PDF Jump Start Curriculum Choices - Anchorage School District All levels except Pre-K include a science kit with resources required for the activities. I'd have no idea "where" to put them. So what to do? Moving Beyond the Page 4-6: Wow! The Well-Trained Mind is the guide that millions of parents trust to help them create the best possible education for their child. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Time. Click on links where available to verify price accuracy. I love Sonlight and think it would be great for junior high age. It is unit based, so one week we learn about Musk Oxen and their habitat, and next week we learn about trees and their life cycles. Thanks! Christian K to 12 Print-based Christian Liberty Press. Oh, and another problem, I am-for some reason- very bad at following a schedule. Grade 4 - http://www.BuildYourLibrary.com Page 1 The Modern World Week 1 Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Its not the same as what I'm using but its similar enough to work. This left me with Bookshark Pre-k, Moving Beyond The Page 4-6, Build Your Library K, Timberdoodle grade 1 (customized), Five in a Row, and one I create myself from Rainbow Resource. I can't even follow a recipe. Id have to supplement with Mathematical Reasoning, Math Mammoth, or even Math U See Primer. The last frontier, no it's not space but it may feel as vast, is the state of Alaska! This platform should be very helpful, but it doesn't provide complete record keeping. Now wheres my wine, strawberries, and chocolate? Read the whole thing, not just the title. I like to look around and find what is best for my particular student and I can't imagine I would find that from one publisher. And my 'big box of books' looks and awful lot like my local library, lol. 1. For teens, you might add a foreign language. These activities incorporate critical thinking skills, fine motor and creativity all in one. The advantages of Sonlights approach are that you dont have to think it through or remember to add them. John Holzmann discussed a lot of this on his blog as well as his thoughts on an old earth. I love the idea of a huge box of books, but like others I satisfy this desire by ordering from various places throughout the year. The assortment of resources in the Timberdoodle kits is almost certainly going to prove more engaging for most children than would a single publishers complete line of traditional curricula. In third grade, for instance, Sonlight expects students to spend 3.54.5 hours a day, and teachers to spend 2-3 hours a day. They are selling a secular alternative. Read-Alouds Reading aloud to your children builds their vocabulary, listening skills and imagination. Id have to order the literature from Rainbow Resource, but they would be one shipment. I feel silly asking you this, because of course you are a Timberdoodle supporter :-). At its core, it is a book list. And it leaves plenty of time for us to do other things. It's just too *much*. This arrangement makes it easier to select the correct level for each child in each subject and also makes it easier to combine children who are within three years of age into one level for some subjects. John pulled away from SL, and Sarita has done whatever to keep their Christian customer base. Timberdoodle lost because of the heavy writing component, making this curriculum almost useless for a few more years. -I dont think it's as "strong" as I'd like in some areas. For that, I could buy a curriculum and add in science and art where I want. They tend to offer very unique and hands-on materials. I dislike their politics and loathe their brand of religion. An aside: Timberdoodle corporate folks hope Im not shooting myself in the foot with my candidness. The format of the charts is easy enough for students about third grade and above to check off on their own. Haha. They tend to be very dramatic, and emotional. Its a subject that some seem to automatically excel in and others struggle. I do this with mine. BookShark Virtual is an online platform that enables students to access their schedules, view Story Maps, Take Assessments, and receive instant auto-grading results. Because Sonlight is EXPENSIVE. Well, there is a great option for Kinesthetic learners. Click on links where available to verify price accuracy. Nope. No, I don't mean that at all. I don't know. Maybe youre in fact mad. I would actually consider it more of a unit study approach that leans toward Charlotte Mason. For high school, the instructions are written directly to the student, assuming that they are completing their work independently. This will definitely be time consuming to find and organize the crafts, but I do love the literature so it may be a small price to pay. It's just :confused1: I have pondered that name quite a bit, actually. Timberdoodle, Bookshark and Shiller Math Purposeful Homeschool 2.65K subscribers Subscribe 9.6K views 5 years ago We pieced together several curriculum kits to come up with what we are going to. If my youngest turns out to be a big reader as my youngest daughter is I may consider it. If someone was a schedule person, I think it would be a good option. Day 1 (Discover), you will read from The Usborne Encyclopedia of World History with Internet Links and History Quest: Early Times, and complete mapwork during some weeks. Go with the 4-Day version. What they are selling is pretty much what I bought anyway, lol. I prefer a more open-ended approach. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. So Sonlight, which for years has advertised as Christians, and for years, said they would not back down from that POV.opens a spin-off company, acts like it's "this whole new thing that isnt' really related to us", and sells secular curriculumthat is just foul. We use Moving Beyond The Page. Timberdoodle lost because of the heavy writing component, making this curriculum almost useless for a few more years. The essential difference is that BookShark offers an option for those who want to experience a "Sonlight education" from a secular perspective. Basic kits include only the bare essentials. Timberdoodle is more practical and has a hands-on emphasis more in keeping with Charlotte Mason. For example, while DD is a great little reader now, she is also a picky reader and a bit behind in math. The amount of "teaching" time required will vary by level. And, back when Bookshark was Sonlight, nothing they made looked appealing to me. It wouldn't leave much time for the other stuff I want to do. Different things for different people. Ooothis discussion hits the nail on the head for me. We've reviewed a few here. Sonlight likes to switch things up often and their high school programs seem to be lacking. Four days is the perfect amount of science for us. Sonlight, Bookshark, The Good and the Beautiful-8th grade If Sonlight works well for you and your family can afford it, why not stay with it? After all this work I deserve it! School in a Box Modern Classical Education @ Home The important thing is inspiring the love of the work itself the kids will want to master it in their own time. Rather than publishing their own resources, they select their favorites from hundreds of publishers. I don't think I've ever seen a post where people don't call it a secular version of Sonlight. Time. If I was in a season where I couldn't write 75% of our curriculum myself, which is a reasonable assumption, I would go with the new Well Trained Mind box. I looked closely at the list of included items in Bookshark and found out 1) I already own many of the read-alouds and readers or can find them at local library, 2) I don't need math manipulatives and HWOT supplements, and 3) it seems a big investment in something I wouldn't call a "complete" curriculum as I'd still want to add other materials. It turned out that BookShark was a spin-off from Sonlight, operating as a separate company to offer a secular option that is similar to Sonlight's Christian curriculum. As a literature-based curriculum, this is to be expected. None. Why so many questions!? Not very many hands on activities. One thing that remains universal is there are varied ways to teach math, which is good because kids learn differently. Additional resources that are used change from level to level. All areas of language arts are covered in BookShark's language arts packages that are available up through level H. For example, level A (in which some items are labeled for kindergarten) teaches beginning phonics, spelling, pre-writing, and copywork. It even has Thinking Putty! Paste as plain text instead, They do not honor discounted pricing on Heartland orders* How well Sonlight is doing it, their science is NOT what I would call secular, is a discussion that could be had. Sonlight offers their programs in 5 day and 4 day a week options. Also enjoyed were builder options like Robotis Pets. I long ago rejected Sonlight, not because it religious, although that would be a major consideration. Despite differences in the content of Sonlight and BookShark, the educational approach and learning methods are the same in both. As nice as it sounds to have everything laid out, it would make me cry. (And yes, I was a member there for a while after having bought a few things from Sonlightnot their curriculum, but other items). All of your responses have been very enlightening. However, he DID love the odds and endsthe art, the stem, the games, etc., and it was all academically beneficial, too. Good to know that they have hands on activities. For instance, the level E history package for both programs usesThe Landmark History of the American People: Volume II. They do provide free review copies or online access to programs for review purposes. Thank you BookShark! Rank in 1 month. Copyright 2023 Timberdoodle Co. All Rights Reserved. Not ever choosing to do it. Timberdoodle Co - Homeschool Curriculum, Resources, Materials & Books 5-Star Learning for Grades 0-12 Award-Winning All-In-One Curriculum Kits Shop the Kits Have I Got a Story For You! Well, no, a box appeals to me every single year. but can you give me any thoughts about trying to choose between Timberdoodle and Sonlight? Subjective, I know. Its science is hands on. I love it, but it wasnt for me. It is a secular/faith-neutral curriculum. To the uninitiated, Timberdoodle is a small family business that offers curated curriculum choices both secular and religious. Its almost open and go! Copyright 2023 - Grove Publishing, Inc. Bible & Religion Parent & Family Resources, Catholic Programs, Publishers, and Web Links, Ungraded, Multi-level Resources - Comprehensive, Ungraded, Multi-level Resources - Grammar, Ungraded, Multi-level Resources - Composition, Publishers Offering Courses for Many Languages, Reading and Phonics Parent Resources and Other Helps, Reading, Phonics, and Literature Web Links and Supplements, Standardized and Special Needs Testing Products, Weblinks for Standardized Testing Services, Online Schools with Complete Programs and Courses: