Suggested Resources
The following resources are listed as a springboard for your research into home education. The list is not exhaustive by any means, and inclusion or omission of an item should not necessarily be construed to be an HSLDA endorsement or censorship of any resource. Some materials carried below may not be written from your family’s worldview or may include resource suggestions inconsistent with your worldview so, as always, parents are encouraged to use discernment in selecting materials appropriate for your family’s needs.
Choosing Curriculum
(includes Teaching Approaches)
Also see Early Years page: Curriculum Resources
Curriculum & Bookseller Catalog
The following resources are listed as a springboard for your research into curriculum choices. The list is not exhaustive by any means, and inclusion or deletion of an item should not necessarily be construed to be an HSLDA endorsement or censorship of any resource. Some materials carried below may not be written from your family’s worldview so, as always, parents are encouraged to use discernment in selecting materials appropriate for your family’s needs.
Also see Early Years page: Curriculum Resources
- A Beka Books
P.O. Box 19100
Pensacola FL 32523-9100
1-800-874-2352
Textbooks and workbooks designed for and used in many Christian private schools across the country. Comprehensive program. Also available as correspondence or video school.
- Alpha Omega Publications
1-800-622-3070
Publishers of the popular LifePacs; Switched-On Schoolhouse (CD-ROM), (SOS online), A/O Academy correspondence program, A/O On-Line Academy. Weaver and Horizons curricula. Diagnostic and placement tests.
- American Homeschool Publishing
1-800-684-2121
Resources for K-12 classical education.
- Audio Memory
1-800-365-SING (7464)
- Beautiful Feet Books
1-800-889-1978
Publisher of History Through Literature Approach study guides and timelines.
- Bluestocking Press
1-530-622-8586
Historical documents, books, music, toys, and tapes. Publisher of the Uncle Eric books.
- BJU Press Homeschool
Greenville SC 29614
1-800-845-5731
(No, I didn’t leave out the street address—they’re so well known that this is sufficient.) Well-known and respected publisher of textbooks/workbooks used in homeschools and private Christian schools across the country. BJU Press Homeschool also offers distance learning options via online, DVD, and hard drive delivery methods.
- Builder Books
1-800-260-5461
- Cadron Creek Christian Curriculum
505-534-1496
A catalog of unit studies such as The Prairie Primer and Further Up and Further In, as well as other quality resources.
- CBD Home School
P.O. Box 7000,
Peabody MA 01961-7000
(978-977-5005)
Department of Christian Book Distributors. Nice variety, colorful catalog, discount prices.
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Charlotte Mason Research Company
P.O. Box 296
Quarryville, PA 17566
Karen and Dean Andreola have revived and interpreted this approach.
- Children’s Books
1-800-344-3198
Large selection of good “living” books, most discounted.
- Christ-Centered Curriculum
1-800-778-4318
Sells a complete phonics program plus math for early childhood and mid-elementary grades. Bible appears throughout the phonics and math materials.
- Christian Liberty Academy Publishers
502 W. Euclid Ave.
Arlington Heights IL 60004
1-800-348-0899
Actual on-campus private school offering several satellite school options, including full-service correspondence school as well as family-administrated curriculum package; individual courses now also available. Christian Liberty Press, their publishing branch, offers discounted resources and curricular materials.
- Common Sense Press
1-352-475-5757
Carries Learning Language Art Through Literature, Great Editing Adventure series, math, science, and unit study material.
- Cornerstone Curriculum Project
1-972-235-5149
David Quine’s music, science, math, and worldview curricula.
- Cross-Over Educational Products
1-970-385-1809
Carries Snapshot Typing and Quick Piano.
- Diana Waring—History Alive!
1-425-397-0631
History tapes and books to make history come alive, as well as Beyond Survival and Reaping the Harvest. Diana stresses activities for all learning styles and teaching approaches.
- Dorling Kindersley
1-800-788-6262
Colorful, high-quality, educational books.
- Dover Publications
31 East 2nd Street
Mineola, NY 11501-3852
Informative, detailed coloring books and paper projects covering many subjects.
- Eagle’s Wings Educational Materials
1-580-252-1555
Building a solid foundation in math, phonics, and science.
- Education Plus+
1-864-286-6492
Inge Cannon’s resources on child development from a Christian perspective and Mentoring Your Teen: Charting the Course to Successful Adulthood, as well as transcript and recordkeeping helps.
- Elijah Company
1053 Eldridge Loop
Crossville TN 38571
(1-888-2ELIJAH)
Lots of resources and articles. Free counseling site with moderators and bulletin board.
