1st, 3rd Grade and 5th Grade Home School Curriculum

Here are my TOP 1st Grade Home School Curriculum picks and my TOP 3rd Grade Home School Curriculum picks and my TOP 5th Grade Home School Curriculum picks . Homeschooling 1st grade students and homeschooling 3rd grade students and homeschooling 5th grade students is all about gearing up for deep studies and always adding in some fun and extra activities!

Whether you have made the decision to homeschool or are still considering the final decision to actually homeschool or home educate your children, one of the most major decisions is which curriculum will be used. The choices can be a bit overwhelming and I have highlighted what I have used over the years. Here are my selections for Grade 1, Grade 3 and Grade 5.

Last August I wrote a post about our 2011-2012 school curriculum and I updated our curriculum in December. I just wanted to write about what we would be using this school year. We've were super busy over the summer with reading daily {well, almost daily} and working in our summer review books that I purchased through Kumon for the kids. My two oldest also saw a tutor once a week for Math to keep their skills up.

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Homeschooling is challenging, but wonderful and very rewarding. My children are benefiting from me and I from them!

I'm excited about this year because I know it will be easier for me since the two oldest of my kiddos are attending the same academy. They have the same curriculum and basically the same assignments. I can read and work them both together, and this saves me a TON of time. My son is presently working much faster than my daughter because he knows what is expected of him through the academy. My daughter will get the hang of things, it just takes about six weeks or so. My little one is so easy and loves school so much. I work with her and get her done pretty early in the day and let her go play while I finish up with the two oldest. Little Poppet will usually come back in because she wants "more school". Got to love that!

Math: Saxon Math (Level 2, 3 & 7)

Does it work? Yes

Will I continue to use it for 2012? Yes.

If you are unsure of the level of Math to place your child, Saxon Math has placement tests you can download and give to your own child to test their levels.

Saxon Math 2: Placement Test (PDF) and Scope and Sequence (PDF)

Saxon Math 3: Placement Test (PDF) and Scope and Sequence (PDF)

Saxon Math 7/6: Placement Test (PDF) and Scope and Sequence (PDF)

Saxon Algebra 1/2 (Pre-Algebra): Placement Test (PDF) and Scope and Sequence (PDF)

We are heavy on Math in this house! {As you can see} The kiddos tutored all summer long with an old teacher of theirs and we are ahead in Math right now (YEAH!!) I will continue to use Saxon Math forever I think!

Grammar: Shurley Grammar Level 3 & Shurley Grammar (Level 6))

Does it work? Yes

Will I continue to use? YES

My daughter just started with Shurley Grammar this year and she is doing well. It helps that we have studied grammar for the past two years. My son uses the Shurley Grammar Level 6 this year. Shurley Grammar is too easy for him, but this is the curriculum he has to use through our homeschool academy, so we don't have a choice.

Spelling: All About Spelling (Level 2) &  Soaring With Spelling (Grade 3 & Grade 8)

Does it work? yes and yes

Will I continue to use it? Yes & We will because I can't locate a curriculum that WORKS well.

My daughter (grade 3) is not progressing in Spelling at all. I'm not sure what the deal is because she is reading at her level, but can not spell to save her life. is a good curriculum, but I don't think it is a good fit for my daughter.

My son, on the other hand, is a whiz at spelling. I purchased the Grade 8  book for him and this book is simply actually challenging him. 

My little one loves All About Spelling and lets me just say, this curriculum is outstanding! She is a beginner reader and LOVES to sound every word and tell me how to spell anything she can think of.

Handwriting/Penmanship: Rod & Staff (Grade 1, 3 & 4)

My daughters have wonderful fine motor skills, but their handwriting is not so great, I think because they are left-handed and struggle with where to place their paper and how to hold their pencils. Although my 1st grader seems to hold her pencil more comfortably than my 3rd grader.

My son is taking Penmanship this year simply because his handwriting is HORRIBLE! I can't read anything! He despises penmanship and does great on the sheets and then back to his usual sloppiness in his daily work. So, I guess it is NOT working for him!

Literature/Composition: various literature books

My son and daughter (Grade 3 & 5) will be taking Literature & Composition at their co-op. Their assignments are reading and writing reports on the books assigned. I have ordered all the material assigned and after perusing the books have discovered once again, these books are well below my son's reading level, but the books are interesting and engaging, so that helps. My daughter could care less what she reads and if she doesn't know what a word is she will simply guess and move on (trying to break this bad habit).

My son had been writing his reports and book reports and expository reports and simply does not enjoy this class at all. Loads of writing, which I happen to think is great. He will get used to it though, it will probably just take him a couple of more months.

