2025 Curriculum Choices

            2025 Curriculum and Book Choices: 

10th and 6th Grade

Note: 

Each year, I give a detailed plan of our schedule and our chosen resources. 

Our 2020 schedule and resources can be found here, our schedule and resources from 2021 can be found here , our resources from 2022 can be found here, our resources for 2023 can be found here, and our resources and curriculum choices for 2024 can be found here. 

In addition, you can find free printables of my 2021-2024 schedules here. 

We begin each school year in January, but I choose resources and plan for the following year well in advance. So, I have made these choices to begin our 2025 year with a 10th and 6th grade in January. I will update with any changes or additions throughout 2025. 

Group Lessons 

Treasure Time 

Recitation: May I Walk in Beauty 
Scripture Memory: TBD 
Citizenship Memory: Declaration of Independence 
Poetry Memory: American Poetry of Choice 
Skills: Skill of the Week 

Fun Facts: 
100 Things to Know About Numbers, Computers, and Coding
Weird But True: Middle Ages

Plus... (I continue to gather these as I come across them) 

Read Alouds: 
Nature Lore (see below) 
Biography (see below) 
Junior Genuis Guide: Maps and Geography
Cities Then and Now
Dangerous Prayers 
Archers, Alchemists, and 98 Other Medieval Jobs....
Castle Diary

Starters/Mind Movers: 
Be Brave Workbooks
Across the USA Activity Book
Write Your Own Poems (continue from this year) 
Continue My Year of... Series 
Summer Bridge Workbooks

History


American
Revolution  

Two "Spines":
George vs George
King George: What Was His Problem? 

Curriculum: 
Investigating American History

Plus, a variety of picture books. 
 

World
Middle Ages 

Combination of:
SOTW Volume 2
Simple Studies: Middle Ages 
U Read Through Middle Ages 
 
The Middle Ages: A Graphic History

Humanities 

Cultural Studies 

1. Regions of the USA using Picture Books 

2. Palestine: 

Palestine Lessons from Mint and Bloom 

World Religions
Repeat:
Delighting in the World: World Religions 

Add In: 
12 Major World Religions


Citizenship: 

Ongoing- 
Delighting in History: Presidency 

General Civics- 
Civic Online Reasoning from Stanford 

Topical Citizenship- National Monuments 
National Monuments of the USA

Topical Civics- Constitution 
Constitution 101 Course
Fault Lines in the Constitution and Graphic Novel Version
The United States Constitution: A Graphic Adaptation

Architecture

Castles (Castles: Their History and Evolution, Castles of Britain and Ireland)
The Stuff They Left Behind: Middle Ages
Cities 

Biography
Michael Bond: More Than Marmalade
Alfred Hitchcock: TBD 

Mapping 
Draw the USA
Daily Geography Practice: Grade 6 (Evan Moor) 
Mapping Skills and Activities from Wonder House Creative 

Geography
Delighting in the World: National Parks (Volume 1, 2, 3) 
Delighting in the World: Cities (NYC, London, Tokyo) 
50 Adventures in the 50 States 
The Awesome 50 States

Language 

Group Language

Poetry Composition & Forms:
Poetic Forms from Under the Home 
Pass the Poetry Please by Lee Bennet Hopkins 
Poetry Matters 
Fly With Poetry by Avis Harley 
Kids Magnetic Poetry 
100 Days of Poetry from At Home Middle School

Writing: 
Write With Front Desk

General: 
Continue Teen Slang Unit from Wonder House Creative

Complete Library Skills: Grade 6 

Literature 
Beowulf 

Poetry
Poetry in America from PBS 
American Literature Introduction Unit

American Poetry Bundle

Tales
Norse: Neil Gaiman's Norse Mythology 
Dragons: Dragonology & A Practical Guide to Dragons

Wizards: Wizardology

Shakespeare
Delighting in Shakespeare: Macbeth (Not Yet Released) 

Foreign Language 

Spanish: 
Continue Spanish for Everyone
Language Guide Vocabulary

Ancient Languages: 
Biblical Hebrew from Easy Peasy 
Build Vocabulary Faster Using Roots and Links


