Homeschool Curriculum Ideas & Resources

When people start to think about homeschooling, almost always their first question is “What homeschool curriculum should I use?” The reason is that homeschooling is so outside the box, there are so many choices, and you don’t know quite where to start.

I have not used all of the following resources, but I wanted to give you a guide to the resources I have used and researched extensively. Before you start choosing your resources, you will need to understand how you want to teach, and how you think your child is able to learn.

Just because you choose one resource this year does not mean that you have to stay with that for the rest of your homeschooling career. In fact, it is the opposite. If something doesn’t work, change it. If it works well, add in more of that type of resource.

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Homeschool Curriculum: Planning

Before you start buying curricula, the first step is to figure out your planning strategy. Will you plan all of your lessons? Are you relying on instructor’s guides? Do you like to check all the boxes?

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For Homeschool Planning I recommend using an Erin Condren Teacher Planner.

If you are unsure of your planning strategy, look into either Pam Barnhill’s Plan Your Year book. This will walk you through the main homeschool philosophies. It will also give you ideas on how to plan your lessons and find the homeschool curriculum resources you need.

Other Homeschool Planners

Homeschool Curriculum: Full Programs

When you start homeschooling, it is normal to want everything laid out in front of you. Homeschool curriculum choices can be incredibly daunting, and to start with something pre-made is helpful. In fact, over the past 10 years that I have been homeschooling, I have always started with a boxed curriculum set. I am comfortable enough now to take what we love, and leave what we don’t. But, in stressful times, having ready-made plans available that I can then tweak to fit my family is important.

I end up re-writing most of our lesson plans in my Erin Condren Teacher Planner and also use that planner for planning from behind. But, the full curriculum gives me a starting line.

Faith-Based Curriculum

  • Sonlight: A literature-based curriculum. Good for combining kids together. This is the company that I have been purchasing the majority of our curriculum resources from for the past 10 years. Get $5 off your first purchase of $50 or more when you register through the above link.
  • Timberdoodle: Also offers non-religious programs
  • Memoria Press: Classical Christian Education
  • Alpha & Omega: Offers workbook, self-paced (LIFEPAC), digital (Switched-On Schoolhouse) and online (Monarch)
  • BJU Press: Distance Learning
  • My Father’s World: Classical, Unit Studies
  • The Good and the Beautiful: Unit studies. Good for combining all ages together.
  • Gather ‘Round Homeschool: Unit studies, combine all ages into one curriculum.
  • Master Books

Secular Curriculum

Free Curriculum Resources

While most of the above curriculum resources give you a full year of curricula resources, sometimes you want to piece together your own materials. I start with a base package from Sonlight, and then I will add in other subjects based on what I want my kids to work on throughout the year, as well as their learning styles and my teaching style.

Math

There are two main types of math teaching styles. Mastery is just as it sounds. Your child masters concepts before moving on to new concepts. Spiral means that your child is revisiting concepts they have previously studied throughout the curriculum

History

Science

  • Apologia Exploring Creation: Christian elementary program. There are six different programs exploring each day of creation. You can get either a junior notebook (k-3rd grade) or a regular notebook (3rd-6th grade) to go with the textbook. I recommend also getting the audio CD so that the author can read to your kids.
  • Apologia also offers advanced sciences for high school.
  • Next Level Homeschool: Online & secular
  • Home Science Tools: Curriculum and science kits for most popular homeschool science programs
  • Mr. Q’s Science – Secular

English & Language Arts

There are a lot of different parts of English & Language Arts. Some of the resources I will list are an all-encompassing approach. While others will be a particular area of English & Language Arts (ie grammar, spelling, vocabulary). I especially recommend reading Julie Bogart’s The Brave Learner for more information and ideas about homeschooling and more specifically English & Language Arts.

Individual English & Language Arts Subjects

The Bottom Line

There are a lot of different homeschool curriculum options available. This is not meant to be an exhaustive list by any means. Instead, I wanted to give you a starting point. Most of these resources I have used myself, or done extensive research on and feel comfortable recommending to you. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask them in the comments.

I have not listed any electives in this resource guide because I wanted to concentrate on the main subject areas. If you are looking for ideas for electives, please let me know in the comments below so that I can work on that as well!

Homeschool Coaching & Consulting

If you are looking for more help and would like to walk through how to choose curriculum resources as well as get a firm idea of what resources you will use for the coming year, I do offer coaching and consulting services!

You can find that by clicking HERE.

Do you have a favorite homeschool curriculum resource? Let me know in the comments below!

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