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As COVID-19 has forced countless schools to abruptly shift instructional delivery from face-to-face to online instruction, parents and guardians who were already wearing multiple hats, were left to take on a new role—teacher.  If you are one of those parents, you may feel overwhelmed by the task that you now face.  We want to help you on this journey.  While we cannot counsel parents individually, we hope you will find the information and tools below useful as you take on this new role.

Homeschool Webpage

The Core Knowledge Foundation has created a new webpage dedicated to meeting the needs of parent/guardian educators.  This page addresses four central questions that we’ve heard from our growing homeschooling community:

  • What is the Core Knowledge curriculum?
  • How do I get Core Knowledge instructional materials?
  • How can I prepare to teach the curriculum?
  • Where can I find more support?
We encourage you to review the contents on this page in order to learn more about and access the instructional materials that we offer for FREE DOWNLOAD.

Tips for “Getting Started”

Setting aside time for instruction

Taking the first step is often the most challenging. We recommend that you start first by determining how much time you will realistically be able to spend teaching your child, or children, each day. We recognize that few parents or guardians will be able to provide a typical six hour school day of instruction. Fortunately, working one-on-one, or even with several children, at home will likely mean that you are able to accomplish more within a certain period of time than a teacher who is responsible for twenty-five or more students. 

Setting priorities in grades K–2

Next, you need to set priorities. Beginning readers will be less capable of working on their own and will require more guidance and attention. At these grade levels, if you are only able to set aside 1–2 hours daily to teach, we recommend that you primarily focus on reading and math instruction.  However, not just any reading program will do.  

Reading: Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA)

Reading is a “two-lock box” that requires two different keys.

Children need to learn phonics to decode and sound out written words. In CKLA, this type of instruction is presented in units referred to as “Skills” instruction. You can download the first K–2 units here: Kindergarten, grade 1, and grade 2; Click “next unit” to access later unit materials.

For additional Skills practice, we highly recommend that you check out the FREE CKLA learning games and digital resources that are currently available for download from our commercial partner, Amplify, Inc.

The second key to reading is language comprehension. Students must grasp the idea that written words convey meaning. By listening to someone read aloud, children learn about many new things. Building knowledge is a key to understanding what they will later read on their own. If you have limited time and cannot teach separate social studies or science programs, using a reading program with a knowledge component is critical. In CKLA, this type of instruction is presented in units referred to as “Domains” or “Listening and Learning” instruction.
FREE K–2 CKLA Listening and Learning units can be accessed here.

If you are looking for shorter, illustrated read-alouds presented in a grade-level book, consider our What Your ___Needs to Know series, available for purchase:                          

If you have additional time for daily instruction, we recommend that you consider using the following FREE resources to expose your children to a wealth of rich content and experiences.

Social Studies: Core Knowledge History and Geography (CKHG)

Science: Core Knowledge Science (CKSci)

Setting priorities in grades 3–8

Students in Grade 3, and above, can often work with some degree of independence. For example, many can read several pages/chapters on their own for a 15–20 minute duration, and are capable of completing assignments and projects with limited guidance. Older students typically can pay attention and persevere for longer periods of time.  As a result, you can plan for longer blocks of instruction.  FREE resources that you may wish to consider include:

Reading: Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA) currently 3–5

Social Studies: Core Knowledge History and Geography (CKHG) currently 3–6

Science: Core Knowledge Science (CKSci) currently 3–5

Math: The Core Knowledge Foundation has plans to offer a math curriculum in the future. No date of publication for math materials is available at this time.

If you are looking for free math resources available online, you may be interested in exploring the Grades 6–8 units developed by Illustrative Math and the PreK–12 modules available via EngageNY.

Looking for Middle School Resources.  Click here to learn more. 

Gathering Resources

Once you determined what you want to use, decide how you will acquire these resources.  You can download and use the FREE materials on a laptop and/or print out Teacher Guides and Student Books. The Foundation has also made Core Knowledge History and Geography (CKHG) and Core Knowledge Science (CKSci) resources available as affordable Homeschool Sets.  The CKHG and CKSci materials, available for download at no cost, are exactly the same as the print materials offered for purchase.

Please contact Amplify at 800-823-1969 or CKLA@amplify.com if you are interested in purchasing 2nd edition Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA) Homeschool Sets.