Religious, Online Schools with Complete Programs and Courses: Secular, US1 and US2 courses from the Nomadic Professor. They don't teach any particular religion, but they also don't teach things like evolution, the age of the universe, etc. I've looked into tgtb 8th grade lit, and I don't think it's a hands on approach. So, I don't know that I'd call it a liv. Upload or insert images from URL. BookShark Owned by the parent company, Sonlight, BookShark is a complete curriculum. Jump Start Curriculum Choices Family Partnership Charter School has put together a list of curriculum choices that can help new to homeschooling families Jump Start their homeschooling journey. Many families don't start regular home school instruction until their children are 6 years old. I wouldn't expect just using any curriculum exactly as written to somehow result in my kids knowing how to think deeply, that comes from me teaching and modeling that, using the material as a jumping off point. If I had to choose one among all boxed curricula, however, Bookshark would be at the top of the list. Parents and teachers can track and review student work, customize assessments, and message students directly from a computer or mobile app. Anyhoo, it's like I used to love Burts Bee products.then they sold to Colgate or some other major pharm company..Burt's Bee isn't who they used to be anymore. BookShark - Cathy Duffy Homeschool Curriculum Reviews With many of the books becoming available on kindle or audible, it is easier than ever to make up your own list and start reading. -My kids are everyone on the ability level. My first and biggest reason for not using it is that it's way too expensive. How Bookshark Stacks Up Secular. Parents and teachers can track and review student work, customize assessments, and message students directly from a computer or mobile app. I don't know. A to Z Preschool Curriculum. I can see myself saving up for the science book set. I am the die hard secular humanist who is using R&S grammar after all, lol. But, maybe there were more secular people who were looking longingly at Sonlight than I ever realized? I played around with it for a long time. Well I can for sure keep Book Shark off my 'things to consider' list. I feel like theyre getting the best of what each of those companies do well. Why It's Okay for Kids to Redo Their Work & Retake Tests, 5 Ways BookShark Virtual Makes Roadschooling Easier. Your previous content has been restored. Assuming they go past 1st grade, that is. The actual teaching should take up to half an hour, depending on whether you would like your student to independently read science and history or you prefer to read that aloud. Timberdoodle | Suggestion Keywords | Top Sites Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are "affiliate links." It was just overload. I do know that I LOVE literature so I'm finding myself considering bookshark again. ; Day 2 (Explore) you will read the History Hop time travel component of the History Quest chapter, complete the History Travel Log page for the unit, and explore a historical site . Considered a top-rated homeschool curriculum, college prep, with accredited options. In the kits with religious content, a few resources are written from a general Christian perspective, and some are specifically Protestant. Timberdoodle-popular program with everything included. Short lessons four days per week. Do I recommend a kit? It emphasizes thinking skills with things like Little Piggies Smart GameandPajaggle. Abeka Homeschool Curriculum. I used SL Core D and part of E. By time we started E, I was so sick of historical fiction. I actually had to sit and listen to him speak, as I was a volunteer at a convention, and my duty was to be in the theater he was speaking in, for general crowd control (apparently they were afraid people would rush the stage, lol). Both are great programs but neither is perfect for everyone. Ooothis discussion hits the nail on the head for me. Hopefully, anyway. Along with them, you get resources such as Skill Sharpeners: Geography - Grade 1, Daily 6-Trait Writing: Grade 1,Beginning Coding: First Grade, Spark Publishing's Test Prep: Grade 1, and the workbook What's New? Im loving these suggestions. While ninth-grade and twelfth-grade kits include Friendly Biology and Friendly Chemistry,respectively (which both have easy-to-do labs), other high-school levels have minimal lab activity or only videos of lab activity, and this might not be sufficient. Like I said, I could say exactly the same thing about others, but have never felt that way about John Holzmann. BookShark - Overview, News & Competitors | ZoomInfo.com We take so much effort to create order and inspire the kids to restore materials that scrunching something up felt kinda wrong. For Science you read from The Berenstain Bears Big Book of Science and Nature. The store will not work correctly in the case when cookies are disabled. 2. Personally, I don't mind if a company has a religious part and a secular part. Clear editor. You could also look at TGATB or maybe something like Guesthollow for science. Bookshark is free of religious and faith-based references. Timberdoodle grade 1 (customized): Im currently using Timberdoodle Kindergarten Secular customized curriculum and love it for the most part. Torchlight and Build Your Library Curriculum - Embracing Eclectic From Winnie the Pooh to Richard Scarry, the book selections are fantastic. Why I Chose To Homeschool With BookShark Curriculum: A Review Nothing. Seriously, this is going to be an awesome year, I want to start it now!!!! Hi, I pulled my daughter out of public school in January. Since the NGSS stress evolution as a foundational concept, BookShark science is now likely to promote evolutionary viewpoints. 