Many homeschooling families, ours included, are living on a one-person income.  Because of this, I knew that homeschooling couldn’t cost our family a fortune.  And that’s exactly what some curricula can cost-a small fortune!  In an attempt to make our homeschooling as cost effective as possible, I go FREE whenever I can!

Here are my FREE homeschool curricula “secrets” for each of my children:

ALuv (currently in 1st grade)

Curriculum Standards:

• Common Core (for Language Arts and Math)
• Standard Course of Study for my state-your state will have something similar; it’s a set of objectives for every subject area used by your local public school
  

LITERACY:
1. Phonics by the Book-a FREE Bible based reading curriculum I designed to work on phonics and sight words.  Click on the picture above for more info.  I will begin posting lessons for Unit 2 (long vowel patterns) in September.

2. FREE Literacy Printables from This Reading Mama– If I can’t find it online, I make it.  Although I have more printables on my site (scroll down for beyond the ABC’s printables…this page desperately needs to be updated!!), I am working to move them to my Teachers Pay Teachers store.

3. FREE Printables from The Measured Mom – She has a TON, so be prepared!

3. Florida’s Center for Reading Research– an absolutely a.m.a.z.i.n.g. site, with FREE printable activities for so many areas of language arts (PreK through 5th Grade)

4. Don’t forget…the public library!  If you have several little ones in tow, a simple way to get what you need is to reserve your books online first and have them hold them there for you.  When you get to the library, pick up your books on hold and check out.  This lowers the need to chase your kids as they run around, screaming and pulling books off the shelf.  And no, my kids have never done that!  😉

Math:

1. Math Resources–this site is FULL of wonderful, hands-on activities and assessments (for K-2 and 3-5) to meet many of the Common Core objectives

2. FREE Math Printables from This Reading Mama

Here is one purchase well worth making for homeschool curricula:

I am absolutely WILD about word study (as you can see here).  I’ve used Words Their Way for years, but just recently discovered

 

NJoy (3.5 year old)

This summer, NJoy began working through a FREE PreK curriculum I’m calling Reading the Alphabet.  It’s designed for those pre-kinders who already know their letters/letter sounds, yet aren’t ready age-wise (or developmentally) for a faster paced Kindergarten curriculum.  Click here to read more about it.  I’m sharing a sneak peek this FRIDAY, AUGUST 10!

We’ll also be pulling some activities from Carisa’s Raising Rock Stars, especially the handwriting sheets!

 

 MBug (2 years old)

Even though she’s barely two years old, this little girl WANTS to do some schoolwork.  Her motto from day 1 was (and still is) “Anything you can do, I can do better.”  If her brothers are doing schoolwork, you’d better betcha she’s going to do some as well!

Some FREE online resouces for her are:

1. Erica’s Letter of the Week Printables: You can purchase the entire set or download each printable separately for free.  She’s got a theme and activities for each letter of the alphabet.

2. Carisa’s Tot School Printables for each letter of the week & her Preschool Packs

3. Letter printables from This Reading Mama, which you can view here (I did most of these with NJoy last year)

4. Homeschool Creations: I really like her literacy activities here and the Themed Unit Packs (she collaborates with Carisa)

4. 2 Teaching Mommies: Great activities for seasonal and unit themes!

And Nsis (currently 5 months old)

Well, Nsis is in “nursing school.”  And you guessed it: it’s FREE!

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So, there’s good news about homeschool curricula!  It doesn’t have to break the bank. 😉  Yay for FREE (or almost free, anyway)!

~Becky