We began a new academic year last month in July, and dived right into another year of learning together at home.
Every year, I enjoy seeing what other homeschool families are using, so I thought I’d share our curriculum choices, too. These aren’t necessarily the “best” curricula—they’re simply the ones that have worked well for our family and fit our goals.
One thing I’ve learned over the years is that choosing a curriculum isn’t about finding the perfect program. It’s about finding the right fit for your child and your family. When I’m choosing curriculum, I’m looking for resources that are academically solid, encourage a love of learning, and, most importantly, point my girls to God. I also try to find materials that foster independence as my children grow, while still leaving plenty of room for us to learn together around the table.
Living in India also shapes many of our curriculum decisions. Some resources are easy to purchase digitally, while others require a little more planning. Whenever possible, I buy used books from the US to keep costs down, and I’m so thankful for family and friends who are willing to squeeze a few extra homeschool books into their suitcases whenever they visit! If a curriculum is available as a digital download, that’s often a significant advantage for us. Also, some books have been graciously passed down to us from our friends.
So, with that in mind, here’s what we’ll be using this year.
Grade 6
English
Rod and Staff English 6
This is our third year using Rod and Staff, and we have come to appreciate its thorough approach to grammar and writing. It is traditional, solid, and gives my daughter a strong foundation in the English language. A bonus is its strong Christian content, which we value. We buy these books (Teacher Manual and Student book) used online through Amazon US, and friends kindly bring it to us when they travel.
Spelling
Last year, I felt the need to focus a little more on spelling. The Good and the Beautiful just launched a new, completely free online spelling curriculum for Grades 4–8. We started using it a few weeks ago, and my daughter is really enjoying it! I also make a note of difficult words we come across in her other lessons (Science, Literature, History) and include those in our spelling practice.
Math
We have been using Saxon Math since Grade 4, so this is our third year using it with my older daughter. Saxon has been a great fit for us because of its incremental approach and continual review. Rather than learning a topic and moving on, concepts are revisited throughout the year. It is challenging, but we’ve found that it builds confidence over time.
The set contains one Teacher’s Manual, one Tests and Worksheets Book, and one Solutions Manual. We buy our set used online through Amazon US, and friends kindly bring it to us when they travel.
Science
Abeka Science Grade 6 (Observing God’s World)
We’ve enjoyed the Abeka science series and will be continuing with it this year. It provides a broad introduction to scientific concepts while encouraging students to marvel at God’s creation.
Literature
Books and literature are a very important part of our homeschool, so I’m quite intentional about the books we choose. I love using classic, rich “living books”—stories that are beautifully written, engaging, and full of ideas that children can learn from. Beyond simply understanding the story, I want my children to learn to think deeply, make connections, recognize themes and ideas, and see how what they’re reading connects with the world around them.
This year, God willing (we haven’t started yet) we’ll be using Progeny Press literature guides with these classics:
- The Swiss Family Robinson
- Little Women
- The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
Last year we used Memoria Press literature guides and absolutely loved them, but the availability of digital guides made Progeny Press the more practical choice for our family this year. I’m looking forward to seeing how they compare.
History
For history, we began Story of the World, Volume 2: The Middle Ages this year. We completed Volume 1: Ancient Times last year, so it was a natural progression to continue with the second book this year.
We love that Story of the World tells history as a story, making it engaging and easy for the children to follow rather than simply presenting them with a list of dates and facts. It takes us through the major events, people, cultures, and civilizations of the Middle Ages while helping the children see how different parts of history connect with one another.
We study History together with both my 6th grader and 3rd grader, which makes it one of the subjects we can enjoy as a family while still allowing each child to engage with the material at her own level. I read aloud while the girls color in their activity books, and afterward, we review the questions and complete the narration exercises together. It’s become one of our favorite parts of our homeschool week.
Grade 3
Language Arts
The Good and the Beautiful Language Arts
TGAB Language Arts has been a wonderful fit for my younger daughter for the past 3 years. I especially appreciate that it combines English, Spelling, Geography, Literature, and Art into one curriculum, making our homeschool day a little simpler.
One of the biggest advantages is that the curriculum is available as a free download. We simply print and bind the books ourselves, which makes it incredibly affordable, especially for families homeschooling outside the US.
Math
The Good and the Beautiful Math
We are also using The Good and the Beautiful for math again this year. My daughter enjoys the gentle lessons and colourful presentation, and it’s another curriculum that’s available free to download. This will probably be her last year using this as we hope to transition to Saxon Math for Grade 4 next year.
Science
Abeka Science Grade
We continue using Abeka for science because we’ve had such a positive experience with it over the years. It is a christian curriculum and teaches science through the lens of the Bible.
Handwriting
The Good and the Beautiful Handwriting (PDF)
This year I’m especially excited to introduce cursive to my third-grader. My younger one has struggled with mirror imaging when writing print, so I wanted a structured program that would make learning cursive as straightforward as possible. I was immediately drawn to The Good and the Beautiful’s handwriting curriculum because it uses a simple colour-dot system to teach letter formation. I’m hopeful it’ll make the transition smoother and more enjoyable for her.
Literature
Like I said before, literature is an important part of our homeschool. We’ll be using Progeny Press literature guides this year with these classics, God willing:
- The Courage of Sarah Noble
- Miss Rumphius
- A New Coat for Anna
- Keep the Lights burning, Abbie
History
Story of the World – Volume 2
History is one subject we do together as a family.
I read aloud while the girls color in their activity books, and afterward, we review the questions and complete the narration exercises together. It’s become one of our favorite parts of our homeschool week. I love that, although they’re in different grades, they can both enjoy the stories and discussions together.
Other Subjects
Bible
Aside to our family prayer time and personal quiet time, we also have a dedicated Bible time together before we begin our school day.
This year, we started with C Is for Christian by Alistair Begg, a beautifully illustrated book that introduces children to foundational truths of the Christian faith through the alphabet. After completing that, we picked up The Ology by Marty Machowski, again and continued from where we left off last year. The Ology is a wonderful introduction to theology for children (and adults!) covering foundational truths about God, Scripture, creation, sin, salvation, and the Christian life in a way that is accessible to children while giving us plenty to discuss together.
We also do scripture memory together and are currently memorizing Isaiah 53.
Hindi
The girls continue learning to read, write, and speak Hindi with a teacher online.
Piano
Piano lessons with Troika Music continue to be part of our weekly rhythm.
Homeschooling looks different for every family, and that’s one of the beautiful things about it. What works wonderfully for one family may not suit another.
These are simply the resources that fit our family’s season right now. Some we’ve used for years, while others are completely new adventures. I’m sure by the end of the year we’ll have favorites, surprises, and probably a few things we’d do differently.
If you have any questions, or want to know more about any of these books, I’m always happy to help! If you’re a homeschooling family, I’d love to hear what you’re using this year. Is there a curriculum you’ve discovered that you absolutely love? Let me know in the comments!
