Tech Trep Academy Direct – Direct Provider Courses

Direct Provider Courses are paid for and provided directly to the student by Tech Trep Academy. In Schedule Builder, the cost that will be deducted for these optional courses is listed.

There are two different types of Tech Trep Academy Direct options:

1. Direct Provider Courses

2. Canvas-based Technology and Entrepreneurship Electives

A Direct Course Can be Selected in Schedule Builder using the drop-down menus for each course. Students who select these courses are registered in these courses directly by Tech Trep Academy. The course is paid for directly by Tech Trep Academy. The cost for the course will be listed in the description and the fee will be deducted from the student’s learning allotment.

Tech Trep Academy Direct – Technology and Entrepreneurship Electives

Canvas-based Technology and Entrepreneurship Elective courses are paid for and provided directly to the student by Tech Trep Academy. In Schedule Builder, the points will be deducted for these optional courses from Supplemental Learning Points.

There are two different types of Tech Trep Academy Direct options:

1. Direct Provider Courses

2. Canvas-based Technology and Entrepreneurship Electives

Optional Homeroom Resources:

• Group Buys:

  • The Optional Homeroom Resources (Group Buys) are third-party resources provided as group buys by Tech Trep Academy. These are deducted from your supplemental learning resources. Each student may choose as few or as many of the offerings as desired.

• Free Resources:

  • The Free Homeroom Resources are provided at NO COST and are not deducted from a student’s supplemental learning resources.

• Custom-built Curriculum

  • Custom-built curriculum includes approved learning resources, private tutoring/lessons, and educational supplies.

  • Students may custom build each of their electives. This curriculum can be purchased by parents who may set up a Direct Order with one of our staff members. Direct Orders are placed by Tech Trep directly with Amazon or Rainbow Resource (or both).

  • If a parent would like to choose a custom curriculum for a student’s course, they are no longer required to list in the Schedule Builder which curriculum will be purchased. Parents will tell Tech Trep Academy which resource will be used in the Bi-weekly Learning Plans.

  • All supplemental curriculum is lumped together in one category.

    • For example, instead of choosing “Custom Built,” a parent will choose a Tech Trep Direct Course called “Free Tech Trep Academy Provided Curriculum + parent selected supplemental resources”. This will gives you the flexibility to customize the curriculum you would like to use for that course.

• Electives are only reported once a semester with an upload and brief summary of the activities a student completed for each elective.

Math curriculums fall under two main methods: spiral and mastery. In a spiral math curriculum a topic is introduced in one lesson and reviewed frequently over the next several lessons. In a mastery math curriculum, students focus on one topic at a time helping them get a single concept concrete before moving onto the next one. Either type of program can help kids love and be successful at math.

* $ Singapore Primary Math is a solid mastery program for grades K-6 and my overall top pick for elementary. (They do offer middle school programs which are OK, but not excellent.) Each grade level is broken into A and B books with Textbooks and Workbooks for each. Textbooks are non-consumable and in color and workbooks are black and white to be written in. I have used it with only the textbook or only the workbook, and if you only choose one, I’d recommend the workbooks, but then the parent will need to do more direct teaching. Textbook only will need additional supplemental practice, but could be a good option if you are reviewing a level. It is advanced and moves quickly. Books 1B and 2A will align more closely with a traditional 2nd grade program. For K, there is a Kindergarten Essentials A/B series which is new or Earlybird K series with textbook and activity book. The Earlybird series is very colorful and “fun” but is more expensive. For 1-6, the program comes in three formats: US Edition, Standards edition, and Common Core. I prefer the Standards edition because it contains measurement and money concepts not included in the US edition. I have never used the Common Core version. You can purchase teacher editions for each level (which are very helpful if you are not already comfortable teaching math or answer keys only that cover 3 years in one book. (Make sure you get the answer keys that match the edition of books you buy).

One of Singapore’s strengths is that they cover all math topics in depth each year including geometry, probability, weights and measurements, etc, but they may not have enough basic fact practice to get math facts memorized. I would partner it with xtramath.com and/or fun4thebrain.com (both free) until students have math facts mastered. At 2nd/3rd grade I would also add in a Skip Counting CD (we like the one from Math U See). This program does have optional math manipulative kits, but a set of base ten blocks, some pattern blocks, a clock or watch, a thermometer, and some spare change would be sufficient.

Singapore also offers Extra Practice books for each level. These include instruction/explanation along with practice pages. I’ve found that these can be great for reviewing, catching gaps from other programs, or just helping a student move more quickly if you transition them into Singapore. I’ve paired them with MUS or Teaching Textbooks to make sure I’ve introduced concepts like measurement and probability that they will encounter on the tests starting in 3rd grade.

@ $$ ALEKS is a fully online program for grades 3 and up. For each grade level, the student has a pie graph representing all the topics to be covered for that grade separated by topic. It starts with a pretest, so they may start the year with that grade level pie halfway filled in from skills that would be review, but they already mastered. They can work on topics in any order and bounce from fractions to geometry in the same day. For each skill, they are given an explanation to read before doing practice problems. Three problems right in a row will fill in a skill. After every 20-25 skills, they are given a knowledge check which is a review test of 25-30 problems checking to see if they remember the skills they previously mastered. The skills they miss are unfilled in the pie graph and put back on the list to be reviewed. The program has minimal teaching, mostly just showing example problems for each concept. It does have helpful teacher reports to see which skills they are struggling with for the parent to step in and help. There is no teacher’s manual, so this program is best for families where at least one parent is comfortable explaining math concepts when needed. In my experience, students tend to need help with about 10% of the topics, often it’s just me reading the explanation to them or explaining a vocabulary term. Students can cover more than one level during your subscription time frame. You can purchase subscriptions through our group buy at a significant discount (approx $50 per year per student). ALEKS also has a free add on program called Quicktables that is excellent for helping students master math facts (it’s like flashcards that focus on a few math facts per day until they are mastered. Parents can customize which facts-- addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division-- a student is working on and how much time they are assigned/allowed per day. It’s not as “fun” as Reflex Math, but is quite effective.) I often pair a subscription of this program with the Singapore Extra Practice workbooks at the younger levels and Life of Fred starting at Fractions (about 5th grade).

