Teaching Parents Association - Meeting the Needs of Home Schooling Families

What Curriculum Should I Use?

With a plethora of materials on the market for homeschoolers today, the search for the right curriculum can be overwhelming! Here’s an overview of some of the different curriculum available and what factors you can use to determine what’s best for your family.

Adapted from a compilation by Kathy Middleton. Taken from the CHECK website.

Click here for general advice on choosing teaching materials.

This list is by no means exhaustive; there are many other curricula which might be cited, but these are the ones of which we have some knowledge and/or familiarity. This listing does not constitute any endorsement of any curriculum, but simply lists them as resources.

Curricula Resources - General

There are many curricula available to homeschooling families, but there is no one “best” curriculum for every family. Each family must make its own curriculum decision by considering such things as the grade level and learning styles of students, teacher experience and confidence, the availability of other resources, and family finances. We encourage homeschoolers to consult curriculum review manual, such as Mary Pride’s Big Book of Home Learning or Cathy Duffy’s Christian Home Educator’s Curriculum Manual to obtain a broader perspective of the programs available.

These are just a few of the many curricula available to homeschoolers. Purchasing a curriculum is the most important decision a homeschooling family will make as it establishes its educational program. Accordingly, we recommend that prospective homeschoolers carefully consider all the options available by reading curriculum catalogs and homeschool magazines, visiting resource centers, attending workshops and seminars, and especially, consulting with other homeschooling families.

This list is by no means exhaustive; there are many other curricula which might be cited, but these are the ones of which we have some knowledge and/or familiarity. This listing does not constitute any endorsement of any curriculum, but simply lists them as resources.

3DLearn Interactive Academy (formerly Willoway Cyber School)

• Full-Time All Inclusive 7-12 Program

A Beka Books

• Traditional approach utilizing textbooks with emphasis on drill, repetition, and memorization; colorful, paperback, lots of busywork
• Pre-K through 12th grade with supplementary materials
• Major Christian publisher, conservative, patriotic
• Also offers Correspondence School and Video School

Advanced Training Institute International (ATI)

• Intensively Scriptural unit study approach developed around Bill Gothard’s Institute in Basic Life Principles seminars
• Utilizes Wisdom Searches, unit studies focusing on passages of Scripture

Alpha Omega Publications

Offers different brands of Christian curriculum covering all subjects for grades K-12:

• Switched on Schoolhouse - computer-based curriculum for grades 3-12
• LIFEPAC - a worktext curriculum for grades K-12
• Horizons - “spiral learning” format for Math and Language Arts, grades K-6
• The Weaver Curriculum - a Bible-based unit (integrated) study that incorporates every method of teaching for grades preK-12

Bob Jones University Press

• Traditional approach utilizing textbooks balances learning fact, understanding concepts, developing reasoning skills and nurturing Christian character
• Well known publisher of texts for private Christian schools, offer a full range of homeschooling materials for grades K-12

Calvert School

• Classical approach utilizing textbooks of prepackaged curricula for grades K-8 with all materials supplied for grade ordered
• Secular but generally pro-Christian
• Academically very strong, with a commendable emphasis on developing creative thought and communication as well as basic skills.

Christ-Centered Publications

• 3 year-olds through 6th grade
• Author is Doreen Claggert who believes children need to learn discipline and good study habits the earlier the better
• Bible-centered, systematic and thorough

Christian Liberty Academy

• Traditional approach utilizing an assortment of textbooks from 25 various publishers
• Grades K-12; Christian based with custom designed curriculum

Clonlara School

• Provides parents with a support structure and administrative help, while allowing the greatest possible freedom in curriculum selection and scheduling
• Utilizes ListServs and the World Wide Web.

Covenant Home Curriculum

• Classical approach utilizing texts from secular and Christian publishers
• K-12 grade somewhat tailored to individual needs of children.

Escondido Tutorial Service

• Geared for ages 12-16
• Video-conferencing classes with a Christian worldview
• All courses include readings outside class, writing assignments, and group discussions during the 2-hour class session each week.

Foundation for American Christian Education (The Noah Plan)

• Principle Approach for K-12th grade utilizing two Program Notebooks outlining every subject. One notebook covers K-8th grade, the other covers 9-12th grade.

