| Finding suitable curricular materials can be | | | | and have a look around. |
| frustrating as periodicals, in general, do not review | | | | Some cities have stores that sell teacher supplies. |
| K-12 educational materials. Here are several | | | | You may be able to find useful materials at one |
| suggestions that I hope will help in your search to | | | | of these. When I was a child, I visited one of |
| find K-12 materials. Note that this page is geared | | | | these stores in Boston and purchased a book on |
| more toward finding individual materials. There are | | | | Algebra II. I taught myself Algebra II in a few |
| other pages that contain information on the many | | | | weeks. You might also see if they have clearance |
| complete programs, such as Calvert. | | | | sales. |
| Many Schools of Education have Educational | | | | To get an idea of the topics involved in math and |
| Resource Centers that contain, among other | | | | science subjects, I'd suggest looking through an |
| things, curricular materials and teacher training | | | | Encyclopedia Brittanica under mathematics and |
| materials. | | | | science and their subtopics. |
| Locate a School of Education at a nearby college | | | | Curricular materials on a budget In general, buying |
| or university and see if they are open to the | | | | materials individually costs less than buying |
| public. If they are, then pay them a visit and | | | | complete programs, typically sold by grade. You |
| browse through their materials to help in your | | | | also have more flexibility in that a student can |
| purchase decision. | | | | work on materials at his own pace and ability |
| There are a few retail stores that cater to | | | | level. Costs can go up (more than double) if you |
| homeschoolers. If you are lucky enough to have | | | | have to buy the teachers guide though. Here are |
| one of these nearby, then a visit might prove | | | | some suggestions for finding materials |
| fruitful. | | | | inexpensively. |
| Abeka has roadshows in the Spring and Summer | | | | Libraries (public and private) are a good place to |
| where they display their materials. | | | | look. They are typically limited in that you can only |
| Your school district may have their own | | | | have materials for a fixed amount of time. In |
| curriculum library. Contact your superintendent to | | | | some cases, it might be useful to purchase a |
| see if you could look though it. | | | | membership at a private library. |
| Ask the members of your local support group if | | | | School districts dispose of materials from |
| you could look through the materials that they | | | | time-to-time for various reasons. |
| use. | | | | Contact your local school district to see when |
| Many vendors now have home pages on the | | | | they do this, and, if you can have them or if you |
| world-wide-web. Some provide very little | | | | can buy them. |
| information, such as a picture, the number of | | | | Some school districts dispose of their materials by |
| pages, and the price. A few provide an overview | | | | selling to a reseller. If this is the case in your |
| along with the table of contents. | | | | district, then contact the reseller to see if he sells |
| You can ask about specific materials in one of the | | | | the materials inexpensively. |
| homeschooling newsgroups or on one of the | | | | Your school distract may lend materials to |
| mailing lists. | | | | homeschoolers in the district. Contact your |
| You can ask vendors for catalogs. These will give | | | | superintendent to see if they do this. |
| you pictures and prices but not much else. | | | | There are a few web pages where you can buy |
| Various homeschooling groups put on curriculum | | | | and sell used materials. |
| fairs where you can view materials. Contact your | | | | Libraries dispose of materials from time to time. |
| state associations to see if there are any in your | | | | Ask them when they do this and how they |
| area. | | | | dispose of materials. |
| You may be able to preview materials using | | | | Older materials may be quite suitable for certain |
| interlibrary loan at your local library. This is useful if | | | | subjects and can frequently be had inexpensively |
| you have a particular textbook in mind. You | | | | at used bookstores. |
| typically need to fill out a form at your local library | | | | Your parents may have textbooks that they |
| and then wait until your request is filled. | | | | used when they were younger that may be |
| If your child is interested in college-level materials, | | | | available to you. |
| then visit your local college or university | | | | You may find educational materials at garage |
| bookstore near the beginning of the semester | | | | sales in your local area. |