* @ $ Life of Fred takes a unique approach to math using a story approach and follows a 5 year old genius who is teaching math at a college. It goes from elementary level up through advanced college math and is highly engaging. The elementary set are fun, but I would consider them supplemental (Titles are in alphabetical order from Apples to Jellybeans). The elementary set are followed by the intermediate series (Kidney, Liver, Mineshaft) which are a good review of all of basic elementary math and would be 4th/5th grade level. These are followed by Fractions and Decimals & Percents, then Pre-Algebra with Physics, Biology, and Economics (3 books). From Fractions and up I love them! They help students love math and teach them the whys behind it. I often pair it up with a 6 month subscription to ALEKS occasionally or time on Khan Academy to help them instantly know what to do when they see a problem on a test. For a student who struggles with math, it might be better to use the Life of Fred books as a supplement to review concepts they have already been introduced to- my son using Teaching Textbooks loves working on these during the summer between levels reviewing what he learned and learning to apply the skills in real life applications. (The library system in Boise has many of these to look at and preview.)

# $$-$$$ Teaching Textbooks is a spiral method program that is done on the computer. They offer 3rd grade up to calculus. Each lesson starts with a lecture explaining a new concept. Students listen and read along, stopping to answer problems for understanding during the lecture. The program gives instant feedback and walks the student through the correct answer step by step. After the lecture are 5 practice problems that do not count toward the assignment grade, followed by 20-25 problems that do count toward the grade. For each problem, students get two tries and if they still get it wrong, the program walks them step by step through the correct answer. All grading is automatic and it is very easy as a parent to reassign individual problems or full assignments where the student needs more practice.

This program is excellent for families where the parent is not comfortable teaching math. It tends to run behind grade level, so I highly recommend taking the placement test on their website. An advanced 2nd grader who reads well could probably use the program successfully. To cover the same level students will be tested on, you will need to be working one to two levels above your student’s grade level.

The lessons break concepts down into very small steps and the program moves too slowly for kids who understand math easily. I have sometimes had a student only do the lecture and practice problems portion of every lesson and the full assignment every other or every third lesson when it is a concept they understand well, especially at the Pre-Algebra level where the first half of the year is a repeat of 7th grade math. An advanced math student could probably skip the 7th grade level and move from 6th to Pre Algebra (use the placement test as a guide). You can purchase CD’s or buy a one year online subscription version which is cheaper, but cannot be reused by additional children. There is also an optional workbook with space to work the problems before entering the answer in the program.

$$-$$$ Math-U-See is a mastery based math program that includes instruction on a DVD for K-12. It is designed to be multisensory and has a heavy focus on mastering math facts. It is good for visual or kinesthetic learners. Each level focuses mainly on one topic (Alpha is basic addition and subtraction, Beta is larger addition and subtraction, Gamma is multiplication. . . )

The parent (often with the student) watches the video to introduce the concepts and then there are 6 assignments that go along with it, 3 focusing on the new skill and 3 that include review. I originally used an old version of the program and still refer to mental math tricks I learned from the videos in teaching younger children. My kids have loved the skip count CD and it has made transitioning to multiplication easier. You would need to purchase a set with the blocks one time ($83 new), then the level up sets after that. (You can often find the blocks and teacher materials used-- just make sure you match edition levels. Newest versions have hardbound instructor editions. The oldest versions have comb bindings. I do recommend that you buy their blocks because having the same color as the DVD’s is helpful, especially at the younger grades.) They also offer a free worksheet generator that makes it easy to print extra practice pages if a student is struggling with a concept: https://www.mathusee.com/e-learning/worksheets/ In theory, you could use the worksheet generator instead of buying a student workbook. I have never used the digital subscription which is new, but included if you purchase new. I have only used these up through elementary levels. They offer placement questions on their website to help you choose the correct level. While MUS has a strong focus emphasizing math facts, it was not as strong in covering other topics like geometry, probability, weights and measurements. You may need to supplement some of these topics prior to standardized testing (Singapore Extra Practice workbooks can fit that niche.) It can also feel pretty repetitive because every set of lessons looks pretty similar to the last. The Alpha (1st) grade level covers the exact same material as the Primer (K) level in the first half of the book. Many K students would be able to start with Alpha and move a little slower. I would say it is best for math phobic kids or families.

$-$$ Saxon is a solid and popular spiral math program. It’s similar to what many of us were familiar with growing up in public school. It has a lot of review and lots of problems. I have heard positive reviews for the younger grades and many families love it. You can see some sample pages here: https://www.bookshark.com/media/wysiwyg/pdf/Saxon-4-9-Sampler.pdf Families who have used it say they cut out part of the problems with each lesson and add in math manipulatives to make it more enjoyable. Older editions can often be found pretty cheap on Ebay and used curriculum sites.

$$$ Right Start Math is a very hands on program, good for kinesthetic learners. It has many different manipulatives and components. It is very parent intensive, so I would not recommend this program for parents teaching several children. Practice is done using math games. Placement tests are available on their website. Each level is about $90, and you will need a one time purchase of the manipulatives kit which is about $210.