- Essential Learning Products
800-357-3570
- Farm Country General Store
731 North Fork Road
Metamora IL 61548
1-309-367-2844
Well-rounded, helpful book lists. Includes many healthy living resources.
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Foundation for American Christian Educations
800-352-3223
Information and products for the Principle Approach to home education and the Noah Plan (pre-school to adult).
- Greenleaf Press
3761 Highway 109N
Unit D, Lebanon TN 37087
1-615-449-1617
Guaranteed 100% Twaddle-Free! Resources for history, literature, art, music and nature study. Useful just for the book lists! Has several informative articles within the pages, as well as detailed descriptions of items.
- Harcourt Publishing Company
800-531-5015
Carries full line of K-adult educational material
- Heart Of Wisdom
Info and resources for a multi-level teaching approach using a combination of methods, based on God’s world and God’s Word
- Hewitt Homeschooling Resources
1-360-835-8708,
Catalog for hands-on approach. Based on the work of homeschool pioneers Raymond and Dorothy Moore
- His Publishing Company
P.O. Box 1159
Plymouth, NY 13832
Specializing in unit study materials
- Homeschool Buyers Co-Op
The world’s largest purchasing cooperative for homeschoolers. Co-op members get deep discounts on their homeschool curriculum. Membership is free.
- Home School Resource Center
P.O. Box 67, Palmyra PA 17078
1-800-937-6311
Owned by Debra Bell, author of The Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling. Resources for creative homeschooling.
- Keepers of the Faith
906-663-6881
Conservative books; Keepers at Home and Contenders for the Faith clubs, which are locally-based Christian children’s groups similar in concept to scout organizations.
- Lamp Post Homeschool Store
Homeschool-run Lamp Post Homeschool Store offers curriculum with a Christian perspective. Online shopping, product information, and encouraging articles about homeschooling.
- Learning Parent
434-845-8345
Rick and Marilyn Boyer’s books, tapes, and personal picks for Christ-centered, family-based education. Focus on character training. Socialization info, too!
- Lifetime Books and Gifts’ The Always Incomplete Catalog
1-800-377-0390
$5 Catalog/supplement contain over 390 pages of personal reviews, lots of helpful information on the various subject areas; extensive book lists. Lots of hard-to-find items.
- Mott Media
800-421-6645
Biographies, reprints of 19th-century textbooks, plus books written by Dr. Ruth Beechick.
- My Father’s World
573-426-4600
Multi-age unit studies for preschool through high school.
- Rainbow Resource Center
Route 1 Box 159A, 50 N 500 East Road
Toulon IL 61483 (
1-309-695-3200)
400+ pages of resources for all different home education styles.
- Scholastic Books
- Shekinah Curriculum Cellar
1-903-643-2760
- Sonlight Curriculum
8042 South Grant Way
Littleton CO 80122-2705
1-303-730-6292
Comprehensive, interrelated, literature-based studies; includes all necessary supplies and books (including science supplies).
- The Sycamore Tree
1-714-668-1343
Carries a variety of books and resources.
- Tapestry of Grace
1-800-705-7487
Multi-level, unit study approach in a classical education framework.
- Timberdoodle
1510 E Spencer Lake Road
Shelton WA 98584
1-360-426-0672
Proponents of a hands-on, fairly relaxed approach to home education. Lots of fun and real-life-application stuff.
- Tobin’s Lab
1-540-937-7173
Science resources, lapbooking resources, and more.
- Trivium Pursuit
1-309-537-3641
The Bluedorns’ site for classical education includes many informative articles.
- Usborne Books
800-475-4522
Colorful, educational books from Great Britain.
- Veritas Press
800-922-5082
Classical education.
- Vision Forum
1-210-340-5250
Carries classical books and products, as well as government and political studies materials.
- Whole Heart Ministries
P.O. Box 3445
Monument, CO 80132
1-719-488-4466
Authors of Educating the WholeHearted Child and more. Resources based on the premise that real books and real life are the roads to real learning (based somewhat on the writings of Charlotte Mason and Susan Schaeffer Macaulay).
A Day in Our Homeschool
Encouragement
Also see Early Years page: Encouragement Resources
For Fathers
Getting Started
The following resources are listed as a springboard for your research into home education. The list is not exhaustive by any means, and inclusion or deletion of an item should not necessarily be construed to be an HSLDA endorsement or censorship of any resource. Some materials carried below may not be written from your family’s worldview or may include resource suggestions inconsistent with your worldview so, as always, parents are encouraged to use discernment in selecting materials appropriate for your family’s needs.
