Homeschool curriculum picks for 23′-24′ school year!
When it comes to homeschool curriculum picks, I have done a ton of research for my family of 6. Really, every year I become a research machine and become very proactive in making sure I’m making the right choices on what we use. Therefore, I question the curriculum we use and love, to see what else is out there. I always want to be sure I’m picking the best curriculum for my family and not just settling because it’s easier to use what we’re familiar with. On that note I have made changes in some subjects and I have stuck with some subjects.
I will have a Pre-k, 1st grader, 3rd grader and toddler!
I literally spend hours upon hours – days – doing research, sampling and comparing many different curriculum. Subsequently, our homeschool is a bit eclectic because I pull the very best subjects from multiple different curriculum companies!
Join our brand new Facebook group!
Help build and become part of a community of homeschoolers where you can share resources, ideas, and advice!
Skip Ahead:
- What I look for in a curriculum
- Group/Family Subjects (history & Geography)
- 3rd Grade
- 1st Grade
- Pre-K
- Toddler
Also Check out: Best Science and History Books for Kids
Also Check out: Favorite Manipulates for ages 2-5
What I look for when picking a homeschool curriculum
Every family is different in their homeschooling wants and needs. For us, having a 3rd grader, 1st grader, pre-k and rambunctious toddler we have specific needs.
We need lessons to be relatively short. We need them to be comprehensive and understandable. Lessons also need to be interesting and engaging! Equally, lessons need to be rigorous and thorough!
- For some subjects we will be using curriculum that works well being taught in a group setting. Meaning, we all sit down and learn that subject together.
- For some subjects we will use a hands-off, online curriculum so that I can use that time to teach other students.
- For some subjects I want hands-on fun, engaging learning.
Here is a list of curriculum were using for the 2023-2024 school year!
*An asterisk will be placed by my highest recommendations!
Group/Family Subjects
These are subjects that I am going to teach to all my kids together as a family! The curriculum I have chosen are specifically designed for this method!
History – NotGrass – Our Star-Spangled Story (Family subject)
Time it takes: about 30min
Brief Overview: This history curriculum is a great option for teaching multiple grade levels at once. Notgrass uses a story approach for their main textbooks, which my kids have found incredibly engaging! Also included is a timeline book, Rhythms and Rhymes book, and a student workbook.
Both my 1st and 3rd grader sit together and learn about history at the same time! You can try out a few sample lessons here!
Also check out this list of the Best History and Science Books for Kids
Science – The Good and The Beautiful – Various Unit Studies (Family Subject)
Time it takes: about 30min
Brief Overview: These unit studies are great as you or your child can choose what they want to learn about! The units go into such great depth and cover a wide variety of subtopics! There are also “extension lessons” for grades 7-8, so you could teach grades from early elementary up to middle school at the same time!
Units available:
- Science for Little Hearts and Hands – Fields of Flowers
- Ecosystems
- Wonders of Energy
- Space Science
- Beginning Chemistry and the Scientific Method
- Motion and Simple Machines
- Kingdoms and Classification
- Botany
- Mammals
- Birds
- Reptiles, Amphibians, and Fish
- Paleontology
- *Weather and Water
- Marine Biology
- *Arthropods
- Geology
- Maturation and Sexual Reproduction
- Safety
- *Health and the Physical Body
- *Health and the Human Mind
Also check out this list of the Best History and Science Books for Kids
3rd Grade
*Language Arts – The Good and The Beautiful – Level 3
Time it takes: about 30min.
Brief Overview: This language arts is all inclusive! No need to supplement for spelling, phonics, reading or writing! This LA even includes geography, art, and poetry! It does all this in such an engaging, easy, and quick way!
*Math – Teaching Textbooks (online) – Level 3
Time it takes: about 15min
Brief Overview: We use the online/app version of this! It is so nice to have a math program my daughter can do on her own while I work with her siblings. It’s quick, easy and effective! It is also not over-the-top with graphics, games, and designs.
History – Notgrass – Our Star-Spangled Story
Time it takes: about 30min
Brief Overview: This history curriculum is a great option for teaching multiple grade levels at once. Notgrass uses a story approach for their main textbooks, which my kids have found incredibly engaging! Also included is a timeline book, Rhythms and Rhymes book, and a student workbook.
Both my 1st and 3rd grader sit together and learn about history at the same time! You can try out a few sample lessons here!
Also check out this list of the Best History and Science Books for Kids
Science – Family subject (See Above for specifics)
Time it takes: about 30min
Brief Overview: These unit studies are great as you or your child can choose what they want to learn about! The units go into such great depth and cover a wide variety of subtopics! There are also “extension lessons” for grades 7-8, so you could teach grades from early elementary up to middle school at the same time!
*We are working on the older version of Arthropods, but the new versions are great too!
Also check out this list of the Best History and Science Books for Kids
*Handwriting – The Good and The Beautiful – Level 4
Time it takes: 10-15min
Brief Overview: These handwriting workbooks are simple, clean, and effective! Beautiful layout but not over-the-top with the design. The handwriting books start at a pre-writer level which progress into practicing and refining print and finally moving into cursive!
Chose the level that suites your child’s needs:
Doodles Part 1 & 2 is for the prewriting level.
Level K – Introduction to print.
