6 Ingredients of Great Curriculum
In “6 Ingredients of a Great Curriculum,” Episode, #134, Meredith Curtis can help you if you feel overwhelmed by curriculum choices. There is so much out there! Meredith shares how she chooses curriculum for her family by using a simple checklist of 6 things. She gives practical wisdom on what to look for in homeschool resources including worldview, flexibility, content, usability, cost value, and the fun factor.
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Show Notes
The thrill of a used book sale each May.
Worldview
Curriculum should match worldviews.
As a Christian, I have a biblically based worldview. I believe the Bible is true and applies to all areas of life. I want to show my children how God’s Word relates to every subject we study.
For more information on worldview, listen to my podcast: What is Your Worldview? that explains 6 different worldviews popular in our world today.
When Worldviews Collide is another podcast that helps parents and teens recognize worldviews that contrast with Christianity.
Content
Learn with depth. (Table of Contents for breadth; Read a chapter for depth)
I get excited when a history textbook goes deeper.
Examples:
- History
- Math
- Science
- Foreign Language
Make lists of what looking for.
If I can’t find everything in one curriculum, I will often combine two separate ones.
Wholesomeness. Purity. Accuracy.
Usability
Different for every person. Some like detailed lesson plans.
Is it clear enough for you how to use it for maximum potential?
Does it seem workable or does the preparation overwhelm you?
Flexibility
Can it be used for the whole family or just one person?
Can it be used at home or in a homeschool co-op?
Can you rearrange the schedule? Stretch it out? Shorten it?
Is it adaptable?
Cost Value
Doesn’t mean that I get the cheapest thing out there. That can end up costing me more in the long run.
Cost value to me means that it is worth the price I will pay for it. That is personal and different for each person.
- Am I getting what I pay for?
- If this is core curricula, is it worth the price?
- If this is supplemental (like timeline, cookbook, literature, map), do I really need it? And is it worth the price?
I love to go to homeschool conventions where I can actually hold and look through curriculum and living books.
The Fun Factor
The fun factor matters to our family.
If our chosen curriculum doesn’t have it, we add those things in ourselves—I usually add ideas next to the Table of Contents or lesson plans.
In our home, things that we consider “Fun Factor” are:
- Cooking/Baking
- Timelines
- Movies/TV Shows
- Games
- Hands-On Activities
- Creating Skits, Radio Dramas, Commercials
- Mapping
- Living Books
- Historical Fiction
- Geographical Fiction
- Writing Poems
- Music
- Art
- Crafts
- Dioramas
- Posters/Brochures/Booklets
- Lapbooking
- Blogging about It
- Dressing Up
- Travel
- Field Trips
- Writing a Story
- Games
- Sports
- History Parties
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Resources
How-to-Homeschool Books if you want to learn more about homeschooling or plan to homeschool 😊
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The following books give detailed instructions so you can have your own History Parties.
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These are just a few of our many resources that work well for all ages together!
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