ONLINE CURRICULUM - INFORMATION, PROTOCOL, & SIGN-UP

INFORMATION

PAGE DIRECTORY:

1. Objectives
2. Subjects and Curriculum Overview
3. Levels
4. Obeying, Honoring, and Sustaining the Law
5. How It Works
6. Notes
7. Lesson Directory and Availbility
8. President Eyring Quote

1. OBJECTIVES

There are five distinct objectives of BEEHIVE EDUCATION:

1. The building of Christ-like character
2. A solid grounding in language arts - particularly reading
3. A solid grounding in the principles of government upon which our country is founded
4. A solid grounding in the Puritan work ethic as applied to the acquisition of knowledge
5. And, if desired, preparation for advanced studies by age 14 or 15.

BEEHIVE EDUCATION is patterned after Early American Education which gave us

1. The most literate society on the face of the earth
2. And simultaneously the most free and prosperous.

This type of education

1. Acknowledges and includes God
2. Allows for individualizing while giving society a commonality of knowledge by which we understand one another
3. Develops character, intellect, and humanity
4. Assures that we discover our interests, talents, and missions.
5. And, results in an excellent, advanced education.

2. SUBJECTS and Curriculum Overview

Book of Mormon - 10 years - 7 Readings of the Text; Vocabulary, Character, Timeline, and Principle Studies; Likenings; Memorizations, Journaling; Establishment of the Habit of Daily Service; Building a Strong Testimony.

Language Arts - Brain Optimizing and IQ Enhancing Exercises; Phonics, Rules of Spelling, Accents, Syllabication; Vocabulary, Reading, Penmanship; Grammar, Mechanics, Composition; Literature, Literary Analysis; Journalism; Argumentation, Persuasion, Propaganda, Debate; Drama, Theater Attendance, Performance; Career Exploration.

Life Skills - Habit Formation, Keyboarding, Gardening; Basic Home Skills and Management; Personal Financial Management; Study and Learning Techniques; Etiquette; Entrepreneurship.

Mathematics - Counting, Number Recognition, Time, Measurement, Money; Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, Probability, Statistics, Calculus; Set Theory and Logic; Careers and Fun Explorations in Mathematics.

Music - Primary, Hymns, and Popular Songs; Genres, Periods, Composers and Works; Theory; Vocal Conducting; Singing; Rhythm Band, Recorder, Piano and/or Guitar; Concert Experience; Career Exploration.

Physical Fitness & Wellness - The Five Pillars of Health: Nutrition, Rest & Recreation, Cleanliness, Exercise, and Congruent Living; Career Exploration.

Sciences - Earth: Geology, Soil, Meterology, Oceanography; Space(Astronomy); Life; Physical: Chemistry & Physics; Texts, Experimentation, Career Exploration.

Social Sciences - History: Personal, Family, Local, State, National, and World; Government: Self, Family, Church, Civil; Geography: Maps, Globe, Physical, Political, Economic, Cultural; Economics; Field Projects; Simulations; Career Exploration.

The Arts - Art in various mediums; Architecture; Dance of various types; Crafts; Career Exploration.

Religion 2 - The Bible, Doctrine & Covenants & the Pearl of Great Price; Teach My Gospel; Family History; Emphasis on the Life and Teachings of Christ and becoming Christlike.

3. LEVELS
There are TEN LEVELS in the program. They roughly correspond to the following.

One - Ages 4/5 - Preschool, Kindergarten, 1st & 2nd Grades.

Two - Ages 5/6 - 2nd - 4th Grades.

Three - Ages 6/7 - 4th - 6th Grades.

Four - Ages 7/8 - 6th - 7th Grades.

Five - Ages 8/9 - 7th & 8th Grades.

Six - Ages 9/10- 9th - 10th Grade.

Seven - Ages 10/11 - 10th - 11th Grade.

Eight - Ages 11/12 - 11th - 12th Grade.

Nine - Ages 12/13 - Honors-AP Classes.

Ten - Ages 13/14 - 2nd Year Honors-AP CLasses.

4. OBEYING, HONORING, and SUSTAINING the LAW
According to the Twelfth Article of Faith, we as Latter-day Saints,
believe in "obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law".
Sometimes, home schoolers and private schoolers try to skirt the requirements of the law.
This is not appropriate nor is it a righteous example for our young people. The issue of skirting the law usually occurs in regard to the length of time the student is engaged in educational pursuits.
One district I know of requires those homeschooling to sign a paper that they will teach the required subjects, for the same length of time as is required in the public system. I do not wish to argue the Constitutionality of that provision, but simply remark that I have known of those who have signed the paper and then not followed up honorably and taught the subjects required for the time required. If we sign such documents, we need to keep our word.

Some facts concerning American education:

1. The US ranks 18th in education among the 24 industrialized nations of the world.
2. We are 15th in the percent of high school graduates.
3. Over 7,000 students drop OUT of school daily.
4. Fifty percent of high school grads that make it to college require one or more remedial class in math and/or English.
5. The public system is in trouble. More and more cuts and larger classes are coming because of the general economic downturn.
6. In Utah, only 7% of graduating seniors take the SAT test; 49% is the national average.

What are WE to do?

