Blog
Elementary American History
Homeschooling history doesn’t have to be overwhelming! In this post, I’m sharing how we structure our American History studies using The History of US as our spine, along with supplemental books, notebooking, and videos to keep things engaging and manageable.
Homeschool Science Curricula
Explore the best homeschool science curricula, from spiral to mastery approaches. Compare programs like Nancy Larson, BFSU, Real Science Odyssey, Blossom & Root, and more!
A Week of Writing in Our Homeschool: Strategies and Resources
Homeschool Writing Made Simple
Discover how we structure a week of writing for 4th and 2nd grade! From IEW and Writing & Rhetoric to notebooking and novel studies, our approach blends structure with creativity.
Literature With My 10-Year-Old
Our literature routine is pretty solid at this point. Since my oldest finished his foundational reading program, we have focused on novel studies with a side of vocabulary and word study for the basis of his reading instruction. Each year, I pick a selection of books I would like to work through with him for a literature focus.
Write by Number: A Review
Write by Number (WBN) offers a step-by-step approach to writing, catering to students' individual progress rather than specific grade levels. It allows students to advance at their own pace, mastering each stage before moving on.
Spellography
If you have an older student (4th grade and up) who reads well but struggles with spelling, this might be the program for you. Spellography, by Dr. Moats and Dr. Rosow, has recently been reprinted, and it is unlike any spelling program you have ever seen.
Nancy Larson Science
We recently started using Nancy Larson Science, a spiral science curriculum, and are really enjoying it!
math follow up
Last week I posted about math and rigor; if you missed it, here yah go. When I shared this post on Instagram, I accidentally opened a couple of cans of worms. FUN!
on math and rigor
Let’s chat about math and why it feels like a math curriculum needs to be “hard” to be good.
make it stick: the science of learning
So, what exactly is the science of learning (SOL), and what strategies can we apply to our homeschool?
IEW: a guide
IEW’s writing curriculum offerings can be really confusing. In this blog post I break down all the different options for elementary writing curriculum from IEW.
math through the years
Choosing a math curriculum can be really overwhelming. In this post, I share a glimpse into my thinking as we have navigated math curriculum over the years, with the hopes that it will help you not jump through as many programs as we have.
how to choose a reading curriculum
Are you overwhelmed with all the options for reading curriculum? Let’s break down the components of a strong reading program and review my top recommendations.
UFLI foundations: a review
UFLI Foundations is a budget-friendly foundational reading skills curriculum developed by the University of Florida Literacy Institute.
recipe for reading: a review
Recipe for Reading is a no-frills, structured literacy reading program.
logic of english foundations: a review
Logic of English Foundations is a solid foundational reading skills curriculum used in the homeschool community and some classroom settings.
all about reading: a review
All About Reading is a staple reading curriculum in the homeschool community.
pinwheels: a review
Pinwheels is a gentle but comprehensive early literacy program by Rooted in Language. It consists of 4 levels divided into “year 1” and “year 2.”
literacy assessments
Research tells us our literacy instruction should be diagnostic and prescriptive — but how do we know what reading skills our children have mastered or need review?
