Curriculum

I highly recommend putting together your own curriculum. Each child is unique and customizing the curriculum to the child will result in maximum educational success. Below I have described a flexible loosely structured curriculum which is highly customizable. It is easy to add or eliminate material  based on interests or learning and development needs. The reading, writing and math curriculum are very sequential as they build upon themselves especially in the early years. It is not necessary to wait until the next school year to level-up. Likewise, if extra time is needed due to learning challenges or family circumstances the time should be taken. The curriculum are flexible because you can work through the material at the child's pace by moving rapidly or slowly. Depending on the number of children you are teaching, subjects such as science and history can easily span multiple grade levels, and in reading, writing and math lessons children can work together. For example, older children can read to younger children. Children can write stories together or brainstorm ideas together and then each write at their own level. Kids can play math games together and work on similar math art projects.

I have suggested resources listed by subject and grade level. I have not laid out a detailed schedule that says read chapter 10 on week 3 day 3. You can substitute books, read extra books, or read biographies instead of historical fiction if you want. You can watch documentaries and visit museums instead of reading non-fiction books or in addition to reading the books I have suggested. You have chosen to homeschool and you get to determine your child's curriculum with as much or as little input from your child as you deem appropriate. This is meant to be a starting point for you to create a customized curriculum for each child.

Math

K - Math

• Uno - Number and color recognition
• Plastic and Numbers and Animal Counters - The goal this year is to learn to recognize the numbers. Number manipulatives and something to count are essential. If you don't want to purchase animal counters you could count buttons, bottle caps, milk caps, etc. You should spend time playing with your child with these numbers and counting items. Sort the items into color groups and count them. Sort them into animal type and count them. Count the number of shoes in your closet or the number of apples in a bag. Count and play with the numbers every day until your child can recognize the numbers. Then move onto two digit numbers and continue counting.
• Copy Paper, Crayons and a Stapler - Make a Calendar - Teaches number recognition, months, writing - Print out 12 blank calendar pages. Write a month on the top of each page, and the days of the week on top of each column. Determine which day the month starts on and how many days in that month. Write the number 1 in the appropriate box and have your child write the remaining numbers in the rest of the boxes. Have your child illustrate the month with an appropriate seasonal picture. Add birthdays, holidays and special events as desired.
• Card Game War - Teaches greater than, less than - You will need a standard deck of playing cards for this activity. Aces are ones. Remove the jacks, queens and kings from the deck. Divide the deck in half. Each player flips up a card and the player with the greater number takes both cards. In case of a tie flip up another card. Repeat until one player has all of the cards and declare that player the winner.
• Jelly Beans for Sale - Count and add jelly beans as you read this book.

1st Grade - Math

• Adding War - Teaches addition and greater than, less than - You will need a standard deck of playing cards for this activity. Aces are ones. Remove the jacks, queens and kings from the deck. Divide the deck in half. Each player flips up two cards and the player with the greater sum takes all four cards. In case of a tie flip up two more cards. Repeat until one player has all of the cards and declare that player the winner.
• Black Jack 21 - Teaches addition - You will need a standard deck of playing cards for this game. 
• Cash Register - Play going to the store and buy, sell, and make change to learn how to count with money. Sell cookies or M&M's. Sell things you make, or gather all of the winter gear and sell hats and mittens before going outside to play. Begin with all items costing 1 cent. The next week have all items cost $1. Play every day changing prices until your child understands how to count money and make change.
• School Zone Addition and Subtraction - Work through a workbook with addition and subtraction problems so your child can see math in its abstract written form.
• School Zone Time, Money and Fractions  or equivalent workbook

2nd Grade - Math

• Speed! - Teaches skip-counting - Begin with the 2's. Play for at least 15 minutes every day until your child can play rapidly. Then play with the 5's until your child can play rapidly. Progress through each deck spending between 1 week and 1 month per deck. 
• Cribbage - Teaches addition and strategy- You will need a standard deck of playing cards for this game. Play at least two times per week to develop mental math and thinking skills.
• Involve your kids in activities that require math such as cooking, quilting, measuring, laundry (money)
• School Zone Math Basics 2nd Grade - Work through a workbook with double digit addition and subtraction problems so your child can see math in its abstract written form. 
• Read
• Blockhead: The Life of Fibonacci by Joseph D'Agnese
• Pythagoras and the Ratios by Julie Ellis 

3rd Grade - Math

• Speed! - Teaches skip-counting - Continue working through the decks of cards until your child can play really fast and has the numbers memorized.  
• Pattern Explorer
• School Zone Multiplication and Division Math Workbook - Work through a workbook with multiplication and division problems so your child can see math in its abstract written form.  
• Bake Cookies, and Cakes - This teaches fractions if you use measuring cups. Make sure to double and half recipes. 
• School Zone Math Basics 3 or equivalent workbook
• School Zone Math Basics 4 or equivalent workbook

4th Grade - Math

• Life of Fred Fractions
• School Zone Basic Math 5 or equivalent workbook

5th Grade - Math

• Life of Fred Decimals and Percents *Essential
• School Zone Basic Math 6 or equivalent workbook *Essential
• Pattern Explorer Level 1 *Optional
• Murderous Maths *Optional

6th Grade - Math - Pre-Algebra

Life of Fred does an excellent job of teaching the application of math. Math-U-See does an excellent job of teaching the mechanics of math. I recommend working through both. The order is not important. You can work through one program and then the other or work on them simultaneously.

