Many companies offer full grade kits of curricula. Buying curricula this way can simplify the process for a homeschooling parent. The parent simply chooses which company she prefers and then purchases the kit for her child's grade. Kits include all subjects that the grade covers. For example, the fifth-grade kit for A Beka Book curricula includes materials for history, health, science, penmanship, math, spelling, vocabulary, poetry, language and literature. This is an especially good option for parents who are new to homeschooling.
There are curricular offerings that are interactive. Instead of books and papers, children complete schoolwork using a computer and software. One company with this type of curriculum is K12. As its name indicates, the company offers subject curricula for grades K to 12. One major benefit to using software instead of textbooks is that the company can make changes to the curriculum instantly. If errors exist, the company can quickly correct them. This type of curriculum includes new discoveries and historical happenings more quickly.
Parents can create their own curriculum for several subjects. Science, history and heath are all subjects that are easy to do yourself. Create unit lessons on weather, presidents and nutrition with a little Internet and/or library research. Using this strategy, parents can customize these subjects to their child's interests or special needs. This is also a way to cut costs significantly.
Often the most daunting part of choosing curriculum is the cost. Parents can find and purchase most of the curriculum types second hand through websites or homeschool groups. Be careful, as there are some curricula that are licensed in such a way to prohibit resale. This is a good thing to consider prior to purchasing a curriculum.