1. WE can teach our own, - ourselves or in a group co-operative.
2. We can raise the educational bar and set high expectations.
3. We can be honest with our children and let them know that acquiring a good education is not easy.
4. We can let them know that a good education requires time and effort.
5. We can also let them know that a good education IS very worthwhile, and pays BIG dividends.
6. We can let them know that if we cheat on the time requirement or use a watered-down, nationally normed curriculum, they will get a second rate education. THIS IS ALSO BEING HONEST WITH OURSELVES.

The BEEHIVE CURRICULUM is NOT a watered-down curriculum and it DOES TAKE TIME.
It is designed to give our young people a high class education. That is why:

Lesson delivery follows the in-school protocol of:
2 Religion, 4 Language Arts, 2 Math, 1 History, 1 Science, 1 Health or Life Skills, and 1 Art or Music lesson a day.

We ask EVERYONE to start at LEVEL ONE - so EVERYONE GETS that HIGH CLASS EDUCATION.

There are no short-cuts to perfection.

NO, we are not claiming to be perfect, just making a point.

THIS CURRICULUM and EDUCATIONAL STYLE requires time and effort. It is NOT monotonous, boring, unengaging, or drudgery. It IS Fun, Uplifting, and Enlightening.

It Just Requires W-O-R-K!
As one of our prophets stated: "Let us realize that the privilege to work is a gift, the power to work is a blessing, that the love of work is success." David O. McKay
We and our children must learn to "Take all the swift advantage of the hours."....Shakespeare

5. ARE YOU READY TO GO TO WORK? - HOW the CURRICULUM WORKS
STEP ONE:

1. Study this Information Page.
2. Then, pray to determine if the Beehive Curriculum is for your children.
3. If it is, sign-up through the Member Sign-up/LOGIN Window above.

STEP TWO:

1. Read the Parent Orientation Lessons. These are being revised for easier comsumption. 5/14/10
2. Read Hints and Tips at your leisure, but READ THEM. There are gems in there.
3. Also, take the time, at some point, to read Turning American Education Around and other books/articles under the Teacher Education Section.

STEP THREE: See - "Why Everyone Starts with Level One on "NEWS" Page.

1. Pick a Level One subject, download, and read the Parent Introductory for that course.
2. Download, peruse, and, if appropriate, administer the FIRST ASSESSMENT for that subject to your student.
3. Questions in the assessment are keyed to lesson numbers, you will know by what your student misses which lessons he needs.
4. FOR YOUNGER STUDENTS, it is recommended that the First Assessments NOT be administered at the beginning as young children will become frustrated and overwhelmed by the amount of knowledge to be learned. Instead, use it as a guide for YOU - so that you know what is expected and can teach and coach accordingly.

STEP FOUR:

1. Armed with the information and materials from the Parent Introductory and the FIRST Assessment, begin the lessons - at Lesson One for the younger students; at the appropriate lesson determined by the assessment for older students.
2. Repeat STEP 3 for each Level One Subject.

STEP FIVE:

1. When your child has passed-off the FINAL Assessment in a subject (85% or above - you pick the standard), email us the information: Level, Subject, and Student Name and we will send you a Certificate of Completion for that subject and level. Each certificate details the Objectives covered in the course.
2. When a child finishes one level of a subject, start him in the next. THERE IS NO NEED to WAIT to ADVANCE until ALL LEVEL ONE is COMPLETE. We, in fact, expect individual students to be all over the levels - Level One in this subject, Level Three in that subject, and Level Five in another subject. We are ALL INDIVIDUALS, afterall.

6. NOTES:

1. Downloading of lessons is limited to 40 a day, 200 a week. If more lessons are required in a week's time, we request that you purchase a second annual subscription.
2. Eventually, there will be OVER 25,000 Lessons.
3. For students ages 4-7, it will take a full academic year or more to accomplish the goals of Level One.
4. For students ages 8-11, it will take three to six months, depending upon the current state of their education, to accomplish Level One.
5. For students, 12 & Up, it will take two to three months to complete Level 1; a full year to complete through Level Four.

7. LESSON DIRECTORY - AVAILABILITY

Orientation & Parent Education Lessons:

Parent Introductory Lessons (2) and Orientation Lessons (4) - ALL online.

Turning American Education Around - First Teacher Lesson - 1 of 1 - Online.

Religion I - Book of Mormon: Level 1 - All 181 Lessons online. Level II - Lessons 1-5.

Language Arts - Four Divisions - Level 1 - 190 of 726 Lessons.

Mathematics - Level 1 - 5 of 361 Lessons.

Social Sciences 1 of 181 Lessons.

Sciences - 0.

Religion II Level I - 2 - 20 of 184 Lessons are uploaded.

Physical Fitness & Wellness - Level I - 11 of 91 Lessons.

Life Skills - Level I - 12 of 91 Lessons.

Music - 0.

The Arts - Level I - 15 of 91 Lessons.

A Quote from President Henry B. Eyring:

At Beehive we endeavor to follow President Henry B. Eyring's counsel: "It is clear that our first priority should go to spiritual learning. ... It is clear that putting spiritual learning first does not relieve us from learning secular things. On the contrary, it gives our secular learning purpose and motivates us to work harder at it." (CES Satellite Broadcast Fireside address delivered in Moscow, Idaho, May 6, 2001.)