Engaging with the Community

You are not alone.  Hundreds of parents, from across the country, use Core Knowledge materials in a homeschooling setting.  Considering reaching out to your peers in order to learn more about their experiences and recommendations.

Quick Tips Before Teaching

Like the process of “getting started,” there are variety of effective practices that support preparation efforts.  Below, you’ll find a list of steps to consider as you get ready to teach:

  • Scan the Teacher Guide ‘Introduction’—Each unit’s introduction offers information that can assist with planning efforts (e.g., pacing) as well as building understanding around the big idea and key concepts addressed through instruction.
  • Gather ancillary materials—At times, CKLA and CKSci require additional resources to be used as part of instruction.  For CKLA, the props or realia serve as concrete examples of core concepts or vocabulary.  In CKSci, materials are used as part of experiments and hands-on investigations. 
  • Scan individual lessons—By reviewing the scope and presented activities, you will be better equipped to engage your child as well as support him/her with meeting the lesson objectives.
  • Copy/print student activity pages/assessments before sitting down to work with your child— In CKHG and CKSci, the “Teacher Resources” section at the back of each Teacher Guide includes blackline masters of all student activity pages and assessments. 
  • Check the CKHG and CKSci Online Resource links prior to instruction— Here you will find additional, third-party materials and activities to supplement your instruction. The Core Knowledge Foundation team monitors these links, but, since these are third-party sites, there is the possibility of a link being moved or broken.   Testing the links in advance provides you with an opportunity to locate a replacement or prepares you to skip one of these optional activities.  (Please let us know if you find a link that does not work.)

Research data from a new study by the Thomas B. Fordham Institute confirms what Core Knowledge teachers have known for years! Educators looking for ways to improve students’ reading comprehension would do well to allocate 30 minutes each day to teaching social studies. Fordham’s associate director of research Adam Tyner and early childhood researcher Sarah Kabourek looked at data from the federal Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 2010–11 (ECLS-K: 2011), which follows thousands of students in their kindergarten year through fifth grade. They specifically compared how much instructional time was devoted to each subject area relative to students’ reading comprehension.

As most educators know, American students spend the most time in English Language Arts (ELA) instruction. However, the researchers found that increased instructional time in social studies – not ELA – is associated with improved reading comprehension.

If you are not yet familiar with the Core Knowledge History and Geography™ (CKHG™) program, a comprehensive K-6  program in world and American history and geography, integrating topics in civics and the arts, now is the time to check it out. CKHG is available for FREE  DOWNLOAD, as well as purchase. The program includes student books and teacher guides, as well as online resources, and timeline cards for Grades 3-6. Developed in conjunction with nationally recognized subject matter experts, (CKHG™) helps students build knowledge of the diverse civilizations, cultures, and concepts specified in the Core Knowledge Sequence.

It is also worth noting that, in a related Chalkbeat article, professor of education at the University of Michigan, Nell Duke, also points out that other research studies have explored and documented similar results when additional instructional time is devoted to science.

So be sure to also check out the Core Knowledge Science™ (CKSci) program, which is likewise available for FREE DOWNLOAD, as well as purchase.

The Comprehensive, Affordable Science Program that All Schools (and Parents) Want!

With Tips on School, Home, Remote
and Hybrid Settings Use 

Core Knowledge Science (CKSci) is now available for grades K–5! Informed by the Core Knowledge approach and Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), as well as contributions from subject matter experts and educators, this comprehensive program affords opportunities for students to fully engage in scientific inquiry while simultaneously building factual knowledge and conceptual understandings.

In these challenging times, CKSci offers an affordable way to prepare and inspire our next generation of scientists and engineers!

About Core Knowledge Science

CKSci facilitates cumulative and coherent knowledge building of core ideas in life, physical, and earth/space sciences, as well as engineering design.  It also fosters the development of scientific practices, which afford students’ firsthand experience in scientific inquiry, science and engineering processes, and technology.   Finally, the program connects scientific knowledge to concepts across various disciplines, such as mathematics and literacy.