Other approved math curriculums overviews:

• Math Mammoth: printable worksheet program

• Key To Math Series: focuses on one topic at a time--good for reviewing or focusing on a topic where a student needs extra practice.

• Beast Academy: written in a comic book style, tends to run advanced with a strong focus on problem solving

• Critical Thinking Company: mathematical reasoning: very focused on problem solving and critical thinking, not as much focus on basic math skills

• Not approved: Math Lessons for a Living Education

• Math Supplements: There are many online or supplemental math options to help students practice math facts or skills. These are some of my favorites.

• Manipulatives: Base ten blocks, watch or clock, pattern blocks, tanagrams, geoboards, thermometer, spare change (the plastic coins are a pain), balance or scale

• MathStart books are great for younger grades. Each book introduces a math concept through a story. The stories are interesting enough that my kids ask for them often.

• MathSeeds is a fun online math supplement for younger students, which now goes through 3rd grade level. This will be offered as a group buy.

• # Reflex Math is an online program that is great for helping students master their math facts. My kids 1st grade and up enjoy it, but it required more mouse control than my 4 year old was able to do. I like that this program teaches using fact families.

• Dreambox is a colorful online math program. It claims to be a comprehensive math program, but tends to move slowly and be repetitive. My kids like to for short time frames, but not as a full program or for a full year.

• Prodigygame.com is an online math game where the kids are a wizard traveling in a world and battling other wizards and capturing “pets” who them can be used in battles. Each time they want to cast a spell, they have to do a math problem first. There is a free version, or a paid version. The paid version has the same content as the free version, but allows them to capture pets faster and gives them additional prizes. There is a facebook group called Prodigy Group Buy where you can get a membership for about $15. You can also transfer a membership from one kid to another easily, so you could use one membership for 2 or more kids. My kids at all ages LOVE it and it is the most popular program after they finish their regular schoolwork. We may offer a group buy of this program if there is enough interest.

• Fun4thebrain.com is a free website with several different games to practice basic math facts. You can select addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division, and even which facts to work on. It is basically flash cards inside a game.

• Xtramath.com is another free flashcard type program that covers the facts very systematically. It is not flashy or colorful, but working on it consistently helps my kids become fast and accurate with their basic math facts.

• Sumdog.com is also free and is math problems in a game format. Members can access the newest games, but there are plenty of free options. This program may seem to start out way too easy as it does the placement test, but it will adjust to the right level with a little time. This will be offered as a group buy.

• DragonBox is a wonderful series of apps ranging from $5-8. Dragonbox Algebra apps introduce Algebra skills as kids master the different levels of the games. They have two versions, a 5+ and a 12+ level and I love both of them. They also have Dragonbox Elementals, which introduces geometry skills in a game format and is excellent at helping kids learn about shapes and congruent lines and angles. They have two newer apps for younger kids called Numbers and Big Numbers that I have not personally used.

• Times Tales (DVD) or Times Tables the Fun Way (book) can help kids struggling with memorizing their multiplication facts master them quickly. Both programs use memory triggers with stories and pictures. Times Tales focuses mostly on the “harder” upper facts, which Times Tables the Fun Way gives hints for all times tables.

• Amplify Fractions - game based learning with lessons to help students understand concepts - free section available to all but more can be purchased.

• Commoncoresheets.com - free worksheets for almost all standards / learning goals. A new feature is called one atta time and gives flash card practice with the concept. Parent can make tests, worksheets, daily practice sheets for each grade.

• Mathaids.com - another free worksheet site. This one also lets you find worksheets by topic, but you can customize each sheet.

Science: Homeschool science programs are either topical (focusing on one type of science at a time) or general (like public schools that cover every topic each year moving more in depth each year.) Some programs are heavy on experiments, others may have no experiments.

Generation Genius is a PBS type program that we will be providing for all students. My kids from k-6 enjoyed it.

Magic School Bus books and DVD’s are an excellent elementary level science curriculum!

Real Science 4 Kids is a program that my science loving kids have enjoyed. It uses colorful illustrations and simplified explanations while using real science vocabulary terms and concepts. The teacher books have one experiment for each of the 10 chapters. The books are not long, and depending on how often you do science, one book can be completed in 10 weeks to a semester. (For younger kids, I would use them as a read aloud because some of the vocabulary is challenging.) I prefer the Focus On books where each book covers one branch of science (Biology, Physics, Chemistry, Astronomy, and Geology) which are offered at both Elementary (k-4) and middle school (5-8) levels. I like the focus on books because it is easier to teach family style with kids in multiple grades. For families who prefer one grade level book covering all topics, the same books are reorganized into a series called Building Blocks, with the content spread out over the different grade levels. I have not used the Building Blocks books, but they have 22 chapters and are intended to be full year. See samples here: https://gravitaspublications.com/getting-started/samples/

R.E.A.L. Science Odyssey by Pandia Press is a classical method science that focuses one science topic per year. It is very experiment heavy, so you will need to plan ahead and gather supplies in advance. This program does have units about climate change, evolution, and the big bang theory where many other secular elementary science programs omit those topics. It is a very comprehensive and strong program for kids who enjoy science. PandiaPress.com offers very large samples as free downloads on their website (you do have to provide an email address which adds you to their mailing list.) The level 2 books (5-8th grade) are written directly to the student with a separate teacher guide. Be forewarned that these are BIG books, the Biology 2 student textbook is 724 pages long. See samples here: https://www.pandiapress.com/try-before-you-buy/

Mysteryscience.com is a great collection of unit studies that you access online. I love that my mid-upper kids can do most of the units fairly independently. They often have special offers that would allow you to try the first mystery in every topic which will give you a good idea of whether they are a good fit. The lessons are fairly short, engaging, and there is very little, if any, preparation needed for the basic exploration and usually only some printing and household items for the activities. They offer a $49 family price twice per year, usually in April and August, and sometimes offer a special $20 price in January. You can also sign up for the free option which gives you access to quite a few lessons.

