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