Group Math 

General: 
Finish Delighting in Math Volume 1 
Delighting in Math Volume 2 
Life of Fred: Goldfish
Home Math Workbook from NWT Literacy 
What's the Point of Math

Personal Finance:
Teenprenuer Business Course from Wonder House Creative 
Khan Academy: Personal Finance
100 Days of Money and Financial Literacy


Art 
Street Art: Michael De Feo: Flowers
Street Art Throughout America: Going to Gather Various Online Resources 


Picture Study 
Term 1: Fra Angelico: Study Contained in Simple Studies: Middle Ages 
Term 2: Giotto: Simply Charlotte Mason 
Term 3: van Eyck: A Humble Place

Art History 
Overview of Medieval Art

Handicrafts 
Film Review:  The Art of Watching Films 
Film History:  Crash Course Film History


Music 

Hymn Study: TBD 
Folk Songs: TBD 
Composer Study: TBD 

Music Theory: 
Music Theory Overview

Christian Studies 

Bible:
New Testament Study: Ephesians- Mini Bible Lessons
Old Testament Study: Continue Psalms for You 

Systematic Theology:
Ecclesiology 
Uncomfortable by Brett McCracken 
Simple Church by Thom Rainer 
Mini Bible Lessons: Doctrine ("The Church" Section) 

Topical/Practical Theology: 
Prayer- How to Pray by CS Lewis / Gratitude Journals 

Habits and Character: 
Courage (Discussion and Videos) 

Natural History and Science 

Special Studies

Term 1/2: Delighting in Creation: Medicinal Plants 
Term 2/3: Delighting in Creation: Wildflowers 

Science 
Science 1: Botany 
Botany in Eight Lessons
Trees, Leaves, Flowers, and Seeds
The Secret World of Plants

Science 2: Chemistry 
Middle School Chemistry
Intro to Chemistry from Wonder House Creative 
Super Simple Chemistry by DK 
Everything You Need to Ace Chemistry in One Big Fat Notebook

 

Nature Lore: 
100 Flowers and How They Got Their Names
Wicked Plants

Nature Study:
State Flowers and State Trees 
Book of State Trees and Book of State Flowers (Thinking Tree Workbooks) 

Critical Thinking 

Psychology: 
Delighting in Creation: Psychology - Finish Volume 1A and Complete 1B 


Philosophy: 
Teaching Children Philosophy and Ethics from The Prindle Institute 
Introducing Philosophy: A Graphic Guide

Technology: 
A Smart Kid's Guide to Social Media
Khan Academy: Internet Safety
Khan Academy: Social Media Literacy
Coding for Beginners & The Coding Book

Individual Lessons 

Language 

Language Arts
6th Grade: 
Bookworms 5 from Open Up Resources 
Melancholy Grammar Volume 2 from Mint and Bloom 

10th Grade:
High School Literacy from Open Up Resources 
How to Read Literature Like a Professor
Writing Tools
Continue Painless Grammar 

Reading and Vocabulary from Khan Academy 

Math 

6th Grade:
Math Grade 5 from Open Up Resources 
Zearn 
Anton App 


10th Grade:
Continue Painless Algebra 
Flipped Math Algebra 1


Logic 
6th Grade: 
Patterns and Logic Puzzles from Humble Math 

10th Grade: 
Continue Traditional Logic from Memoria Press 

Skills
6th Grade: 
Overcoming Obstacles Curriculum

10th Grade: 
Planning Your Career Workbook from NWT Literacy 
Becoming a Master Student Textbook

Independent Lists
Technology Scribble Book
Explode the Code 
Memory Games
STEM Adventures: Terrific Technology
Math Facts Practice 
Current Events 

