The rise in homeschooling in the United States has seen an ever-growing demand for biblically based curricula. In some cases, parents are so keen to teach their children the bible that it has become a major factor in their decision to homeschool.
Consequently, the market for biblically based curriculum designed for elementary school students has become incredibly competitive. Despite this, certain curricula stand out due to their in-depth, thorough, and engaging teaching methods for young learners. In this article, we will discover what makes these curricula special and answer fifteen important questions about why they are the best biblically based homeschool curriculum currently available.
What Is a Homeschool Curriculum?
A homeschool curriculum is a learning plan designed for students to complete independently or with family guidance in a homeschool setting. Traditionally, homeschool curriculum differs from the public school experience in that it allows greater parental involvement and customizable learning. Curricula are generally designed to include interactive, engaging content such as video lessons, books, hands-on activities, and assessments, which aim to keep students motivated and learning in an enjoyable way.
What Are the Advantages of Using a Homeschool Curriculum?
One of the major advantages of using a homeschool curriculum is that it allows students to have more control over their learning. Because homeschool curricula are quite often customized or adjusted to account for a student’s individual learning style, parents have the opportunity to really ensure that their children are learning effectively and efficiently. Furthermore, homeschool curriculum also allows families to integrate religious beliefs into their learning plans, giving them the chance to provide a more well-rounded education.
What Is a Biblically Based Homeschool Curriculum?
A biblically based homeschool curriculum is one that infuses bible teachings and values into its educational syllabus. It focuses on providing instruction based on Christian teachings and beliefs, encouraging students to engage with spiritually based topics, discussions, and activities. Biblically based curricula typically feature subject material related to scripture, theology, God’s creation, and other related topics that seek to foster a greater spiritual understanding.
What Is the Difference Between a Public School Curriculum and a Biblically Based Homeschool Curriculum?
The major difference between a public school curriculum and a biblically based homeschool curriculum is the emphasis placed on spiritual learning. Whereas public schools teach a more secular curriculum, biblically based homeschool curricula focus heavily on concepts such as godly living, according to scripture, and teaching students important facts and stories from the Bible.
Alongside traditional topics such as math, sciences, and language arts, these homeschool curricula also cover bible study and spiritual topics in a way that seeks to ensure students gain a greater understanding of the Bible’s teachings and principles.
What Makes a Good Biblically Based Homeschool Curriculum for Elementary School Students?
A good biblically based homeschool curriculum for elementary school students should focus on developing spiritual knowledge and understanding. It should also be age-appropriate and engaging, as young minds absorb and retain information differently than older students.
The best biblically based curricula should involve interactive and hands-on activities, as this allows students to physically engage with the topics being taught.
What Are the Most Popular Biblically Based Homeschool Curricula for Elementary School Students?
Some of the most popular biblically based homeschool curricula for elementary school students are Abeka, My Father’s World, Catholic Heritage Curricula, Berean Builders, Alpha Omega, and Masterbooks.
What Is Abeka?
Abeka is a comprehensive Christian-based homeschool curriculum designed for PreK-12th grade. Vivian and Arlin Heldt, experienced educators in Christian education, founded Abeka in 197 Through their curriculum, the Heldts sought to create a simple and easy-to-use approach to homeschooling that puts an emphasis on providing quality, Christian-based education.
What Are the Pros and Cons of Using Abeka?
One of the major pros of using Abeka is the variety of curriculum options it offers. Abeka caters to a broad range of learning styles and needs, covering topics in language arts, math, sciences, and more. Furthermore, its emphasis on classic educational techniques such as memorization, review, and practice are ideal for younger students.
The downside to Abeka is its rigidity. The curriculum relies heavily on structured learning that may not lend itself to more creative, individualized approaches.
What Is My Father’s World?
My Father’s World is a popular biblically based homeschool curriculum for elementary school students. It was developed by home-educating couple Drs. Chuck and Don Akers in 200
My Father’s World stands out for its emphasis on incorporating interdisciplinary learning and a biblical-worldview approach to its content.
What Are the Pros and Cons of Using My Father’s World?
One of the most beneficial aspects of using My Father’s World is that it encourages students to think more critically. Its emphasis on interdisciplinary learning means that students are required to think deeply about the topics they are studying and make connections to other areas of knowledge. It also offers detailed lesson plans, which can help parents ensure their children are progressing.
The cons of using My Father’s World is that it requires a lot of additional resources due to the lack of available materials which can be found in the Abeka and Masterbook curricula.
What Is Catholic Heritage Curricula?
Catholic Heritage Curricula (CHC) is a comprehensive curriculum designed specifically for Catholic homeschool families. It serves as a comprehensive guide for families decoding to homeschool and can be purchased in curriculum packages as well as individual subjects. CHC was developed in 1988 by two determined Catholic homeschool mothers, and over the past 30 years has become a popular choice for Christian families.
What Are the Pros and Cons of Using Catholic Heritage Curricula?
One of the major pros of using CHC is that it is a fully Catholic-based curriculum. Rather than focusing on the basics of education, it is designed to align with the teachings of the Catholic church.
On the flip side, one of the main cons of using CHC is that it is only suited to Catholic families. For those intending to teach children of other faiths using a biblically based curriculum, then CHC would not be the best option.
What Is Berean Builders?
Berean Builders is a Christian-based homeschool program created by the late author and speaker, Delores Williams. The program is particularly geared towards families that have several children, due to its “chain-links” approach that ties together related topics and lessons for different grade levels.
What Are the Pros and Cons of Using Berean Builders?
One of the biggest advantages of Berean Builders is its flexibility. The program was designed with a “chain-links” approach that enables parents to shift through and pick the topics, activities, and lessons that best suit their children’s learning needs.
On the other hand, one of the disadvantages of Berean Builders is that it does not provide the same level of detail or structure that programs like Abeka offers.
What Is Alpha Omega?
Alpha Omega is a comprehensive biblically based homeschool curriculum that comes in a physical or digital version. The program was founded in 1977 by Dr.
John Rice, a math and science teacher at a Christian college, and offers a wide range of topics from early elementary to high school.
What Are the Pros and Cons of Using Alpha Omega?
One major pro for using Alpha Omega is the number of topics and activities it covers. The curriculum involves comprehensive workbooks and texts, as well as interactive and engaging activities.
The downside to Alpha Omega is its large volume of materials, which may be overwhelming for some parents.
What Is Masterbooks?
Masterbooks is a biblically based homeschool curriculum that features a variety of creative learning activities, Bible-based lesson plans, and hands-on educational materials. The program was developed in 1979 by Ron and Mary Lowe, who had a desire to provide educational resources that taught children to see the science, history, and literature of the Bible.
What Are the Pros and Cons of Using Masterbooks?
One of the major pros of Masterbooks is that it is incredibly affordable. The curriculum comes in packages which include all the necessary resources, allowing parents to access high-quality, biblically based education without breaking the bank. On the flip side, one con of Masterbooks is that it does not offer the same level of support for curricula and lesson plans that programs such as Abeka does.
Conclusion:When it comes to finding the best biblically based homeschool curriculum for elementary school students, there are a variety of options available. Abeka, My Father’s World, Catholic Heritage Curricula, Berean Builders, Alpha Omega, and Masterbooks are all fantastic choices that offer different approaches to teaching students valuable life lessons based on the Bible and its teachings.
Ultimately, it comes down to the individual family and their unique learning needs in order to decide which curriculum is right for them.