1. The great debate is truly between Moving Beyond the Page, Five in a Row, and Bookshark. Box day would be fun. Timberdoodle has a line of "classic" kits for all grade levels that have some religious content as well as a parallel option of non-religious kits. I'm going through Idea in Alaska and looking for pros and cons with each!! Personally, I received the Sonlight catalog for a few years up until we moved, and still refer to the booklists when I'm looking for things to read. What an amazing curriculum! I rejected it long ago because it is not the right program for my kids. It isnt for all families though, so how do you know which is best for you? Curriculum in a box, from one provider, has never appealed to me. Just curious! You schedule days off, speed up or slow down or double-up your lesson plans, set holidays or start and ending dates, generate a daily schedule or set it over a range of dates its extremely customizable. I like the way he thinks. I admit, I have a weakness for shiny, new curriculum. I do have to say that I think the brand name "Book Shark" is horrible. I'm a minimalist. I really like to follow the child and while scheduling lesson plans, especially in elementary is very important, the idea of a schedule of lessons that looks out past a few weeks gives me anxiety. Powered by Invision Community, Well-Trained Press Thoughts on Bookshark : r/homeschool - Reddit I would have to find a suitable replacement for one book, Millions of Cats. The huge packages with all the parts and pieces make me a bit antsy. Yes, I can (and will) tweak, but I appreciate the foundation to build upon. What other secular curriculums are out there besides bookshark, torchlight, build your library, timberdoodle, blossom and root, oak meadow, time for learning, miacademy, & power homeschool? I thought the above was odd too. The advantages of Timberdoodles approach are the lower cost and the ability to pick books best suited to your familys standards/childs interests. I'm just generally unimpressed. And there was an earlier version that someone on a secular board I'm on pointed out at least one example of historical bias that definitely skewed religious. I would be willing to make it work though . We have a brood of children in multiple grades. The complete kits add more, including resources for science and history, and the elite kits have all that you need plus extras such as additional hands-on resources, art courses, or the audio version of one ofThe Story of the World books. It also works best with a child who is able to develop a deep empathy with fictional characters and connect this empathy with what he/ she is studying in history. I doubt anyone who's been on the Sonlight forums would call the Sonlight staff "gracious". It sounds like it's right up your alley: good books, hands on projects/crafts, and you can determine pacing or how many books to use. While the beginning grades are always teacher intense until the child can manage their own reading, Timberdoodle emphasizes independent learning as soon as it is possible. I believe most know it isn't a new curriculum. We have so many other things to spend money on. They dont vibe with our philosophies quite as nicely as some of the other offerings. Don't Buy Homeschool Science Curriculum Without Answering These 3 Its sort of a marvel. It's a realigned curriculum. Very workbook intense. Timberdoodle offers a unique boxed set for homeschool families with not only textbooks but also hands-on STEM puzzles, toys, and much more (science, technology engineering, and mathematics). . Thanks for linking Courtney! I feel the math section would be engaging and keep her progressing, but any thoughts on that would be great too! I liked Story of the World a lot, but felt like it just moved way too fast. I did Timberdoodle with my oldest for two . This will be my first year homeschooling my daughter who is entering 1st grade. Most of the new programs we add are because of adding new elements or subjects. BookShark is available for pre-kindergarten through tenth grade. And unwaveringly Christian. Christian PK to 12 Accredited Print-based MasterBooks. My issues aren't specific to this curriculum. He very rarely wants to sit and listen to a story, do a worksheet, or color a picture. I looooove Bookshark's history. BookShark didn't just remove the religious books from Sonlight's programs. But, don't let that deter you from adding BookShark books to what you are already using for language arts and math to create a one-of-a-kind curriculum that works for you and your kids. There are a few religious books (ie. Make a selling point of being Christian then take the religion stuff out and sell under a different name. 4. Moving Beyondthe Page sounds really appealing in that it seems rigorous and thorough, but the grade levels cover about half the stuff shesalready learned, and piecing it together looks crazy expensive. Here is a smattering of contrasts and comparisons that may prove helpful. They have things set up as a 5-day schedule:. timberdoodle co provides only the best homeschool products and homeschool curriculum. Purchasing items as kits gives you significant savings over purchasing items individually. Moving Beyond the Page? : r/homeschool - Reddit