Helpful Resources:

102 Picks for Homeschool Curriculum by Kathy Duffy (book)

Make a Pinterest board – You’ll find a lot of specific examples of science ideas, writing prompts, links to videos… things that tailor to what you are looking for. When our family studied the nation of Israel, it was really helpful to find ideas for artwork and geography links on Pinterest.

Blogs: I can’t say I follow any homeschooling blogs, but I have been blessed by the amount of creativity and time some put into their homeschooling journey and that they document it for the benefit of others. I just click and look around for what I am specifically searching for.

Consider Unit Studies! These are great for specific target areas you want your kids to be strong in. We use this a few times a year.

Local competitions: Around here there are Spelling and Geography Bees that are open to the county wide homeschoolers. Check them out!!

What we use:

For math, science and history, we use MasterBooks and the Story of Liberty for my oldest’s history.

For Language Arts: Easy Grammar, Wordly Wise (vocabulary) and we alternate years using Rod and Staff also. For writing, we use a lot of creative prompts and assigned letter writing. We occasionally write speeches the kids must read to the family and they keep journals.

Extras and electives: we utilize our homeschool co-op quite a bit for specific studies. Last year we worked through a book called The Fallacy Detective. It was a fantastic study that really helped everyone become better listeners and communicators. We have an Apologetics set we use by Answers in Genesis and intend to use their highschool series next year. This helps them tackle big questions that kids tend to have and are presented with concerning God, timelines in human and world history, genealogies, DNA, dinosaurs and so much more. I highly recommend it. Cooking, cleaning, budgeting, Bible study, serving, friendships, work ethic – all weave in and out of every day life for us and we consider them all aspects of a healthy and helpful education. These are life skills.

Things on my mind to try:

Computer/typing course, Foreign language (we did Spanish for a year and intend to pick it back up soon), more public service, job shadowing and more science.

 

** Be careful how quickly you compare your homeschool life with another’s. Every family has different dynamics, different needs, different schedules and budgets. When I talk to moms, the best thing I could tell them is to put character before academics. The academics will come if we are committed and intentional with our choices. But character can’t be quizzed. It cannot be bought or extracted out of a book. It must be weaved in and out of daily life. It must be exemplified and inspired. It must be planted by the good seeds of love and patience and truth. And it will go well when excelling in their education, because they have the character (fortitiude and honesty) to press through in learning. Character is not always easy (is it in real life?). It must be pressed and challenged with a higher wholesome standard that brings rewards of personal satisfaction, self-respect, and for the benefit of others before self.