Keystone National High School

• High school only, utilizing textbooks

KONOS

• Unit study approach or “project” approach centering around Christian character traits and covering all subjects except phonics and math.
• Three volumes of lesson plan/textbook for grades K-8 with each of the three volumes covering two entire years
• Not grade leveled
• High school curriculum available with two volumes, consumable student books with lesson plans covering one academic year each

Laurel Springs School

• Provide families with an education program which gives them maximum flexibility to pursue their own interests. Many different learning options are available
• Utilizes computer with internet and multimedia capabilities along with a printer

Mott Media

• Classical approach utilizing textbooks for K-12 grades
• Reprints classic American school texts, including McGuffey Readers, Ray’s Arithmetic, Harvey’s Grammar, and Spencerian Penmanship.
• Strong emphasis on individual, rote learning and fill-in-the-blanks for elementary grades

Pennsylvania Homeschoolers Online Courses

• Online courses taught by a variety of teachers and tailored to the subject matter of the Advanced Placement college exams

Providence Project

• Traditional approach
• Readywriter: 12 colorful worksheets for each of 16 exercises to help student with their writing style and skills (neat lines, zigzags, spirals & circles)
• Alphabetter: 12 colorful worksheets for each of 16 drill exercises to help students with simple 4-minute timed alphabet exercises
• Calculadder: 16 colorful worksheets in each of 6 spiral-bound books to help students with timed math drills for grades 1 through 8
• Sactifinder: Bible drill sheets

Robinson Curriculum

• 22 CD-ROM set which includes high quality texts, Encyclopedia, Dictionary, flash cards
• K-12 grade program developed by Dr. Arthur Robinson, father of 6 children, who wanted a good homeschooling program for his children after the death of his wife.
• Daily schedule: 2 hours of Saxon Math (not included), one page of writing on any topic, reading from good literature to fill up the rest of the day

Rod and Staff Publishers

• K-12 Mennonite program utilizing God-oriented textbooks
• Reflects Mennonite philosophy of pacifism, nonpolitical, hard work and diligence.

Scholar’s Online Academy (SOLA)

• Classical Christian approach utilizing e-mail, moderated newsgroups, discussion lists moderated by instructors and real-time conferencing

School of Tomorrow (Accelerated Christian Education, A.C.E.)

• Traditional approach for K-12 grades utilizing 12 workbooks (called PACE’s) per subject
• Social Studies, Math, Word Building, Science, English

Seton Home Study School

• Classical approach that is solidly grounded in Catholic values utilizing solid academic textbooks from Catholic, evangelical and secular sources

Sonlight Curriculum

• Pre-K through 12th grade utilizing books as the core of the curriculum – biographies, historical fiction, Usborne, Dorling Kindersley, Eyewitness, etc. – all sold through the company

TRISMS

• Unit study program for middle & high school students with all subjects integrated around a timeline.
• Organizes material in historical order in which the student is given the outline and they develop their own “textbook”

University of Nebraska Independent Study High School

• Non-Christian study for grades 9-12.
• Priority is the personal, one-to-one student attention they offer through supervision by a qualified adult supervisor (not the parent) in your local area. The supervisor is the link to the University of Nebraska program.

Curricula Resources – History

• Beautiful Feet Books (living history books)
• Bethlehem Books (living history books)
• Diana Waring Presents – History Alive!
• Peter Marshall Ministries
• Wallbuilders

Curricula Resources – Science

Backyard Scientist

• Science activities with clearly written instructions; uses kitchen products; entertaining illustrations
• Highly recommended by the National Science Foundation
• Good for all learning styles

Good Science (Institute for Creation Research)

• K through 6th grade
• Studies science under the attributes of God

Delta Education

Helen Nelson Unit Studies

Museum of Science

Curricula Resources - Language Arts

Eagle’s Wings Educational Materials

• K-8 grade phonics and spelling and Kindergarten math

Easy Grammar & Daily Grams

• Grammar basics for 3rd grade and up

Shurley English

Learning Language Arts through Literature

• Language arts program for 1st through high school based on Ruth Beechick’s methods outlined in her book “You Can Teach Your Child Successfully.” Diction-based program centering on excerpts from great children’s literature and Bible passages.

Writing Strands (National Writing Institute)

Educators Publishing Service (EPS)

Writing and Spelling Road to Reading and Thinking (Riggs Institute)

• Multi-sensory phonogram-based method of teaching phonics, spelling, and handwriting with a single manual.

Curricula Resources - Math

Math-U-See

• Manipulative based math program
• K-12 curriculum authored by Steve Demme

Saxon Publishers

• Saxon Math: Kindergarten through Calculus program developed by John Saxon utilizing textbooks
• “incremental learning” – teach one skill at a time and then let students keep practicing that skill
• Saxon Phonics: incorporates reading, spelling, handwriting

Curricula Resources - Foreign Language

The Learnables (International Linguistics Corporation)

Power-Glide

Rosetta Stone

Curricula Resources – Art

Draw Write Now (Draw Your World)

Home School Suppliers

Christian Book Distributors

R.O.C.K. Solid

Home School Book Depot

Perfect Peace

Baptist Book Store

Bluestocking Press

Common Sense Press

A Reason For… (Concerned Communications)

Lyrical Learning

The Moore Foundation

Rainbow Resource Center

Shekinah Curriculum Cellar

Joyce Herzog Learning Products & Services

Sing ‘n Learn

The Sycamore Tree

Timberdoodle Company

Managers of Their Homes (Titus 2)

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