Phenomena-Driven

Driven by what we know to be best practice in science education, CKSci allows students to construct science knowledge through observing phenomenon, formulating questions, and engaging in hands-on activities. Each unit begins with and revisits an anchoring phenomenon throughout the unit. For example, in grade 1, Unit 3 “Light and Sound,” students are asked: “What happens in a stage performance so that people can see and hear the show?” To answer this question, over the course of the unit, students investigate the cause-and-effect relationships between light and shadow and then between vibrations and sound. They learn to recognize that nonluminous objects can only be seen when there is enough light shining on them, and that sound causes vibrations and that vibrations cause sound.

Access to Scientific Factual Knowledge

CKSci balances knowledge gained through observation, activities, and experimentation with direct communication of scientific factual knowledge. Once students have asked questions about phenomena and engaged in investigations, they either read or listen to direct factual information via their Student Books or Student Readers. This ensures that students are exposed to scientific facts and do not over generalize or formulate misconceptions.  Here’s an example from grade 2, illustrating how students explore the properties of matter: At the start of the unit, students listen to a story about a child, who placed a paper bag, holding salt, out in the rain. The rain washed away the salt, even though it was in a bag.   After formulating questions about what kind of container is best for holding salt, students participate in a series of activities to observe what happens when water is poured over a paper bag and then over a plastic container (both containing salt).  Students use what they learned from the activities and text to determine which container (paper or plastic) is best to hold salt.

Connection to School and Society

CKSci units also offer investigations and project-based learning opportunities that connect classroom learning to school and society. Key goals of unit capstone projects are for students to apply their knowledge and communicate possible solutions to real-world problems as well as present these findings to their community. The audience may include other classes at the school, parents/guardians, school principals, and/or scientists and engineers in the local area. Here’s an example from grade 4, “Using Natural Resources for Energy:” In this project-based activity, students apply what they have learned about cost-benefit analysis to publish or present their findings to others on which energy resources are best for their community.

Three-Dimensional Learning Approach

CKSci units and lessons promote a three dimensional learning approach that provides students with opportunities to examine NGSS Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCI), Science and Engineering Practices (SEP), and Crosscutting Concepts (CCC).

Using CKSci in Different Settings

As an Open Education Resource, CKSci offers wider access and flexibility in terms of use.  This is needed more now than ever with schools and families juggling a multitude of challenges due to COVID-19 pandemic.

Homeschool Setting

For homeschool families, CKSci Teacher Guides and Student Books/Readers can be downloaded for free. (Homeschool kits of these books are also available at a low cost.)  Each unit identifies any additional materials that need to be gathered in order for students to engage in investigations.  A concerted effort was made to include items typically found in classrooms (and homes) as a means of easing the process of gathering materials.  

Remote Learning

Teachers can upload Student/Books and activity pages, found in the back of the Teacher Guides, to their school’s Learning Management System (e.g., Google Classroom). 

Since resources and expectations around distance learning differ from district-to-district (even school-to-school), the way in which teachers engage students in investigations and discussions will also vary.   Some tools that CKSci teachers are using for these purposes include:

This doesn’t represent an exhaustive list.  To share ideas with other Core Knowledge Science teachers, consider joining our Facebook Group.

More CKSci Resources Coming Soon!

  • Our science team is currently developing additional units for K–2.  These include, “Our Five Senses,” “Simple Machines,” “Human Body Systems,” “Electricity and Magnetism,” and “Human Cells and Digestion.”
  • CKSci Student Books and Readers will soon be available as eBooks! Among other features, these books will offer a read-aloud option. We are in the early stages of this project, but hope to share an update in the near future.

Sign up for our newsletter to be alerted with CKSci news!

by Linda Bevilacqua, President, Core Knowledge Foundation

In the wake of recent events across America, the Core Knowledge Foundation has received a number of inquiries from educators asking for guidance as to how they can ensure that their students become familiar with the history and experiences of all Americans. While the resources suggested below, many of which are available for free download on the Core Knowledge website, are by no means exhaustive, we offer them as a place to start.

If you are not familiar with the Core Knowledge History and Geography (CKHG) program for Kindergarten-Grade 6,  please do take a look at this comprehensive set of instructional materials in world and American history and geography, integrating topics in civics and the arts.  The CKHG materials, based on the topics from the Core Knowledge Sequence, are available for free download from our website, as well as for purchase.

