Homeschooling can be both a rewarding and daunting task. It requires finding curriculum tailored to the individualized needs of each student.
Horizons homeschool curriculum is designed for homeschoolers to help them reach their goals and excel within the homeschooling experience. This article will answer 15 relevant questions about the Horizons curriculum to help guide parents and students in the process of educating from home.
1. What is Horizons Homeschool Curriculum?
Horizons is a secular, comprehensive, and engaging homeschool curriculum based off of the Christian curricula Alpha and Omega Publications. Alph and Omega is a leader in Christian-based educational materials and their mission is to help parents provide quality Christian education in their homes. Horizons is a Christian curriculum, however, it can be used by people of all religious backgrounds and stands out for its secular offerings.
The materials that make up the Horizons curricula are textbooks, student workbooks, and Teacher’s Guides. The textbooks and workbooks provide instruction and practice, while the Teacher’s Guides provide parents with reference material and lesson plans.
2. What Subjects Does Horizons Homeschool Curriculum Cover?
Horizons curriculum covers a wide range of elementary school subjects, including phonics and reading, language arts, mathematics, handwriting, and health. Furthermore, Horizons also provides curriculum for physical education, Bible, art, music, history, and science.
Additionally, Horizons offers supplemental materials, such as coloring books, craft books, and activity books. Each of these materials are designed to reinforce and supplement the content covered in the core curriculum.
3. Who Is Horizons Homeschool Curriculum Best Suited For?
Horizons is best suited for students in kindergarten through eighth grade and a range of educational objectives. The colors and layout of the textbooks and workbooks are designed to be attractive and engaging for younger and older learners alike. The curriculum is designed to be used in both traditional and nontraditional homeschool environments.
Parents who are completing the curriculum in a traditional homeschool environment will find the Teacher’s Guides to be extremely helpful as a reference and lesson planning tool. Additionally, the traditional homeschool environment also allows for supplementing the core curriculum with Horizons’ supplemental material as needed.
Those completing the curriculum in a nontraditional setting may find the workbooks and textbooks to be sufficient by themselves.
4. How Is the Curriculum Structured?
Each Horizons grade level is divided into four different 11-week semesters. These semesters contain a laser-focused coverage of the subject areas, which help to ensure that each grade level includes the essential building blocks of learning.
Furthermore, each semester includes two tests, four reviews, and twelve worksheets. The tests help to assess the progress being made in each grade by measuring the student’s comprehension and the growth that has been made in the curriculum’s skills. The reviews provide additional assessment and help the student to be aware of the material that is being covered each semester.
Lastly, the worksheets provide additional practice questions and skill-building activities.
5. What Does the Teacher’s Guide Cover?
The Teacher’s Guide provides parents with a variety of different resources that help to guide the curriculum’s completion. For instance, the Teacher’s Guide contains answer keys for all of the different worksheets, tests, and reviews that are used during the grade level.
Additionally, the Teacher’s Guide includes resources on how to modify the curriculum’s contents for different learning styles. Furthermore, the Teacher’s Guide also contains detailed information on how to conduct activities and assignments, as well as information on how to adapt lessons to fit the individual needs of students.
6. Does Horizons Homeschool Curriculum Include On-the-Go Learning Materials?
Yes, Horizons does include on-the-go learning materials. In addition to the core curricular materials, Horizons also offers its Student Workbook, Ocean Buddies Activity Cards, Age Level Charts, Horizons Genre Writing Journal, Activity Books, and more. The Activity Books provide engaging, hands-on activities that support the main core curriculum.
The Student Workbook offers blended learning opportunities in the form of both traditional and modern-day games. The Genre Writing Journals helps to establish an important foundation in grammar, while the Ocean Buddies Activity Cards are used to build in critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
All of these materials can be used as an extension of the core curriculum and are designed to allow for learning on-the-go.
7. What Impact Does Horizons Homeschool Curriculum Have on Student Performance?
It is hard to determine the exact impact of the Horizons curriculum on student performance, as the curriculum experience is highly subjective. However, there is evidence to suggest that using the Horizons curriculum does result in positive student outcomes.
