Homeschooling Links

How-to Homeschooling Books

The Well Trained Mind: we used this for the “what” of our homeschool; Classical Education
A Charlotte Mason Education: we used this for the “how” of our homeschool: Living Books, short lessons, nature study, narration, etc.
Educating the Whole-Hearted Child: I loved this book for inspiration and support. Apparently there is an updated version, too.
What is a Visual-Spatial Learner? We had one of these and this was helpful to know.
Design-a-Study: Help for learning how to design your own custom homeschooling curriculum

Book-based Curriculum We’ve Loved

Sonlight: wonderful literature, history and geography book choices; also full curriculum provider. (Secular & Christian)
Five in a Row: Wonderful literature program using picture books for kids 4-7 years old (Secular)
Story of Science Books: we love this science series by Joy Hakim (Secular) (see my review)
History of US: we also love this history series Joy Hakim (Secular)
Shurley: great series for a good foundation in grammar (I don’t love the writing piece but the grammar bit is great.)
Runkle Geography: we love this Physical Geography series (Secular)
Real Science 4 Kids: we loved these science books, with real science presented accessibly (Secular)
Veritas: wonderful literature, history and geography book choices; also full curriculum provider. (Secular & Christian)
Bravewriter: Language arts and writing (Secular)
Teaching Textbooks: Math curriculum on CD ROM with video lessons, and very problem explained. (Secular)
Royal Fireworks Press: Language arts, especial good vocabulary and five level analysis grammar (for after Shurley see above) (Secular)
Books by Thornton Burgess: Wonderful nature study read alouds and readers for young children (set available at Dover) (Secular)
For Such a Time as This: Rigorous High School Language Arts Curriculum (Christian)
Peace Hill Press: Books for a Well Trained Mind, Story of the World, history, geography and language arts (Secular)
The Great Courses: DVDs and audios of award-winning university professors; expensive so buy on sale (Secular)
Mystery of History: Chronological history for multiple ages and skill levels with activities and Bible woven in (Christian)
Yesterday’s Classics: republisher of classic books for children originally published between 1880 and 1920 (Secular)
A Beka: we used and liked their elementary level math program (however would not recommend as entire box curriculum for every subject) (Christian)
Cannon Press: Logic course (Christian)
Apologia Young Explorers Series: Charlotte Mason style science unit studies for younger kids.
Beginnings Publishing: Good hands on science for middle school (Rainbow program) and High School Chemistry (Spectrum program) with labs included
Rosetta Stone: CD Language Instruction. Be sure to get Homeschool edition. Strong on vocabulary, weak on grammar. (Secular)
Life of Fred: Amusing narrative math books good for review purposes
Harold Jacobs Math Books: Algebra, Geometry, and especially love the Human Endeavor book
Jackdaw Publications: Primary source documents

Favorite Homeschooling Posts on My Blog

Great Homeschooling Resources

Rainbow Resource Center: a colossal homeschooling catalogue
Usborne Books: some books with accessible educational content
DonnaYoung: awesome array of free homeschooling reproducibles.
HSLDA: Developing a plan for high school flyer
HSLDA: High School curriculum list
Homeschool Philosophies: A Resource List
Ultimate Guide to Free Reading and Literacy Resources
Picking Short Stories for a High School Literature class
Classic Literature for Middle School
The Homeschool Alliance: Coaching with Julie Bogart
Top Cultural and Educational Video Sites
Miller Pads and Paper: Homeschooling paper and supplies
Mindware: catalogue of hands on learning stuff, brainteasers and logic
Periodic Videos: Videos about the elements
Scale of the Universe Comparisons
International Science and Engineering Fair
Summer Research Opportunities for High School Students
College Board: College entrance examinations
Free Test Prep for the new SAT
Homeschool Diploma: order a classy formal diploma

Online Course Providers We’ve Used

Aleks.com: online independent study math program. Great for filling in gaps and for review/assessment. Subscription. (Secular)
Scholars Online: Online high school classes (Christian and Secular)
The Potter’s School: Online middle school and high school classes, huge list of real-time classes (Christian)
Pennsylvania Homeschoolers: Our favorite high school online AP classes
Homeschool Spanish Academy: online classes by Skype with native speaking teachers in Guatemala
Khan Academy: use for free online video review of subjects as needed
PhilFour: High school level Math and Science

Activities Our Kids Especially Enjoyed

4-H: citizenship and volunteer activism
Destination Imagination: a creative, fun team experience
FIRST Lego League: two of our kids loved this middle school team experience
FIRST Robotics: two of our kids loved this high school team experience
MIT SPLASH: weekend of intensive classes at MIT each year

Other resources we have not used
but friends of ours recommend

Thinkwell: independent online math and science courses
Chalkdust: video math learning
Math-U-See: K – 12 Math program
Lukeion Latin
Ambleside Online free Charlotte Mason based homeschool curriculum
World Science U master classes
Georgia Public Broadcasting: high school Chemistry and Physics
Memoria Press: Logic, Latin, classical curriculum
Living Books Curriculum
Building Foundations of Scientific Understanding: science for K-2
Froguts: virtual dissection
Derek Owens: Online high school math and physics classes
International Science and Engineering Fair
Research Science Institute
Waldorf Homeschooling Curriculum
Oak Meadow Homeschooling Curriculum
Bridget Thompson: AP and Honors English online
Art of Argument
Science Shepherd: Biology (Christian)
Fun Class: Spanish
Writing Assessment Services
Live Mocha: foreign language training

Favorite Homeschool Blogs by Others

Bravewriter blog

Update on our Three Kids

Virginia: Graduated from St. John’s College in Annapolis with a BA in Liberal Arts, and from Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs with a Master’s degree in Public Administration. She works on Early Education Public Policy for the State of California in Sacramento, California. (Homeschooled Grades 3-12)

Andrew: Graduated from Swarthmore College with high honors with a double major in Political Science (BA) and Engineering (BS), he is living in Washington D.C. designing software and algorithms to analyze data for public policy applications, both domestically and internationally, for a firm called Palantir. (Homeschooled Grades 1 – 12)

Laura: Graduated Juanita College in Pennsylvania in the spring of 2019 majoring in Physics, and minoring in both Math and Studio Art. She is now working toward her PhD in high energy Physics at Lehigh University in Pennsylvania, while teaching Physic I there. (Homeschooled Grades K – 12)