Before selecting a curriculum, please take some time to reflect on the following questions and work with your teacher to select the curriculum that is the right fit for your student:
- What will your learning day/week look like?
- Who will be providing the instruction to the student?
- Do you need a daily lesson plan and a weekly pacing guide?
- Does the student want online or paper?
- Does your student do better in a live class or does your student do better in a self-paced class?
- What type of learner is your student? Kinesthetic, Auditory, or Visual?
- Which subject does your student need more help with and could benefit from teacher-led instruction?
Curriculum Paths
The curricular options below are listed in order from the most structured options requiring the least planning and record keeping to the most teacher-supported option requiring the most record keeping, documentation, and communication with your teacher.
You can learn more about each curriculum by reviewing our recommended short list of curricula HERE. If you have additional questions, feel free to come to the K-6 Curriculum Office Hours or email curriculum@centralvcs.org.
Pathway 1
The Scholar's Path
Curriculum in this category is our highest level of supported curriculum. These classes are fully teacher-led and standards-aligned. The teacher provides the student with direct instruction (either live or through video recording), paces out the assignments, and completes the grading. The Parent/Learning Coach makes sure that the students attend class, completes assigned work, and assists students in submitting assignments by their due dates.
Elementary School Virtual Academy (ESVA)
- Grades TK-6
- Ordered by your Independent Study Teacher in the Curriculum Ordering System
- Taught by Central Valley Charter School Credentialed Teachers
- All subjects available: ELA, Math, Science and Social Studies
- Elective classes coming soon
- Excellent for all learners (including struggling and accelerated students)
- Live 50 minute classes 2-3 days per week
- Asynchronous lessons provided on non-live instruction days
- Homework Club offered two davs
- Student uploads assignments and teacher grades and provides feedback
- Read Parent reviews HERE
Bright Thinker
- Grades K-12
- Ordered by your Independent Study Teacher in the Curriculum Ordering System
- Easily navigated units
- All subiects available
- K-2 ELA contains 3 categories:
- Reading/Phonics/Penmanship&Grammar
- Each subject can be ordered separately
- Excellent for all learners (including struggling and accelerated students)
- Unit based, easily "chunked" learning
- Online has learning accommodations imbedded if needed
- Watch more HERE and HERE
Lincoln Learning
- Grades K-12
- Ordered by your Independent Study Teacher in the Curriculum Ordering System
- Easily navigated units
- All subjects available
- Each math lesson contains a video.
- ELA has all components integrated into one course
- Each subject can be ordered separately
- Excellent for all learners (including struggling and accelerated students)
- Daily lesson to-do list
- Online and has learning accommodations imbedded if needed
Watch these helpful videos:
Pathway 2
The Discovery Voyage
Curriculum in this category is standards-aligned with the direct instruction being given by the Parent/Learning Coach. The Parent/Learning Coach is responsible for providing the student with lesson instruction and feedback regarding student performance on assignments while the Independent Study Teacher supports by helping create a pacing guide for the student to follow. The Independent Study Teacher will use the pacing guide to assign work each Learning Period. The assignments given will be the body of work that will be reviewed by the Independent Study Teacher each learning period. The Parent/Learning Coach is responsible for providing the student with lesson instruction and feedback regarding student performance on assignments.
Language Arts
- Moving Beyond the Page
- BookShark ELA
- McGraw Hill ELA
- Bright Thinker ELA paper
- McRuffy ELA
- Oak Meadow ELA
- IEW (reading and writing )
- Memoria Press Charter School
Literacy
- Lightning Literature
- Blackbird Literature
- Achieve3000- Non Fiction
Writing
- Bravewriter
- Write Shop
- IEW
- Essentials in Writing
Foundational Reading
- All About Reading
- Nessy
- Smarty Ants
- Explode the Code
- ABeCeDarian Company
- Logic of English
Math
- Moving Beyond the Page
- McGraw Hill Math
- Bright Thinker Math paper
- McRuffy Math
- Singapore/Dimension Math
- Right Start Math
- Saxon Math
- DreamBox Math
- Math Mammoth
- Beast Academy Math
- Art of Problem-Solving
- Khan Academy
- CTC Math
- Touch Math (K-2)
- Math-U-See
- Teaching Textbooks
Social Studies
- Moving Beyond the Page
- BookShark Social Studies
- McGraw Hill Social Studies
- Bright Thinker Social Studies paper
- Studies Weekly Social Studies
- Oak Meadow Social Studies
- Story of the World
- Curiosity Chronicles
- History Odyssey
- Beautiful Feet
Science
- Moving Beyond the Page
- BookShark Science
- McGraw Hill Science
- Bright Thinker Science paper
- McRuffy Science
- Generation Genius
- Mystery Science
- Studies Weekly Science
- Oak Meadow Science
Pathway 3
The Academic Odyssey
Curriculum in this category may not fully align with the state standards and requires a high level of teacher support to identify missing standards. Your Independent Study Teacher will help pace out the curriculum, assign the work each Learning Period, and will incorporate supplemental material into the learning plan to meet the grade-level standards. The Parent/Learning Coach is responsible for providing the student with lesson instruction and feedback regarding student performance on assignments. The assignments given will be the body of work that will be reviewed by the Independent Study Teacher each Learning Period.
