Over the years, we’ve used a variety of approaches and curricula. We’re truly eclectic homeschoolers. However, we’ve been influenced by several different things.
We had a very gentle kindergarten year with very few academics. For first through fourth grade, we slowly increased academics and followed a classical cycle for history and systematically covered the sciences. For fifth grade, we moved to being more child led in our approach to content subjects while continuing to move along in math and writing.
I’ve never been drawn to using an overarching all in one curriculum, not even some of the more creative options out there. We’ve tried a lot of other things, including dipping our toes into different math programs, various workbooks, and all kinds of supplements. However, everything has to serve my greater vision and the kids’ needs and interests.
We have had a few favorites among curricula and resources. For curricula, these have included Brave Writer, the Logic workbooks from Prufrock Press, the creative thinking workbooks from Tin Man Press, Miquon Math, and Beast Academy. For books, this includes Builders of the Old World by Gertrude Hartman, The Story of US by Joy Hakim, the American Story series by Betsy Maestro, the USKids History books from Brown Paper Schoolbag, the Murderous Maths series by Kjartan Poskitt, the Art Lab series, and the Scientists in the Field series.
The drop down tab at the top of this page has links to all of our various curricula choices from each year of homeschooling.
I Capture the Rowhouse 
Where did you find The Complete Book of World History? Is it OOP?
It does seem to be OOP, but it was less than $10 on Amazon used. It’s not an amazing resource, but it’s basic and solid – like the US history one or the maps one that are much more in use.
I was slow to buy it and three different copies I found for under $10 have now been purchased! 😉 Anyway I emailed Carson-Dellosa to ask if a new edition would be forthcoming, and the representative advised me that she “wasn’t sure” if a replacement has been scheduled yet. What can we say?
Oh well, it’s not a must, I think. It’s marginally more narrative than the Usborne Encyclopedia, which I thought was nice, but it’s also less detailed. I’m not especially in love with any of the three resources I listed that we’ll be referring to for history. They all have good and negative traits from my perspective. I didn’t find that one great history spine for early modern that I wanted.
I finally found an affordable copy. It has potential, I think. Thanks for the heads up.
We’ve used it for a weeklong everything to this point review and I admit I’ve really liked it better than the Usborne Encyclopedia, so I’m glad you found one!
Do you have any good art history resources to share? This would be for an 8yo homeschooler working several grades up from her level (5th – 6th grade level). Thanks!
We don’t do formal art history – in part because we are lucky to have such great museums, some of them with amazing free programs. I can say that I really like the ease of the 13 Artists… series as well as the Art for Children series, which we’ve used alongside history a few times. When the kids were younger, we also used the Prestel book A Year in Art, which was an easy way to do a light art a day activity – usually just a quick picture to look at. We routinely take out art books – whatever suits us – but no cohesive program. I have always heard Meet the Masters is excellent, but I have no experience with it.
Do you mean Meet the Masters by Susan Striker? Looks awesome, but very expensive. Thanks for the other ideas!
Hello…do you have a list of the curricula you used for 5th grade?
Hi, Christy! You spurred me to finally getting around to update it. I had started but not finished a bunch of these. They’re all up now if you look at the menu. Thanks for that!
I really, really, really want to find out more about the math curriculum you referenced in some post or other, problem solving without the computation, based on something 100 years old. You had said you added it somewhere, but I can’t find it on any of the drop down menus. Help!
It’s in this post from just a few weeks ago. If you click on the image, it should download. https://farrarwilliams.wordpress.com/2015/09/08/numberless-problems-for-today-free-download/
thank you!! 🙂