Having used KONOS for many years in our home, I thought that I would like to share our experiences of it with you here on The Curriculum Choice. This curriculum has brought us much joy and many happy memories.
What is KONOS?
*KONOS is known as ‘The Character Curriculum’. Its primary emphasis is on developing character.
* It is a K-Grade 8 Unit Study program that comes in three different volumes.
* It is a Unit Study Curriculum and is taught through hands on discovery learning.
* It is an integrated program. All subjects are integrated into a unit.
* It is also a multi-level teaching program. This you can use for all your children from K-8. This is learning together!
Before I go any further, let me give you an overview of the units and topics each volume.
VOLUME 1 KONOS
Attentiveness – Senses, Sound and Music, Frontiersmen, Tracking, Predators, Indians/Birds
Obedience – Authority, Bible, Light, Medieval Times, Military/Horses, Friction-Resistance, Crime and Punishment
Orderliness – Sequencing, Building/Construction, Counting, Measuring, Solar System, Calenders, Seasons, Classification – Animal, Plan and Mineral
Trust – Deception and Illusion, Sheep, Weaving, Floating and Ships, Flight and Aeroplanes
Patience – Grain, Bread and Yeast, Human Birth and Growth, Animal Birth and Growth, Plant Growth and Gardening
Stewardship – Ecology and Conservation, Managing Time, Money and Possessions, Careers, Abuse and Prevention, Nutrition, Exercise, Rest and Fun
Honor – Attributes of God, Hymns, Pottery and Sculpture, Tabernacle, Cathedral and Church Architecture, Countries and Cultures, Japan, Kindness, Service, Etiquette.
VOLUME 2 KONOS
Inquisitiveness – Research and Reference, History of Science and Scientific Method; Explorers, Navigation, Sailing; Earth Science/Weather; Detectives; Continents & Culture
Responsibility – Pet care/beavers/ants; Early settlements
Love/Generosity – Christmas and World Customs; Easter/Valentines.
Courage – Fire and Heat; Biblical Men of Courage; Martin Luther; Polynesia; Revolutionary war.
Wisdom – Safety, Government and the US Constitution, Presidents and electoral process.
Loyalty – Jesus, Friends, Family; Citizenship and Emigration.
VOLUME 3 KONOS
Co-operation – Systems of the Body; Bees; States and Regions of the US; Civil War; Town and Community; Church and family.
Determination – Olympics and Physical Skills, Handicaps; Great Feats – Canals, Bridges, Dams and Tunnels; Expeditions – Polar, Undersea, Mountaintop, Atomic Research – Chemistry.
Honesty – Books, Newspapers, Media; Business and Advertising.
self-control – Body and Appetites, Emotions, Poetry, Singing, Dance, Speech.
Resourcefulness – Frontier Life, Inventions and Inventors; Industrial Revolution; Simple Machines; Energy and Electricity.
Joy/Cheerfulness – Contentment, Homemaking; Humor, Gratitude; Joy in Suffering
There is no specific order in which you have to buy these volumes. You can decided what character traits you think would suit your family most and then purchase the appropriate volume. However, the authors wrote this curriculum for their own children, as the children grew older, the activities written were written to suit their growing abilities. So if you have young children you would probably find starting in volume 1 beneficial. Having said that, we have used volume 1 successfully with my girls in later grades too. Each volume has activities that would suit every age from K-Grade 8.
What You Will Need to Accompany KONOS…
* A separate Language program
* A separate Maths program
What I have {and still do} love…
As we have reverted back to KONOS after our short adventure with A.C.E., I am re-discovering what I loved about this program.
* Learning Together and the fact that it encourages a living learning lifestyle – which is what life is! Learning happens all the time everywhere, not just in set school times.
* Hands on discovery learning. We love that!
* I love that this curriculum keeps us focused on God and godly character as our center
* The fact that we can spend longer and dig deeper into subjects that really interest us
* That KONOS is as structured or as unstructured as I choose it to be
* The many wonderful memories we have created learning together as a family
* I love that dad gets to be involved in our learning (I’m hopeless with science so dad gets to do all those fun experiments with the girls) and because everyone is learning the same thing – dad is able to join in through discussion at the end of the day.
* I don’t need to purchase tones of books. I can use what I have on my bookshelves or visit my library.
* That most of what I need for the activities can be found around the house.
This might not be for you if you…
* Are a workbook orientated person
* Don’t have time to spend on, or do not like planning {although – if you purchase the KONOS-in-a-box option, all the planning, craft kits, literature/information books are all included!)
I really have no negatives about this program! There are options to suit all – whether you like to set your own pace and schedule or want it done for you.
Visit the KONOS website to explore an option that would work for you.
You can follow Shirley and her family through the seasonal year over at ‘Under An English Sky’. Here she chats about their faith, homeschooling, nature adventures, home organization, crafts, gardening and so much more.
I, too, love the premise of KONOS, but we owned it for many years before I admitted defeat and sold it.
Perhaps, as you suggested, it was the planning that did not work for me, but I think it was all the hands-on stuff. My kids don’t like hands-on stuff at all –although maybe my littlest one might enjoy it, but she was too young when we sold it–and I, too, much prefer a good living book to a craft or an activity.
I know many, many people love this curriculum and wish it would have worked for us. Great review!
I bought all three volumes and was given the Konos in a box. I did all the Konos in a Box volumes with my boys and tried to work with the big volumes but never did enjoy them as I basically like everything laid out for me. I ended up selling my big volumes as well . They are wonderful but for my family the put together boxes were a better fit. I also had the Konos in a Bag but gave away the African one as I did not like that one.