What Do I Teach and When? It's simple. Just focus on the basics until you get your feet wet. After you get a handle on the three R's- Reading, wRiting and aRithmatic, then launch into other fun stuff and extra-curricular classes/courses.  Essentially, begin with the basics then add on electives from there. If ever the electives become too burdensome, go back to the basics. Scroll down to see what the basics are for each grade.

The Basics For every year of a child's education, there will be different basics. The basics for a high school student are different than the basics for an elementary student. In fact, the basics for a first grader and a fifth grader are different as well.  Electives are courses that come after the basics. They are courses that you would love to teach and would love your children to learn about ,but they contain information that is not really needed at this point in their lives. Also remember that your measure of success as a homeschool mom is not how many presidents your children know or how much Latin they can recite, or if your seven year old is reading high school texts; your measure of success is your children's heart for God, the confidence they have as a child of God, and their obedient hearts. This should be the focus of their early years. When their obedience and love for God is strong and secure, your children will have the maturity in junior high and high school to take responsibility for their academics and pursue their passions with purpose. Let's take a look at the basics for each age level.

Kindergarten Basics Phonics - Learning to read is the only true requirement for this age. However, some children are not ready to learn to read in Kindergarten. Very bright children will read during this year. Kindergarten Electives Numbers and basic adding Field trips Art and Crafts (they love crafts at this age) Exposure to history/science/geography First Grade Basics Phonics Introductory Math Handwriting First Grade Electives Art History Science Foreign Language audios or videos Second Grade Basics Phonics Reading (for some) Math Facts Math Handwriting Second Grade Electives History Science Art Foreign Language audios or videos Third and Fourth Grade Basics Grammar (Phonics for late readers) Spelling Reading Math Facts Math Handwriting Third and Fourth Grade Electives History Science Art Geography Foreign Language study Fifth Grade Basics Writing (after Grammar) Spelling Reading Math Facts Math Fifth Grade Electives History Science Art Geography Foreign Language study Sixth Grade Basics Writing Spelling Literature Math Facts Math Sixth Grade Electives History Science Art Geography Foreign Language By Seventh Grade, the student's basic work increases significantly, but your teaching time decreases. Your student is able to learn independently. You provide supervision over their completed assignments and progress. A seventh grader that is still struggling with reading has the option of many excellent programs produced in audio format. Seventh Grade Basics Writing Grammar Literature Pre Algebra Science History Seventh Grade Electives Art Geography Foreign Language Eighth Grade Basics Writing Grammar Literature Algebra Science History Eighth Grade Electives Art Geography Foreign Language Ninth - Twelfth Grade English- 4 years (Literature and Writing with Grammar) Math- 2 years + (Algebra, Geometry + higher level courses) Science- 2 years + (Biology with lab, Chemistry with lab + higher level courses) History -at least 2 years (American and World) Government- 1 year Foreign Language- 2 years High School Electives Fine Arts PE Economics Computer Speech/Debate Business Law