Zoey's Preschool Curriculum Choices (2026/2027 School Year)

This will be Zoey's first (official) year of homeschooling! Although I did do toddler school with her, this last year her schooltime was hit or miss. She just wasn't into it, and I wasn't going to force it on her. It's funny how kids are so different. Zeke loved toddler school and preschool and couldn't get enough!

She will be four in September.

Let's Explore Preschool

This is a curriculum that I wrote and am excited to use it with Zoey. It's a letter of the week curriculum, with four different "Let's Explore" sections. It's available in my Etsy shop for $15.

"Let's Explore Letters" goes through one letter a week with four review weeks built in. She will have a mixture of hands-on activities, worksheets, and crafts for each letter.

"Let's Explore Math" uses the same - hands-on activities and worksheets - to teach and reinforce math concepts such as colors, shapes, numbers, and patterns.

She will also use this workbook as it is scheduled in each day for math, letters, tracing, matching, and other fine motor skills.

"Let's Explore Books" has several book titles and topics each week with crafts and activities for each.

"Let's Explore Science" uses two different spines - Science Play and the First Encyclopedia of Science - to introduce science topics, experiments, activities, and more! Science Play is more nature-based, so there will be lots of nature study and outdoor time.

Bible

She will be using the Beginner worksheets from Bible Study Guide for All Ages alongside Zeke's Intermediate worksheets. She will learn songs, Bible verses, and Bible stories. I'm waiting for the Bible Book Summary cards, Beginner Timeline, and the CD set with the songs to come in the mail! I'm very excited about adding this to our homeschool day

CO-OP

We joined a homeschool co-op this year, and Zoey will be joining four classes, two of which I will be teaching. She will do: Little Problem Solvers: Science, Playtime Pals, Little Problem Solvers: Math, and Storytime Fun. I'm teaching the Little Problem Solvers classes! 

Her total school time will be around 30-45 minutes a day, and maybe a little more when we have nature study. I am excited to start this journey with her!

What was your favorite preschool curriculum?

Zeke's 2nd/3rd Grade Curriculum Choices (2026-2027 School Year)

Zeke is using a mix of second and third-grade curriculum for this coming school year. He is 7 years old, turning 8 in November.

MATH

We used Math With Confidence 2 last year, and we really loved it. Zeke did very well with the lessons and learned how to add and subtract three-digit numbers at the end of the year! We are continuing on with Math with Confidence 3 this year.

LANGUAGE ARTS

Zeke will be using Abeka Grammar 3 and Language Smarts Level D by The Critical Thinking Company. I have never found the perfect grammar curriculum, but Language Smarts is one of my favorite grammar workbooks. It encompasses parts of speech, literary devices, writing, spelling, phonics, poetry, and so much more! He will work one lesson in each book each day.

HANDWRITING

A Reason for Handwriting is one of my favorite handwriting programs, and Zeke will be using T for Transition, learning cursive. I love teaching my kids cursive! My kids always enjoyed the handwriting/coloring page they got to complete at the end of each week.

GEOGRAPHY

I asked my older kids what their favorite memory was of our homeschooling years, and all of them said it was the year we did a world geography curriculum - Expedition Earth (or Exploring Countries and Cultures for my older two). They had so many memories of the crafts we did, our passports, and the books we read. I wanted Zeke to have this same experience, so I wrote a curriculum for him! I call it "Around the World," not terribly creative but it works! We will be using two spines: The Children's Atlas of God's World and Biomes.

SCIENCE

I have a lifetime membership to School House Teachers, and there are so many great programs on their website! We will be using Exploring God's World with Third Grade Science. I printed out the first half of the year's curriculum (over 200 pages) and put it in a huge binder. I'll put each week's lessons in a folder for Zeke instead of lugging out a two-inch binder each day! After each week, I'll put the pages back in the binder and the next week's lesson in his folder. 

LITERATURE

Zeke will be completing five "literature kits" this year: Charlotte's Web; The Mouse and the Motorcycle; Charlie and the Chocolate Factory; The Hundred Penny Box; and The Cricket in Times Square. He reads all the time, though!

BIBLE

The most important subject, in my opinion! We will be using Bible Study Guide for All Ages, the Intermediate Level. 

It suggests completing two lessons a week, but we will probably do three or four. I'll print a week's worth at a time, putting them in a folder like his science worksheets. 

HOMESCHOOL CO-OP

We have joined a homeschool co-op this year, and Zeke will be taking four classes each week: a Wild Kratts class, Torn Paper Art, Book Fun, and Legos! I think he will really enjoy all of these classes. I'm excited to start the co-op in September, and I hope to have a good start on our homeschool year by then. We are planning to begin the first or second week of August. 

