Core Knowledge History and Geography

Homeschool bundle includes:•StudentPackage(levels1-2)orStudentBook(level3-6)•TeacherPackage

P A R E N T G U I D E

ThankyouforchoosingPearsontohelpyouonyourhomeschooljourney.Makingtherightdecisionabouthomeschoolingcansetyourchildonanexcitingpathtoalifetimeoflearningandsuccess.Pearsonmakesiteasyforyoutoinspireajoyoflearningwithflexibleprogramstofityourchild’suniquelearningstyle.Thisbuilt-inflexibilityletsyousetthescheduleandthepacethatworksforyouandyourchild.Asyoureadthroughthisguideandreviewtheincludedmaterials,you’llexperiencehoweasyitistopersonalizethecurriculumtomatchyourchild’slearningstyleandensuresuccesswithourengagingprograms.

Plus,youcanrestassuredthatallofthefundamentalsforsuccessareincluded.Thehomeschoolcurriculumyouhavechosenhasbeenthoughtfullydevelopedandtestedbyseasonedprofessionals,tomakesureyourchildreceivesthefinesteducation.

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PreparationItisalwaysanexcitingtimewhenyougettoopentheboxwithyournewcurriculum.Allofthebooksandmaterialsarecolorful,thepagesarecrispandtheyarefilledwiththepossibilitiesofthecomingyear.Theanticipationofusingthebooksandteachingyourchildisnewandfresh.Liketheairafteraspringshower,itisinvigorating.Youcan’twaituntilyoucangetstarted.

Openthebundleofmaterials,flipthroughthepagesofeachbook,takeinhowtheylookandfeel.Getfamiliarwithallofthecomponents.Letyourchildshareintheexcitementandcatchtheenthusiasmyouhaveforstartingthisnewadventure.Thesewillbeyourcompanionsoverthecourseofthenextyear.

Onceyougetfamiliarwiththematerial,youmayexperiencetheoverwhelmingfeelingthatiscommontohomeschoolparents:“HowwillIevercoverallofthismaterial?”Youmaybefloodedwithinsecuritiesthatyoudon’tknoworrememberthesubjectorcontent.Allofthesearenormalthoughtsandexperiencesforanyonewhohashomeschooled.

Rememberthevalueofthejourneyyouareon.Focusonthereasonsyouchosetohomeschoolinthefirstplace,thedailyinteractionwithyourchild,andteachingthemhowtolearn.Asthetutor,youastheparentdon’thavetoknowallofthematerial.It’sfinetolearnitwithyourchildasyougothroughthematerialtogether.Youaretheguideforyourchildasyoujourneywiththemthroughthelearningprocess.

Thisflexibleprogram,editedbyCore KnowledgefounderE.D.Hirsch,Jr.,followstheCoreKnowledgeSequencetoteachkeyhistoryandgeographytopics.Withthisprogram,yourchildwillbuildaunified,solidbaseofacademicknowledge-thekeytooverallliteracyandfuturesuccess.Core Knowledge History and GeographypresentstheconceptsofworldandAmericanhistory,andgeography,tobuildimportantsocialstudiesconcepts.Beautifullyillustratedpages,andafriendlynarrativestylewillkeepyourchildinterestedandengaged.

TheStudent PackageforLevels1-2isdividedinto8-11booksthatinclude4-10lessonsofhistoryandgeography.Eachgradelevelbundleisaccompaniedbyteachingguidestohelpyoucoverallofthecoursecontent.

TheStudent BookforLevels3-6featuresonecomprehensivetextthatcovers7-13distinctthemes.EachlevelalsofeaturesaTeacher’s Guidebinderwithindividualguidesforteachingeachofthelevel’sunits.

OverviewTheCore Knowledge History and Geography homeschoolbundleincludesthefollowingcomponents: •StudentPackage(levels1-2)or StudentBook(levels3-6)•TeacherPackage

UsingtheMaterialsPearsoncurriculummaterialsarethoughtfullyplannedtopresentthesubjectinawaythatisengaging.Eachlessonbuildsuponitself,butprovidesflexibilitysoyoucanmakeityourown.

Using the Student Package (1-2)

TheStudent Package(Levels1-2)isdividedinto8-11books.Eachbookexploresthesocialstudieselementsofaspecifictheme.Theyeachfunctionasastand-alonebook,andcanbeapproachedinanyorder.DesignedtoworkintandemwiththecorrespondingTeacher’s Guide,eachbookincludes4-10historyandgeographylessonsbasedonthatbook’stheme.TheTeacher’s Guide providesdiscussionquestionsandexercisesforyourchildtodeepenhisorherunderstanding.

