What About Curriculum and Books?

What Curriculum Should I Use and Where Do I Get it?
As a former curriculum addict (yes, there is such a thing and there should be a twelve-step program for it) I have bought, used, thrown out, shelved, sold and loved so many different products produced for educating children. Because I learned a few things in my sinister past of hefty credit card bills and being on a first name basis with the UPS driver, today I no longer drool over every new course that comes along. I learned that what works for others may not work for me. What someone else loves, may make me feel like a failure. What I love, others may detest (and their lack of success with it might make them feel like a failure). You have to learn what works for you, your family, your temperament, your stage in life (can you say toddlers?), your needs, your focus, your special God given interests and talents. You must evaluate why each course did not work for you. Don't feel bad that it didn't work, just spend some time contemplating your specific personality, family and style then consider why that specific course was not a fit for you. It's okay to be the only one on God's beautiful earth that didn't like it. You are special, you are different, your children are different as well. Your children have a special purpose in life and God created them with unique characteristics that may or may not fit with the typical child's mold.

However, after having said all of that, I would like to begin a list of different options for the different subjects that I have found fruitful in our specific, unique, particular homeschool. They may or may not fit with your family style. They have fit with ours. Keep checking back as I am adding to this list as I remember and discover what worked and works for our family.

Early Phonics
Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons

Later Phonics
Saxon Phonics 1

Grammar
Copywork
English for the Thoughtful Child (K – 3rd)
Analytical Grammar (Middle – High)
Shurley Grammar (for girls)
Winston Grammar (for boys)

Copywork
My copy ebooks on currclick
Memoria Press Copybooks

Spelling
Copywork
Phonetic Zoo (for auditory learners)
Spelling Solutions (for visual or kinestic learners)
Spelling Power
A Reason for Spelling

Handwriting
Copywork and Dictation
Handwriting Without Tears
D'Nealean
Abeka

Writing
Copywork and Dictation in the beginning
Institute for Excellence in Writing for one year
Writeshop
Writeathome.com (writing school: middle school or older)

Vocabulary
Read Lots of Great Books – Best Vocabulary Teacher
Vocabulary Cartoons
Memoria Press: Roots of English
WordRoots by Critical Thinking Press

Foreign Language
Rosetta Stone (all except Spanish)
Spanish: Pimsleur for Conversational Spanish combined with Rosetta Stone

Math Facts
Calculadders
Math Facts in a Flash
Times Tales

Math
D.I.V.E videos to accompany Saxon
Teaching Textbooks (Elementary)
Math U See Pre Algebra and above

Logic
Fallacy Detective
Thinking Toolbox
Logic in 100 min
Daily Warm ups Logic – Riddles

Science
Apologia (Elementary through High School)
DIVE Science DVDs for High School (can be used with Apologia)
Johnathan Park CDs

Geography
YWAM Christian Heroes Missionary Stories (All Ages)
A Child's Geography of the World

History
Truthquest by Michelle Miller  (All Ages)
A Living History of Our World by Angela O’Dell (Elementary)
Beautiful Feet (Elementary)
Mystery of History
Diana Waring's History Alive
Tapestry of Grace

Art
Discovering Great Artists by Kohl (Elementary/Middle)
Great American Artists for Kids by Kohl (Elementary/Middle)

Biblical Character/Worldview
Leading Little Ones to God (Young Elementary)
For Instruction in Righteousness
Apologia Academy (High School)