6th Grade Curriculum Choices for 2023/2024

Titus's curriculum choices for this next school year look a lot like Silas's, but I decided to make a separate post for him anyway!

Saxon Math 7/6 with Nicole the Math Lady subscription

Titus has used Math Lessons for a Living Education up until now, and he had one more level to go! He asked me to start "The Math Lady" math this year, and I figured it wouldn't hurt a thing! Saxon 7/6 is for sixth graders or seventh graders who struggle with math. Silas used this level last year and I think Titus will do well with it. I love that math is one subject I don't have to teach!

Writers in Residence 

I used this with Mikaela and Eli, and when I saw it on clearance for less than a dollar (from $80), I knew I had to buy it to try it with the boys! It's an independent, self-teaching writing program that worked really well for my older kids.

Language Smarts Level E

We used this as a review product last year, and I absolutely loved it. Titus is about halfway finished so we will work three times a week in this workbook and finish it up this year.

The Story of Civilization Volume One

We will use this a family three days a week with additional readings, maps, notebooking, and crafts. I'm planning to give each of the kids a blank notebook to be their Narration Notebooks, where they'll write narrations, draw pictures and diagrams, label maps and glue them in, and even some timeline entries.

Great Science Adventures: The World of Plants

Titus will use this with Silas. There are foldable books, notebooking, experiments, and other projects that we will use with this, also with a Narration Notebook. This will be done three days a week.

Readers in Residence

Again, this was on clearance for less than a dollar so I wanted to try it with the boys! It will be his literature for the year, and if we decided we don't like it then I won't feel bad about spending a dollar on it.

We will also have Co-Op classes on Thursdays, which is new for us! He will be taking three classes - "Show and Tell - An Intro to Public Speaking", "History Pockets: Ancient Greece" (taught by me!), and "FUNdamental Skills." I'm super excited about this year!

8th Grade Curriculum Choices for 2023-2024

It's hard to believe this will be Silas's last year before high school. I want him to have a fun year yet increase the difficulty a bit before he hits 9th grade. Here is what I chose for him to use this year.

Saxon Math Algebra 1/2 with Nicole the Math Lady subscription

This is a pre-algebra course. He took Saxon 7/6 last year, and I thought I would put him in 8/7 this year. He did really well with the Nicole the Math Lady videos, so I think he is ready for Algebra 1/2. I was afraid it would be too easy to use the 8/7 and too hard to jump into Algebra 1 next year without Algebra 1/2 first.

Writers in Residence

This is the formal writing program he will use this year. He has not had any formal writing instruction yet! I used this program with Mikaela and Eli and really enjoyed the independence and self-teaching aspect of it.

Language Fundamentals

This is a 6th grade book that he used this year and didn't finish, but it's a really great grammar review workbook! He is going to finish this book and then we will evaluate if he needs another workbook or not. If so, we will probably go with Easy Grammar 8.

The Story of Civilization Volume One

We will be doing history together as a family. I will read the daily portions and any other read aloud books, and we will do maps, crafts, and other activities. This will be done three days a week.

Great Science Adventures: The World of Plants

Silas and Titus will be using this together. We will read the lessons and add in some extra books to reinforce the topics. There are lots of foldable books and mini-books in this curriculum to create as well as experiments and demonstrations. This will be three days a week.

Readers in Residence

We have not used this program before, but it looks like a great literature program! It's on clearance for less than a dollar right now at Christianbook.com - normally $80! I figure we don't have much to lose in trying it out!

That's it for his 8th grade year! We are also attending a co-op once a week on Thursdays which is new for us!

10th Grade Curriculum Choices for 2023/2024

I'm so glad Mercie made the decision to homeschool again! Planning a sophomore year wasn't easy because there are so many different curriculum choices. I think I finally decided on what she is going to use!

Math (1 credit)

She will be using Saxon's Algebra 2 with Nicole the Math Lady videos. 

English 2 (1 credit)

She will be using Sharon Watson's The Power in Your Hands: Writing Nonfiction in High School. She will be writing over 22 different reports and essays! 

She will also use Easy Grammar to stay fresh on her grammar. This won't take long each day, around ten minutes or so.

Originally, I was going to have her work through two or three Progeny Press literature guides, but instead I'm going to assign her one literature guide and give her a booklist to work through for the year. I'd like her booklist to contain books that will reinforce our history focus. I'm still working on that list but here are a few of the book selections:

Mara, Daughter of the Nile

The Cat of Bubastes

Hittite Warrior

Gilgamesh the Hero

Black Ships Before Troy

Science (1 credit)

She needs a biology credit, so I decided to go with Biology 101 DVD course with the Accreditation guidebook. She will do science three days a week. I plan to add some fun hands-on projects for her at the end of each unit as well.