• Math-U-See Pre-Algebra
• Life of Fred Pre-Algebra with Physics
• Life of Fred Pre-Algebra with Biology
• Life of Fred Pre-Algebra with Economics

7th Grade - Math - Algebra

Life of Fred does an excellent job of teaching the application of math. Math-U-See does an excellent job of teaching the mechanics of math. I recommend working through both. The order is not important. You can work through one program and then the other or work on them simultaneously.

• Math-U-See Algebra
• Life of Fred Beginning Algebra
• Pattern Explorer Level 2 *Optional 

8th Grade - Math - Geometry

• Math-U-See Geometry

9th Grade - Math - Algebra II

Life of Fred does an excellent job of teaching the application of math. Math-U-See does an excellent job of teaching the mechanics of math. I recommend working through both. The order is not important. You can work through one program and then the other or work on them simultaneously.

• Math-U-See Algebra II 
• Life of Fred Advanced Algebra

10th Grade - Math - Trigonometry and Pre-Calculus

Life of Fred does an excellent job of teaching the application of math. Math-U-See does an excellent job of teaching the mechanics of math. I recommend working through both. The order is not important. You can work through one program and then the other or work on them simultaneously.

• Math-U-See Pre-Calculus
• Life of Fred Trigonometry

11th Grade - Math - Calculus

Life of Fred does an excellent job of teaching the application of math. Math-U-See does an excellent job of teaching the mechanics of math. I recommend working through both. The order is not important. You can work through one program and then the other or work on them simultaneously.

• Math-U-See Calculus
• Life of Fred Calculus

12th Grade - Math - Statistics

• Life of Fred Statistics

Writing

K - Writing

• Copy Paper, Crayons and a Stapler - Make an ABC book putting one letter on each page. On your letter of the day fill in the page with magazine cutouts, drawings or stickers of items that begin with the letter.
• Color and draw pictures often.
• Build fine motor skills with activities: Legos, puzzles, Play-Dough, and crafting and cutting with scissors

1st Grade - Writing

• Story Starters
• Copy Paper, Crayons and a Stapler - Make a simple word book. Pick a CVC (consonant-vowel-consonant) word and write it on one page in a book with paper stapled together. Have your child write the word underneath you. Let your child draw a picture illustrating the word or find magazine cutouts, or stickers that illustrate the word. Make several books throughout the year.
• Free write stories if capable. Don't correct spelling or grammar. Only encourage your child to write at this age.
• Have your child dictate and illustrate stories. Do your best to write the words down as your child tells the story.
• Color and draw pictures often.
• Build fine motor skills with activities: Legos, puzzles, Play-Dough, and crafting and cutting with scissors

2nd Grade - Writing

• Royal Fireworks Press Level 1, Island Level

3rd Grade - Writing

• Follow The Writer's Jungle philosophy from Brave Writer which is a very free form way to teach
• Have your child free write often and provide lots of encouragement.
• Create a blog.
• Make your own cook book.
• Join a postcard exchange club and write letters to the other members.

or

• Follow the Essentials in Writing Curriculum which is much more structured

4th Grade - Writing

• Royal Fireworks Press Level 2, Town Level 

5th Grade - Writing

• Royal Fireworks Press Level 3, Voyage Level  

6th Grade - Writing

• Essentials in Writing Curriculum
• Word Roots Level 1 from the Critical Thinking Company
• Word Roots Level 2 from the Critical Thinking Company  
• Word Roots Level 3 from the Critical Thinking Company

7th Grade - Writing

•  Royal Fireworks Press Level 4, Literature Level (RFP is quite advanced. If you haven't completed the other levels I would recommend beginning with Level 3, Voyage)

8th Grade - Writing

•  Royal Fireworks Press Level 5, Magic Lens I  (RFP is quite advanced. If you haven't completed the other levels I would recommend beginning with Level 3, Voyage)

9th Grade - Writing

•  Royal Fireworks Press Level 6, Magic Lens II  (RFP is quite advanced. If you haven't completed the other levels I would recommend beginning with Level 3, Voyage)

10th Grade - Writing

•  Royal Fireworks Press Level 7, Magic Lens III  (RFP is quite advanced. If you haven't completed the other levels I would recommend beginning with Level 3, Voyage)

11th Grade - Writing

• Thank You for Arguing
• Word Roots Level 4 from the Critical Thinking Company

12th Grade - Writing

• How to Read Literature Like a Professor 
• The Fallacy Detective 
• The Thinking Toolbox

 

Reading

K - Reading (American History)