Language Arts
- IXL
- Word ladders
- Building Writers
- Beyond the Code
- Acellus
- Relaxed Homeschool
- Miacademy
Math
- Math-U-See
- Teaching Textbooks
- IXL
- Acellus
- Shiller Math
- Relaxed Homeschool
- Miacadem
Social Studies
- Achieve 3000
- Brain Pop
- IXL
- Acellus
- Relaxed Homeschool
- Miacademy
Science
- Achieve 3000
- Brain Pop
- IXL
- California out of the Box
- Beautiful Feet
- Acellus
- Relaxed Homeschool
- Miacademy
Pathway 4
The Expedition
While still a viable option, this curricular path is rarely chosen by our families due to the lack of structure and the level of planning and record keeping required by the Parent/Learning Coach and the Independent Study Teacher. This path requires the most daily and monthly planning time. A monthly plan will need to be created in advance, daily logs/records kept, and more evidence of work submitted at the end of each Learning Period (LP).
Language Arts
- ELA Course Outlines (targeted standards-based learning)
- Teachers Pay Teachers
- Novel Study/Socratic Discussion
- Co-Ops
- 180 days workbooks
- Evan-Moor workbooks
- Sequoia Learning Community
- Heart Academy
Math
- Math Course Outlines (targeted standards-based learning)
- Teachers Pay Teachers
- Co-Ops
- Sequoia Learning Community
- Heart Academy
Social Studies
- Teachers Pay Teachers
- Co-Ops
- Unit Studies
- Research Report
- PowerPoint Presentations
- Sequoia Learning Community
- Heart Academy
Science
- Teachers Pay Teachers
- Unit Studies
- Science Projects
- Science Labs
- Science Field Trips
- Co-Ops
- Sequoia Learning Community
- Heart Academy
Choosing this learning path means choosing to work on grade level standards through assorted means rather than working through a particular curriculum. The curricula listed in this category are not comprehensive curricula and are primarily considered supplemental or enrichment. While these supplements and learning activities can be incorporated into a student’s Individualized Learning Plan, they do require a great deal of oversight from the Independent Study Teacher and the Parent/Learning Coach to ensure grade-level standards are being met. If you choose to work on individual standards as your child’s curriculum plan, you will work with the Independent Study Teacher to create a plan each Learning Period which identifies the learning activities being used to meet the assigned standards.
To best support families who select this path, the Independent Study Teacher will assign a set of standards to complete using our school Ed Plans for each LP. The Independent Study Teacher will then work with the Parent/Learning Coach to plan out the learning activities that will be completed during the LP. These activities may include some of the supplemental learning materials or enrichment activities on this document, but are not subject to only those listed below. The Parent/Learning Coach will then support the student in mastering the standards by completing the assigned learning activities and turning in the completed work, activities logs, and evidence of learning to the Independent Study Teacher for each Learning Period.
If the parent would like, they can create a plan to review with their Independent Study Teacher before each Learning Period meeting. While not required, using a template to create their own plan to review with the Independent Study Teacher is recommended for families who choose this unique and rare learning path. The use of a template such as this one HERE may be helpful. The Independent Study Teacher will then work with the Parent/Learning Coach to solidify the Learning Plan for the student by assigning the standards to be completed along with the learning activities, assignments, and experiences the parent has chosen to support completion of those standards. Here is a folder that has some additional learning plan templates that might be useful: Learning Period Planning Templates.
Still have questions?
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We want to ensure you and your student have everything you need to succeed. Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions.