The following curriculums are also available for you to consider. We have created different fee options for these choices since we must send the full years curriculum to you at one time when you choose these alternate curriculums.
- Biblically Based: We believe that the Word of God is the standard and foundation for truth. Our educational resources will not contradict that which is written in the Bible.
- Cognitive Reasoning: Questions in the LIFEPACs are designed to develop a student’s cognitive reasoning. We go beyond the rote memory questions (true/false, multiple choice, and fill-in-the-blank) and ask questions that require analytical skills (short answers, short essays, and experiments).
- Mastery Learning: We believe every student should begin any subject at his or her present “learning level or skill,” not where someone else says or hopes the student should be. This is usually accomplished through diagnostic testing.
- Integrated Subject Material: We believe all subject material should be integrated to help a student see that life is not “compartmentalized.” Mathematical skills are necessary in science, scientific research is rich in historical data, and language arts is valuable in communicating God’s Word, history and science. In LIFEPACs, God’s truth is integrated in each of the core subjects — mathematics, history, science, and language arts.
- Personalized Instruction: We believe that a student excels in learning when the parent/teacher is involved. Our curriculum is not a self-study course. The questions as well as content demand personal instruction and input. It is the parent’s responsibility as well as a blessing to personally instruct students.
A LIFEPAC is a combination workbook and textbook that we refer to as a “worktext”. There are ten LIFEPACs per year, per subject, in the core curriculum for 1st through 12th grades. This program basically divides one hard bound book into ten smaller books making it simple to work with.
The first number on a LIFEPAC stands for the grade level. The last two numbers indicate which book unit you are working in. For example, if a student is working on the Bible 801 worktext, it means they are working with grade 8, unit 1. Similarly, Math 207 is the seventh book (out of ten books in a set) in second grade Math.
Saxon Math is the most comprehensive, and most thoroughly researched math program today. Each program is based on over 20 years of research and teaching success. With Saxon, you can help your child develop a complete mastery of math language and concepts, all the way from 4th grade to advanced high school levels.
- Multi-sensory methods to help abstract math concepts come alive.
- Easy-to-follow, scripted lessons that provide you with the best and most effective teaching techniques.
- An incremental, “building block” approach so students are well-prepared for each new concept.
- Steady, continual practice for long-term retention of math knowledge and skills.
- Frequent, accumulative assessments to track and acknowledge your child’s special achievements.
Structured lesson plans.
Each Saxon Math lesson follows a consistent, four-part approach:
- Warm-up promotes mental math and problem-solving skills.
- New concepts introduce new material.
- Lesson practice provides solid practice on new material.
- Mixed practice brings everything together with 25 to 30 problems involving past and current concepts.
Saxon Math is not a Christian Based curriculum. All our other choices are bible based.
APOLOGIA Science Courses: 7th-12th
Apologia science curriculum is built on a creationist foundation. These are not secular courses with a few scripture verses thrown in. The view of God as the Master Designer of the wonders we see around us is integral to each course. In addition, they cover topics which are relevant to the Christian life. For example, the historical accuracy of the Bible is discussed in Exploring Creation With General Science; age of the earth theories are discussed in Exploring Creation With Physical Science; the creation versus evolution controversy is discussed in Exploring Creation with Biology; the incredible design of the atmosphere is discussed in Exploring Creation With Chemistry; and the amazing design of the human eye is discussed in Exploring Creation With Physics.
Courses come as 2-book sets which include a hardbound student text and a softbound solutions and tests manual. Or you can get the full curriculum on CD-Rom for your computer. They are all you need in terms of curriculum. Lab equipment is comprised of household items.
Apologia deliberately chooses not to include daily lessons in their curriculum, in order to allow maximum flexibility for the student working at his or her own pace. However, if you really want the structure of lessons, we recommend that you first look at the table of contents of each book. You will see that each book has 16 modules. If you work through each module in 2 weeks, you will complete the course in 32 weeks, which fits nicely into a “typical” school year with a little time to spare. To break it down further, if you do science every day for 5 weekdays, you will have 10 work days available in 2 weeks. Do the reading, the “on your own” problems, and experiments on days 1-7, review and do the study guide (or review questions + practice problems) on days 8-9, and take the test on day 10. This puts an emphasis on review and reinforcement of concepts. Flex this schedule when necessary to work on harder concepts, review problem areas, or to move faster through the curriculum.