High School Credits Are Not Found or Earned, They Are Built

If there’s one thing I see causing moms entirely unnecessary stress about homeschooling high school, it is the perception that there are fully constructed credits out there that they have to hunt down and secure. ⁣
⁣
But you don’t have to “find” credits.⁣
⁣
Credits are BUILT. ⁣
⁣
Work is done to *earn* them but not as a prize already constructed and needing to be obtained. ⁣
⁣
ALL work that a student does, throughout their high school career, is combined and constructed into the credits that they need. ⁣
⁣
Nothing is wasted. ⁣
⁣
Yes, there are courses and resources that have already built the credits for you, but you can follow the exact same process to build them yourself… ⁣
⁣
And if you’re pursuing any measure of communal, living, varied, rich high school education, you’re going to want to ensure that you know how. ⁣
⁣
Credits (Carnegie Units), are built of “hours”, which are not precisely 60 minute units of time. ⁣
⁣
Credit Hours Are Made Up of a Variety of Things: ⁣
⁣
1 Textbook (no matter how long it takes to complete)⁣
⁣
Experiences (Field Trips, Research, Projects, Internships, Interviews, Documentaries, etc) ⁣
⁣
16 Books (no matter how long they take to read) ⁣
⁣
One Semester of College Level Course Work⁣
⁣
Online or Local Classes (with books OR hours logged) ⁣
⁣
ANY combination of these can be used to build credit. ⁣
⁣
💡If a child completes an 80 hour internship spread across their 9th and 10th grade years, and then reads 9 books on a similar topic in their 12th grade year, they’ve earned a credit. ⁣
⁣
💡If a child completes about 3/4 of a writing textbook (no matter what grade) and also conducts an interview and writes a follow up report with the professional that they interned with, they’ve earned a Writing Credit… ⁣
⁣
💡If over 4 years they watch and discuss documentaries on a topic for around 100 hours (including discussion) and also write a final report on that topic, they’ve earned a credit. ⁣
⁣
Credits are built… ⁣
out of EVERYTHING a student does. ⁣
⁣
I teach this process in my CM High School Workshop… ⁣
⁣
but I also teach it in depth in my Peaceful Planning Course, which also provides needed High School Record Keeping Forms.

 

Theological Security Comes From Being Okay with the Discomfort of the "Messy Middle"

Recently, I spent 3 hours teaching an overview of Soteriology, giving an extensive coverage of Calvinism and Arminianism. (For Session 7 of my Love With Your Mind Theology Course) ⁣
⁣
An underlying theme of this session was Theological Security.⁣
⁣
Sometimes the “Middle Place” is a place between a place you’ve been and a place that you’re working towards and the things you simply don’t yet know or understand in between. ⁣
⁣
Sometimes the “Middle Place” is a place between a secondary position that you confidently hold and the value of someone else’s position that you curiously (and graciously) maintain as a valid possibility. ⁣
⁣
Sometimes the “Middle Place” is a place between two views or positions that you see as equally meritorious and have little interest in forming a strong stance on either way. ⁣
⁣
Sometimes the “Middle Place” is a place somewhere towards the center, albeit leaning to one side, of a tension that Scripture itself creates and that we aren’t actually intended to solve, such as with the Soteriologal tension between God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility. ⁣
⁣
Theological Security in any of these Middle Places isn’t rooted in either unsettledness nor in immovability. ⁣
⁣
Security isn’t frantic and fearful, but neither is it unteachable and incurious. ⁣
⁣
Confidence isn’t found in the “comfort” of no longer having any questions or of having solved every mystery. ⁣
⁣
We can’t find security in the belief that to find a position is to nullify the validity of other positions. ⁣
⁣
Security is found in being both settled and also peacefully searching. ⁣
⁣
This requires: ⁣
⁣
1️⃣ Humility ⁣
⁣
In everything secondary to the gospel itself, we have much to learn from each other and there should always be space to change our minds. ⁣
⁣
2️⃣ Investment ⁣
⁣
When we know that we’ve worked hard to be students of the heart of God (theologians), we can rest confidently not in having the answers but in God’s faithfulness to make use of our efforts. ⁣
⁣
3️⃣ Rest ⁣
⁣
We do the work of theologians but we also know that we are finite and that the One who is infinite has every answer and will perfect every one His plans, completing the good work He has begun in us.⁣
 