For example, the history, experiences, and contributions of Black Americans are interwoven throughout the CKHG materials. See:

CKHG Grade 1 Early Explorers and Settlers

CKHG Grade 2 Civil War

CKHG Grade 2 Civil Rights Leaders

CKHG Grade 3 Thirteen Colonies

CKHG Grade 4 The American Revolution

CKHG Grade 4 The Constitution

CKHG Grade 4 American Reformers

CKHG Grade 5 The Civil War

CKHG Grade 6 Reform in Industrial America

The following CKLA instructional materials are also available for free download:

CKLA Grade 4 Brown Girl Dreaming

In this title, the author, Jacqueline Woodson, describes in emotionally charged and evocative language the life of an African American girl growing up in the South and in New York in the 1960s and 1970s during a pivotal period of American history. The book has received numerous awards.

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CKLA Grace Abounding

Core Knowledge also offers another publication, Grace Abounding: The Core Knowledge Anthology of African-American Literature, Music and Art, which schools and/or libraries may be interested in purchasing.

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Other cultures, such as those of Native and Hispanic Americans, as well as the cultures and experiences of the many immigrants to the United States, are also represented in various Core Knowledge Foundation resources. See, for example:

CKHG K Native Americans

CKHG Grade 1 Early Civilizations of the Americas

CKHG Grade 1 The Culture of Mexico

CKHG Grade 2 Americans Move West

CKHG Grade 3 The Earliest Americans

CKHG Grade 5 Maya, Aztec, and Inca Civilizations

CKHG Grade 5 Westward Expansion Before the Civil War

CKHG Grade 5 Native Americans and Westward Expansion: Cultures and Conflicts

CKHG Grade 6 Independence for Latin America

The following CKLA instructional materials are also available for free download:

CKLA Grade 5 They Call Me Guero

The author of this book, David Bowles, grew up as a “border kid” in Texas. His poetry describes what it is like to grow up on the border of two places, as well as some of the experiences and challenges faced by the American Hispanic community.

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Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass.

Core Classic, The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

Core Knowledge also offers a Core Classic, The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, which schools and/or libraries may also be interested in purchasing. A free teacher’s guide is available for free download.

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Grades 3-5 CKSci

Also check out the biographies of African American scientists included in several units of Grades 3-5 CKSci.

See the biographies of George Washington Carver, Lewis Latimer, Katherine Johnson and Rufus Stokes.

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There are also many wonderful trade books, i.e. books by other writers and publishers, available from various booksellers; here are some titles that we have read and encourage you to review and consider for inclusion in your classroom or school library:

Primary Grades:

  • Brave Girl: Clara and the Shirtwaist Makers’ Strike of 1909 by Michelle Markel
  • Bravo! Poems About Amazing Hispanics by Margarita Engle
  • Buzzing with Questions: The Inquisitive Mind of Charles Henry Turner by Janice N.Harrington
  • Counting on Katherine: How Katherine Johnson Saved Apollo 13 by Helaine Becker
  • Dancing Hands: How Teresa Carreno Played the Piano for President Lincoln by Marguerita Engle
  • Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson
  • Emma’s Poem: The Voice of the Statue of Liberty by Linda Glaser
  • Frida Kahlo and her Animalitos by Monica Brown
  • Fry Bread: A Native American Story by Kevin Noble Maillard (could also be used with older students)
  • Her Right Foot by Dave Eggers (could also be used with older students)
  • Hidden Figures:The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race by Margot Lee Shetterly with Winifred Conkling
  • I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsberg Makes Her Mark by Debbie Levy
  • Just Ask! By Sonia Sotomayer
  • Let the Children March by Monica Clark-Robinson (could also be used with older students)
  • Mae Among the Stars by Roda Ahmed
  • Max and the Tag-Along Moon by Floyd Cooper
  • My Hands Sing the Blues: Romare Bearden’s Childhood Journey by Jeanne Walker Harvey
  • Planting Stories: The Life of Librarian and Storyteller Pura Belpre by Anika Aldamuy Denise
  • Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat by Javaka Steptoe
  • Ruby Head High: Ruby Bridges First Day of School by Irene Cohen-Janca (could also be used with older students)
  • Schomberg: The Man Who Built a Library by Carole Boston Weatherford
  • She Persisted: Thirteen American Women Who Changed the World by Chelsea Clinton
  • That is My Dream by Langston Hughes and Daniel Miyares (could also be used with older students)
  • The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi (could also be used with older students)
  • The Other Side by Jacqueline Woodson
  • The Power of Her Pen: The Story of Groundbreaking Journalist Ethyl L. Payne by Lesa Cline-Ransome
  • The Paper Son: The Inspiring Story of Tyrus Wong, Immigrant and Artist by Julie Leung
  • The Undefeated by Kwame Alexander (could also be used with older students)
  • The Youngest Marcher: TheStory of Audrey Faye Hendricks, a Young Civil Rights Activist by Cynthia Levinson
  • Thurgood by Jonah Winter
  • Turning Pages – My Life Story by Sonia Sotomayer
  • Where Are You From?  by Jaime Kim

