About Core Knowledge Foundation

Core Knowledge Foundation was founded in 1986 by E.D. Hirsch, Jr. From their website, Dr. Hirsch has “championed the idea that a common, sequenced curriculum, particularly in preschool through eighth grade, can unite communities, narrow achievement gaps, and prepare all children for informed citizenship” (source). This idea is what Core Knowledge refers to as knowledge-based schooling and it is evident in their freely available Core Knowledge sequence as well as the book series by Dr. Hirsch titled What Your XX Grader Needs to Know (see a partial list of these books and links to Amazon).

The Core Knowledge approach

The Core Knowledge approach is based on the idea that children learn best when they build a strong foundation of shared knowledge over time. Rather than focusing primarily on skills, Core Knowledge emphasizes exposure to history, science, literature, geography, art, music, and other subjects in order to build on knowledge from preschool through eighth grade.

While created for traditional classroom use, the free curriculum can be adapted for use at home.

Helpful Homeschool Tips for using Core Knowledge curriculum

1. Free and online!

   All content is free, online, and available to download as PDFs! Bookmark the link - https://www.coreknowledge.org/download-free-curriculum/

2. Browse all subjects.

   Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA), and History and Geography (CKHG) are most popular among homeschool families from what I can tell, but they do offer Math and Science as well, plus NEW Music and Visual Arts (which I plan to try very soon!)

3. Review all unit components.

   All units should have a Student Reader or Anthology (main text), a Teacher Guide (for you), and an extra PDF of Online Resources

4. Only print what you need!

   Do not attempt to print everything unless you have an endless supply of ink and paper. Look through all PDFs online first. I will typically print the Student Reader, but I rarely print the Teacher Guide.

5. Look for used copies.

   Occasionally, Core Knowledge Student Readers, especially for CKHG and CKLA, can be found at used book sales or online used book stores, like Thriftbooks.

6. Use the student activity pages.

   Core Knowledge Science (CKSci) and History and Geography (CKHG) Teacher Guides include a section in the back called “Teacher Resources”, which include student activity pages, such as maps, experiments, vocabulary worksheets, written assignments, and final assessments. These are great for independent work and to deepen understanding.

7. Primary Source Activity Books.

   Each grade level in CKHG has a Primary Source Activity Book. These contain primary source documents and excerpts from speeches, diaries, journals, and more for the historical periods covered in that grade level.

8. Download free classic novels.

   Core Knowledge has a series of abridged classic novels available to download starting at 4th grade through 8th grade, called Core Classics. These stories, ranging from King Arthur and the Round Table to The Iliad and the Odyssey, are sometimes associated with a corresponding unit or could just be downloaded and read on its own.

9. Check the library.

   The book series, What My XX Grader Needs to Know, can be commonly found and checked out at your local public library!

10. Be flexible!

    Core Knowledge curriculum is designed for classroom use. Don’t worry about keeping strictly to the suggested schedule or activities.