The Core Knowledge Series, Building a Strong Academic Foundation.

Huge political debates and millions of dollars in research studies have gone toward settling the question, "What should a child learn?". There really is no clear answer to this question because a child selling oranges on the streets of Guatemala needs to know something different from a child growing up in Silicon Valley. What is clear, though, is that we all build new understanding on a foundation of what we have already learned. Imagine trying to understand the purpose of a heart without first knowing the purpose of blood. Also, imagine trying to understand the concepts of ancient, modern, and future, without first having a general understanding of the passage of time. 

Helping a child to have a rich knowledge foundation can significantly impact long term academic success and even what they comprehend about the world at large. The Core Knowledge Foundation has been around for decades and they have one solution to this dilemma. They created the "What your _____ Grader Needs to Know" series. These books, while often needing to be supplemented by other material, addresses 70-80% of the academic needs of kids at each grade level, while also providing enrichment content not addressed by other programs. As an example, with Core Knowledge, a Kindergarten is given a solid foundation of global geography and American History, while a Fifth Grader is given in-depth teaching of the human respiratory system. This curriculum is rich in history, science, mathematics, and language arts concepts. It also gives classic literature, music, and the visual arts an equal footing to other core subjects.  This book series and curriculum is a fantastic way to help a home-school parent keep their child on-track and even advanced academically. 

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