For homeschoolers, selecting the right curriculum can be a difficult task. There are plenty of choices available on the market. One such option many parents find attractive is Horizons, a religion-based homeschool curriculum.
How does this curriculum work? What religions are supported?
What are the primary topics taught? This article aims to answer these questions, providing an overview of Horizons homeschool curriculum and its religious foundation.
Outline:
What is Horizons Homeschool Curriculum?
Horizons is a homeschool curriculum that is faith-based and offers Christian education. It has been around for over forty years and is a popular choice for many families.
This curriculum is a comprehensive core academic program that is designed to enrich, impart knowledge, and provide a foundation for lifelong learning. The program covers all the basic subjects – math, science, language arts, history, and Bible – with teacher manuals and student books that are aligned with each other. The curriculum is organized by grade level, with kindergarten to twelfth grade supported.
The main purpose of Horizons is to impart a Christian worldview in addition to providing an academic education. This is done through the use of stories and text that carry a Christian message and is most prominently seen in the Bible studies, which serve as the fundamental thread of the curriculum.
The Bible studies focus on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ and provide an opportunity to build a strong, biblical understanding. The accompanying activities, like handouts and scripture memorization, are designed to reinforce these biblical lessons and provide practice in spiritual development.
What Religions are Supported by Horizons?
Horizons was built with an ecumenical approach in mind and seeks to be as inclusive as possible. It is a Christian-based curriculum, meaning it follows and imparts the Christian faith. However, it can be used by different Christian denominations.
Horizons supports traditional denominations like Catholicism, Protestantism, Presbyterianism, and Anglicanism. It also supports newer denominations like Charismatic, Pentecostal, and Evangelical.
Despite its focus on Christianity, Horizons also supports Muslim, Jewish, and Hindu religious traditions and values. While the studies are centered around the Bible, various holy texts are used throughout the curriculum.
This includes the Christian Bible, the Tanakh, the Qur’an, the Mahabharata, the Rig Veda, and other religious texts. By using texts from a variety of religious traditions, Horizons is able to impart a comprehensive overview of the beliefs and values found in each tradition while still maintaining the Christian focus.
What Topics are Taught in Horizons?
The primary subjects taught in Horizons are math, language arts, history, science, and Bible. The curriculum starts with basic math in the lower grades, covering topics like counting, basic operations, money, time, and fractions. As children progress, more advanced concepts are introduced and reinforced.
Language arts are taught alongside the maths to help develop language skills, focus on the alphabet and grammar, learn to read and write, practice fluency, and enhance comprehension. History and science are also taught at each grade level.
The history units cover the local, regional, national, and global history with a focus on Christian values and biblical references. Meanwhile, science units explore God’s creation through a variety of subjects like physical science, chemistry, biology, and astronomy.
Both history and science have hands-on activities that enrich the learning experience. Finally, Bible studies are part of the curriculum in every grade level. Along with traditional studies of the bible stories and characters, the children learn how to apply the lessons of faith in everyday life.
At the upper grade level, the student can even focus exclusively on bible study and electives, allowing them to gain more in-depth knowledge and practice of their faith. Conclusion: Horizons is a comprehensive homeschool curriculum that teaches core academic skills with a Christian world view. It is a faith-based curriculum that is both inclusive and comprehensive, covering topics from math, language arts, history, science, and Bible.
It supports a variety of religious traditions and allows the student to learn at their own pace. With its strong academic and spiritual focus, Horizons is an excellent choice for families looking to provide their children with a well-rounded education.