Using the Teacher’s Package

EachTeacher’s PackageincludesalloftheTeacher Guides,combinedintoasingle3-ringbinder.Usetheseguidesasyoucreateyourlessonplans.Eachguidewillbeginwithalessonbreakdown,andthenpresentthemainideaofthesection.Next,lessonsthatoutlinetheobjectivesareusedtointroducethetopicandprovideaseriesofReadAlouds,suggestedactivities,andreviewquestions.TheTeacher GuideisintendedtobeusedintandemwiththeStudent Books.AttheendofeachguideisasectionofstudentexercisescalledLearningMasterthatyouwilladministertoyourchildtobuildtheirunderstandingofthechapter’sskillsandconcepts.Additionally,youwillalsofindtheunitassessmentattheendoftheguide.Usethistomeasureyourchild’sunderstandingofthematerial.

Using the Student Book (3-6)

Combiningseveralthemesintoasingletext,theStudent Book(Levels3-6)coversavarietyofmaterial.SimilartotheLevel1and2books,chaptersorthemeswithintheStudent Bookcanbetaughtinanyorder.Eachchapterwillpresentthemainconceptsforthatchapter’stheme,whilebuildingasolidfoundationofsocialstudiesknowledge.Vocabularyinthesidemarginswillhelpyourchilddeveloptheirlanguageskillsthroughoutthecourse.TheStudent BookisdesignedtoworkinconjunctionwiththeTeacher’s Guide,whichyouwillreferenceoftenfordiscussionquestions,activities,andreviewexercises.

LessonPlansLessonplansareimportanttoasuccessfulhomeschoolenvironment.Theyhelpkeepyouontrack,progressthroughthematerialandprovideasteadystructureforteachingyourchild.Itisimportanttoplanoutyourlessonsbutremember-lessonplansareaguide.Youshouldleaveroomtoadapttoyourchildandadjusttheplantoensureheorsheunderstandsthematerial.Theobjectiveistohaveatoolyoucanusetowatchyourchildprogressandmasterthematerialyoupresentovertheschoolyear.

Beforeyoubeginyourlessonplan,reviewthematerialstoseehowtheyarestructured.Usethisasaguidetohelpyouevaluateandformulateyourlessonplanforthecomingyear.Additionally,thereareanumberofitemstoconsiderwhenpreparingyourplan.Howmanydaysperweekwillyouhaveschool?Doyouplantohaveextendedbreaksfortheholidaysorvacations?Thenumberofchildrenyouhaveandtheirageswillaffecthowandwhatyoucandoaswell.

Lessonplansingeneralshouldhavecertainvitalcomponents.Asuggestedlistwouldincludesomeorallofthefollowing: • theportionoftextcoveredduringthelesson •mainideasofthelesson • keyconcepts •questionstoask • activitiestodo •potentialfieldtripideas • assignmentsgiven •materialsandresourcesneeded

TheCore Knowledge History and GeographySeriesincludeslessonplansforalloftheunitscoveredinthecourse.Detailedinstructionandhelpfultipsareprovidedthroughoutthelessonplantohelpyouteachthematerialandpersonalizetheinstructionforyourchild.Movebackandforthbetweenthetwobookstoeffectivelypresenttheconceptsandactivitiestoyourchild.

Eachlessonplanbeginsbyhighlightingthelessonobjectives,andincludesanintroductiontothematerial.Youcanchoosetofollowthese,oradaptthemtomeetyourindividualneeds.Next,youwillfindinformationforteachingthematerialtoyourchild,alongwithanumberofinteractiveexercises.ThelowerlevelsoftheCore KnowledgeprogramwillincludeReadAloudsections.Thesearestoriestoreadtoyourchildtofurtherengagetheminthematerial.Additionally,alllevelsincludeaDiscussionsectiondesignedtohelpyourchildrelatethematerialtotheireverydaylife,andchallengethemtothinkdeeper.

Attheendofthelessonplanthereareactivitiesandexercisestoputthematerialinperspectiveandhelpyourchildapplywhattheyarelearning.ThelessonplanwillidentifytheLearningMasterwithapencilicon,anddirectyoutothepagetofindtheexercise.TheanswersareincludedattheendoftheTeacher’s Guide.Thereviewquestionsarecalledoutinashadedboxattheendofthelessonplan,alongwiththeanswers.Readthesequestionstoyourchildattheconclusionofeachlessontoreviewthematerial.