Science Fusion is a comprehensive grade based science program that comes with a workbook/textbook and online access to virtual labs and activities. It is fully aligned to state standards and is very similar to what public school students cover. The best price for this program is through homeschoolbuyerscoop.com

Elemental Science is a classical science curriculum with hands-on experiments, outside reading, and narrations. You will need to buy additional books and prepare each week for the experiments and buy or check out any additional books you want for each unit-- they provide a large list of additional resource books for each unit. You can look at pretty comprehensive samples on their website: https://elementalscience.com/

Winterpromise offers several literature based science programs. Their programs are geared for family style learning and teaching several grades at the same time and include many fun hands on learning activities in the guides. Many of the packages contain 1 or more religious books, but you can purchase through their charter school catalog to buy sets that exclude those books. You can also just use the book lists as a starting point for finding great books. https://winterpromise.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Charter_School_Catalog_Winter_2017.pdf

Also approved: Noeo Science

Supplemental:

Sassafras Science is a literature based science program written for K-5th grades. They are adventure novels with science concepts woven into the story. My kids love them as stand alone books, but there are also additional resources to complete the curriculum, a Lapbooking Guide (best for younger children) and Sassafras Guides (for older kids). Both have vocabulary study, experiments, copywork, etc. For the Sassafras Guides, there are other recommended resource books, like the DK Encyclopedia of Animals with the Zoology books. These books are part of The Elemental Science Classic Curriculum which uses a more classical homeschool method.

Quark Chronicles are described by my kids as “magic school bus for big kids.” There are optional notebooking pages, but my kids love just reading and enjoying the “story.” My kids recommend reading them in order, but they can be used out of order if needed.

Evan-Moor ScienceWorks are engaging and fun supplements as a unit study. Basically, your kids make a pocket folder about the topic with different projects. Each page of the folder usually takes around an hour. They have sets for 1-3 and 4-6, but I’ve used them with a wider age range successfully. They also work well in a co-op setting. Similar books are available for History and Language Arts topics.

Critical Thinking Company: Science Detective are good for standardized test prep and cover a variety of science concepts. I do not use them as a complete curriculum and we do not do all the lessons in the book during one year, but I have found that using them as a supplement pays off in the long run for my kids with the Science ACT test. It feels easy and familiar, as something they did as “little kids.” They are geared for 3-6 grade, but could also easily be used with middle school students. I usually have my kids do sections on topics we have not covered that year.

HomeScienceTools.com is one of the best resources I’ve found for buying science kits and supplies. The have science kits to go along with many of the more popular curriculums.

Social Studies: Public school social studies for K-3 focus on things like being a good citizen and community helper, but there are many great literature based history options for those grades. Also see Story of the World under 6th grade, it is great for all elementary ages. 4th grade covers Idaho History, 5th covers US History, 6-8th cover World History and World Geography. Many homeschool families cover some of these history topics in the earlier grades.

Character/Value Studies are often the focus for the younger grades

Brite Music has mp3’s and downloadable pdf books called Standin’ Tall with stories featuring different character traits like Honesty, Kindness, Service. They have a series called Safety Kids with songs about staying away from strangers and not doing drugs. They also have a CD that my kids love called My Body Machine that talks about eating healthy and taking care of your body. And one about America called Take Your Hat off When the Flag Goes By. They were produced in the 80’s, but my kids still love them.

Alexander’s Amazing Adventures is another values/character based series that we enjoy. You can listen to the first adventure about honesty for free to see if it’s a good fit for your family.

ValueTales are stories about famous people focusing on a specific character trait. They are written by Ann and Spencer Johnson and can often be found used.

Biographies are a great way to introduce younger kids to history

Who Was, What Was, and Where Was Series are fairly short, well written stories about historical figures, places, and events.

Childhood of Famous Americans is another series written to an upper elementary age audience that my kids enjoy.

History:

Literature Based Programs have grade level packages of books on specific topics, such as US History.

Bookshark is a secular version of Sonlight. This program covers History through reading. I love the booklists, but generally buy the books used. The instructor guide schedules parts of different several different books per day and would be helpful for parents who want comprehension questions and other helps to go along with the books.

Winterpromise also offers literature based history program. Their programs are geared for family style learning and teaching several grades at the same time and include many fun hands on learning activities in the guides. Many of the packages contain 1 or more religious books, but you can purchase through their charter school catalog to buy sets that exclude those books. https://winterpromise.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Charter_School_Catalog_Winter_2017.pdf You can also just use the book lists as a starting point for finding great books.

Beautiful Feet Books is another literature based history program. My younger kids found some of the books more boring than books recommended by Bookshark or Winterpromise for similar topics, so I have only used one. Some of their guides are religious and would have to be purchased with personal funds, but most of the books themselves are fine to purchase. This link will tell you which items are NOT approved because they are religious: http://bfbooks.com/Info-FAQ/Charter-Vendor If you are buying the full kit, which contains a religious item, list everything in the kit with the prices (You can probably do this with a "save as pdf" of the webpage that shows included items. Then highlight the items you are getting reimbursed for and add up those prices, (or subtract the personal purchase items) and write personal purchase next to the items you are not being reimbursed for. Because of discounts on sets, you may get different numbers depending on whether you add or subtract. Do whichever works out best, just show on the paper what you did, so someone looking at the receipt would get the same number you do.