My daughter loves to write, but not when she is given the topic. She wants to use her imagination, but I think this class will steer her in a better direction with a specific assignment.

Omnibus: The Story of the World & Mystery of History Volume III - The Renaissance, Reformation, and Growth of Nations and Student Reader Bible Course for Children

Does it work? Yes

Will I continue to use it? Yes

LOVE, love, love this curriculum. The SOTW reading book is wonderful and easy to understand (I read the stories to my kids). The activity book was equally as awesome. I was able to complete almost all the activities they would assigned per chapter. We have made some amazing projects! In addition, we are creating a lapbook for SOTW utilizing this website {she's awesome!}. We are simply picking up where we left off the last school session.

In addition to The Story of the World material, my son and daughter (grade 3 & 5) use Mystery of History Volume III - The Renaissance, Reformation, and Growth of Nations, for Omnibus at our homeschool academy. I work with them each week with Mystery of History and happen to really like this curriculum as well.

English/Vocabulary/Language: Rod & Staff (Grade 1 & 3) &  Daily Language Review (Grade 1 & 3)

Does it work? yes and not so much

Will I continue to use it? yes and no

I actually really like the Rod & Staff curriculum. My daughter likes this curriculum from Rod & Staff and claims it to be her best subject! 

We are also using Daily Language Review which I have used every year thus far. I enjoy this, these kids enjoy this. It is simply a daily page of review lessons that are easily completed.

Science: Exploring Creation Through Anatomy and Physiology(Grade 1, 3 & 5) with the Notebooking Journals & R.E.A.L. Life Science & R.E.A.L. Chemistry & Christian Kids Explore Chemistry (level 1) (for my son)

Does it work? YES to all

Will I continue to us? yes to all

My 3rd grader and 5th grader have Anatomy and Physiology (from Apologia) at their co-op. I bought the junior notebooking journal for my little one as well so we could all have Science together at home. I also purchased the box of experiments that went along with this book directly from Apologia. We are a heavy Science family. My children all love and adore Science and experiments, so I continue to feed their curiosity.

My girls love the Life Science curriculum. My son has decided he no longer wants to be excluded from this curriculum and he now participates in this part of our day(s). We will simply finish up where we left off from last school year and most likely be completed by the fall. Once the Biology book is complete (still printing), we will move onto this as well.

My son loves Science and has Anatomy and Physiology through CC (as well as my daughter) and we have Chemistry at home. I use both of the books listed above together or separately, it just depends on what we are studying that week. He is also completing a study on the Elements and creating a lapbook. We are using The Periodic Table book and various books I get from a local library.

Religion/Memory: God's Great Covenant, NT Book 1: A Bible Course for Children & Veritas Press Gospels Flashcards (Grade 3 & 5)

Does it work? yes

Will I continue to use? yes

My son and daughter use this curriculum at CC and they seem to enjoy it. I like this curriculum as well. My son used this last year and we will continue this year as well. The book is straight forward and contains age-appropriate information.

Foreign Language:  Logos Latin (Grade 3) & Via Latina (Grade 5)

Does it work? yes

Will I continue to use? Yes

My son began Latin (Via Latina) last year at CC and this will continue this year. My daughter utilizes the Logos Latin book, which we began last year. Sadly, she forgot everything we worked on last year, but that's okay. She seems to enjoy Latin as well. My son is onto verbs this year and it is harder. Latin is a struggle and I know we will have many hours of studying this year as well!

Art  & Music: Getting to Know the World's Greatest Composers & Rod & Staff (music & art) & guitar & Violin

Does it work? Yes

Will I continue to use? Yes

I purchased Getting to Know the World's Greatest Composers, Mozart, Bach, Beethoven, Gershwin, Chopin, Handel,  Stravinsky & Tchaikovsky.

We read the books, along with books from the local library. We have a lapbook that we are completing and a page and many activities are dedicated to each composer. We conclude the unit study of each composer with a project. The children really love Music this year.

We will also be studying Music through the Rod & Staff curriculum. Learning notes and rhythm and the like. My son plays the guitar and will continue with his lessons. Both of the girls play the violin and they will continue as well with their private lessons.

Field Trips:

We have many, many field trips since we live in a great city with numerous museums. Field Trip day will always be the favorite I think.

Here’s a post on our workboxes and how we use them in our homeschool classroom! I also have some printable workbox tags.

I really hope this helps in planning your homeschool curriculum for 5th grade and 7th grade homeschooled students! Make sure to check out my other homeschool grade curriculum picks.