Our Favorite Homeschool Curriculum

I finally feel confident enough to share our favorite homeschool curricula with you!  If you are a seasoned homeschooler or new to the game, you know that confidence is always a struggle.  We want “the very best” for our children and as imperfect beings trying to teach little imperfect beings in an imperfect world, well, we have to settle for “our best”.

We have used the following curricula for at least the past two years and will use it this upcoming school year as well.   If you follow us on Instagram and you feel like your children have a similar learning style as our daughters, there is a good chance they will enjoy these choices as well.  

Rhythm

To give you an idea of how we fit all these subjects into our 4-day school week, I want to share our schedule or rhythm.  I prefer the concept of a rhythm as I do not like having an hour by hour, completely planned out day.  Be sure to do what works best for you and your family! In the mornings we wake when our bodies tell us to, eat breakfast and let our brains fire up.  The girls play or create and I do housework and then lay out our lessons (and a snack). They tend to gather when they see me reach that stage.   

We start our day with Bible Stories and our current Read Aloud, the girls complete their Handwriting assignments while I read (or play with loose parts/play dough).  We then move on to Language Arts and Math, our oldest does most of her work independently while I work with her younger sister. There is still a lot of jumping back and forth depending on who needs me the most, I will admit!

We then take a break and after lunch, all together, we tackle French and ONE or TWO other subjects (History, Geography, Science).  We like having a big block of time to cover these subjects as they can spark ideas and conversation which can’t be rushed.  Since the girls are in different stages of learning, I adapt my expectations accordingly. These subjects are very laid back, lots of reading, discussions, hands on crafts or experiments.  Okay, here we go:

Spine

I often choose a curriculum such as “The Playful Pioneers” or “A Year of Tales” as a “spine” for our year.  We have completed both in the past and now use them as a guide when we need to add a little enchantment to our week.  For example, this year we will use just the teatime and recipe suggestions from “A Year of Tales” to have a fun themed break once a week.  Last year we used “The Playful Pioneers” just for the weekly handicraft and experiment suggestions.  (non-secular but can be easily adapted to your beliefs)

Handwriting

I can’t speak highly enough about “The Good and The Beautiful” Handwriting curriculum.  It has been a painless way for the girls to practice their printing and cursive.  It is very gentle and most lessons share an encouraging quote or scripture. The method they use to teach cursive is very helpful and easy for a child to understand.  We start cursive in Grade 3.  We download and print at home to save on cost. (nonsecular)

Language Arts

“The Good and The Beautiful” wins again on this front, we adore their Language Arts curriculum.  The beautiful illustrations, book recommendations, poetry and gentle progression of lessons have been a hit with us all.  Spelling and grammar are covered extensively and yet there isn’t an overwhelming amount of writing, which our daughters prefer.  The topics are very wholesome and build character as well. Level 1 – 5 are a free download, we print at home! (non-secular, but can easily be adapted for your beliefs)

We also have enjoyed the early readers and books from “Dash into Learning”. The new series offers social-emotional learning through classic tales with the original “Dash” characters. These books have the sweetest illustrations and have captivated both girls from a very young age. (Be sure to have a peek at the full blog post on how we taught our daughters to read.)

Typing

Our oldest will begin learning how to type this year and we have heard rave reviews of “The Good and The Beautiful” Typing guidebook.  I love that it isn’t an app, it gives it a more formal feel and less like a video game to be played.  We will keep you posted on our thoughts!

Math

Our oldest has been using “Teaching Textbooks” for the past two years and this year our youngest will join her.  Up until this point, we have used “The Good and The Beautiful” Math curriculum and although we have enjoyed it, our youngest would like to try what “big sister” is using.  If it doesn’t work out, we will go back to TGTB, most definitely (full review HERE).  “Teaching Textbooks” in an online program where an “instructor” takes the child through new concepts in lecture style videos, then the child completes problems and the results are recorded for review.  We have loved having this “new voice” in our classroom.  It gives the child a break from workbooks and allows them to build some independence and accountability. 

History

We have been thoroughly enjoying reading our way through “The Story of Our World” series.  This curriculum covers world history through four books and corresponding workbooks.  Starting in Grade 3 we read a small portion a day together. Once we complete all four books (we cover one a year) we will work our way through them again, this time using the workbook to dig much deeper with experiments, documentaries and further book suggestions.  We love that this series covers the history of the whole world. It includes: The Ancient Times, The Middle Ages, Early Modern Times and The Modern Age and it is presented chronologically. (nonsecular)

We are also big fans of the “Who was?” series and include titles that correspond with the point in time we are studying. Be sure to follow your child, some topics can be too much for sensitive ones and that’s okay.   We don’t need to gloss things over but adding layers each year to their knowledge of history is a beautiful way to learn. 

Geography

As a literature rich homeschool, we can’t say enough about “Around the World with Picture Books 1 and 2“.  This beautiful fully-illustrated guide takes us to a new country every few weeks through picture books, artist studies, recipes and documentaries.  The guide covers history, geography, art, animal studies, local customs and foods and so much more.  We all love these studies and feel like we really get a chance to step into each country for a nice visit. The artist’s study included in this curriculum is so thorough we do not have to prepare separate Art studies, everything is covered here….what a bonus!  We purchased the teacher’s guide and simply source our books from our local library or from friends. 

For a more tailored study of Canadian Geography, we use “The Great Canadian Adventure”. It covers each province with an illustrated guide to the province’s characteristics, animals, people and landscape. I love that each guide ends with a fun local recipe to try!  If you are looking for our favorite reference books on Canada, we sure to visit THIS blog post. 

Science

Our main guide for our Science study is “Exploring Nature with Children”.  This simple yet effective guide takes us through a full year of exploring animals, seasons, plant life and lunar cycles with a different theme presented each week.  We tend to dip in and out of this study throughout the year as interests peak and valley. We love that it encourages us to take regular nature walks, try experiments, create nature journals, read picture books and study poems.  When we need a longer more direct study, we grab a unit study from “The Good and The Beautiful” such as their Marine Biology, Human Body or Space themes.  For impromptu studies, our favorite Science and S.T.E.M experiment book can be found HERE, great for all ages!

Second Language

We are approaching learning French as second language in a very casual way.  We use the app or website Duolingo together, we all practice and take turns answering questions.  It has been fun to work together as a family and test each other throughout the day.  

Physical Education

We believe children naturally love to move!  Let them climb, swing, jump and explore as much as possible!  We also want to ensure our daughters know the ins-and-outs of a variety of sports.  We are taking the time to show them the different equipment involved and what the basic rules are to each one.  Basketball and soccer are current favorites! 

I’ve shared so much that I don’t dare go on!  Any questions, please let me know below or reach out on Instagram!

Thanks! – Sue 

 

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