If you do not want to purchase items out of pocket, you can call and request a custom pack and have them take those items off. (They might be willing to list them separately on the receipt as well to simplify it for you, just tell them you are working with a charter school program.)

Memoria Press is well known for their religious literature based program, but they now offer a secular, charter school approved option as well. Those kits can be found here:

https://charter.memoriapress.com/packages/ I have never used their kits, but I do like many of the books they have chosen for them.

The Good and The Beautiful is a religious history curriculum with a few components that can be covered, please refer to this document to see which items are non-religious and can be covered: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1wudSX4BdSIjuxd4GV-rQdQZTc07a33LJs7Z3KasB8go) All things listed as religious must be paid for out of pocket by the parent.

US History (5^th grade) has many different textbook type options. Many of these are religious or dry. I love to use a literature based program at this age because my goal is not to have them memorize dates, but to learn about people and events and spark an interest in learning more. You can pull books from several booklists or buy a complete package from several different companies, including Book Shark, Memoria Press (use their charter school link to only purchase non religious items for reimbursement), Winterpromise (also has a charter school link), or Beautiful Feet books. I supplement with documentaries.

America The Story of US is a DVD series put together by the History Channel that we have also enjoyed.

Liberty's Kids is a PBS series about the Revolutionary War. It is animated, and some 5^th graders would find it babyish, while others will enjoy it.

Stack the States is an app that teaches facts about each state in a game format. My kids “play” it for about 15-20 min a day to memorize the locations of each state, capitals, and facts about each state. (There are also apps called Stack the Countries and Presidents vs Aliens by the same company that we enjoy.)

All American HIstory is a textbook type program. All components of this program as now approved (textbooks, student workbooks, and teacher guides). My kids liked this better than other textbook formats, but prefer the literature based style.

Any public school US History text would also be an acceptable choice, such as those by Houghlin Mifflin, Prentice Hall, etc. I have not used any of those and cannot make a recommendation.

A History of US by Joy Hakim is one popular US history series that has 11 books. It is written at a middle school level and might be a good option for s strong reader who loves history. Many families love it, but my kids felt like it was pretty dry.

Not Approved: Notgrass America the Beautiful

World History (6-8^th grade)

Story of the World by Susan Wise Baurer is written for 1-6 grade with books covering Ancient History, Middle Ages, Early Modern History, and Modern History. For an older student with little exposure to World History, it is an excellent spine. Kids who have already learned about World History may enjoy her series following the same breakdown written for high schoolers. My son has enjoyed the audible version.

World Geography (6-8^th grade) can be combined with world history or taught separately. I like to focus on a region of the world and let each kid choose a country to learn and report on. (Their favorite way to choose is shooting a nerf gun at a map.) We make recipes from different countries in the region, read books, and watch documentaries. Their reports might be a few coloring pages and simple facts for the younger kids up to a powerpoint or formal report or travel brochure for older kids. Sometimes one of the kids will choose to do an overview report with small amounts of information on several countries.

Supplements:

The Little Man in the Map is one of our favorite “map” books. Told in rhyme, he turns a map of the US into a little man (his face is Iowa and his boots are Louisiana) and all the other states relate to him or other pictures (Michigan is a dog and a glove). It will change how you look at the map forever and helps make it easy to identify states by their shape or location. The author has a 2nd book about the Capitals which we like as well, which is written to older kids.

Evan-Moor History Pockets that I have found to be engaging and fun supplements for many history topics. Basically, your kids make a pocket folder about the topic with different projects. Each page of the folder usually takes around an hour. They have sets for 1-3 and 4-6, but I’ve used them with a wider age range successfully. They also work good in a co-op setting. Sinilar books are available for some Science and Language Arts topics.

Our America series are historical fiction written by a home educator that my kids have enjoyed reading.

Teaching Reading and Letters: I prefer phonics based programs over whole word programs because it seems to help students as they move into harder reading.

@ $ Leap Frog Letter Factory DVD is great for helping kids quickly learn the letter sounds. I like the other LeapFrog DVD’s but this one is phenomenal. The 2003 version is better than the more recent one if you are able to find it.

@ $ Teach Your Child to read in 100 Easy Lessons is a great reading program contained in one book which can be purchased for about $15 (it is also available at some libraries to preview). It uses the Distar method, where long vowels are marked with a line above the letter and blends like th are written with the letters connected to remind kids to use the special sound. It weans the kids off the helps around lesson 74. The program is scripted for the parent and easy to pick up and go with little preparation. The little stories are fun and interesting and help the kids feel like they are reading quickly. For a child who already knows there letters and sounds, skip ahead and start at lesson 11. (This program focuses on teaching letter sounds first before letter names, but I usually cover letter names prior to starting it.) I like to pair this program up with an online program called Reading Eggs and phonics workbooks (See below). When my kids finish this program, they are able to move into most of the beginning readers or the Funnix 2 Hardcover Reader.

$$$ All About Reading is another great option for teaching reading. It is more fun and colorful than 100 Easy Lessons, but is more time consuming and requires more parent preparation. It also has many parts to keep track of, so it’s not as easy to use on the go. It is great for a kinesthetic learner who needs to move around and needs to see, touch, and hear to learn. It uses cards, letter tiles, and a student workbook. This program offers a placement test on their website. This program has 5 levels. The first is called Pre-Reading and covers letters and sounds and is $80. The other 4 levels each run about $120, plus a one time kit purchase that is $22. This program is often paired with All About Spelling. I usually recommend this program if 100 Easy Lessons is not working or if parents do not like the Distar method. This program would not need any additional phonics workbooks.

