Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post and I was compensated for my time to review and write about BookShark and BookShark Virtual. All opinions are always my own. For more information on sponsored posts, read my Affiliate and Advertising Disclosure. Thank you to BookShark for sponsoring this post and providing Reading with History and BookShark Virtual for me to review.
Reading is a huge part of our family culture. I started reading aloud to my kids when they were newborns, so naturally incorporating good books is an essential in our homeschool. But here’s a little secret about me as a homeschool mom. I hate planning. Trying to choose books and put together a literature rich homeschool on my own is something I completely dread. I need an easy button in my homeschool. This is exactly why I love BookShark Reading with History. And you will too.
Fully Planned Homeschool Curriculum
BookShark has thought of everything to make their curriculum super easy for me as a homeschool mom. While the giant box of books and thick Instructor’s Guide may seem intimidating upon first glance, it is actually well planned and easy to open and go.
I spent about thirty minutes assembling the Instructor’s Guide (IG) and putting the books in order. And that’s it. There’s no other prep I need to do to get up and running for the homeschool year.
Each week starts with a weekly schedule so I can get the big picture at a quick glance. More detailed lesson plans are included in the notes section for each week. All I have to do is turn to the right page and I have everything I need to teach. It doesn’t get much easier than that.
BookShark Virtual Online Homeschool
While BookShark is already excellent and easy to use, they’ve made it even better with BookShark Virtual. BookShark Virtual includes the contents of the IG, plus extra features like assessments, grading, and record keeping. You get the convenience of an online curriculum, with the balance of using physical books.
Our family likes to travel, or Adventure Schooling as we call it. I don’t like filling an entire suitcase with homeschool books. Been there, done that. Now I don’t have to. BookShark Virtual is accessible from my phone, making it much easier to pack light. I can easily fit the books we need in my BookShark tote bag, and get the convenience of the fully planned IG without the extra weight in my suitcase. Win-win!
Literature Based Homeschool Curriculum
While I love incorporating good books into my homeschool, literature based homeschooling used to seem like such a strange concept to me. Can kids really learn from being presented with ideas instead of being given direct information and told to learn? Is it actually okay to ditch textbooks in favor of living books like novels and historical fiction?
The answer is a big gigantic YES! We all know that there are many benefits of reading aloud to kids, and BookShark Reading with History extends those family benefits well into the school years.
I have learned more about history from living books than from any textbook. One of the greatest benefits of using a literature based curriculum is I can re-learn and add to my knowledge of history through engaging read alouds.
Level E BookShark Homeschool Curriculum
BookShark Level E covers American History starting in the 1850s. BookShark Reading with History includes History Resources, Read Alouds (you read to your kids) and Readers (kids read on their own). It also uses a timeline book and figures, and a markable map for geography. I appreciate the convenience of the integrated geography and not needing to teach that as a separate subject.
BookShark offers some additional options for Level E including a Lapbook Kit, or you can even select the All-Subject Package and get everything you need for the entire homeschool year.
Hands On History Resources
BookShark Homeschool Curriculum is approachable for all learning styles, and even offers Hands On History. My 12 year old, Peyton, doesn’t always love studying history. But, he stole the Lapbook Kit from our homeschool shelf and started putting it together on his own, unprompted. He has spent his own time working through the kit and it has inspired him to ask questions about the events mentioned in the lapbook.
The pictures below were not posed (note the messy hair), and were taken on a Saturday when he pulled out the lapbook to work on it. If curriculum thievery and un-required Saturday homeschooling aren’t the measure of an excellent and appealing homeschool curriculum, I don’t know what is.
My favorite part of the lapbook kit is that it comes with all the supplies needed, even glue sticks and double sided tape. I have literally had to do nothing to facilitate this project for my son. This is a resource I highly recommend adding to your BookShark Reading with History.
BookShark Secular Homeschool Curriculum
BookShark is a non-religious curriculum that maintains a neutral worldview. One of the benefits of using a literature based curriculum is experiencing many different perspectives. BookShark doesn’t tell you what to think, but let’s you experience events in history as the characters in the stories are experiencing them.
My personal perspective is that BookShark is a very neutral curriculum and can easily be used by non-religious and religious families alike.
Summary: BookShark Reading with History
BookShark is an excellent and well thought out homeschool curriculum. Beyond the box of shiny books, the Instructor’s Guide makes this an easy, open and go curriculum. BookShark Virtual elevates the ease of use and convenience of BookShark to a whole new level.
If you are looking for a well planned curriculum with a variety of excellent book choices, then give BookShark Reading with History a try! And don’t forget to check out all of the features BookShark Virtual can add to make your homeschool even better.
