by Renee Austin

One of the hardest things about homeschooling without the use of a full curriculum is determining what your year may look like. One way to kick it off strong is making your own Curiosity Untamed guidebook for your family. A couple days planning can net you a year’s worth of scalable things to do.

Look at your calendar and note how many weeks of school you will be using this for, as well as the topics you wish to cover. For PreK-8th grade you can find badges that generally can be completed in about a week. However, there is no need to rush through badges.

Pick the topics you’d like to cover by subject. If you are using Curiosity Untamed for multiple subjects, you may want to selectively pick from appropriate categories.  Often mandatory subjects that lend themselves well to using this program are: art, science, character/religion, geography, government, history and health. Please be sure to check your state standards regarding to see if the badge meets the requirements or needs supplements.

Under your subjects, list badges you’d like to complete.  You may want to choose more in core subjects like science and less in subjects like geography or health. Keep in mind some badges have a wide array of categories. For instance, you could do the Insects (Specific) badge daily for two or three weeks with a new insect every time and still be able to repeat the badge. The most important thing? Curiosity Untamed will always be here so it’s okay to only pick a few if that’s all you need in building your plan. There is no need to overwhelm yourself.

Organize the badges by a set of dates you hope to do them in, such as in monthly units. It is great to coordinate themed badges, such as the Thankfulness badge around Thanksgiving or the Wildflowers badge in spring. Many badges from different topics can be earned together, like Water Safety (Health and Safety), Seasons-Summer (Science and Technology), Pirates (Knowledge), and Sailing (Outdoors).

Make yourself your own family homeschool guidebook (please do not share with non-members). Type up a list of badges for your reference. You may also want to create a “completed badge” worksheet with room for your student to make any key notes for their portfolio (required by some states). Binding your family guide can make an impressive book. Local print shops can often print and bind far cheaper than big box stores, and if you self-print, a 3 hole punch or happy planner punches can produce a very nice outcome.

Track the badges by your kids’ levels. A high schooler can easily work alongside a preschooler at their own levels with Curiosity Untamed. You don’t need to change the lesson, the work is done for you! Purchase badges quarterly for a small reward system or wait until the end of the year and host a huge celebration for your children with family and friends.

Spread the word. If you do something amazing (or even simply have a great day) with Curiosity Untamed, be sure to let us know about it! If you have a friend who finds your family guidebook a must-have, homeschool memberships are obtainable day and night with just a few clicks.  Costing less than a single book from well known curriculums, Curiosity Untamed is a great way to create passionate life long learners while also meeting required standards.

Good luck!  Ask Anything and Explore Everything!

Disclaimer:

External links lead to third party websites for the convenience of users. Curiosity Untamed is not responsible for the availability or content of these external sites, nor does Curiosity Untamed  endorse, warrant, or guarantee the products, services, or information described or offered on other websites.  Use these sites at your own risk.