# $$$ Rocket Phonics is the program I recommend for older struggling readers that just haven’t clicked with reading. It uses “helpers” to make every word phonetic and uses riddles and knock-knock jokes to engage an older child. It uses blue text instead of black on white and was the program that finally helped my dyslexic, ADHD son take off with reading. The full set is $160 which includes 2 books, Vol 1 and Vol 2. You can often find Vol 1, which goes through about a 3rd grade level, much cheaper used.

Beginning Readers:

Bob books are popular for beginning readers who are just starting with to read and want to feel like they are reading real books. The stories are very simple with black and white illustrations. They follow very strict phonics with few sight words. If you have multiple kids who will be using these, I recommend the hardback books (Costco often has the best prices). They tend to be well loved.

My kids have also loved the Life of Fred Beginning Readers. Looking at the series, it does not stick to phonics rules and seems to introduce words in a random order compared to most early readers. But the stories are fun and engaging and my kids tend to love them.

Another set of readers we like are called Pathway Readers. They are produced by an Amish company, so the pictures in the books do not show people. The readers are not religious, but do focus on character traits like honesty and obedience in the stories. When the kids make a bad choice, consequences follow quickly. These can often be found used. The titles are First Steps (K-1), Days Go By (1), More Days Go By (1), Busy Days (2), More Days Go By (2). There are higher level books, but usually by then my kids are confident reading other books. I have never used the accompanying workbooks.

Funnix 2 Hardcover Reader ($10 at Funnix.com) is a perfect follow-up to the 100 Easy Lesson Books with short manageable stories that get progressively harder. (The Funnix program itself is very similar to Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons, but is done on the computer with the parent sitting next to the child.)

Many beginning readers can move into Dr. Seuss, Amelia Bedelia, and the I Can Read it series. Elephant and Piggie, Henry and Mudge, and Usborne Readers are also some of our favorites at this level. (If you do Usborne books, talk to your consultant about a book fair or party option to get free books.)

Online Reading Programs:

Reading Eggs is a colorful, fun online program that teaches beginning reading and is great for kids just starting to read. It covers letter sounds, blending, and beginning reading in a systematic way.This program will be offered as a group buy.

Headsprout is another online reading program that focuses on learning through blends. I like this program for kids who have mastered beginning blending but just haven’t taken off with reading. It is better than Reading Eggs for older students. This will be offered as a group buy.

Phonics Programs: I supplement 100 Easy Lessons with a phonics workbook, which also doubles as spelling and provides practice with handwriting.

Primary Phonics is a series of 6 phonics workbooks that start with basic cvc words and move through more advanced phonics skills. I like these workbooks because they include some coloring and comprehension and my kids enjoy them more than the Explode the Code series. Most students would do 2-3 books in a year, and we often stop before the higher level books because they have moved past those blends in reading fluency and do not need the extra practice. There are optional storybooks that go along with each workbook which are similar to Bob Books. We have borrowed them from the library before, but kids tend to move past them pretty quickly and onto more interesting stories. You might want to add those if you are not using another program to teach reading. There is also a K level book that covers consonants which I have never used (I like Explode the Code A, B, and C for those skills).

Explode the Code is a solid, in depth phonics program. I love the A,B,C books for an advanced preschooler or kindergartener who does not yet know their consonants. They are great for beginning fine motor skills and introducing the letters and sounds. The following 8 workbooks move from short and long vowel sounds to more complex phonics skills. They are drier than Primary Phonics, but very complete. We usually only go through the first 3-4 books before my kids are reading fluently enough to be familiar with the higher level phonics skills. For kids who struggle with a specific skill they also offer ½ level books to review the concept.

MCP Plaid Phonics is another phonics program with one book per grade. It is written for public schools and is less systematic than Primary Phonics or Explode the Code. It mixes in some other LA topics and the books are much thicker which can be overwhelming for younger students. K covers consonants and includes writing the letters. Level A starts again with letter sounds but moves through short and long vowels quickly ending with contractions and digraphs. Level B bounces back to beginning and ending sounds. The advantages are that this program is cheaper because it only has one book and it will align more closely to what the public schools would do. I do not buy the teacher’s book. I like this program for kids who master reading and phonics skills quickly and need to move onto other concepts. I generally skip large sections that would be review.

Reading: Once students are reading fluently, the best reading program is simply reading lots of great books. My kids enjoy the Illustrated Classics series, and I put together a reading list by looking at the grade level lists in several homeschool catalogs. Some of the companies I use in creating a list are BookShark, Winterpromise, and Logos. If you want to add projects and comprehension questions, you can find many options on the Rainbow Resource website under Reading/Literature then Study Guides and Books. Many popular books have study guides by several companies and the best one depends on what you want (comprehension questions, project ideas, etc) My kids tend to hate to stop after every chapter to answer questions or talk about the book, so we tend to just discuss most of the books they read or allow them to create their own projects.

Writing: Writing involves both the skill of handwriting and creating written work. When choosing a handwriting program, look at what the final writing looks like then choose based on your preference.

Handwriting without Tears is a very straight forward program that my kids enjoy. The writing is very vertical, even the cursive, which some people don’t think looks as pretty as the slanted writing we grew up learning. (You do not need the teacher’s guide or wooden pieces).

Zaner-Bloser Handwriting is another good handwriting program which teaches the letters with more of a slant. The workbooks are more colorful than Handwriting without Tears.

Draw Write Now books are a fun way for kids to practice fine motor skills, drawing, and copywork. My kids especially love the animal books (1,4,6,7,8). You can purchase special paper that has lines on the bottom and the top blank for a picture (search Blank top writing paper) or a Draw Write Now workbook with lines on one page and a framed place for drawing opposite. For some of my kids, this was enough of a handwriting book without formal instructions.

Write About Me/My World/Just Write 1-3 are fun introductions to writing for elementary students. Write About Me and Write About My World are great for 1st and 2nd graders. The Just Write series follows for kids between 2nd and 5th.

Four Square Writing is my favorite way to teach paragraph writing and a basic 5 paragraph essay. You can google the method to get a general understanding, or purchase the workbooks. We like the personal writing coach version, which are officially considered supplements to the main program, but can be used as a stand alone. If the parent is not comfortable teaching the method, the main books called Four Square Writing Method are best. I usually start this once kids are comfortable writing a good sentence and ready to move into writing a good paragraph.

Institute for Excellence in Writing is a very strong writing program that can be used starting as early as 3rd grade. There is a Teaching Writing version that is directed to the teacher or Student Levels on DVD that take the student through the method. The DVD’s are a great option for parents who are not strong writers or want a program directed to the student. There are also topical books that take students through the method using literature, like the Narnia books, Geography or History. All Things Fun and Fascinating and Fables, Myths, and Fairytales have been favorites. -- note Bible Heros and Bible Based books are not approved.

Story Starters by Karen Andreola is one of my favorite resources for creative writing. Most writing prompts are a simple question or very basic starting idea. This book has introductions or conclusions to a story that are several pages long that leave you at a cliff hanger type place in the story where you have to decide what happens next. Each section includes writing helps that point out specific lines in the story or asks questions to help the student think of possible options. They are very open ended and don’t lead the student to one conclusion. Many also include an additional challenge section that encourages the use of descriptive adjectives or suggests writing from the point of view of a different character. There is also a section at the back of the book with detailed pictures to use as a story starter.

Bravewriter is another writing philosophy that is popular with many homeschool families. Another homeschool mom with Tech Trep sent this description: Bravewriter focuses on creating an enriching lifestyle/environment for children to learn in rather than a typical curriculum. You teach language arts through reading great books and discussing them, poetry tea times, watching and discussing movies, playing games, having big juicy conversations, nature journaling, art appreciation, etc. It's very closely aligned with Charlotte Mason. It involves copy work and French dictation to teach spelling and grammar. You can purchase curriculum, sign up for online classes, or watch Julie Bogart on YouTube videos (or listen to her podcasts) and make up your own curriculum. Bravewriter offers creative ideas to encourage kids to learn rather than a workbook to finish and check off. It's a lot of fun for both the parent and the child.

Essentials in Writing is another program recommended by a Tech Trep mom. It is video based and directed to the student.

Story Cubes are a dice based game that are a fun way to get creative writing/storytelling started.

Writeshop Story Builders These are cards that you can use as a starting place for creating a story. One set is free here: https://writeshop.com/story-starters-inspire-young-writers/

Grammar:

Zaner Bloser GUM books are comprehensive grammar, usage, and mechanics books. They are well written, interesting, and easy to use. The units in each grade level follow the same format, so it is easy to teach the same basic concepts to students in different grades, just going a little more in depth for older students. They go from 2nd-8th grade, but I do not use them until 3rd or 4th when my kids are already strong readers. I also do not use them every year (or just use the extra practice section in the back for review on “off” years.) There is significant built in review each year.

Evan-Moor Grammar and Punctuation books start at 1st grade and go to 6th grade. These are designed for a teacher to make copies and pass out the worksheet, so the teacher material is included in the book and written to the teacher, not the student. They are a pretty straightforward grammar practice workbook, but not as engaging as the Zaner Bloser books. They do come with copyright ability to make additional copies, so you can copy the worksheets and keep a clean copy of the book for additional children or you can just have your kids write in the book and use it as a consumable workbook. (I do not like the Evan-Moor Daily Language review books because they have no teaching or explanation.)

Analytical Grammar (Jr.) is a more expensive, but very in depth grammar program with a strong focus on diagramming. The Jr level is intended for 4th or 5th grade and the regular version for middle and high school. According to my son, this is the “math brain way to learn grammar.” This program is sometimes offered through Homeschoolbuyerscoop.com for a discount.

Spelling:

SpellingCity.com is my favorite option for teaching spelling to multiple kids. I start with a list of common words (Rebecca Sitton’s 1200 high frequency word list: http://www.gwinnett.k12.ga.us/CooperES/1200wordlist.pdf) and give the kids a pretest. I take the words they do not get correct and make 1 or more spelling lists for them in spelling city with 10-20 words depending on age. My kids practice their list using the “Test and Teach” game every day and when they get 100% twice, they move onto their next list. If they get hung up on just one word, I can move just that word to the next list for additional practice. I will also occasionally make other lists of commonly misspelled words from their writing, or for younger kids, sight words. We have had great success with this method with kids who enjoy spelling and kids who struggle with it. Spelling City does offer a paid version with more games and more options. This will NOT be a group buy this year.

All About Spelling is a very strong, rule based spelling program. I love how it teaches rules and takes the mystery out of spelling. It is a parent intensive program with many parts, so it doesn’t work well for families with multiple kids at different levels. It uses cards that get moved from practice to mastered, letter tiles to build the words, and a free phonogram app to practice sounds. It incorporates visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learning styles. I purchased them several years ago when I was only working with 2 school aged students and do find myself referring to rules I learned while teaching my kids. If parents struggle with spelling, the teacher guides alone might be a helpful resource. It is often paired with All About Reading by the same parent company.