History (1 credit)

We will all be studying Ancient Civilizations together as a family subject. I'll read the daily portions to all three of them and we will do a few activities (maps, crafts, writing assignments). She will have extra readings and research and writing assignments. We will do this three days a week as a family, and she will have one day a week for her extra assignments.

Electives: Horse Care 101 (1 credit)

Mercie has horses that she trains and barrel races with. She knows a lot about horses because she cares for her horses totally on her own. I thought it would be a great elective to learn more about caring for horses especially since she is planning to be a large animal vet. I'm going to go through these books, write out lessons for her to do three or four days a week.

Electives: Spanish (1 credit)

Foreign language is a required credit for Louisiana TOPS program, so she will be learning Spanish this year! Luckily my parents speak Spanish since they are missionaries to Nicaragua, so they'll be very helpful tutors for her to practice with.

This seems like a pretty full and exciting year we have planned! We will be homeschooling four days a week with our Thursdays spent at co-op. This is new for us and I'm anxious to see how it all works out. She may even be able to rack up a few more credits with some classes (and maybe not). I'm ready to hit "order now" and get all of these books in! 

End of Year Curriculum Thoughts - 7th grade

It's so hard to believe that our school year is coming to a close! Silas is finishing up 7th grade, Titus is finishing 5th, and Zeke had a great preschool year. I always like to put down my thoughts on the curriculum that we used and how it worked for us. I'll start with Silas.

Silas - 7th grade 

MATH: Saxon 7/6 with Nicole the Math Lady subscription

I am so thankful we found Nicole the Math Lady! She "teaches" math for me and does such an excellent job! Silas has learned so much this year, and he says that the Nicole the Math Lady videos have really helped him to understand the math concepts this year. It has taken a load off of my shoulders, especially with a new baby in the house. 

I also really like Saxon Math. There are plenty of review problems each lesson so he doesn't get rusty on math concepts. I don't always make him do all 30 problems since it takes him a few hours to do math each day. I will assign him odds or evens, and he loves when I do that! He also inputs all of his answers online and it immediately tells him if it's right or wrong. He gets six attempts for most problems, and the 'grading' gives me the percentage he got right on first attempt and the percentage he got right using all six attempts. 

Verdict: 10/10

We are absolutely using Saxon Math with Nicole the Math Lady videos for all three of my older kids next year!

LITERATURE: Progeny Press Literature Guides

  

This is something we have used year after year because they're really great literature guides! This year Silas used Number the Stars and Where the Red Fern Grows. He enjoys using them and I love how thorough they are! They're also very easy for the boys to use on their own. This is a product that I recommend to others!

Verdict: 10/10

I will assign the boys each two more literature guides next year! It's always fun getting to choose which books to use.

HISTORY: The World's Story by Master Books

There are things I liked about this and things I didn't like. I think what we didn't like the most was the worksheets. The questions were pretty silly sometimes and hard to answer - not because the answer was hard but because they made you imagine you were in certain places or time periods and write a letter or diary entry or story about it. Silas wasn't into all of those question for history. He wanted more questions with concrete answers. He didn't retain as much as I would have liked. We actually dropped history a few weeks ago without finishing the last few chapters. 

Verdict: 4/10

The book was not bad. I should have written my own worksheets and activities and we would have enjoyed it more. 

SCIENCE: God's Design for the Physical World by Master Books

Again, there are things we liked and things we didn't like. For the most part, we enjoyed reading the lessons. Sometimes there was a lot of information presented at a time. At first Silas loved doing the experiments daily, but that got to be too much. We just picked a few a week to do after that. The worksheets were boring and again, I just wish that I would have made my own worksheets for Silas to use. If we use this science again (and we may!) I will create my own worksheets and activities, picking and choosing which experiments to do based on how beneficial and fun they will be. 

Verdict: 8/10

The main problem for us was the worksheets and the abundance of experiments. I would also not let his be done independently as I feel like he would retain much more if we read it together.

GRAMMAR: Even-Moor Language Fundamentals

I really liked this book for Silas! He did one or two pages a day just to keep himself familiar with grammar, punctuation, and usage rules. It took him less than ten minutes to complete. He still has some pages left, so he will probably finish it up over the summer. It was $30, but well worth it. 

Verdict: 10/10

I will order one for Titus to use next year! That's how much I liked it. The short lessons were very thorough and covered so many different topics. It was just the right amount each day!

It's so hard to believe that I will be researching and ordering curriculum again soon. We already know which math and literature we will be using, so science and history are the only things I'm really trying to figure out. I'm also considering if I want to combine them for a subject, since we haven't done Family Style Learning in a few years. I miss doing it that way! 

Have you used any of these before? 

Blogging From A to Z - Curriculum Choices

I decided to post this week about some of our curriculum choices for next year. I will have a 7th grader, Silas, a 5th grader, Titus, and a preschooler, Zeke. Mercie is going to be attending a private school called Cornerstone Academy this year as a freshman! It's only four days a week, from 8:00-12:00 so she will have plenty of time for her horses (which was a requirement for her attending any school). 

Silas, 7th grader

I cannot believe Silas is going to be in 7th grade next year. Time flies by so fast! We are going with mostly independent work this year, considering I'll be having another baby in September/October. 

Math

This is the only subject I am not 100% set on. I'm pretty sure we're going to go with Teaching Textbooks 7. I need Silas to have some video lessons and I think he would benefit from them. I'm still looking into the new 4.0 version which is an app-based version compared to the 2.0 disc-based version.

Grammar

He will be using Writing Strands from Masterbooks. This will give him instruction in writing as well as some grammar and usage practice.

He will also be using A Student's Guide to English Grammar 1, which is a really simple textbook that goes through the parts of speech. It won't take him long each day to work through this book, and we may do some of the exercises aloud instead of writing them down.

History

For history, he is going to use The World's Story 1 by Masterbooks. It will take him from Creation up until the time of the Roman Empire. He will have readings, worksheets, and projects to complete. I think he will really enjoy this study from looking at the samples. I plan to add in some history literature, but I have yet to research which books.

Science

Again from Masterbooks, he will be using God's Design Physical World. This series will teach him about Machines and Motions, Heat and Energy, and Inventions and Technology. He will have daily readings and experiments each week. It looks like a super fun program! He loves machines so I'm sure this will be just a great fit for him. 

Literature

I'd like for Silas to work through a few literature guides this year. I'm planning on two books and guides for him. I have always like Progeny Press literature guides, so I'm going with them this year. The books and guides he will complete are Number the Stars and Where the Red Fern Grows. 

Extra Curriculars 

I am going to let the boys decide on their own extra activities and how they'll go about learning. I did order them each an art book to use as they want to, and we have plenty of learning resources around the house for them to pick up. This year we are going to try an "unschooling" approach to extra curricular subjects!

Titus, 5th grader

Titus is my 5th grader and we are moving him toward a bit more independence this year, too. His lineup is much like Silas's, but for the first time they will be using totally separate curriculum.

Math

Titus will be continuing on in Math Lessons for a Living Education 5 from Masterbooks. We love this math program and he will use it this year and next year before he runs out of levels! 

Grammar

We are going to try Language Lessons for a Living Education 5 from Masterbooks this year because I think he can do it mostly on his own. The lessons are varied and I think he will enjoy the different activities and short lessons.

I'm also going to him work a lesson a day in his Critical Thinking Language Smarts E workbook. It's got a great variety of topics and really short lessons. You can read my review of this program here.

History

He will be using Masterbooks' America's Story 1. I think he will enjoy the short readings, workbook pages, and projects included in this program.

Science

For science, he will be using God's Design Heaven and Earth from Masterbooks. He will learn about Our Weather and Water, Our Universe, and Our Planet Earth. There are lots of fun experiments scheduled in each week along with workbook pages that I think he will be able to complete mostly on his own. 

Literature

Titus is not a big reader. I have a goal for him to complete two age-appropriate literature guides from Progeny Press this year. I chose books that I think he will really get into and be able to finish, Charlotte's Web and The Sword in the Tree. 

Zeke, Preschooler

Zeke will be 4 in November, so a preschool curriculum isn't really necessary for him. However, he loves to do schoolwork and asks for it every time the boys are doing something. I preordered him the physical copy of The Gentle + Classical Preschool. I'm really excited about this curriculum! It comes with the Teacher's Guide, the Handicraft and Activity Guide, Preschool Morning Binder pages, Alphabet and Number flashcards, Memory Statement Cards, and Art and Music pack. I received the digital copy in my email already and it looks fabulous. I ordered the physical copy because there are so many great color printouts that I wanted it to be already printed for me!

I love writing my own curriculum for this age, and I've sold close to 150 sets of my Toddler Curriculum in my Etsy shop. I just know that for me, having a baby in September/October, I'm going to want and need something all planned out and printed out for me, ready to go!

I'm pretty happy with our curriculum choices for the 2022-2023 homeschool year! Have you decided what you'll use this coming year?

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