Curriculum Picks for 2023!
Hi friends!
There have been just HEAPS of questions lately about curriculum! We're planning one of our Homeschool Panel Forums to share some thoughts about things to consider when picking curriculum, but I also thought it might be helpful to share what we're using.
Even as I share this list, I urge you to remember that one of the very best parts of homeschooling is that it is endlessly customizable! You can personalize and tailor it to your teaching style, your family's needs, you kid's learning style...literally anything! So, while I do hope my recommendations are helpful, remember that I'm not saying these will work for everyone...and in fact, they haven't worked for us in every stage! Even as I gush over the curriculum we're using (because I really do love this season and these resources) keep in mind that in homeschooling, you're freed from that one-size-fits-all mentality of education!
In our state, we are required to teach Mathematics, Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies, so that's what I'm going to divide the subjects into. At some point I can tell ya'll about arts and other things, but for now, we'll stick with the basics. I hope it is helpful!
Mathematics:
We are LOVING Math-U-See. I have never been particularly strong in math, but this has helped even ME to enjoy and become more confident in how numbers work! My daughter (6 y/o) is in Beta, my sons (8 and 10 y/os) are both in Delta.
Last Year (2022-2023):
Next Year (2023-2024):
Gameschool and Supplements:
Pass the Pigs - Useful for practicing mental addition.
Dominoes - We use these like flashcards to practice adding or multipling; using the dominoes makes it feel more like a game!
Math Songs Vol. I – ShillerLearning (shillermath.com) - We still enjoy these as a helpful memory tool in addition to the Math-U-See songs.
On our Wishlist:
Language Arts:
I am SO excited to start using Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW) with the kids! While I anticipate a continuance of much of what we've been doing by switching to IEW, I think having a little more structure (and having less mental burden of deciding each item myself!) will be a good fit for where we are in life right now!
Last Year (2022-2023):
Critical Thinking Co: Roots - This certainly gave the kids an understanding of the "buildling blocks" of words, but it really didn't mesh well with our style.
Daily Journaling - I had the kids write something a journal daily in response to a prompt I would give them (You can find tons of prompts on Pinterest, but I just came up with my own). This was a pure "idea" outlet; I didn't correct or make them change journal entries, but I did use it to pinpoint weak areas in grammar and spelling.
Independent Reading, Read-Aloud and Oration - We spend a lot of time independently reading, listening to books, or reading aloud to each other. I have a book list I follow, inspired by Honey for a Child's Heart and I always require an oral review (a la Charlotte Mason) of their/our reading to discuss themes and questions and to take the opportunity to look up unfamiliar words and explore concepts. I would require written reports too, but they usually end up obsessing over their reading so much that all art, journaling, and play become centered on their books and written material happens without me pressing for it...so I haven't formally required that yet.
Copywork - I require almost daily copywork (usually based on whatever we're memorizing; but sometimes excerpts from other subjects or just good chunks of poetry or prose) for a few reasons. Partly to cement other studies, and partly to continue to improve penmenship. It's also a nice thing to have a child do when they need a calm-down kind of activity.
Memorization - I have a schedule of memory work I have implemented, and I actually plan to expand it significantly next fall (probably with the IEW curriculum?). Currently they have various Scripture memory verses, some poetry that ties in with our history studies, and the Westminster Shorter Catechism that we are all working on together.
Next Year (2023-2024):
The Institute for Excellence in Writing (We're still deciding which things we're going to use, but I'm leaning towards starting our youngest here and our boys here. IEW has a chart to show the general pathway through their curriculum here.
Gameschool and Supplements:
Scrabble - spelling practice
Fun Journals - We use notebooks for copywork and subjects, but we love having a fun journal!
Dictionary - It's SO GOOD for kids to learn how to look things up, and not just rely on "Siri" for everything! Pro-tip: Check used bookstores for dictionaries at a reasonable price!
On our Wishlist:
IEW's Poetry Memorization - As of April 2023, this is out of stock, so I'm waiting for this to come back in because I SOOOOOO want to do this with the kids!
Science:
Our Kinder years of Science we did this and really loved it; our elementary years have been various selections from the Apologia books using the junior notebooking journal. We are looking at choosing another from the same series as it has been a great experience all around! We also do lots of "practical" science as we garden, hike, and utilize technology.
Last Year (2022-2023):
Apologia - Human Anatomy with the Junior Notebooking Journal
Next Year (2023-2024):
Apologia Science, probably either Earth Science or Zoology I.
Gameschool and Supplements:
There are so many good books and resources for science--we especially enjoy resources from Answers in Genesis and the Institute of Creation Research.
In addition to these, we do a TON of nature studies/hikes/museums/nature centers/documentaries/etc. It is so easy to just let your child's natural curiosity lead them when it comes to elementary-age science! Our family is blessed to have various friends relatives who are archeologists, computer programmers, engineers, scientists, and many other STEM/TECH type things, so we utilize those relationships for hands-on teaching all the time!
One specific area we use is gardening--I come from a farming/ranching family, so making sure my kids know how to take care of the land and their critters is a critical skill in my book!
On our Wishlist:
The Homesteader's Herbal Companion: The Ultimate Guide to Growing, Preserving, and Using Herbs
Social Studies:
Social Studies is probably my favorite, and honestly, it's the backbone of our homeschool! I included Bible, History, Culture Studies, and Civics in Social Studies; and it's a constant underlying discussion and pursuit in our home. I break from our history curriculum or supplement with civics as it naturally fits into current events and the schedule.
First, my husband and I help run our local Trail Life and American Heritage Girls troops--we have found it a great resource for pursuit of many disciplines. I suppose it fits as well in Social Studies as in anything.
As for our structured studies, we have centered on ancient history for now, but we're about ready to start the classical Greek and Roman Era, as we've just gotten to Xerxes of Persia.
Last Year (2022-2023):
Greenleaf Guide to the Old Testament
Next Year (2023-2024):
Greenleaf Guide to Famous Men of Greece
Greenleaf Guide to Famous Men of Rome - I'll probably do a concentrated three-week focus on Egypt, then for the rest of the year we'll begin to hit ancient Greece and Ancient Rome.
Gameschool and Supplements:
There are too many good history resources to list--I probably have more history books than anything else (and my parents have even more, which I borrow liberally!!!) But these are my most used items:
Streams of Civilization - this textbook is my anchor that we continue to come back to as we dig into the Greenleaf books or other resources.
Wall Chart of World History - While perhaps I'm not quite in agreement with the placement of everything, this is a remarkably good visual timeline that has really helped us see the sequence and spacing of history.
Draw and Write through History, beginning with Creation through Jonah
On our Wishlist:
Continent Race Geography Learning Educational Game
The Book that Made Your World: How the Bible Created the Soul of Western Civilization
I hope this list is helpful--please feel free to reach out if you have any questions!
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