Core Knowledge Series for Mom?

[stm4him]

As part of my new plan for next year I am wanting to buy sets of books such as My Bookhouse, Collier's Junior Classics, Young Folk's Library, My Journey Through Bookland, The Book of Knowledge, The Book of Life, etc.  I think the reason I want to do that is that I want my kids to immerse themselves in the world of "common knowledge" from ages past in both fiction and nonfiction and then learn how to research out what they don't know as they read.  Then I want them to record their findings and respond to what they have read with artistic journaling and some sort of written response that could come in a variety of forms.  There probably won't be a format they have to stick to, but more of a buffet of options they can choose from as they mature.  They can respond in poetry, copywork, narration, recording of facts, diagrams, or any number of other ways they come up with.  This will be a process I will have to teach and model at first until they get the hang of it.  I realized recently that this is similar to the Core Knowledge series in that these sets of books usually represented the most important information and works but instead of putting grade levels on it (though some of them progress from appealing to younger children up to older children), it would be likely a small library for them to peruse as desired.  Daily they would have to work on this reading/researching/journaling for a set amount of time and I would have them rotate through Bible, nonfiction, and fiction (one each day).  Daily they would share with the family their take away.  There is a small chance that I would have them work in order through a series, but I doubt it.

 

Anyway, I want to do this alongside them and I am really excited about it.  But I sort of want a quick series to go through myself so that I have a good base to work from.  I am thinking of using the Core Knowledge series on my own to brush up on my own cultural literacy.  I think I have most of the books, though I think some are older editions and some are newer and I am not aware of the various differences between them.  They are in my guest house somewhere in boxes.  Has anyone read through these themselves (or with the kids) long enough to get a feel for how good they are?  I did have two of my kids read some or all of one or two of the books and I went through the preschool one with my third kiddo years ago but I can't remember how much they liked them (or didn't).

 

Any other recommendations along these lines or from E.D. Hirsch Jr.?  

[SnMomof7]

We use the WY-GNTK books. We like them and use them for cultural literacy read alouds. PK and K books every other day for little people. 1-6 (planned anyway) for everyone once a week. We don't use the skill based topics (math etc.)

[SnMomof7]

Did you end up buying any sets? I have a Colliers in my cart...haven't pulled the trigger yet.

[SnMomof7]

Aaaand...I pulled the trigger last night.

[kiana]

Might actually consider E.D. Hirsch's dictionary of cultural literacy (there's an adult version) if you like the CK series. 

[stm4him]

I haven't bought any sets yet because of lack of funds.  But I am using the Hirsch books for them to earn beans in the bean jar.....and as a jumping off point for the day.  Just started with the older ones yesterday, but going very well with the younger ones so far.