• Plastic Letters and Numbers - The goal this year is to learn to recognize all the letters both upper and lower case. Letter manipulatives are essential and the magnetic kind work great. You should spend time playing with your child with these letters and numbers. Go through the alphabet and have a letter of the day. On the letter B day you can gather items in the house that begin with the letter B such as buttons, barrettes, ballet shoes, bubble gum, binoculars and eat some foods that begin with the letter B such as bananas, and broccoli. Put the B in a prominent location on the refrigerator and play hide and seek with the letter B. 
• Read to Your Child
•  read a book of Mother Goose poems
• 20th Century Children's Book Treasury
• The Llama Who Had No Pajama: 100 Favorite Poems 
• The Carrot Seed by Ruth Krauss 
• Billy's Picture by HA Rey 
• Pretzel by HA Rey
• Hedgie's Surprise by Jan Brett  
• Stone Soup by Marcia Brown
• The Quiltmaker's Gift by Jeff Brumbeau
• The Bee Tree by Patricia Polacco
• The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton More by Virginia Lee Burton
• The Animal Show and Other Peter Patter Rhymes by Jackson, Leroy
• Jesse Bear, What will you wear? by Nancy White Carlstrom
• Snowflake Bently
• Katy No Pocket
• Eric Carl Treasury
• Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney
• Cranberry Thanksgiving
• The Little Engine that Could by Watty Piper 
• What do People do all Day? by Richard Scary 
• She's Wearing a Dead Bird on Her Head
• Science Fair Bunnies
• Tomie De Paola Books - Strega Nona, Charlie Needs a Cloak, The Legend of Bluebonnet, The Bubble Factory, The Art Lesson, Watch Out for the Chicken Feet in Your Soup, The Popcorn Book
• Bravest Dog Ever: The True Story of Balto 
• The Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Gray Bridge
• The Hundred Dresses

1st Grade - Reading (World History, Emergency Preparedness, Plants, Animals)

•  Leap Frog Videos: The Letter Factory, The Talking Words Factory and Code Word Caper - These are the best learn to read videos ever. Watch The Letter Factory until your child knows the letters, then move onto The Talking Words Factory and finish up with Code Word Caper.
•  Plastic Letters and Numbers - After your child can recognize the letters both upper and lower case, you should begin playing with the letters making short consonant-vowel-consonant words such as dog, mat, pig, and hop. Letter manipulatives are essential and the magnetic kind work great. Make the word hop with the letters and then hop around the room. Make the word cap with the letters and then find a baseball cap. Put three letters into a plastic egg, hide the egg, let your child find the egg, then unscramble the letters to form a word.
• School Zone Phonics Books: Jog Frog Jog, The Fox on the Box, Nine Men Chase a Hen, I Want a Pet - There are many more books. After your child can recognize and read some words with the magnets begin reading these books together.
• If you want a more structured approach for learning to read look into the Logic of English curriculum.
• Read to your child - 
• The Complete Tales of Winnie the Pooh
• Beatrix Potter Stories - Tale of Peter Rabbit
• The Fat-Cats at Sea - Poetry
• Blue Frog: The Legend of Chocolate
• The Rag Coat
• The Story About Ping
• The Empty Pot by Demi
• Make Way for Dumplings: A Robert McCloskey Treasury
• Daisy-Head Mayzie by Dr. Seuss  
• Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina 
• Imogene's Antlers by David Small
• Cappyboppy by Bill Peet
• The Story of Doctor Dolittle by Lofting
• The Duchess Bakes a Cake by Virginia Kahl
• Anna's Goat by Keefer
• Bitter Dumplings
• Erandi's Braids
• Boxes for Katje post WWII
• Lisette's Angel - WWII 
• The Butterfly by Patricia Polacco  - WWII 

2nd Grade - Reading (Ancient Civilizations, Wegits, Magnatiles, Simple Machines, Bridge Study)

• Plastic Letters and Numbers - After your child can read CVC (consonant-vowel-consonant) words you should introduce silent e, vowel and consonant blends. Continue playing with the plastic letters and reading simple phonics books.
• Step into Reading Books - Once your child has read through the School Zone Phonics books move onto the Step into Reading series. There are four levels and a plethora of books to choose from. Find books that interest your child to read together. 
• Frances Books by Russell Hoban 
• Little Bear Books by Sendak
• Frog and Toad Books by Arnold Lobel
• Library Card or Large Home Book Selection - The goal this year is to become proficient in reading and foster a love of reading. Spend at least 30 minutes reading every day. Read to the kids, have the kids read to you, have the kids read to each other, have the kids do silent reading. Let the kids pick their own books from a selection you have pre-approved. 
• Read to your child - 
• A Children's Book of Virtues by William Bennett
• The Wind in the Willows by Grahame
• Jamari's Drum 
• The Winged Cat 
• The Five Chinese Brothers
• The Legend of the Kite: A Story of China by Chen Jiang Hong 
• Ten Suns
• Cat and Rat 
• Stories from India, Naidu
• A Madeline Treasury by Ludwig Bemelman
• Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren
• How Mountains Are Made (Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science 2)
• The Magic School Bus Wet All Over: A Book About The Water Cycle
• The Magic School Bus Inside the Earth (Magic School Bus)
• The Magic School Bus: All Dried Up: A Book About Deserts 
• The Magic School Bus Takes A Dive: A Book About Coral Reefs
• One Day in the Tropical Rain Forest
• One Day in the Desert (Trophy Chapter Book) 
• In the Rain Forest: A Book about Rain Forest Ecology (Magic School Bus) 
• North Pole South Pole
• Hill Of Fire (I Can Read, Book 3)

3rd Grade - Reading (Ancient Civilizations, Geology, Astronomy, Prehistoric Creatures)

• Read to your child - 
• A Child's Garden of Verses by Robert Louis Stevenson 
• My Life with Chimpanzees by Jane Goodall
• Charlotte's Web by EB White
• Just So Stories by Rudyard Kipling 
• James Harriot's Treasury for Children
• Milly Molly Mandy Storybook
• Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Ronald Dahl
• Tales from the Arabian Nights by James Riordan

4th Grade - Reading (Middle Ages and Renaissance, Bread Baking Chemistry, Candy Making Chemistry, Cells)

• Reading
• Hans Christian Andersen Fairy Tales
• The Whipping Boy by Sid Fleischman
• The Story of King Arthur and His Knights (Sterling Unabridged Classics) by Howard Pyle
• The River by Bernadette Watts (water cycle)
• How to Dig a Hole to the Other Side of the World
• A Storm Called Katrina tells the story of how the people dealt with the hurricane.
• Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi
• Carry on Mr. Bowditch
• Selvakumar Knew Better

5th Grade - Reading (Age of Exploration, Human Body)

• Reading 
• Beautiful Stories from Shakespeare  
• Tales from Shakespeare
• The Jungle Book
• Incredible Journey
• Heidi by Spyri  
• Galen and the Gateway to Medicine (Living History Library) was an Ancient Roman doctor. He learned about internal organs by treating gladiators. Medical knowledge during Galen's time was very different than today.