Primarily, the curriculum is designed to allow for a differentiated learning experience, meaning that the student is able to move at their own pace, challenge themselves, and experience success. This approach to learning has been proven to increase engagement, motivation, and student performance. Additionally, the curriculum also provides students with an opportunity to develop the foundational skills they need to be successful readers, writers, and mathematicians.
8. What Is Horizon’s Truth Quest Companion Used For?
The Truth Quest Companion is a supplemental resource used in conjunction with the Horizons curricula. The materials provided in the Companion are designed to help students better understand and apply Biblical truths to everyday life. The Companion also provides a comprehensive overview of the core contents that should be covered when studying the scriptures, including theology, Christian living, and Biblical history.
Additionally, the Truth Quest Companion also provides a variety of engaging activities and assignments that further reinforce Biblical principles.
9. Are Horizons Homeschool Curriculum Materials Suitable for All Ages?
Yes, the Horizons curriculum materials are suitable for all ages, provided that the materials meet the individual learning needs of the student. The curriculum is designed for homeschoolers in kindergarten through eighth grade and cover a wide range of subjects and skill levels. The materials are designed to be engaging and appropriate for each grade level, however, the pace, complexity, and difficulty of the material can all be modified to meet the learning needs of the individual student.
10. How Can Horizons Homeschool Curriculum Help Homeschoolers?
Horizons curriculum is designed to help homeschoolers by providing an engaging and comprehensive approach to home education. The Teacher’s Guides provide parents with detailed information and resources on how to best teach the core curriculum and modify lessons for the specific needs of their students.
Additionally, the materials provided in the curriculum offer a balanced approach to learning, including both traditional and modern-day learning tools. Furthermore, the curriculum also provides engaging activities that help to reinforce key principles and deepen understanding.
11. How Can Parents Check the Progress of Their Student?
Parents can check their student’s progress through the curriculum’s tests, reviews, and worksheets. These provide parents with a clear understanding of the progress that is being made in the curriculum. Additionally, the Teacher’s Guide contains information on how to modify the curriculum’s content to meet the specific needs of their students.
This can help to ensure that the student is well-balanced and progressing toward their educational goals.
12. Does Horizons Homeschool Curriculum Provide Resources to Motivate Student Learning?
Yes, Horizons does provide resources to help motivate student learning. The curriculum is designed to allow for differentiated learning, meaning that each student can move at their own pace and approach the material in a way that fits their specific learning goals. Additionally, the curriculum also provides engaging activities and supplemental materials, such as coloring books, craft books, and activity books, that help to reinforce and supplement the core curiculum.
Furthermore, the curriculum also provides students with an opportunity to develop skills such as critical thinking and problem-solving.
13. What Is Horizons Homeschool Curriculum’s Cost?
The cost of the complete Horizons curriculum varies by grade level and can range from $1200 to $19
00. The cost of the core curriculum includes the textbooks, workbooks, and Teacher’s Guides, as well as additional materials such as the Genre Writing Journals and Age Level Charts. Additionally, Horizons offers a variety of supplemental resources, such as coloring pages, craft books, and activity books, which can be purchased separately at an additional cost.
14. Does Horizons Homeschool Curriculum Offer Any Online Resources?
Yes, Horizons does offer online resources to parents and students. These resources include online forums, online chats, and online tutorials.
The online forums provide a place for parents to connect and discuss their experiences with the curriculum, as well as find additional resources to help with their homeschooling journey. The online chats provide an opportunity for parents to chat directly with other homeschoolers and get advice and support from one another. Finally, the online tutorials provide students with step-by-step guidance on key topics that are covered in the core curricular materials.
15. What Is Horizons Homeschool Curriculum’s Return Policy?
Horizons offers a 30-day money-back return policy on all of its products. Products must be returned in their original packaging, with all accompanying materials, and in a new and unused condition. However, partial refunds may be available if any original materials are missing.
Additionally, individual customers are only able to return up to 10 items per grade level and the total of returned items may not exceed 50%. ConclusionFor parents navigating the homeschooling process, Horizons Homeschool Curriculum provides a comprehensive and engaging approach to educating their students.
The 15 questions in this article help to provide a comprehensive overview of the curriculum, as well as its approach to teaching and learning, so parents can determine if it is the right choice for their students. With its differentiated learning approach, engaging materials, and helpful online resources, Horizons provides parents with the tools they need to customize and personalize their homeschooling journey.