Upper Elementary Grades

  • 90 Miles to Havana by Enrique Flores-Galbis
  • Adventurous Women: Eight True Stories About Women Who Made A Difference by Penny Colman
  • Dark Sky Rising: Reconstruction and the Dawn of Jim Crow by Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
  • Freedom Over Me: Eleven Slaves, Their Lives and Dreams Brought to Life by Ashley Bryan
  • Hidden Figures: Young Readers’ Edition by Margot Lee Shetterly
  • Home of the Brave by Katherine Applegate
  • I am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban by Malala Yousafzai
  • Inside Out & Back Again by Thanhha Lai
  • Just Mercy (Adapted for Young Adults): A True Story of the Fight for Justice by Bryan Stevenson
  • One Last Word: Wisdom from the Harlem Renaissance by Nikki Grimes
  • Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga
  • Out of Wonder: Poems Celebrating Poets by Kwame Alexander with Chris Colderley and Marjory Wentworth
  • Piecing Me Together by Renee Watson
  • Reaching for the Moon: The Autobiography of NASA Mathematician Katherine Johnson by Katherine Johnson
  • Shaking Things Up: Fourteen Young Women Who Changed the World by Susan Hood
  • The Beloved World Of Sonia Sotomayer by Sonia Sotomayer
  • The Birchbark House by Louise Erdrich
  • The Watsons Go to Birmingham by Christopher Paul Curtis
  • We Fed America: The True Story of Rebuilding Puerto Rico, One Meal at a Time by Jose Andres
  • We Rise, We Resist, We Raise Our Voices edited by Wade Hudson and Cheryl Willis Hudson
  • We’ve Got A Job: The 1963 Birmingham Children’s March by Cynthia Levison

For Additional Resources, we suggest that you also visit the following websites:

Embrace Race – The Embrace Race website provides free resources, including video clips, blog posts, and tip sheets for talking with students about race, racism, and how to make changes.

Facing History and Ourselves – The Facing History and Ourselves website provides free resources for teachers and students to address racism, antisemitism, and prejudice at pivotal moments in history.

Teaching Tolerance – The mission of Teaching Tolerance is to help teachers and schools educate children and youth to be active participants in a diverse democracy.

Finally, it is worth noting that the Core Knowledge Foundation is in the process of updating the Core Knowledge Sequence. While there are already references to the history, experiences, and contributions of many Native Americans, African Americans, Asian Americans, and Hispanic Americans, we anticipate including others who have contributed in various ways to the story of America. If you have suggestions as to other individuals that we ought to include in the revised Sequence, please let us know by completing this survey.

Thank you for your feedback! Since launching our blog post about the upcoming Core Knowledge Sequence update, we have received hundreds of comments from stakeholders across the country and around the world.

This review will be an iterative process, consisting not only of multiple opportunities for the Core Knowledge community to share thoughts and insight, but also time for subject matter experts to weigh in.

Along those lines, we are pleased to share some of the recommended updates to the Visual Arts portion of the Sequence proposed by our subject matter expert, Tempest NueCollins.

You can access the suggested changes by using this link.  You are welcome to review all or grade-level specific content.  We will collect feedback throughout the month of July.  This survey will close on July 31, 2020.

