In this episode of the Homeschool Better Together podcast, I’m sharing an overview of our curriculum choices for the 2024-2025 school year. With both a senior and a 9th grader, our homeschool routine is a bit different, and I’m excited to walk you through our approach.
We start each day with a focused morning time that sets the tone for learning, followed by individual subjects tailored to each child’s needs and interests. I’ll also share tips on how we keep our homeschool organized and why staying flexible is key to a successful year.
Links and Resources From Today’s Show
- Homeschool Better Together Free Community
- Put Your Homeschool Year on Autopilot course
- The World from A to Z with Carl Azuz
- Hallow app
- Whatever Happened to Penny Candy (Uncle Eric) by Richard J. Mayberry
- The Amazing Dr. Ransom’s Bestiary of Adorable Fallacies by Douglas Wilson
- The Silver Chair by C.S. Lewis
- Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
- To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
- The Odyssey by Homer
- Student Planner Pages (from Homeschool Better Together)
- Fix It Grammar from IEW
- Consumer Math with Mr. D Math
- The Lively Art of Writing by Lucille Van Pelt
- Workbook for The Lively Art of Writing (found on the Well-Trained Mind Forum)
- The Writing Revolution: A Guide to Advancing Thinking Through Writing in All Subjects and Grades by Judith C. Hochman and Natalie Wexler
- Khan Academy (Biology course)
- The Illustrated Guide to Home Biology Experiments (book and lab kit from the Home Scientist)
- Elemental Science’s high school biology PDF (labs scheduling)
- Japanese tutor
- Mr. D Geometry
- Language Arts Together
- Wonder Studies
Whatever Happened To Penny Candy?: A Fast, Clear, and Fun Explanation of the Economics You Need for Success in Your Career, Business, and Investments (Uncle Eric)The Amazing Dr. Ransom’s Bestiary of Adorable FallaciesThe Silver ChairEnder’s Game (The Ender Saga, 1)To Kill a MockingbirdThe OdysseyThe Lively Art of WritingThe Writing Revolution: A Guide to Advancing Thinking Through Writing in All Subjects and Grades
Key Ideas About Our Curriculum Picks for 2024-2025
- Overview of our curriculum choices for a senior and 9th grader.
- The importance of a focused morning time.
- Tips for staying organized and flexible in homeschool.
Homeschool Curriculum Picks for 2024-2025: What We’re Using and Why
Hey there! I thought I’d do something a little different today and share our curriculum picks for the 2024-2025 school year. I’ve never really done this on the podcast before, but I know a lot of you are curious about what we’re using, so here we go! Remember, what works for us might not work for everyone, but I hope this gives you some ideas or inspiration as you plan your own homeschool year.
Our Homeschool Lineup: Who’s Who
First off, let me tell you a bit about who I’m homeschooling this year. I have two students: one is a senior, and the other is a 9th grader. My senior is working toward a standard diploma, so besides electives, he only needs to complete an English class this year. My 9th grader is following a pretty standard college-prep path.
Now that you know who we’re working with, let’s dive into the details!
Morning Time: Our Homeschool Anchor
We always start our day with morning time. It’s a time for us to come together, set the tone for the day, and cover a variety of subjects that we enjoy doing as a family. Here’s what’s in our morning time lineup this year:
- The World from A to Z with Carl Azuz: We kick off our day with about 10 minutes of Carl Azuz. It’s a fun way to stay up to date on current events and spark some interesting conversations. My boys love it!
- Prayer: After watching Carl, we move into prayer. Sometimes it’s spontaneous, and other times we use prayers from the Hallow app, which has been a favorite of ours for years.
- Topical Reading: We’re looping between two books this year—Whatever Happened to Penny Candy? for economics and Doctor Ransom’s Bestiary of Adorable Fallacies for a bit of logic. Both have been great conversation starters, and we’re enjoying them a lot.
- Literature: I’ve started the year with The Silver Chair from the Narnia series. It’s one of those timeless books that works for all ages. After that, we’re moving on to Ender’s Game and possibly To Kill a Mockingbird later in the year. Literature is such a great way to bond over shared stories, and it’s one of our favorite parts of the day.
Individual Studies: Tailored for Each Kid
After morning time, the boys move on to their individual subjects. Here’s a peek at what each of them is doing:
For My Senior (John):
- PE: John is working on his cumulative PE credit. He’s doing a mix of outdoor walks and core exercises a couple of days a week.
- Math: He’s using the Consumer Math program from Mr. D Math. It’s packed with real-life applications like the stock market, budgeting, and even buying a house. It’s perfect for preparing him for adulthood.
- Grammar: We’re continuing with Fix It Grammar from IEW. It’s simple, effective, and fits easily into our day.
- Writing: John is working through The Lively Art of Writing, a classic I swear by. It’s not only teaching him how to write well but also preparing him for any college-level writing he might need to do.
For My 9th Grader (Thomas):
- Economics and Government: Thomas is joining us for morning time economics and government studies. It’s a good fit for him, and we’re covering the basics together as a family.
- Grammar: He’s also doing Fix It Grammar, but just twice a week. I’m okay with taking it slow if needed.
- Writing: We’ve started using The Writing Revolution. It’s more of a writing method than a curriculum, which I love because it’s flexible and can be integrated with other subjects.
- Biology: Thomas is using Khan Academy for biology, which he enjoys. We’ve also got the Illustrated Guide to Home Biology Experiments on deck, complete with a lab kit from the Home Scientist.
- Math and Japanese: Thankfully, Thomas works with tutors for both of these subjects. He’s finishing up Algebra 1 and will move on to geometry soon, all under the expert guidance of his tutor, Ms. Debbie. For Japanese, he meets regularly with his tutor and is loving it!
Final Thoughts About Our 2024-2025 Curriculum Choices
That’s a quick rundown of what we’re using this year. I hope it gives you some ideas for your own homeschool. Remember, the best curriculum is the one that works for your family, so don’t be afraid to try new things and adjust as needed.
If you’d like to chat more about curriculum choices or how we use these resources, I’d love to have you join our free homeschool community. We’ve got tons of discussions going on, and it’s a great place to get support and share ideas.
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