BookShark

BookShark All-Subject Packages

BookShark homeschool curriculum is literature-based, 4-day, and faith-neutral (secular). See it at bookshark.com.

Amber Reed Davis, a busy homeschool mom, says,

“We can’t say enough good stuff about BookShark. We’re doing Levels 3 and 5 this year. My kids are hooked. Through the amazing books, we’ve traveled to fascinating places and learned so much! And we’re only on week 13!  Who knew a middle schooler would ask if we could still do school on our 5th day because he wanted to find out what happens next in the books we’re reading? Also, I’ve been amazed at how much I’ve learned through reading along with them. Oh, and the 4-day schedule is perfect. We use our 5th day to catch up or just for fun field trips, experiments, and messy art projects.”

Amber is right! BookShark’s fully planned, 4-day homeschool curriculum flexes to match your busy lifestyle. The detailed Instructor’s Guides lay everything out so clearly that you are prepared to teach in mere minutes each day—open your guide, gather your resources (which are all included in your package), and go! Curriculum for ages 4-16 is available in All-Subject Packages or by individual academic areas:

• Reading with History
• Language Arts
• Science
• Math

With BookShark’s literature-rich programs, your children will read (or have read to them) 35-50 engaging books each year! Visit bookshark.com to browse curriculum, download samples, or request a catalog. Then read the Choosing Guide to find your perfect fit!

BookShark Reading with History

BookShark’s Reading with History includes History, Read-Alouds, Readers, and Required Resources, all fully outlined in your Instructor’s Guide (also included, in both print and online formats).

Each day, you simply open your guide to find your daily lesson plan. ​Work down the day’s column, reading the assigned pages or chapters with your children, discussing what you read, and doing any map or timeline work.

If your kids love hands-on activities, we’ve got you covered with lap books and project kits, specially designed to complement the history curriculum.

BookShark is easy to follow, and families love it!

“We are in our first year homeschooling, and “BookShark is amazing for us! I have a 3rd grader,  and are using American History Level 3. She is reading Pocahontas and the Strangers on her own now and absolutely loves it! This is coming from the child who used to loathe chapter books. 😊 I love the flexibility and structure this curriculum allows!” —Jennifer Burris Johnson

“This is my first year using BookShark history for my 8- and 10-year-old, and I am in love! So are they! I wish I had known about BookShark sooner, and I’m telling all my fellow homeschool moms about this program.” —@camillebethanyphotography

What You Get in a History Instructor’s Guide

1. Complete, ready-to-use lesson plans
All your books and activities are fully scheduled for the entire year. No need to create your own plans!

2. Daily schedules
Daily schedules outline 36 weeks of material for History/Geography, Read-Alouds, and Readers.

3. Discussion questions
Discussion questions (with answers) for the assigned reading help you track your children’s comprehension.

4. Timeline and map activities
Put your learning in chronological and geographical context. Timeline activities tell you when to add people, events, and dates to your Timeline Book. Map activities help you plot the places you visit in your reading. Your students plot points on their Markable Map, and you have all the answers in the included map keys.

5. Vocabulary and cultural literacy notes
Find clear definitions for important vocabulary that appears in your reading. Enjoy useful cultural literacy notes that add depth to your reading and explain things students probably should know but likely don’t know (e.g., what a hoop skirt looks like).

6. Extensive notes
Train your children to read discerningly. Our notes provide counter-balancing arguments to lopsided readings. These notes help you listen to the other side in order to hone understanding. You won’t believe how much you and your student learn!

7. Teaching tips
See the rationale and educational philosophy behind BookShark’s methods and activities. Get help discussing tricky topics (such as poverty) with your kids. We’ve got you covered, so you can teach with confidence and without surprises.

8. An easy record-keeping system
With space to record completion dates, your children’s initials, extra notes and even extra subjects, all your records are in one place for reporting requirements.

BookShark Science

If you like the kind of homeschool science curriculum that allows for rabbit trails and hands-on exploration, take a look at BookShark Science. It’s a structured, secular (faith-neutral), 4-day program that has the flexibility you need for your lifestyle. Rather than taking a dry textbook approach, it uses real books, no-fuss Activity Sheets, and hands-on science activities. We even include the materials you need for the experiments in a handy Science Kit.

Living Books
The heart of the BookShark approach is reading great books alongside your children. Instead of textbooks and worksheets, we believe that reading living books (real books) and discussing them is the most natural and enjoyable way to learn—a way that

• fosters divergent thinking
• nurtures a child’s natural curiosity
• develops strong family bonds

Hands-on Activities
Yes, we love books at BookShark, but we know that kids learn by doing, too! That’s why all of our Science programs are a perfect mix of reading and experiments. To make it easy, we provide a kit of needed supplies along with the clear instructions. Aside from common household goods, the kit contains everything you need!

Really! No hunting for modeling clay, balloons, a thermometer, wire, or magnets. We make sure you have all the moving parts to make science activities happen instead of getting pushed to the back burner.

The Instructor’s Guide—Your Schedule

A BookShark Instructor’s Guide tells you exactly what to do each day:

• what to read
• what to discuss
• what activity sheet to complete
• what experiments to do

Get an idea of what an Instructor's Guide is like. Download samples of the IGs for the first three weeks of any program here.

Levels Not Grades
BookShark Science is organized by flexible Levels, not rigid grades. This means you can combine children within a 3-year age range into one level.

• Biology, Botany and Physics (Level K) ages 5-7
• Animals, Astronomy, and Physics (Level 1) ages 6-8
• Life Science, Meteorology, and Mechanical Technology (Level 2) ages 7-9
• Biology, Taxonomy, and Human Anatomy (Level 3) ages 8-11
• Electricity, Magnetism and Astronomy (Level 4) ages 9-12
• Health and Human Anatomy (Level 5) ages 10-13
• Chemistry, Physics and Biology (Level 6) ages 11-13
• Conservation, Robotics and Technology (Level 7) ages 12-14
• Physics, Electromagnetism and Waves (Level 8) ages 13-15

What Moms Say
Marcy J., homeschool mom & BookShark customer, says,

“I just wanted to take a moment to express my gratitude for this amazing curriculum. We chose BookShark for its strong Science curriculum and fell in love with the 4-day flexible lesson plans as well as the literature-based approach. The stories make history come alive in a way that textbooks alone do not.

I spent a day at a homeschool convention, looking specifically for a good science curriculum, and BookShark stood out from the rest. All the others I looked at seemed to have either a weak science focus, biased undertones, or misinformation. Compared to the other choices, BookShark was the clear winner. When I say strong science, I am mainly referring to the depth of material covered as well as the rigor of the questions asked on the Activity Sheets. The internet links give so much additional information which places extra emphasis on the lessons. We are also very hands-on and like to conduct the optional experiments as well.

My husband is a radiologist, and I am a laboratory technician—science is important to us! Our kids have learned so much with BookShark Science and actually enjoy it! That excitement about science is what is most important.”

Kemi J., homeschool mom & BookShark customer, says,

“BookShark saved my homeschool! I started off with the Level 1 Science for my boys (then 6 and 8), and we had such a great year that I decided to go with BookShark for the rest of our curriculum.

The 4-day schedule is perfect for us, so we don't get burned out at the end of the week. My kids love it, and we're looking forward to using BookShark again next school year!”