About Tempest NeuCollins, Doodles Academy

Doodles Academy LogoDoodles Academy works with schools and organizations to provide engaging, accessible, and high-quality art curricula that connect to other subject areas. At the core is a series of free art lessons that includes support for teachers of all backgrounds to integrate into their curriculum. The lessons are freely available on their website, here.

Doodles Academy’s work with The Core Knowledge Foundation was led by Tempest NeuCollins, the founder of Doodles Academy. Tempest NeuCollins received an MFA from the School of Visual Arts in New York City and has worked as both a teaching artist and a K-5 art teacher.

WHAT DO LITERATE AMERICANS NEED TO KNOW?

Since its creation in 1988, the Core Knowledge Sequence™ has served as a foundational document for coherent, cumulative, and content-specific curriculum by educators and families, as well as those developing state standards and instructional materials. The Sequence provides guidance regarding the knowledge and skills that students should learn at each grade in literature and language arts, science, world and American History, visual arts, music, and math.

Over that thirty-year period, the knowledge and skills included in the Sequence have remained remarkably stable, with only small adjustments made several times to reflect changes in standards and our general knowledge of the world. It was last revised ten years ago in 2010.

The Core Knowledge Foundation is pleased to announce that we are embarking on a review and update of the Sequence. Our process will include a review of current standards, findings from cognitive research, as well as input from subject matter experts and educators.

We want to invite you to share any suggestions that you may have for updating the Core Knowledge Sequence. What knowledge and/or skills should be added to the Sequence and what, if anything, should be deleted? We welcome your ideas and suggestions, both general and specific.

To participate, please complete this survey

We anticipate the release of the updated
Core Knowledge Sequence in 2021.

We will continue to offer the 2010 Core Knowledge Sequence for
free download and for purchase while supplies last.

A Special Note to Schools – Please feel free to share this communication with your parents and students.

With each passing day, we continue to hear from teachers and parents looking for resources and guidance to address students’ educational needs at home.  Although we offer many instructional materials for free download, many parents have asked if they can purchase print materials, or if there are other resources available. The answer to both questions is YES!

Recognizing that parents are often not formally trained teachers, we compiled materials lists, at each grade-level, which link to resources that we believe may be adapted for use at home.

What Materials Do We Recommend for Use at Home by Parents?

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  • Preschool resources include: Anthology of read-alouds and suggested activities, music compilation CD/mp3, social skills posters/songs, and activities that support language and literacy development.
  • Kindergarten resources include: Poetry anthology, art prints, music compilation CD/mp3, and history/geography student book collections or homeschool sets.
  • Grade 1 resources include: Poetry anthology, classic stories, art prints, music compilation CD, and history/geography student book collections or homeschool sets.
  • Grade 2 resources include: Poetry anthology, classic stories, art prints, music compilation CD, and history/geography student book collections or homeschool sets.
  • Grade 3 resources include: Poetry anthology, classic stories, art prints, music compilation CD/mp3, as well as history/geography and science student book collections or homeschool sets.
  • Grade 4 resources include: Poetry anthology, classic stories, art prints, music compilation CD/mp3, as well as history/geography and science student book collections or homeschool sets.
  • Grade 5 resources include: Poetry anthology, classic stories, classic stories, art prints, music compilation CD/mp3, as well as history/geography and science student book collections or homeschool sets.
  •  Grades 6–8 resources include: Literature anthology, music compilation CDs, and history/geography student book collections or homeschool sets.

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Please contact us with any questions. Even with the challenges the current pandemic has placed on us all, we are committed to the Core Knowledge community, and will continue to respond to your individual questions as quickly as possible.

Wishing you and your family the very best,

The Core Knowledge Foundation Staff

At the Core Knowledge Foundation, we know it can be difficult to sort through the many lists of possible resources to use with students at home—and to figure out which ones will truly advance learning during this unusual time.

A Special Note to Schools – Please feel free to share this communication with your parents and students.

To help educators and families, we have been exploring top-rated sites and programs that are high quality, easy to use at home, and totally free. This is along with our own Prek–Grade 5 Language Arts program (CKLA), K–Grade 6 History and Geography Program (CKHG), and our Grade 3–5 Science program (CKSci), which are also available for FREE download. In addition, we opened access to our American history and geography ebooks for grades 3–5, which feature read-alouds in English and Spanish, for FREE for the remainder of the school year.

Our publishing partner Amplify has also created a website to house their many resources that they are proving free of charge. On this new website, you’ll have quick and easy access to quality academic resources—from self-guided science videos to early reading instruction to guidelines for starting a virtual book club. They’ll also update the site every week, so please don’t forget to check back. These resources will remain available to you until July 1.

We have also found additional resources from Quill and Audible for free that may be useful as well.

The Core Knowledge Foundation has also been working to crowdsource CKLA Read Alouds Videos for grades Preschool–grade 3. We have been able to source about half of the units for these grades.  If you are interested in assisting us with these efforts, please fill out the volunteer form.

FREE ONLINE CKLA READ-ALOUDS FOR K-3

We have collected and organized YouTube videos of various CKLA Read-Alouds by grade level that you can access here.

The collection does not (yet!) include a read-aloud of every CKLA K-3 Listening and Learning selection.  So, we are also asking for your help in building this library.

Check out which read-alouds are missing at each grade level for a particular domain. If you are able to record read-alouds for what is missing from our collection, please contact us.

Together, we can do this!

The Core Knowledge Foundation Team

With the coronavirus bearing down on schools, teachers, students, and families, the Core Knowledge Foundation is committed to doing all that we can to support you by providing free online resources.

We hope you will share these resources with other teachers, families, and friends.

With schools across the country closing and moving to some form of online learning, The Core Knowledge Foundation is working hard to make teachers and parents aware of the various free, online resources that we already provide, as well as new resources that we are creating.

The following complete curricula materials are already available for free download online:

Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA), Preschool – Grade 5

These are comprehensive grade level materials for teachers and students in Reading, Writing, English Grammar, and Spelling. These materials will be most effective when used at home if students already have been using CKLA in school. However, anyone may download and use the materials.

Special Note to Parents: It is unrealistic, in our opinion to expect parents to become experts in teaching young children how to read. Here are some additional tips and recommendations for using these materials:

  • K-Grade 3 – There are two strands or paths of instruction:
  1. Listening and Learning Domains that consist of stories and texts to be read aloud by an adult while the student listens. The materials you need to download are the Teacher Guide and the related Flip Book.
  2. Skills Units that consist of phonics, writing, English grammar, and spelling lessons that are described in the Teacher Guide. Starting with unit 4 in kindergarten, there is also a downloadable student book.
  • Grade 4-5 – At these grade levels, there is only one strand or path of instruction, described in the Teacher Guide. There are also downloadable student books, which most students should generally be able to read on their own.

If your child is below grade level and not able to read on his or her own, try the following:

  • Read aloud to your child, as time allows. The Core Knowledge Foundation is working hard to collect a list with links of CKLA Read-Alouds created by teachers that are already available on the Internet. We will send you another email when this list is available.
  • Scholastic Inc. is also making many of their books available for free as online read alouds. Check out this link. (https://classroommagazines.scholastic.com/support/learnathome.html)
  • For students in Grades 3-5 or above, also see the free Core Knowledge History and Geography (CKHG) eBooks below. These books are read aloud in English and Spanish.

Core Knowledge History and Geography (CKHG), Kindergarten – Grade 6

These are comprehensive grade level materials for teachers and students in world and American History. Please also see our list of additional online resources designed to align with each unit.

CKHG American History eBooks, Grades 3-5

  • Although there is typically a subscription fee for these books, we are offering access to our CKHG ebooks free of charge for the remainder of this school year (June 30, 2020). Our ebooks allow students to read to themselves, or they can hear the text read aloud with the click of a button. There is also the added functionality for the text to be translated and read to students in Spanish. Additional buttons enable students to watch videos and participate in interactive activities.

To learn more about these ebooks please review our webpage: https://www.coreknowledge.org/curriculum/history-geography/ckhg-interactive-student-ebooks/

In order to access all 10 American History ebook titles in Grades 3-5, click on this link: https://www.coreknowledge-ckhg-historyspeaks.org/sitelicense.php?sc=12Y93Q

Core Knowledge Science (CKSci), Grade 3-5

These are comprehensive grade level Science materials for teachers and students that provide guidance for hands-on experiences, informed by the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), as well as student books designed to reinforce the hands-on experiences.

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