Philosophy Isn't Curriculum, Curriculum Isn't Philosophy

When it comes to the discussion of curriculum in the homeschooling world, particularly the Charlotte Mason corner of it, there are often two cognitively dissonant ideas attempting to work in tandem. ⁣
⁣
The first is: ⁣
“Your curriculum isn’t your philosophy; read Mason’s work for yourself.” ⁣
⁣
The second is: ⁣
“Some curriculum labels itself as ‘Charlotte Mason’ inspired but really isn’t rooted in her principles.” ⁣
⁣
Now, used in their proper form and context, I would endorse each of these statements and would also say that they are not opposing ideas. ⁣
⁣
So, what makes them so dissonant and problematic? ⁣
⁣
1️⃣ What is so often being implied in the first statement is that no curriculum itself is one’s educational philosophy but that if you read Mason’s work that HER philosophy can be your own. Which, isn’t possible because philosophy must be personally crafted. (See previous posts) ⁣
⁣
2️⃣ When coupled with that underlying implication of the first statement, the second one is meant to direct you right back to the curriculum that “isn’t your philosophy” but that (obviously) is the only correct interpretation of said philosophy. ⁣
⁣
(Side Note: This is a tactic utilized in every successful cult- take that for what you will.) ⁣
⁣
3️⃣ When used in the way that they often are, both statements display a gross and fundamental misunderstanding of Philosophy, Principles, Practices, and Methods. (I have a post and a workshop covering the difference.) ⁣
⁣
It is true that curriculum isn’t Philosophy.⁣
⁣
What is also true is that your Philosophy isn’t your curriculum. ⁣
⁣
This means that your curriculum choices are *informed* by your Philosophy but are not *dictated* or even *limited* by it. ⁣
⁣
Curriculum and resources often help you articulate and crystallize your philosophy and are always a framework and a set of tools for implementing practices and methods that carry out your philosophy. ⁣
⁣
Many tools not inspired by CM at all make better tools for implementing philosophies that are than many resources that claim her name. ⁣
⁣
When you truly understand philosophy, and have crafted your own, you can use (nearly) any curriculum or tool in a way that fits within it.
 

Lesson Planning Week

 

This is what my desk looks like during Lesson Planning Week… revolving stacks of books and resources piled up, planned and prepared, put away and replaced with the next stack… over and over until all 52 lessons currently in our homeschooling schedule are thoroughly planned. ⁣
⁣
I do this once every 6 weeks, and there is a moment each time that I look around at the piles around me and am presented with the choice of viewing these hours that I’m investing as a) overwhelming and needlessly challenging or as b) stewardship of the monumental task of facilitating the education of human beings. ⁣
⁣
I’ve continued to include dozens of lessons in our schedule and to plan every single one intentionally for a decade now, so obviously I choose the latter. ⁣
⁣
I SEE it as stewardship because it IS stewardship. ⁣
⁣
I’ve continued to lesson plan in this way through pregnancy and a newborn, through moves, through a 5 year court battle, through deaths and losses, through different seasons of ministry and working, through every age and stage and grade, through my own chronic illness, and through so much more of life. ⁣
⁣
And, I’m certainly not saying that everyone should do so- life, and homeschool, comes in seasons, and seasonal shifts are wise and should be individually determined. ⁣
⁣
But, homeschooling in the way that I do requires a hefty investment of planning and preparation and for ME personally, that has never been a wise or reasonable seasonal shift. ⁣
⁣
To homeschool with Communal Learning and Variety as nonnegotiable priorities means that I am using (literally) hundreds of books and resources at any given time. ⁣
⁣
Any given lesson on our schedule could be constructed of little bits of up to a dozen books and videos and articles and notebooks. ⁣
⁣
And, even for the subjects which I’m using a single resource or I’m largely using as written, I still open it to every page that we will utilizing over 6 weeks and put my eyes, hands, and heart upon it before writing it in my Lesson Plans. ⁣
⁣
Why? ⁣
Because it is stewardship. ⁣
It is intentionality. ⁣
It is investment. ⁣
⁣
It *could* be simpler and it *could* be easier, but that just simply isn’t my aim.