6th Grade - Reading (Civil War to Modern, Earth Science)

• Read to your child - 
• Esperanza Rising
• Where the Red Fern Grows 
• Red Badge of Courage
• Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry
• Julie of the Wolves
• The Big Wave by Pearl S Buck
• Red Scarf Girl - China Cultural Revolution  
• Quake: Disaster in San Francisco 1906
• Getting to Know the Two Vietnams by Fred West 
• Tsunami!
• The Big Wave 
• The House on the Volcano - Set in Hawaii, two children disagree about legend and scientific explanation for volcanic eruptions. (Written in the 1960's, some parts would likely be altered today.) 
• Mount St. Helens Volcano: Violent Eruption (American Disasters)
• Volcanoes: Journey to the Crater's Edge

7th Grade - 8th Grade Reading (American and Native American, 3D Modeling and Computer Programming)

• Legend of Sleepy Hollow 
• Rip Van Winkle and Other Stories 
• Call of the Wild - Jack London 
• To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee 
• Great Gatsby - Fitzgerald
• The Pearl - Steinbeck 
• The Grapes of Wrath - Steinbeck
• Island of the Blue Dolphins by O'Dell
• The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn 
• The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
• Little House Series by Laura Ingalls Wilder
• By the Great Horn Spoon! by Sid Fleischman - Gold Rush -
• Indian Captive: The Story of Mary Jemison by Lenski

9th Grade - 12th Grade - Reading (British History, Ancient Greeks and Romans, chemistry)

• The Children's Homer by Padriac Column
• Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde - Stevenson 
• Frankenstein - Mary Shelley
• Sophocles the Complete Plays
• Euripedes Ten Plays
• Monkey: Folk Novel of China
• Jane Eyre
• Undaunted Courage Steven Ambrose
• Last of the Mohicans by Cooper
• Uncle Tom's Cabin Stowe
• GA Henty Novels
• The Chosen by Potok
• The Scarlet Letter - Hawthorne
• Gone with the Wind

History

These books are grouped by topic and approximate grade level, but many of these books are well suited for a range of grades. Therefore you could study one year of curriculum with multiple age groups or at different grades than recommended below. 

K - History - American History Stories

Picture Books

The Children's Book of America is the only book I consider essential. All others are optional but highly recommended.

• The Children's Book of America by William J Bennett *Essential
• More Than Moccasins: A Kid's Activity Guide to Traditional North American Indian Life (Hands-On History)
• Liberty's Kids Video Series Episodes 1-40 
• D'Aulaire's American History Biographies 
• Tapenum's Day: A Wampanoag Indian Boy in Pilgrim Times
• Hiawatha
• Eskimo Boy ~ Life in an Inupiaq Eskimo Village 
• Kayuktuk: An Arctic Quest
• Pueblo Storyteller
• Pueblo Boy: Growing Up in Two Worlds  
• The Sacred Harvest: Ojibway Wild Rice Gathering (We Are Still Here : Native Americans Today)
• Very Last First Time   
• Ox-Cart Man - pioneers
• Follow the Drinking Gourd - Underground Railroad
• Who Owns the Sun by Stacy Chbosky
• Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt
• Mailing May - 1914 Railroad
• Ruby Bridges Goes to School - segregation
• Freedom on the Menu: The Greensboro Sit-ins
• Sam the Minuteman (I Can Read Book 3)
• 18 Penny Goose

Chapter Books

• American Tall Tales by Stoutenburg
• A Lion to Guard Us by Clyde Robert Bulla - Colonial America
• Girl of the Shining Mountains by Roop  
• Naya Nuki: The Girl who Ran
• Jean Fritz American History Books - Revolutionary America
• Johnny Texas 
• The Story of Annie Oakley
• The Birchbark House
• Little House on the Prairie Series
• Ben and Me: An Astonishing Life of Benjamin Franklin by His Good Mouse Amos
• Poor Richard by James Daughterty 
• Sarah Bishop

1st Grade - History - World History Overview

• A Child's History of the World - by V.M. Hillyer *Essential
• Fifty Famous Stories Retold - by James Baldwin *Essential
• Magic Tree House Series - for kids to read on their own

2nd - 3rd Grade - History - Ancient Civilizations

Story of the World is the only book I consider essential. All others are optional but highly recommended.

