on the Other Side suggests an 8.5 x 11 notebook, but I think we’ll try a 5.5 x 8.5 disc bound book (just like the Timeline Journal). It’s easier to carry around and feels more like a journal. Paper in a 3-ring binder would work too.
  • Shakespeare: There are fewer books to read compared with Ch 1 or 2, but they’re harder since they are Shakespeare.
    • CC sells the “Folger” version, which has the original text on the right page and footnotes on the left page throughout the whole book. This is similar to the “No Fear Shakespear” series. I’ve found most of the “Folger” versions and the “No Fear” series on ebook and audio! Talk to your Director/Tutor- you might want to purchase the version they will be using in class or maybe a different version would be more helpful?
    • My older son loves paper and Kindle. My younger son loves audio. So I made a list of where to find each book in assorted formats. Check with your library and see if they support both the Hoopla app and the Libby app. The selection of books will vary on each app and at each library! We also love the free LibraVox app and, of course, our Audible subscription! (Some of these are also on YouTube, but I’m not a fan of listening to books there.)
Books to Buy

What Goes in the Binder?

I put a few IEW resources and a few LTW resources behind this tab. We’ll see what he ends up using

How to Scale Back Exposition

Exposition is Honors level if you’re doing it as the guide suggests. To scale it back, I suggest some combination of the following:

  • Read an abridged, easier version of the play and then a selection of Shakespeare’s own words from the play.
  • Watch a movie of the play instead of reading it (they were originally meant to be seen, not read, anyway).
  • Write fewer and/or shorter papers for each play.
  • Memorize and perform fewer and/or shorter segments of each play for the Dramatic Interpretation.
  • Allow your student to skip a few poetry exercises.

How We Grade Exposition

I’ll grade my student on the Dramatic Interpretations, the Essays, and the Poetry Recitation. I may give points for the poetry journal as well.

Our current plan is to have my son choose which Grading sheet (aka Outline or Checklist) to turn in with his paper based on what type of essay he’s writing. So, I have several copies of the LTW Persuasive Essay sheet, the LTW Comparison Essay Sheet, and my new General Essay Grading Checklist. I created this hoping to help merge what we learned in IEW and LTW. I’ll let you know how it works!

6. Debate (Social Studies) Strand

This year we’re studying American History!

What to Purchase for Debate

  • A Patriot’s History of the United States by Larry Schweikart, Michael Allen (available in print/kindle (only $6.99!) on Amazon or audio on Audible

What Goes in the Binder?

Nothing yet…

How We Grade Debate

  • Students write several research papers and present several speeches each semester. (Be sure your student it planning ahead and working on them over several weeks.) We’ll grade those and give some extra points for reading the whole text!

7. Now Let’s Add Some Artsy Fun!

Since I’m all about art and Ridge Light Ranch is mainly about helping you teach art, I wanted to include links to a few of our art-related resources that are especially great for this grade.

Since we’re studying American History, it would be fun to complete some American-themed art projects or projects that coordinate with American artists:

Also, I’m working on a full drawing video course called Anyone Can Learn to Draw. It’s available for pre-order now!

Anyone Can Learn to Draw video course description

8. Other Helpful Resources

The other resources grow a lot thinner as the kids move into these upper-classman years. I’m not sure if that’s because the students are more independent or if it’s because fewer families make it this far…

  • Challenge Planners from Amanda Craig and Andrea Salzman (free with a suggested donation)- These break down the guide’s weekly work into daily work.
  • Kristi Lane has some great aids for Writing (including a bunch of sample papers), Debate, and more!

Advice from the Students

“Really try to dive into each subject. They are all really dense, but very interesting.” -NA, Ch 3 student

Now it’s your turn! 

Let me know how you make the most of Challenge 3!

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