Looking for 6th grade homeschool curriculum ideas? This is the fourth time we’ve homeschooled 6th grade in our family. Some things have stayed the same, and some choices have changed through the years. Here’s what our current 6th grader will be working on this year.
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Our math and English choices have remained generally consistent through the years. But as my group of sons has grown and the oldest three are now in high school, this youngest boy finds himself doing social studies and science on his own instead of in the group.
We did lots of multiple ages together in the early years with our study of French, Bible, art, music, social studies, and science.
Now things have changed and we’re in a different season of homeschooling.
So the key to remember is: just because you do it this way in one season doesn’t mean you can’t change it up later.
Flexibility is the key characteristic of homeschool moms who don’t quit! Because nothing will ever stay the same. Your children are growing and changing and so are you!
If you can take the change in stride and adjust your homeschooling through the years, then you will keep much frustration at bay.
So, here’s what my current 6th grader will be studying this year.
6th Grade Math Homeschool Curriculum
We have used Bob Jones math curriculum for the entirety of our homeschooling journey, except with one high schooler this year.
BJUP curriculum is very solid and in my experience, I would say it’s on the harder side of graded curriculum. So, if your child can complete a subject using their resources, they will be far ahead of their peers.
In the early elementary years, the math work text can be written in, and it’s easy enough for me to scan and see if the answers are correct.
Sixth grade is when the textbooks switch to a standard textbook format where the student needs to complete problems on their own paper.
This is also the time where I purchase the Teacher’s Edition so that my student can correct their own answers.
Each day, my son completes this two-page spread. I don’t make him do every problem. We usually do odds or evens.
BJUP Math is a spiral curriculum, which means the topics spiral around again in the same course (fractions early on in a chapter, then fractions come back later with additional content).
Here’s our Review of Bob Jones Math for Homeschool.
English Homeschool Curriculum Options
English studies are composed of these main components in the upper elementary years:
- Grammar
- Writing
- Spelling
- Vocabulary
- Reading/Literature
After completing First Language Lessons at the early elementary years, we started using Fix It! Grammar from IEW.
We love it because it’s just a little bit of grammar work each day, and it’s easy on mom!
You can read our review of Fix It! Grammar HERE.
We love, love, love Writing with Skill in our homeschool! I so wish I had this kind of instruction. My 6th grader is starting with WWS Level I. It’s written as a 4-day-a-week curriculum, but right now we’re using it just 3 days per week. I’m okay with not finishing Level I this year and just continuing on with the book next year as well.
Here’s our more in-depth thoughts about WWS, along with a video peek inside the curriculum.
For spelling, my 6th grader is continuing on with All About Spelling. We really love this program and he has used it consistently since level 1. This particular child is really good at spelling, so I think he’ll finish this level before the end of the year. We’ll either start Level 7, or take a few weeks and deep-dive into vocabulary.
You can read here about why we ditched the spelling lists and started using AAS.
In our homeschool, we love to encourage wild reading – which just means that mom doesn’t have to assign everything! I want my kids to love to read and embrace their natural reading inclinations as readers. This doesn’t mean that I don’t require the occasional classic or specific title.
But – this kid is a voracious reader and read two complete series this summer! So, I’m not too worried about his vocabulary acquisition or his ability to comprehend classics.
I’ll let him continue to read along this philosophy in our homeschool, but also throw in some grade-level classics from TheClassicalReader.com, which allows you to search for titles based on genre, grade level, or reading ability.
Curriculum for Social Studies
Social Studies was one of those group studies years ago, but now, as I mentioned, my 6th grader is one his own with this one.
Since he has a good overview of chronological history through using Mystery of History in elementary school, we are deep diving into American history studies with Memoria Press’ Great Republic curriculum.
You can read our complete review HERE.
Science Curriculum
Again, science used to be as a group of elementary siblings. Now that my 6th grader is on his own, he’s continuing using Supercharged Science. We reviewed this online science class last year, and he enjoyed it because it’s hands on and includes lots of experiments!
We’re note booking about the topics, completing experiments, and also reading along in a science encyclopedia to round out this year’s study of science.
Electives for 6th grade homeschool
My son has a few extra classes this year. One of them is Bible. For Bible, we’ve done everything from Scripture memory, to catechism memorization, to inductive Bible study.
This year, I’m having him read through one topic each day from The Ology by Marty Machowski.
Then, in his notebook, he’s answering these questions:
- What does this teach you about God?
- What does this teach you about people?
- Write out the key verse for this topic.
After he reads the section and completes the note booking, he comes and narrates back to me what he has learned.
You could use this book with even younger children, if you read it with them.
He’s also completing a few lessons of Rosetta Stone French each week, since he’ll be deep-diving into French studies in high school and I want him to be familiar with it.
He rounds out his school week with Homeschool Gym & Swim at our local YMCA and piano lessons with me 🙂
We organize all his weekly and daily tasks on Trello, which keeps him accountable and keeps mom sane.
Check out the other resources and curriculum we use in our homeschool!