• Story of the World Volume 1 - Ancient Times *Essential
• Aztecs, Incas and Mayans
• Montezuma and the Fall of the Aztecs
• Greek History
• Atlantis the Lost City
• D'Aulaire's Book of Greek Myths
• The Librarian Who Measured the Earth
• Celts
• Free Celtic Unit Study
• D'Aulaire's Book of Norse Myths
• Vikings
• Free Vikings Unit Study
• Lief the Lucky by D'Aulaire 
• Viking Adventure by Clyde Robert Bulla 
• Viking Tales by Jennie Hall
• Free Scythian Unit Study
• Free Mesopotamia Unit Study 
• Ancient Egypt
• Free Egyptian Unit Study
• Ancient Egyptian Art
• Cleopatra VII: Daughter of the Nile, Egypt, 57 B.C. (8.2.1999) 
• The Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt
• Tales of Ancient Egypt (Puffin Classics) 
• The Cat of Bubastes: A Tale of Ancient Egypt 
• Seeker of Knowledge: The Man Who Deciphered Egyptian Hieroglyphs 
• The Shipwrecked Sailor: An Egyptian Tale with Hieroglyphs 
• Ms. Frizzle's Adventures: Ancient Egypt 
• The Egyptian Cinderella
•  Pepi and the Secret Names: Help Pepi Crack the Hieroglyphic Code 
• Great Pharaohs of Egypt - is a four part series of videos which tells the stories of many significant pharaohs.   
• Ancient China
• Free China Unit Study 
• Confucius: The Golden Rule
• The Silk Route: 7000 Miles of History
• The Emperor and the Kite
• Empress of China: Wu Ze Tian
  
• The Lost Horse 
• Liang and the Magic Paintbrush 
• Genghis Khan and the Mongol Horde
• Beautiful Warrior
• Ms. Frizzle's Adventures in Imperial China
• The Chinese Violin
• Great Wall of China
• Africa
• A Glorious Age in Africa 

4th Grade - History - The Middle Ages

Story of the World is the only book I consider essential. All others are optional but highly recommended.

• Story of the World Volume 2 - The Middle Ages  *Essential
• Middle Ages
• Free Middle Ages Unit Study
• Cathedral by David Macaulay 
• Castle by David Macaulay
• Breaking Into Print
• Francis, the Poor Man of Assisi by Tomie de Paola
• Castle Diary: The Journal of Tobias Burgess by Richard Platt
• Ms. Frizzle's Adventures: Medieval Castle
• Canterbury Tales by Barbara Cohen- These stories are best for ages 9 and up.
• Saint George and the Dragon by Margaret Hodges
• Adventures in the Middle Ages (Good Times Travel Agency) by Linda Baily and Bill Slavin
• Midwife's Apprentice Cushman 
• Catherine, Called Birdy (rpkg) (Trophy Newbery) by Karen Cushman 
• The Minstrel and the Dragon Pup by Rosemary Sutcliff
• Adam of the Road (Puffin Modern Classics) by Robert Lawson
• The Great and Terrible Quest by Margaret Lovett
• Otto of the Silver Hand (Dover Children's Classics) by Howard Pyle
• The Door in the Wall by Marguerite de Angeli
• The Trumpeter of Krakow
• The Sword in the Tree (Trophy Chapter Book) by Clyde Robert Bulla 
• Of Swords and Sorcerers (King Arthur)
• Chancer's Canterbury Tales Retold And Illustrated by Marcia Williams by Marcia Williams (great version for younger kids)
• The Kitchen Knight: A Tale of King Arthur by Margaret Hodges (A story of King Arthur's Knight Sir Gareth)
• Persia
• Free Persian Unit Study 
• Gilgamesh the King (The Gilgamesh Trilogy) 
• The Legend of the Persian Carpet by Tomie de Paola
• Shadow Spinner
• Renaissance
• Free Renaissance Unit Study 
• Leonardo Da Vinci by Emily Hahn
• Leonardo's Horse
• Leonardo and the Flying Boy (Anholt's Artists Books for Children)
• Mary, Bloody Mary
• Good Queen Bess : The Story of Elizabeth I of England  
• Bard of Avon: The Story of William Shakespeare
• Michelangelo by Diane Stanley
• Bravo! Zan Angelo!

5th Grade - History - Age of Exploration

Story of the World is the only book I consider essential. All others are optional but highly recommended.

• Story of the World Volume 3 - Early Modern Times
• Trapped by the Ice: Shackleton 
• Marco Polo's Adventures in China

6th Grade - History - Civil War to Modern Age

• Story of the World Volume 4 - The Modern Age

7th Grade - History - Native American and American History

The US Kids Series or The Landmark History of the American People  are essential. It is not necessary to read both, but they are different and you could cover both if you have time.

•  US Kids -
• American Indians
• American Colonies
• American Revolution
• New American Nation
• Civil War
• Landmark History of the American People 

8th Grade - History - American History II

This Country of Ours is the only book I consider essential. All others are optional but highly recommended.

• America - This Country of Ours *Essential
• The Endless Steppe - WWII 
• Facing Death by Henty - Coal Mines
• Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin

9th Grade - History - British History, Ancient Greeks and Romans

• English History
• United Kingdom - Our Island Story *Essential
• Roman Empire 
• The Story of Rome by Mary MacGregor *Essential
• City by David Macaulay 
• Roman Myths by McCaughrean
• Our Young Folks' Plutarch (Yesterday's Classics) 
• The Eagle (The Roman Britain Trilogy) 
• A Roman Fort 
• Roman Myths by Geraldine McCaughrean
• Pompeii...Buried Alive! (Step into Reading) 
• The Buried City of Pompeii: Picturebook 
• Galen and the Gateway to Medicine
• Life of a Roman Slave (Way People Live)
• Free Roman Unit Study
•  Greece
• The Story of Greece by Mary MacGregor *Essential
• D'Aulaires' Book of Greek Myths
• Our young folk's Plutarch
• Odysseus And The Cyclops by Warwick Hutton
• The Odyssey by Adrian Mitchell 
• Tales from the Odyssey series by Mary Pope Osborne
• Atlantis, The Lost City by Andrew Donkin
• The Trojan Horse: How the Greeks Won the War
• Ancient Greek Art
• Free Greek Unit Study

10th Grade-12th Grade - History

• Study for a history CLEP exam and earn college credit. Be sure to use the study guide.
• Get a subscription to The History Vault and watch history documentaries.
• Read any of the following books based on history interests.