(Also see preschool/primary, middle school, curriculum)
Gifted Learners
- “Finding the Gift in Your Child” by Vicki Bentley (adapted from HSLDA Early Years email newsletter, May 2010)
- “Gifted and Talented Children: What Every Parent Should Know” by Inge Cannon
- “Gifted Learners and Twice-Exceptional Resources” (HSLDA Struggling Learners/Special Needs webpages)
- Gifted Learners e-newsletter, April 2010, from The Old Schoolhouse Magazine
Not only does this include helpful information on teaching accelerated learners, but it encourages us to recognize and capitalize on areas of strength in all of our children.
- “Homeschooling Gifted Children” (extensive resource list from Hoagies’ Gifted Page)
- “Gifted with a Glitch” by Dianne Craft, HSLDA coordinator
- “Guiding the Gifted Child” by Maggie Hogan
- So You Think Your Child May Be Gifted by Helene Barker Kiser (e-booklet)
- Yahoo group offering support and Christian fellowship with other homeschooling parents of gifted children
- Gifted Children at Home by Maggie Hogan, Kathleen Julicher, and Janice Baker
Three moms of gifted students share what they’ve learned about the best resources and opportunities and options for educating an intellectually gifted child.
- Smartkidathome.com (Website by Beth Bess, parent of several profoundly gifted children)
Beth offers several lectures as free downloads; topics include “Try The Eclectic Method for Your Unusual Learner,” “Acceleration Options for Gifted Children,” and “Could My Child Be Gifted?”
- “How Do I Homeschool My Gifted Child?” by Tiffany Tan (Methods, Materials, and Mentors)
- Educating Your Gifted Child by Vicki Caruana
- “Gifted and ADD/ADHD” (article from the National Association for Gifted Children)
- A Parent’s Guide to Gifted Children by Webb, Gore, Amend, and DeVries.
- The Gifted Development Center (website featuring Dr. Linda Silverman and other resources from the Institute for the Study of Advanced Development)
- “Teaching Highly Distractible Kids” by Carol Barnier of OpenGifts.org
- “The Animal School” by Dr. George Reavis
- A few scripture verses on talents and abilities
HSLDA’s Webinars & Broadcasts
- Calendar of archived and upcoming informational and inspirational webinars; arrow through to browse or select various workshop titles (Note: Some dates may have multiple webinars listed.) Visit the webinar site >>
- HSLDA’s Home School Heartbeat (radio broadcasts and transcripts; many topics)
Learning Styles
Also see Early Years page: Learning Styles Resources
Middle School
Also see Early Years page: Middle School Resources
Newsletters
Preschool/Elementary
Also see Early Years page: Preschool/Primary Resources
Publications
Homeschool magazines contain a wealth of information (including advertisement of many useful resources). Here is a partial list of homeschool periodicals and e-newsletters:
Recordkeeping & Organization
See Early Years page: Organization Resources
Testing & Assessment
- Achieving Peak Performance
Available for grades 1–10. Designed to help your child do his or her best on standardized achievement tests, this test preparation tool will assist you in identifying learning objectives and mastering test preparation strategies.
- “Assessment and Testing” by Cindy Downes
- “Awesome Test-Taking Strategies”
- Essential Learning Objectives
For grades K–8, this product lists the math and language arts learning objectives for each grade level. (Read the full review.)
- Essential Learning Objectives Quick Assessment
(Reviewed by Yvonne Bunn, HEAV’s Director of Homeschool Support) Are you
considering home education, but you’re not sure where to begin with curriculum? Or
are you taking your child out of school because he’s struggling academically,
and you don’t know what level curriculum to purchase? Perhaps your child is
advanced in one subject, but you think he may be behind in another subject—how
can you find out?
- “Evaluating Progress”
- Evaluating for Excellence: A Handbook for Evaluating Student Progress by Teresa Moon
- Five-part series on standardized testing by J. Michael Smith of HSLDA on Home School Heartbeat
- Spectrum test preparation booklets
Test preparation booklets for grades 1–8 include test-taking strategies and techniques, sample questions, practice tests, and more. Preparation for the California (CAT), Comprehensive Test of Basic Skills (CTBS), Iowa Tests of Basic Skills® (ITBS), Metropolitan (MAT), and the Stanford Achievement Test (SAT). The up-to-date content reflects national standards and includes practice tests in reading, language arts, and math.
- “Testing and Evaluations for Struggling Learners”
- “What Achievement Tests Can and Cannot Do”
- Weaver’s Skills Evaluation (for K–6th)
- What Your Child Needs to Know When by Robin Sampson. Grade-by-grade skills checklists for K-8th in major subject areas.
Also see Early Years page: Testing
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