Question to k12 users w/o the online option.

[Guest Pixiefur]

I've been reading up on the boards trying to get a feel for the k12 users that don't use the online option. So far I have gathered that the literature and history program is very high quality and that is what I am interested in purchasing.

 

My question regards the age group that everyone is using it for. I noticed on line when I look at the 2nd and 3rd grade k12 materials to purchase for history there is only the student workbook available. I'm assuming that is because the core of the program is online.

 

Is anyone using k12 for 2nd or 3rd grade with just the printed materials for either history or literature? If so, what books exactly are absolutely needed? I know that most people use the history for 4+ but I wanted to start earlier as our current curriculum is a bit weak in that area.

 

Thank you. -- Jennifer :001_smile:

[SkateLeft]

K-4th K12 history is completely online. The "student workbook" consists only of the activity sheets from the curriculum (coloring pages, maps, etc.) There is no way to do K12 history at the elementary level without the online option.

 

When people talk about using K12 offline, they're referring specifically to the middle school world history courses. K12 sells the textbooks for those separately.

 

K12 History from 1st-4th is extremely similar to Story of the World books 1 - 4. In fact, Susan Wise Bauer worked on the K12 history program before departing to finish her own book series. For that reason, many of the stories in K12 history are the same as those in SOTW.

 

So your best bet would be to use the Story of the World texts with their activity books. You'd cover the same content as the K12 course, without actually purchasing it.

 

The literature component of K12 in the lower grades is packaged with the language arts program. There is no way to obtain it separately. It consists of the "Classics for Young Readers" text, sometimes the Junior Great Books (in K-2nd), and the offline student pages (just worksheets). The lesson guides are all online.

 

While you can find the Classics For Young Readers anthologies used, they're actually not all that remarkable, especially in the lower grades, where they include classic stories. The Junior Great Books can be obtained from the Great Books Foundation.

 

Because K12 was originally designed to follow the Core Knowledge sequence fairly closely, the best alternative to K12 literature is to use the "What Your ___Grader Needs to Know" books. John Holdren, currently Senior VP of Content and Curriculum at K12, worked previously at the Core Knowledge foundation and co-wrote some of the Core Knowledge sequence resources.

[Guest Pixiefur]

Thank you that is about what I was gathering your post was very informative. Much appreciated. :001_smile:

[ELITEANDLOVINGIT]

K-4th K12 history is completely online. The "student workbook" consists only of the activity sheets from the curriculum (coloring pages, maps, etc.) There is no way to do K12 history at the elementary level without the online option.

 

When people talk about using K12 offline, they're referring specifically to the middle school world history courses. K12 sells the textbooks for those separately.

 

K12 History from 1st-4th is extremely similar to Story of the World books 1 - 4. In fact, Susan Wise Bauer worked on the K12 history program before departing to finish her own book series. For that reason, many of the stories in K12 history are the same as those in SOTW.

 

So your best bet would be to use the Story of the World texts with their activity books. You'd cover the same content as the K12 course, without actually purchasing it.

 

The literature component of K12 in the lower grades is packaged with the language arts program. There is no way to obtain it separately. It consists of the "Classics for Young Readers" text, sometimes the Junior Great Books (in K-2nd), and the offline student pages (just worksheets). The lesson guides are all online.

 

While you can find the Classics For Young Readers anthologies used, they're actually not all that remarkable, especially in the lower grades, where they include classic stories. The Junior Great Books can be obtained from the Great Books Foundation.

 

Because K12 was originally designed to follow the Core Knowledge sequence fairly closely, the best alternative to K12 literature is to use the "What Your ___Grader Needs to Know" books. John Holdren, currently Senior VP of Content and Curriculum at K12, worked previously at the Core Knowledge foundation and co-wrote some of the Core Knowledge sequence resources.

 

I am not sure I completely agree with this.

 

Having used K12 and doing the history ONLINE section currently for AM1, I believe if you had the workbook and you had this text: http://www.amazon.com/History-US-Concise-Prehistory-1800/dp/B0064RXJ2O/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1348720857&sr=1-2&keywords=k12+hakim

 

You would likely do okay. There are of course many movies and add ons that are included online, but most of the written work we have done is associated with the text.

 

Not sure, but if you could find workbooks and texts cheaply...it might be worth trying.

 

I am not sure I would attempt any other way. There are too many great history programs...;)

[SkateLeft]

Having used K12 and doing the history ONLINE section currently for AM1, I believe if you had the workbook and you had this text: http://www.amazon.com/History-US-Concise-Prehistory-1800/dp/B0064RXJ2O/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1348720857&sr=1-2&keywords=k12+hakim

 

I specifically referred to history in grades 1-4, which is what the original poster was asking about.

 

As a K12 parent for 11 years, and a former marketing consultant for K12, I do not believe it's possible to do K12 History offline in grades K-4.

 

While it is possible to do American History A and B offline, when most folks here talk about using K12 middle school history offline, they're referring to the world history courses. K12 sells the textbooks for those ("Human Odyssey" volumes) separately from the online curriculum.

[BlueTaelon]

I specifically referred to history in grades 1-4, which is what the original poster was asking about.

 

As a K12 parent for 11 years, and a former marketing consultant for K12, I do not believe it's possible to do K12 History offline in grades K-4.

 

While it is possible to do American History A and B offline, when most folks here talk about using K12 middle school history offline, they're referring to the world history courses. K12 sells the textbooks for those ("Human Odyssey" volumes) separately from the online curriculum.

 

 

:iagree: That said although it doesn't apply to you, for anyone else thinking about the World History course, if you have a visual learner you WANT the OLS portion for World History or your going to have a really not fun time with it unless your kid is a major history buff.

[quark]

Jumping in with a quick question for K12 World History users (the Intermediate programs using Human Odyssey books)...what is the online component like? I have HO Vol 1 and the student pages and am now wondering if we should try the online component. Are there animations, movies etc in addition to the assessments or is it just a bunch of online articles to read?

 

TIA!

[BlueTaelon]

Jumping in with a quick question for K12 World History users (the Intermediate programs using Human Odyssey books)...what is the online component like? I have HO Vol 1 and the student pages and am now wondering if we should try the online component. Are there animations, movies etc in addition to the assessments or is it just a bunch of online articles to read?

 

TIA!

 

 

It has videos and external websites and stuff to check out. If you call K12 they will email you a user name and password to look at the course in full to see if you think its a fit for you.

[quark]

Awesome. Thank you!