Bookshark Homeschool | Homeschool Curriculum

Bookshark Homeschool

By providing structured, read-to-use, and pre-packaged instruct curricula with material from recognized educational providers, Bookshark offers a convenient solution for parents who want to homeschool their children.

BookShark’s literature-based approach, which encourages critical thinking, comprehension, and a love for learning through exploring classic and contemporary literature, makes it stand out from others.

Here, we will look at Bookshark Homeschool, its curriculum, the grades it covers, how it works, and the pros and cons.

What is BookShark Homeschool?

BookShark is a homeschool curriculum provider established in 2013 and offers literature-based educational materials for various subjects.

BookShark aims to make homeschooling engaging and effective by using a literature-based approach to teaching various subjects, including language arts, history, science, and more.

The curriculum typically includes books, instructor’s guides, and other materials designed to guide parents and educators through homeschooling.

BookShark Homeschool Curriculum

BookShark is a homeschool curriculum provider known for its literature-based approach to education.

Read More: Cost of home schooling in Ontario

It offers comprehensive curriculum packages designed to make homeschooling more engaging and effective.

BookShark’s curriculum is centered on high-quality literature. Books are chosen to cover a wide range of subjects, allowing students to learn history, science, social studies, and more through engaging stories and texts. 

Subjects covered by the curriculum include:

• Language Arts (reading, writing, grammar)
• History and Social Studies
• Science
• Math (some packages include math, but it’s not the primary focus)
• Reading Comprehension
• Critical Thinking

The curriculum also includes hands-on activities, experiments, projects, and discussions promoting interactive learning and a deeper understanding of the material.

The curriculum comes in two types of packages – all-subject and single-subject. The all-subject Bookshark curriculum packages offer teaching material in Math, Arts, Science, History, Language, and Geography in the Kindergarten/Elementary range and Math and Science, History & Literature in the Middle School/lower High School range for a timeline of 36 weeks.

On the other hand, the single subject packages offer 36 weeks of teaching material in each of the above subjects.

What Grades or Ages Does Bookshark Cover?

BookShark has offered curriculum options for students in the following grade ranges: 

• Kindergarten
• Grade 1
• Grade 2
• Grade 3
• Grade 4
• Grade 5
• Grade 6
• Grade 7
• Grade 8
• High School (Grades 9-12)

Each grade level typically includes subject areas such as language arts, history, science, and more, focusing on literature-based learning. 

How it Works

The first thing to do is to choose a BookShark curriculum package that aligns with your child’s grade level or educational needs. 

Once you’ve selected and purchased the curriculum package, you will receive a box of materials, including instructor’s guides, lesson plans, and the required books and resources.

Review the instructor’s guides and lesson plans to understand the scope and sequence of the curriculum and follow the daily lesson plans provided in the instructor’s guides.

Depending on the grade level, your child will engage in various subjects such as language arts, history, science, math, and more, including hands-on activities, projects, discussions, and assignments to enhance learning.

BookShark may provide some assessment tools or guidelines for tracking your child’s progress. You can gauge your child’s understanding through discussions, assignments, and any provided assessments.

Also, you may choose to supplement the curriculum with additional resources if desired.

What is Bookshark’s Approach to Teaching?

BookShark’s approach to teaching is rooted in the philosophy of literature-based learning. It uses high-quality literature and engaging books as a central education component across various subjects. This approach aims to make learning more enjoyable, relatable, and memorable.

Additionally, BookShark’s curriculum often integrates multiple subjects around a common theme or period. For example, students might study history, geography, and language arts concurrently by reading historical novels set in a specific period.

Pros & Cons of Bookshark

Pros:

1. Literature-Based Approach: BookShark’s curriculum is centered around literature, which can foster students’ love for reading and learning.
2. Convenience: BookShark provides a structured curriculum that includes lesson plans, instructor guides, and necessary materials, making it easier for parents to navigate homeschooling.
3. Comprehensive Packages: The curriculum is often offered in comprehensive packages that cover a variety of subjects, reducing the need for piecing together individual resources.
4. Age/Grade Levels: BookShark offers curriculum options for various grade levels, allowing parents to choose a program that aligns with their child’s educational needs and abilities.
5. Hands-On Activities: The curriculum often includes hands-on activities and projects, which can make learning more interactive and engaging.
6. Flexibility: While providing structure, BookShark also allows for flexibility in how you implement the curriculum, enabling you to adapt it to your child’s learning style.

Cons:

1. Cost: Comprehensive curriculum packages can be expensive, and additional costs may be incurred for optional resources, materials, and books.
2. Time-Intensive: Following a comprehensive curriculum like BookShark may require a significant time investment from parents to prepare and execute lessons effectively.
3. Limited Customization: Some parents may find that BookShark’s structured approach leaves limited room for customization or tailoring to a child’s interests or learning needs.
4. Assessment: The curriculum may not include robust assessment tools, which could require parents to supplement their assessment methods.
5. Dependence on Books: The curriculum heavily relies on the literature provided, which might not always align perfectly with a child’s interests or needs.
6. Teacher-Dependent: The success of the curriculum can depend on the parent’s ability to effectively teach and facilitate learning, which might be challenging for some parents.

Conclusion

The littérature-teaching approach made this homeschool the best because it emphasizes sound knowledge, skills, and extra lessons your children will be exposed to.

However, itis Homeschool is expensive and has limited comprehensive. Additionally, it might not offer all the requirements needed you a high school student.