• Author H.E. Marshall
• Germany - The History of Germany
• United Kingdom - Through Great Britain and Ireland with Cromwell
• England - Our Empire Story
• Scotland - Scotland's Story
• Europe - The Story of Europe
• France - The Story of Napoleon

• Author Mary MacGregor
• The Netherlands
• Stories of the Vikings
• The Story of France

• Author Eva March Tappan
• Middle Ages - European Hero Stories
• Middle Ages - Heros of the Middle Ages
• Greece, Rome and Persia - Old World Hero Stories
• Greece - The Story of the Greek People
• Middle Ages - When Knights were Bold

• Author M.B. Synge
• Europe, Reformation - The Awakening of Europe
• Explorers from Babylon to the South Pole - Book of Discovery
• From Romans to Spanish Conquest - Discovery of New Worlds
• Europe - Middle Ages - Brave Men and Brave Deeds
• England - Great Englishmen 
• England - Great Englishwomen
• England - Growth of the British Empire
• Mediterranean Sea (Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, etc) - On the Shores of the Great Sea
• European Colonization - The Struggle for Sea Power
• England - The Reign of Queen Victoria
• England - The Tutors and the Stuarts

• Author Robert VanBergen
• The Story of China
• The Story of Japan
• The Story of Russia

Science

K - Science

• Discover & Do Level K DVD: Air, in the Kitchen, Plants
• Read to your child
• Man on the Moon (Picture Puffin Books) tells the story of the first moon landing. It's a great picture book for young children K through 3rd grade.
• The Glorious Flight
• How to Dig a Hole to the Other Side of the World tells what happens when a child digs a hole through the earth. Kids learn about the different layers and what the earth is made of through this entertaining picture book perfect for young children. 
• Magic School Bus Series of Picture Books 

1st Grade - Science - Emergency Preparedness, Plants, Animals

• Discover & Do Level 1 DVD: Water, Magnets, Light and Mirrors
• Free Emergency Preparedness Unit Study
• Free Plant Unit Study
• Free Animal Unit Study
• Read to your child
• Stellaluna is a bat who has a run-in with an owl as a baby. She ends up being raised by birds and learning their habits until she is reunited with her mother.
• Dolphin Adventure by Grover 
• Wiggly Worms at Work
• The Boy Who Drew Birds
• Jim Arnosky's Crinkleroot Books - Crinkleroot's Guide to Knowing the Birds, Crinkleroot's Guide to Knowing Animal Habitats, Crinkleroot's Guide to Knowing the Trees  
• The Seasons of Arnold's Apple Tree
• Holling Clancy Holling SET of 5 -Minn of the Mississippi, Paddle to the Sea, Seabird, Tree in the Trail, Pagoo - Holling C Holling's books entertain while children learn about science and geography. In Paddle to the Sea, an boy carves an Indian in an canoe and places it on a mountain top. When the snow melts the toy travels throughout the Great Lakes and Out through the St. Lawrence Sea Way.   
• Favorite Thornton Burgess Animal Stories Boxed Set (Sets)  - Thornton Burgess wrote many story books about animals. In The Adventures of Jerry Muskrat, the Laughing Brook quit laughing because all the water disappeared. When the animals go on a quest to discover the cause they meet Paddy Beaver.
• The Burgess Bird Book for Children
• The Burgess Animal Book for Children
  The Bird and Animal Book are slightly more difficult than Burgess's Animal Stories. These stories explore the relationships between animals and are more focused on specific animal groups.

2nd Grade - Science - Wegits, Magnatiles, Simple Machines, Bridge Study

• Free Bridge Unit Study 
• Free Simple Machine Unit Study
• Discover & Do Level 2 DVD: Batteries, Your Body, Weather
• Read to your child
• Archimedes and the Door of Science (Living History Library)
  Archimedes was an ancient Greek engineer who was interested in simple machines. He lived in the city of Syracuse and helped to defend his island during war.
• Archimedes Takes a Bath
• Ghost Liners: Exploring the World's Greatest Lost Ships
• Exploring the Bismark
• The Story of Inventions by McHugh

3rd Grade - Science - Geology, Astronomy, Prehistoric Creatures

• Free Geology Unit Study
• Free Astronomy Unit Study  
• Free Evolution Unit Study
• Read to your child or have your child read
• Magic School Bus Chapter Books
• One Beetle Too Many - Charles Darwin Story

4th Grade - Science - Bread Baking Chemistry, Candy Making Chemistry, Cells

• Free Cells Unit Study
• Baking Artisan Bread by Ciril Hitz
• Candy Making book by Autumn Carpenter

5th Grade - Science - Human Body

• Free Human Body Unit Study
• Once Upon a Time Life video series
• The Way We Work by David Macaulay