EachTeacher’s GuideconcludeswithaUnitAssessmenttoassessyourchild’scomprehensionofthematerial,andtheskillslearnedthroughouttheunit.Haveyourchildcompletetheassessment,andthenusetheanswerkeyattheendoftheTeacher’s Guidetomeasuretheirunderstanding.Revisitanyincorrectanswerstoensureyourchildunderstandstheunit’sconcepts.

Asyouplanoutyourlessons,besuretofamiliarizeyourselfwithanylegalrequirementsyoumayhaveinyourlocalareaorstate.ThePearsonHomeschoolwebsite(PearsonHomeschool.com)haslinkstoeachstateDepartmentofEducationsothatyoumayreviewthelawsandhowtocomplywiththem.

AdapttheCurriculumtoFityourSituationOneofthegreatbenefitsofhomeschoolingisthatyouknowtheinstructionispersonal.Everythingyouteachwillbepersonalizedtofityourchild.

PacingTheCore Knowledge History and Geographyprogramlessonsareeasytopaceandoffermultipleopportunitiesforengagementandpersonalization.Thelessonplansaredesignedtodeliverthelessonsovera45-60minuteclass,butalsoprovideamplecushiontoextendorskipexercisesoractivitiesasnecessary.Asyouworkthroughthecurriculumadjustyourpacetofityourchild’slearningstyle.

Eachlessonincludesmultiplediscussionelementsandactivitiestoengageyourchild.Ifthesesparkalivelyconversation,continuethediscussionoractivity.Ifyourchildshowslessinterestinaparticularactivity,usethestructuretoteachtheconcept,butincorporateafocusthattheyfindmoreinteresting.Forexample,foramapactivity,haveyourchildchartthecourseforyournextvacation.Thiswillallowyoutokeepyourchildengagedandinterestedthroughoutthelessons.

Teaching is EverywhereAnotherpartofthehomeschoolingbenefitisthatteachingcanoccurallofthetime.Tielessonsintolifesituationsandworldevents.Planfieldtripsthatalignwiththelessons.Attendreadingeventsormuseumexhibitstoenhancethelearningexperience.Thedesignoftheprogrammakesiteasytotakeintothefieldwithyourchild.Anddon’tforgettouseyourownresourcestocomplementthematerialandtiethelessonsintoyourchild’sinterestsandhobbies.

Conflicting MaterialsLastly,anyhomeschoolparentwillbefacedwiththedilemmaofwhattodowhenyoucomeacrossmaterialinthecurriculumyoudon’tlikeordisagreewith.Core Knowledge History and Geographycoversavarietyofhistoricevents,interests,themes,andsubjects.Eachlessonisdesignedtoprovideanunderstandingofeventsandideasinhistory.Theyarenotintendedtopushbeliefsorvalues.Thegoalistofamiliarizeyourchildwiththeseevents,andbedescriptivewitharespectfulandbalancedtone.

Additionally,somebooksandchapterswillonlyexplorealimitedamountofmaterial.Thisisnotintendedtoomitselectiveinformation.Rather,itisdesignedtokeepthematerialonthelearner’slevel,withadditionalinformationaddedathighergradelevels.Whilenocurriculumwilleverbeabletosatisfyallofthebeliefs,opinionsorvaluesheldbyeachfamily,thereareseveralapproachesthatyoucantakeinthesesituations.

Oneapproachistoskipoverthematerialinquestion.Anothersuggestionwouldbetousethisasanopportunityforaspecialteachablemoment.Reviewthematerialwithyourchild.Discussyourfeelingsaboutthematerial,ideaorvaluepresented.Taketheopportunitytoprepareyourchildforthediversityofthought/opinionintheworldandtheneedtobediscerningofprinciplesandideasthatmaychallengeyours.Thereisadefinitebalancebetweenhavingthefreedomthathomeschoolbringsandtheresponsibilityyouassumeineducatingyourchild.Thegoodnewsisthatmostfamiliesfindthatbalanceanditworksforthem.

Asyouprogressalongthejourney,youwillhavemomentsoffrustrationandmomentsthatmakeitallworthwhile.Remembertokeepitinperspective.Homeschoolparentsliveforthosemomentswhentheirchildrenaremostteachable.Youwillknowwhenthosemomentshappenasyoucanseethelightgoon,theyreallygetit.Cherishthosetimesandusethemasthefueltomotivateyouthroughthetoughtimes.

ThankyouforchoosingPearsonasapartnerinyourhomeschooljourney.Weknowtheimportancethatyouplaceintakingthetimetoteachyourchildandweappreciateyourtrustinustohelpyouandyourchildachievethebesteducationpossible.

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Foradditionalprogramstosupportyourchild’ssocialstudiescurriculum,pleasevisitourwebsiteat:www.PearsonHomeschool.com

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