Core Packages

Our history programs give students an overview of key events and people of the past, as well as biographies of people who have made significant contributions to the development of human cultures and the advancement of God's Kingdom.

Sonlight Cores span the wealth of history from ancient to modern, Sonlight students cover more world history and learn more about other cultures than any other homeschool curriculum (ten years worth of world history options and five of American).

Engaging, "living" books—full of real heroes and memorable stories—intertwine with your history spine to make the people, events and ideas of history come alive for your family.

Sonlight offers books in each Core with a range of difficulty levels. This way, students don't get burnt out, but also occasionally tackle books that require them to stretch. The common denominator? The chosen books are excellent titles students will actually take pleasure in reading.

Before Core 3, students focus primarily on developing reading skills. Starting at Core 3, Sonlight includes Readers that coincide with and enhance the books and subject matter in each level's History program.

Reading aloud together as a family sparks discussion about the ideas you encounter. Sonlight provides notes with discussion questions and interesting historical tidbits that tie into the time period you’re studying.

Because you read these books with your children, you're right there to explain or talk through important questions…with Sonlight's notes to guide you where you need help. You're sure to make memories as the great stories you read together spill into family discussions.

Before Core 3, students focus primarily on developing reading and listening skills. Starting at Core 3, Sonlight includes Read-Alouds that also coincide with and enhance the books and subject matter in each level's History program.

As your children encounter poetry and Bible memorization, narrate stories, and share orally about what they’re learning, they'll have the opportunity to learn at an early age how to communicate effectively and captivate an "audience."

Bible readings and weekly Scripture memory assignments are included in every Core Instructor's Guide, along with the Biblically-based comments you'll find throughout every Sonlight Core. If your family follows the Sonlight plan, you will cover almost the entire Bible once every five or six years.

In addition to Bible reading, we also assign a variety of books from apologetics to Bible study methods to spiritual classics. Our goal is to encourage students to grow in their faith and equip them to follow Christ in whatever He calls them to do.

Sonlight's main resource, after all the incredible books, is the Instructor's Guide, or IG, as moms like to call it.

The Sonlight team strategically interweaves your collection of History, Readers and Read-Alouds into your IG. Your Instructor's Guide helps you decide how much is "enough but not too much" each day, and breaks those learning elements down into a daily schedule for you.

Thought-provoking notes in your IG spark discussion with your children and balance any biased statements you may find in the literature. Vocabulary words, extra historical tidbits, and map and timeline activities help solidify what your family is learning.