Spelling Workout is a good option for families who want a traditional spelling book similar to that used in public school. Each week has a list, practice pages, and a test at the end of the week.

Literature Based Language Arts Programs: These program incorporate Language Arts skills with literature instead of using several separate programs. They can also be good resources for helping select good literature.

English Lessons through Literature by Barefoot Meandering uses a Charlotte Mason approach. It starts at 1st/2nd grade with Book A that focuses on oral narration and copywork. The higher levels move into parts of speech and diagramming, with a continued emphasis on narration. (used versions numbered 1-6 include Bible copywork, but the revised versions A-F are secular.) You can see a sample at lulu.com Some of the literature used in the program are not included in the books, but are available free online in the public domain or would need purchased separately. For an older student middle school who needs grammar review, you could easily use book D or E.

Excellence in Literature is a college preparatory literature and composition course. The first book Introduction to Literature would be appropriate for advanced 7th and 8th graders. It is written to the student and requires a good deal of reading of real literature.

Additional:

Language Lessons through Literature is another program that combines literature with language arts skills, but I wasn’t as impressed with it as English Lessons through Literature.

Additional Language Arts Resources:

Life of Fred Language Arts are fun supplemental language arts books. They are listed as high school level, but would be appropriate for most middle school students.

Critical Thinking Company: Reading Detective are a great resource for students who are struggling with comprehension or would like some “test prep” practice.

Audible is a source of audiobooks that my kids love! The books can easily be downloaded on kindles or tablets to be portable. You can purchase memberships with credits for each month or that can be used all at once. They also offer several member only sales during the year which often have children’s literature for $2-3 per audiobook. I like that I own the book and several kids can have the same book downloaded at the same time. For a struggling reader, I have them listen to a book once, read along with it a 2nd time, then read several excerpts to me summarizing what is happening before and after the section they read before they can move to the next book in a series. This has greatly helped several of my kids with reading fluency.

Critical Thinking Company: Language Smarts cover grammar and language arts skills in a colorful workbook format. My kids did not like how it bounced around. It was heavy on puzzles, but does not focus on teaching concrete language arts skills.

Epic and Tales2Go are online libraries of audiobooks. Epic is offered free to our students during the regular school day hours. Tales2Go requires a family subscription and will be offered as a group buy option.

Not approved for TTA Purchase- The Good and The Beautiful literature based language arts (however, levels 1-5 are available as a free pdf and library books and some components can be covered, please refer to this document to see which items are non-religious and can be covered: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1wudSX4BdSIjuxd4GV-rQdQZTc07a33LJs7Z3KasB8go), Sonlight program

If choosing different components is overwhelming, an all in one curriculum option might be a good place to start. (Most literature based programs also offer all in one options.

Timberdoodle.com is a company that offers an all in one curriculum package for every grade. Make sure you choose the “secular” kit to ensure everything in your package qualifies for reimbursement. I like most of the items in their kits, but would suggest doing a math placement test because Teaching Textbooks tends to run behind grade level. You can also substitute for a different math or custom select certain items into or out of the packages. It’s hard to put together an all in one option that fits every kid, but Timberdoodle’s kits are some of the best I’ve seen.

Art History

Artistic Pursuits combines art instruction, art appreciation, and art history into one package. Students learn about an art principle or style and an artist who used that style and make a project duplicating that. It does require more sophisticated art materials then many other elementary art programs.

Meet the Masters is another art history/art program that I have heard many good things about, but that I have never used. The cheapest price I’ve found is through Homeschool Buyers Co-op.

Music History

Beethoven’s Wig are CD’s where sections of classical music are set to silly and memorable words, often incorporating the name of the composer. My kids love them; my husband hates them. He feels like the point of classical music is to not have words and the words ruin the music forever because you can’t hear the tune without thinking of the words. My kids enjoy listening to classical music and picking out the sections they learned from these CD’s. They even helped my older son remember some of the composers in his college music class. You can listen to samples at http://beethovenswig.com/index.php to see if this is something you would like or hate.

Classical Kids are another set of CD’s that use make believe stories based on historical facts and music to make musicians come alive. Each CD has at least one child interacting with the composer and use actors and dramatization to bring the story to life.

Music Masters are more “grown up” CD’s that combine narrative about a great composer with their music. I enjoy them and have learned a lot from them, but my kids prefer the other “more fun” options.

Opal Wheeler Great Musician Series are books about famous musicians written in a child friendly format. Recommended ages are 5-14. You may be able to find some of these used.

Most games are educational and can be covered under core. Here are just a few options to give you a starting point. Anything from SimplyFun.com Their games are high quality and they have MANY educational games. Sequence also has many educational options. Cranium and Trivia type games fit under many categories.

Math: Prime Climb, Sorry, Uno, Candy Land, Rack O, Qwirkle, Rumikub, Monopoly, Chess

Social Studies: Ticket to Ride-- all the different maps (Geography), Let’s Jet, Risk

Language Arts: Story Cubes, Pig Tales, Scrabble, Apples to Apples, Bananagrams, Scattergories,

Science: Pandemic, Matter, Dr Beaker, Dr Microbe, Dr Eureka, Valence Plus, Triage, Power Grid

Additional Resources

Edpuzzle.com - Take youtube or other videos and crop them and add questions for students to answer as they watch. It also removes all ads.