Level’s 1 & 2 – practice refining print.
Level 3 – practice refining print and introduction to cursive.
Level 4 & 5 – practice and refining cursive and reviews some print.
Levels 6 & 7 – practice and refines cursive.
1st Grade
*Language Arts – The Good and The Beautiful – Level 1
Time it takes: about 30min.
Brief Overview: This language arts is all inclusive! No need to supplement for spelling, phonics, reading or writing! This LA even includes geography, art, and poetry! It does all this in such an engaging, easy, and quick way!
Math – Math Lessons for a Living Education – Level 2
Time it takes: About 10min
Brief Overview: I chose this math curriculum because it is engaging, quick, comprehensive, and teaches the student how to apply the math to real-world problems. This math has a story component, but I appreciate that the story isn’t in every lesson. The story factor is usually read on the first day of the week and then the student expands on the concept learned using included worksheets through the rest of the week. The worksheets are colorful and fun.
Science – Family subject (See Above for more info)
Time it takes: about 30min
Brief Overview: These unit studies are great as you or your child can choose what they want to learn about! The units go into such great depth and cover a wide variety of subtopics! There are also “extension lessons” for grades 7-8, so you could teach grades from early elementary up to middle school at the same time!
History – Notgrass – Our Star-Spangled Story
Time it takes: about 30min
Brief Overview: This history curriculum is a great option for teaching multiple grade levels at once. Notgrass uses a story approach for their main textbooks (Part 1 and 2), which my kids have found incredibly engaging! Also included is a timeline book, Rhythms and Rhymes book, a student workbook, and an answer key & literature guide .
Both my 1st and 3rd grader sit together and learn about history at the same time! You can try out a few sample lessons here!
*Handwriting – The Good and The Beautiful – Level 1
Time it takes: 10-15min
Brief Overview: These handwriting workbooks are simple, clean, and effective! Beautiful layout but not over-the-top with the design. The handwriting books start at a pre-writer level which progress into practicing and refining print and finally moving into cursive!
Chose the level that suites your child’s needs:
Doodles Part 1 & 2 is for the prewriting level.
Level K – Introduction to print.
Level’s 1 & 2 – practice refining print.
Level 3 – practice refining print and introduction to cursive.
Level 4 & 5 – practice and refining cursive and reviews some print.
Levels 6 & 7 – practice and refines cursive.
Pre-k
Math – Math Lessons for a Living Education – Level K
The level K of Math Lessons for a Living Education is more suited for my Pre-K kid than for a kindergartener.
I chose this math curriculum because it is engaging, quick, comprehensive, and teaches the student how to apply the math to real-world problems. This math has a story component, but I appreciate that the story isn’t in every lesson. The story factor is usually read on the first day of the week and then the student expands on the concept learned using included worksheets through the rest of the week. The worksheets are colorful and fun.
Science – The Good and The Beautiful – Science for Little Hearts and Hands
This science curriculum is perfect for pre-k. Short, engaging lessons introduce the student to a variety of science concepts while keeping it simple and not overwhelming! There are optional activities as well to go along with the lesson.
*Handwriting – The Good and The Beautiful – Doodles and Pre-Writing Part 1
Time it takes: 10-15min
Brief Overview: These handwriting workbooks are simple, clean, and effective! Beautiful layout but not over-the-top with the design. The handwriting books start at a pre-writer level which progress into practicing and refining print and finally moving into cursive!
Chose the level that suites your child’s needs:
Doodles Part 1 & 2 is for the prewriting level.
Level K – Introduction to print.
*Language Arts – Play based activities
While I would love to have a full curriculum laid out for me for pre-k I just haven’t found anything that fits my pre-k kid’s needs when it comes to language arts. However, this is my third pre-k student that I will have taught and I plan to use pretty much the same method with her as I have my older kids. Which is – Hands on Play-Based Learning!
Hands on learning may seem a little daunting, but it really isn’t that scary once you get an idea of what you need to teach and some ideas of how to do it.
Check out my favorite learning manipulatives for ages 2-5
Also see here for Free Dot Marker Worksheets
Here’s a couple ideas on how to start teaching letter recognition. Which is the first step in learning how to read!
Letter Recognition – Water Color Letter Activity
Letter Recognition – Letter Matching Activities
Coming soon: What you’re preschooler needs to learn and ways to teach it!
Tot-School
Nothing too structured for my 2 year old!
He will be learning through fun, hands-on activities through out the year!
At this age learning should be hands-on, fun and engaging.
Check out my favorite learning manipulatives for ages 2-5
Coming soon: Toddler Learning Activities
Homeschool Curriculum Picks
Those are our homeschool curriculum picks for the 2023-2024 school year!
With having 4 young children I have chosen effective, vigorous curriculum while also keeping the required amount of time spent teaching to a minimum.
Presently, I just don’t have the time or energy to have an incredibly hands-on curriculum for every single subject for every single student. Truly, this isn’t realistic for me and my family, and henceforth, would be a good recipe for burn-out!
What are you planning on using for the upcoming school year? Are we using any of the same homeschool curriculum picks? Let me know in the comments!
Join our brand new Facebook group!
Help build and become part of a community of homeschoolers where you can share resources, ideas, and advice!
Also Check out:
