Wait! Which books are,good? Why can’t I find one Reading book? How do I teach grammar?

One solution to home-schooling is to enroll in an accredited online program, such as Kolbe.  What if your budget is tight?  Jobs are uncertain.  One parent may be furloughed.  I can understand why you want to try to go it alone.  In elementary school, stick with the basics: Math, English, History, and Science.  You can always add subjects. I am going to recommend textbooks that are widely used.  Why?  There are many used copies available, making them cheaper.   Let’s start with Math.  Saxon Math is the gold standard.  You need both the textbook and solution manual.   Get the same edition.  The math content has NOT changed significantly.  Buy the cheapest set you can find. 

 The best elementary science science series I have used is the Young Explorers Exploring Creation.  Try to buy the textbook and journal.  You may want to buy a lot of textbooks to save if you have two or three elementary aged children.  The notebooking journals have a syllabus, vocabulary crosswords, and review questions.  They are nice to use—but pricy.  

In History, I use textbooks from the Catholic Textbook Project.  Even used copies are expensive and difficult to find.  However, Bob Jones Heritage Studies are fine and widely available used.  You will need the textbook, teacher’s manual, and student workbook for either series.  

I find English to be challenging.  I want literature, grammar, vocabulary, and composition—not a piecemeal set of exercises.  I like a basal reader.  I finally decided to use Houghton Mifflin Anthology Reading books and practice books from 2004.  Here and here are examples.  Supplement with Classics and have your child write book reports.  We use Zane-Bloser handwriting, Sadlier Workshop, and Easy Grammar—with lessons on how to diagram sentences.  

You may want to add Geography, Latin, Art , and Music.  Fine.  Be sure you have the core.  How do you teach it?  Do a page or story each day until you finish.  Planning sorted.