As I visit with other homeschool moms, this question always surfaces, “What curriculum do you use?” Well, for me, this list is ever-changing! I tend to be a little ADHD when it comes to choosing curriculum! But, my style stays the same. For the most part, we follow a mixture of Charlotte Mason methods and Classical methods. For more about the differences between homeschooling methods, check out this book: 101 Top Picks for Homeschool Curriculum

This is an example of our “typical” learning process:

1. Introduce a topic with memory work.
2. Find a book (or two or three or ten) that matches the memory work.
3. Continue drilling the memory work, while “making it real” with living books.

As you look at my curriculum choices, please remember that they may be different tomorrow!

The Entire Family- together

• History
  • Classical Conversations- focus on the Middle Ages to Current Day World History (excluding American History)
  • Books that support our memory work from Classical Conversations
  • The timeline-creation to present day
  • Story of the World: Middle Ages
    • We use STOW as a supplement.  We don’t get to it every week.  When CC is in session we focus on the memory work and rarely pick up STOW.  We catch up with STOW during breaks from CC.
    • link:  The Story of the World: History for the Classical Child: The Middle Ages: From the Fall of Rome to the Rise of the Renaissance (Second Revised Edition) (Vol. 2) (Story of the World)
• Science
  • Classical Conversations-focus on Astronomy and Physics
  • Books that support our memory work from Classical Conversations
  • Apologia Astronomy
    • Again, we use Apologia as a supplement. We don’t get to it every week. When CC is in session, we focus on the memory work and rarely pick up the Apologia book. We catch up with Apologia during breaks from CC.
    • link: Exploring Creation With Astronomy (Young Explorer Series) (Young Explorer (Apologia Educational Ministries))
• Bible
  • Story Bible:  The Child’s Story Bible by Catherine Vos
  • Scripture Memory:  Seeds Family Worship CD’s-volume 1 and 2
    • Vol. 1-Seeds of Courage
    • Vol. 2-Seeds of Faith
  • Character:  (We won’t get to all of these, but we will read as many as time allows.) 
    • Hero Tales: A Family Treasury of True Stories from the Lives of Christian Heroes
    • Christian Heroes Books 1-5 Gift Set (Christian Heroes: Then & Now) (Displays and Gift Sets)
    • Christian Heroes Books 6-10 Gift Set (Christian Heroes: Then & Now) (Displays and Gift Sets)
    • Christian Heroes Books 11-15 Gift Set (Christian Heroes: Then & Now) (Displays and Gift Sets)
• Read-alouds-Various books that relate to the historical time period we are studying
• Fine Arts- We study Fine Arts with our Classical Conversations group. At home, we expand the topics with books.

First-Born (6th grade) 

• Reading – various living books- 30 minutes of fiction and 30 minutes of non-fiction each day
  • Note:  The non-fiction books always loosely relate to the topics that we are studying in history and science.   This year, his non-fiction reading will consist of lots of books about medieval history, astronomy, the World Wars, and physics.   Nearly all of these books come from the library. 
• Saxon Math
  • He should finish Saxon 6/5 by December. 
    • Here is the link: Math 6/5: Home School Kit (Homeschool Math 6/5)
  • He will start Saxon 7/6 mid-year. 
    • Here is the link: Math 7 / 6: Homeschool Set
• Essentials Grammar from Classical Conversations
• Institute for Excellence in Writing-Middle Ages
• Spelling-
  • All About Spelling – level 6
  • Spelling City- I input his words from AAS into Spelling City.
• Xtramath.org- for math fact practice. Here is my review of Xtramath.
• Handwriting- Classical Conversations Prescripts
• Latin-this is his last year in Foundations and then we make the jump to Challenge.  A friend of mine recommended this book to prepare him for Challenge A.   She claims that he will be able to do it on his own in about 10-15 minutes a day.  We’ll see!
  • Getting Started with Latin: Beginning Latin for Homeschoolers and Self-Taught Students of Any Age
• Piano and Music Theory Class every other week
• Typing- Typing Instructor for Kids 

Middle Man (4th grade)  

• Reading – various living books- 30 minutes of fiction and 30 minutes of non-fiction each day
  • Note: The non-fiction books always loosely relate to the topics that we are studying in history and science. This year, his non-fiction reading will consist of lots of books about medieval history, astronomy, the World Wars, and physics. Nearly all of these books come from the library.
• Math
  • He should finish Saxon 3 by October-ish.  
    • Here is the link:  Math 3 Home Study Kit: Teachers Manual, Student Workbook, Fact Cards (Homeschool Math Grade 3)
  • He will start Saxon 5/4 when he completes Saxon 3.
    • Here is the link: Math 54: Homeschool Kit
  • I will make him do the Daily Warm-Up Sheets, grade 3, one more time.  He has already done them once, but it is good practice.  So, he will do it one more time.
• Essentials Grammar from Classical Conversations
• Institute for Excellence in Writing-Middle Ages
• Spelling-
  • All About Spelling – level 3
  • Spelling City- I input his words from AAS into Spelling City.
• Xtramath.org- for math fact practice. Here is my review of Xtramath.
• Handwriting- Classical Conversations Prescripts
• Piano and Music Theory Class- every other week
• Typing- Typing Instructor for Kids

Short Stuff (1st grade) 

• Reading/Phonics/Spelling:  (Saxon includes all of this in one program.)
  • Saxon Phonics 1, Home Study Kit
• Math:  Saxon 1
  • Math 1: Homeschool Kit (Homeschool Math Grade 1)
• Handwriting-
  • A Reason for Handwriting-Level A
    • A Reason for Handwriting: Manuscript A
  • Pencil Pete

 What curriculum are you using?