What is a good K5 curriculum??

Question

It is my first year homeschooling my child and there are soo many choices. Because this is my first year, I would like to use a full curriculum. Once we get the hang of it (in the years to come) I am sure that we will branch out a bit. Also, I want something that is worth the cost. Curriculums are so expensive, I don't want to waste money on something we don't like....

Answer 1

My parents home schooled my 4 siblings and me from K5 through HS and my dad and I run a private school for homeschoolers in Florida.

The best K5 program I can recommend is the Bob Jones K5 Beginnings Kit.  It's very, very good.  Most kids who finish this program read right at a 2nd grade level.  Not only is it good for the students it is good for the parents.  The entire kit is set up to be homeschooler friendly.  Each lesson is explained in detail to the parent so that you know exactly what to cover and what materials you need.  

The kit comes with:

Phonics Practice Book

Reading Books, Reading Books Teacher's Edition

Phonics and Review Cards

Beginnings Worktext

Beginnings Teacher's Edition A & B

Beginnings Visuals Home Flip Chart

Beginning Phonics Chart Homeschool Packet

Phonics Songs CD.

All for just over $200.  It doesn't include math but some basic Kindergarten math books from a teacher supply store are fine for a K5 student.

I would stay away from Abeka.  Abeka is a good curriculum but:

Their kits are not as homeschool friendly.  They are more expensive and they are not set up well for a homeschool family.

Their curriculum is advanced, but most of the time it's too advanced.  Most first time homeschoolers are overwhelmed by the amount of material Abeka wants you to cover.  You end up forcing your child to advance faster than they are ready for which does not do them any good.

Bob Jones does a better overall job.  It advanced but not overwhelming.  They make it easier to adjust the lessons to fit your child.  Some parents will take the K5 and use it for Kindergarten and 1st grade if they feel the child cannot do it all in one year.

Kindergarten should be about learning to read and learning to read well.  The BJ curriculum teaches the fundamental phonetic concepts much better than Abeka and produces children who are far better lifetime readers than any other K5 curriculum we've seen.  I'll be using it with my daughter when she is old enough.

If you would like any more information about homeschooling and curriculum I'd be happy to help.  You can e-mail me at [e-mail].

Answer 2

I tried using Alpha Omega and Calvert and then went to an online charter school that provides everything for you including any tests that need to be done that are state required. They provide you with the computer, the printer, books, and supplies.

http://www2.k12.com/getk12/index.html

Answer 3

If you don't mind a Christian program, Abeka is good. Strong academic focus so make sure your kiddos are up to the task. And, make sure you have the time to commit to their needs.

Answer 4

Christian Liberty Press has a good, solid curriculum, and the price is very affordable.  The link is below:

http://ebiz.netopia.com/clpress

Answer 5

I would look first to what type of learner your child is and match the curriculum to that style.

If your little learner is a busy, active little person who barely sits still for 5 seconds, don't go with a traditional curriculum or you will be pulling your hair out with your child's natural wiggle. Instead go with a solid curriculum that uses that active body. KONOS is one such curriculum. It doesn't cover math and phonics instruction, but the fact that you can let your child build, explore, and do for science, history, art, etc. means that they will feel more willing to give you that amount of sit down time. LOL. All the subjects will be integrated around a main theme which is nice because of the continuity across subjects. That gives lots of reinforcement. An active style of math would be the curriculum Math U See. It is very hands on. There are several body movement, singing, and doing phonics curriculums out there.

If you have a quite, studious type that is a watcher and a listener more than a doer, the more traditional curriculums usually work well.

If you child has a deep love of books, try Sonlight which incorporates lots of good literature into their program.

This is our 15th year of homeschooling. Wasting money on curriculums that just don't fit or that are not enjoyed is par for the course. It gets better as the years go by though. One good idea is to shop for used curriculum. Then, if the curriculum doesn't work out, you can typically turn right around and sell it for the same amount you paid for it minus some shipping costs. Once you find a curriculum you are in love with, go ahead and buy new for subsequent years so the publisher stays healthy.

Another worthwhile venture is to see if you can browse the curriculum collections of homeschoolers in your area. Being able to see curriculum before you buy it can often save you an unwise purchase or confirm a good one before you order.

Answer 6

By K5, I assume you mean kindergarten for a 5 year old. Your best bet would be a simple math book like the DK books you can get at Costco this time of year, Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons, and a library card.

If you are intent on a bigger curriculum, try Abeka - very, very strong basics and good to start early - or Sonlight. Sonlight is more literature and history based. You have to pick your own math (still can do Abeka) and language arts. Both are Christian curriculum. If you would prefer a packaged, secular curriculum, Calvert School is very strong as well.