6th Grade - Science- Earth Science

• Free Earth Science Unit Study
• Earth Science
  
• Rocks, rivers & the changing earth,: A first book about geology, (Young Scott books) - Explains how the Earth works in a story format from a scientific perspective. *Essential
• How the Earth Works (How It Works)
• How the Earth Works: 60 Fun Activities for Exploring Volcanoes, Fossils, Earthquakes, and More
• Janice VanCleave's A+ Projects in Earth Science: Winning Experiments for Science Fairs and Extra Credit 
• Flood: Wrestling With The Mississippi  - This book tells the story of the 1993 flooding which occurred all up and down the Mississippi River. The causes are explained beginning with the history of the levee system, with top-quality photographs in a way that is easy to understand. Here's an excerpt, "And so the French built a wall of earth, a levee, between themselves and the river. When finished, the levee was more than a mile long, 4 feet high, and 18 feet wide at the top. That levee was the first human attempt to wrestle with the Mississippi and to tame it. It was also the first of many levees to be built."
• Tracking Trash: Flotsam, Jetsam, and the Science of Ocean Motion (Scientists in the Field Series)  
• Geography from A to Z: A Picture Glossary (Trophy Picture Books)

7th Grade - Science - Computer Programming

• Javascript for Kids
• Scratch
• Khan Academy Computer Classes - Computer Programming, Computer Science, AP Computer Science, Hour of Code, Computer Animation 

8th Grade - Science - Biology

•  Khan Academy offers Biology, High School Biology and AP Biology

9th Grade - Science - Chemistry

• Life of Fred Chemistry
• CK01A Chemistry Laboratory Kit from The Home Scientist, LLC.
• The Mystery of the Periodic Table (Living History Library)  tells the story of chemistry from the first experimenters to how each of the elements was discovered.
• Khan Academy offers Chemistry, AP Chemistry and Organic Chemistry

10th Grade - Science - Physics

•  Khan Academy offers Physics, AP Physics I and AP Physics II

11th and 12th Grade - Science

Depending on future goals and where the child is in current studies, you may want to look into biology, chemistry or physics. If the basic level was completed, Khan Academy offers AP Biology, AP Chemistry, and AP Physics. You could look into revisiting astronomy, the human body, plants, animals or another interest area. You could also look into science classes at community college.

• Khan Academy Cosmology and Astronomy
• Khan Academy Health and Medicine

Foreign Language

K - 5th Grade - Foreign Language

• Muzzy – Children’s cartoon for learning foreign languages. Many languages available.

Look for music and cartoons in the target language made for children who speak that language. Here are resources for learning German and Spanish.

German Kid Music Musicians

• Detlev Jocker
• Rolf Zuckowski 

German Language Cartoons

• Die Maus
• Sesamstrasse (Sesame Street in German)
• Die KleineHexe
• Der KleineEisbar
• Lauras Stern
• Benjamin Blumchen

Spanish Kid Music Musicians

• Cri Cri - Children's Music in Spanish

Spanish Language Cartoons

• Pororo – Spanish Penguin on youtube
• Pocoyo – Spanish cartoons. Also available in some form on youtube.

Programs

• Salsa Spanish
• Pimsleur Spanish
• Pimsleur German

6th Grade - 12th Grade - Foreign Language

• Duo Lingo - Free Language Learning on-line and app **Highly Recommended, Many Languages Available
• Rosetta Stone Spanish
• Rosetta Stone German

Government and Economics

K - Government and Economics

• Duck for President
• The Sneetches and Other Stories by Dr. Seuss
• Johnny's Jelly Bean Tacos

1st Grade - Government and Economics

• The Toothpaste Millionaire

2nd Grade - Government and Economics

• The Tuttle Twins books by Connor Boyack

3rd Grade - Government and Economics

•  The Lemonade War

4th Grade - Government and Economics

• Ragged Dick and other books by Heratio Alger

5th Grade - Government and Economics

• Scammed by Statistics by Zaccaro

6th Grade - Government and Economics

• Richard Maybury Uncle Eric Series

7th Grade - Government and Economics

• Animal Farm

8th Grade - Government and Economics

• How to Profit from the Coming Devaluation
• How Adam Smith Can Change Your Life: An Unexpected Guide to Human Nature and Happiness
• The Invisible Heart: An Economic Romance
• The Choice: A Fable of Free Trade and Protection (3rd Edition)
• The Price of Everything: A Parable of Possibility and Prosperity
  

9th Grade - Government and Economics

• Five Thousand Year Leap 
• Freedom Answer Book 
• The Case Against Socialism - Rand Paul 

10th Grade - Government and Economics

• Basic Economics - Thomas Sowell
• The Vision of the Anointed - Thomas Sowell
• Black Rednecks and White Liberals - Thomas Sowell 
• Liberty Defined - Ron Paul 
• End of the Fed - Ron Paul
• The Revolution - Ron Paul

11th Grade - Government and Economics

• Theodore and Woodrow - Andrew Napolitano
• Constitution in Exile - Andrew Napolitano
• Dred Scott's Revenge - Andrew Napolitano
• It's Dangerous to Be Right When the Government is Wrong - Andrew Napolitano 
• A Nation of Sheep - Andrew Napolitano
• Suicide Pact - Andrew Napolitano
• Lies the Government Told You - Andrew Napolitano

12th Grade - Government and Economics

• Ayn Rand - Atlas Shrugged 
• The Federalist Papers
• Declaration of Independence, Constitution, Articles of Confederation

Geography

Becoming familiar with maps is a must for understanding geography. There are many puzzles available which introduce young children to geography. Beyond that geography is best studied in the context of other subjects. For example, when studying Earth Science be sure to locate different habitats, the Pacific Ring of Fire, and unique geological formations such as the Grand Canyon and the Great Rift Valley on the map. When studying history, be sure to find the geographical region you are studying. Here are a few geography resources that work well when studying related topics.



