The Kingdom Code REVIEW

Do you have an entrepreneur on your hands?  Do you wish to teach your child some business sense that they can use in the real world?  You may want to check out The Complete Starter Kit from The Kingdom Code.  It's a Biblically-based hands-on curriculum.  It is written and recommended for 6-8th graders but can certainly be adapted up or down depending on the maturity of your child.  I received the starter kit (which is on sale right now!) that included the textbook, student packet, and teacher's guide.  I also received a JR Budget Kit and The Kingdom Code Coloring Book as bonuses.

KCK student guide cover

KCK Teacher's Guide cover

Be aware that multiple students can share the textbook but you will need to buy individual student packets for each student.  There is so much to say about this curriculum.  First and most important is that if you purchase the Complete Starter Kit you must be sure to FIRST read (out of the Teacher's Guide) Part 1: What Supplies Do My Students Need? and Part 2: What Needs to Be Organized?  Part 2 is critical in properly setting up your curriculum.  I got excited when I got the packets and just started opening everything up.  Then I wondered how in the world to organize it.  Well, it was all spelled out in Part 2 which thankfully I found before I got the pages too messed up!  The set up was pretty simple and helps to keep everything in order.  It can be assigned as part of a lesson if your child is able to follow the directions.  The additional supplies you will need to purchase are:

• Two - 1 inch 3 ring binders with clear inserts on the front and back
• One - set of five divider tabs
• One - folder with brads and pockets
• One - red pencil
• Six - clear pocket pencil holders
• One - quart size ziploc bag or container to hold 2" X 3" flash cards

Instructions for setup

tabbed dividers

KCK budget folder

KCK Budget pockets

The suggested schedule for lessons is twice a week and the sessions are approximately 45 minutes long.  The standard lesson includes a Proclamation, Check Your Path, Quest for the Clue, Code of Honor, Treasure Seeking, On Your Own, Kingdom Keys, Congratulations, and Bonus Code Work.  Some lessons have extras including Action Time, Historical Fiction, History Highlights, Letters from Aunt Jimmi, and Share Your Thoughts.  Educationally the lessons include an Essential Question, the Learning Goal of the lesson, a Target Skill, Vocabulary Words, Reinforcement/Review, KCK Treasure Map, and Enrichment Projects and Reward Stickers.

Teacher's Guide

TOC for Teacher's Guide

Everything is spelled out for you in the Teacher's Guide so there is no lesson planning needed.  It is all done for you!  The Teacher's Guide includes all the instruction you will need to be successful and it explains how everything works and how to use everything. As you proceed through the lesson there are page references to the textbook which also helps the student when they are filling out their lesson worksheet.  

The lessons begin with an Overview of the lesson, an Essential Question (that will be answered as you proceed through the lesson), and a Learning Goal.  Our typical lesson consists of me reading the proclamation and then proceeding through the textbook lesson for my son to fill the workbook pages out as we go along.  You can choose to have your student fill them out afterward as a review or however it best works for you in your situation.  My struggling learner does not do independent work very well (sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't) so in this circumstance, I had to be hands-on and walk him through the lessons (mostly because after saying he wanted to do this he decided he really didn't want to).  We continue with the Quest for the Clue and Code of Honor sections.  I LOVE the Code of Honor section because it introduces scripture and character qualities that are necessary for life. It challenges your child to be excellent in all they do.

Sample Activity Page

Textbook page

On Your Own from Textbook

End of Lesson in Textbook with Bonus Code Work

Remember, the schedule is set up for two days per week so there are actually two sections per lesson.  In the second section, day 2, of a lesson we generally cover an Activity, continue with the Worksheet and introduce Key Terms.  The lesson includes Treasure Seeking which can include action time or share your thoughts or any of the others that cause the student to think more about what the lesson is focusing on and the character quality being stressed.  The On Your Own section is when they complete the assigned Activity.  Kingdom Key is for reviewing the key for the lesson, key ideas, and key terms (definitions). You can end the lesson here and have your student place their sticker of completion on the KCK Treasure Map or continue on to Bonus Code Work.

There are so many extras sprinkled throughout the lessons.  You get letters to encourage you from your Mentor Aunt Jimmi, extra blurbs that explain new subjects such as The Law of Supply and Demand, History Highlights and more.  Everything is accomplished in bite-size pieces.  Your student is walked through the process of getting their business going.  They are taught key terms that are necessary to understand the business world and how it works.  The activities help them to take things a step at a time.  It teaches them to think on their own and brainstorm ideas that are possible.  It teaches them to dream big!  Having scripture and the Kingdom Code principles in action is so important to me.  It teaches them God's way of thinking and working for excellence.

Future lessons for us include working on a money plan, reviews and check-ups, discovering his gifts, revisiting what his goal is, visiting a bank, marketing and economics, and using your money wisely to name a few.  I also received the JR Budget Kit and The Kingdom Code Coloring Book as bonuses.  The coloring book includes kingdom keys and the JR KCK Budget Kit includes coloring pages for JOEY and a pie chart to show how it works together.  I plan to use it with my first grader this fall to start to introduce the concepts to her early.  Money management is good at any age and if she gets it now it will click easier later for her.

KCK Coloring Book and JR KCK Budget Kit Bonuses

It has been a struggle with my reluctant high schooler to get through this.  I thought he would really like it and he expressed that he wanted to do it when the review came up.  That being said, I notice he is taking an interest in it the more we cover.  Plus, with only 2 lessons a week it is very doable.  He is at the age where he definitely wants to earn money for things and I think the timing is perfect.  The business he chose was to do commissioned artwork.  There is an increasing desire for people to ask for customized drawings of photos or pets they have.  My son drew me a precious picture recently because I had seen a sign at an auction that I didn't get.  He captured it and I think there are more people who have an interest in "signs" like the one pictured below.  He is a budding artist and definitely has talent.  I think he can succeed well in his business endeavor if he really puts his mind to it.

Sample Artwork

I recommend The Complete Starter Kit from The Kingdom Code.  I think it is better suited for 6-8th graders because of the way it is written and I think at that age they are more inclined to take off with it and not be so reluctant to do the work.  They have graciously given me a 10% off code to share with you on any purchase you make online.  Please use 10TKC15 to get your 10% off any online order at The Kingdom Code.  You can connect with Kingdom Code on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, PINTEREST, and INSTAGRAM.

Please be sure to also check out the reviews from my fellow Crew members to get a better idea of what this curriculum is all about by clicking on the graphic link below.