K - 2nd Grade - Geography

• Talking USA Puzzle
• GeoPuzzle World
• GeoPuzzle US and Canada 
• GeoPuzzle Europe
• GeoPuzzle Africa
• GeoPuzzle Latin America
• GeoPuzzle Asia 
• Read
• Throw Your Tooth on the Roof
• How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World
• The Pumpkin Runner -Australia
• The Story of Little Babaji - India
• Village of Round and Square Houses - Africa
• Jamari's Drum by Eboni Bynum - Africa
• Urso Brunov and the White Emperor - Russia
• Eskimo Boy - Life in an Inupiaq Eskimo Village
• Leaving Vietnam
• The Story of Ferdinand - Spain 
• Learning to Swim in Swaziland
• Balarama A Royal Elephant - India
• Hill of Fire - South America
• Day of Ahmed's Secret - Egypt 
• Papa Piccolo by Carol Talley - Italy 
• Babar's USA

3rd Grade - 5th Grade - Geography

• A Child's geography of the World - Read slowly over the course of a school year
• Mozart, The Wonder Boy -  Read when studying European History
• Seterra - an on-line geography quiz game that's free to download
• Facing the Lion: Growing up Maasai
• Paddle to the Sea by Hollings C Hollings - Read when studying Native American History, or the Great Lakes Region

Music

K - 2nd Grade - Music

• Learn to play the piano or another instrument
• Listen
• Classical Kids CD's - Volume 1, Volume 2  - Audio CD's with classical music intertwined with stories for kids, secular, K-5th
• Peter and the Wolf and other Musical Stories
• A Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra by Benjamin Britten
• Stories of the Great Composers - book and audio CD, K-5th, workbook
• Color the Classics  - K-3rd, coloring book and stories, Christian
• A Coloring Book of Great Composers - K-5th, coloring book and stories, Christian
• Read
• Duke Ellington by Andrea Pinkney 
• Getting to Know the World's Greatest Composers: Bach, Beatles, Beethoven, Bernstein, Brahms, Chopin, Copland, Ellington, Gershwin, Handel, Mozart, Sousa, Stravinsky, Tchaikovsky  
• Opera Cat by Tess Weaver

3rd Grade - 5th Grade - Music

• Great Musician Series Books by Opal Wheeler
•  Sebastian Bach, The Boy from Thuringia
•  Mozart, The Wonder Boy
•  Joseph Haydn, The Merry Little Peasant
•  The Young Brahms
•  Franz Schubert and His Merry Friends
•  Frederick Chopin, The Early Years
• Frederick Chopin, The Later Years
• Stephen Foster and His Little Dog Tray
• Edward MacDowell and His Cabin in the Pines
• Handel at the Court of Kings
• Robert Schumann and Mascot Ziff
• Peter Tchaikovsky and the Nutcracker Ballet
• The Story of Peter Tchaikovsky
• Paganini, Master of Strings
• Adventures of Richard Wagner

Art

K - 2nd Grade - Art

• Visit an Art Museum
• 365 Things to Make and Do
• Babar's Muesum of Art
• James Mayhew's Katie Books
• Laurence Anholt Books - Degas and the Little Dancer, VanGogh and the Sunflowers, The Magical Garden of Claude Monet, Tell Us a Story Papa Chagall, Camille and the Sunflowers, Picasso and the Girl with a Pony Tail, Leonardo and the Flying Boy, Matisse the King of Color, Cezanne and the Apple Boy
• Getting to Know the World's Greatest Artists by Mike Venezia

3rd Grade - 5th Grade - Art

• Come Look With Me - This is a series of books to study famous works of art. Go through the books very slowly covering one picture every two weeks. Just read about the painting and answer the questions in the book. Then set the picture as the desktop background on the computer. 
• Getting to Know the World's Greatest Artists by Mike Venezia - This is a series of books on famous artists.
• Discovering Great Artists - This is a book of art projects. Use it in conjunction with Mike Venezia's series of Getting To Know The World's Greatest Artists. Try to read one book and do a project every two weeks.

Electives

Elective courses can develop into life long hobbies. This is a chance to inspire your kids to try something new and see if they like it. If you don't have these skills or hobbies, seek out a friend and see if they will introduce it to your child or take a class. Here are some elective ideas to introduce new topics.

K - 12th Electives

• Weaving on Cardboard by Alexander
• Peg Loom Knitting
• Knitting, sewing, spinning, and needle felting 
• Pottery
• Any Sport - soccer, skiing, dance, baseball, tennis, etc
• Learn an Instrument - harmonica, piano, trumpet, violin, etc
• Fishing, hunting
• Woodworking
• Community Theater
• Metal Detecting
• Learn to Make Candy
• Learn to Bake Bread
• Learn to program computers - Javascript for Kids 
• Photography, Photo Editing
• Grow a Garden
• Raise a Farm Animal - Chickens, Pigs, Sheep 
• Refinish a piece of furniture
• Renovate a room in your house such as a bathroom