Dear Sis,

Workbooks are very budget and user friendly homeschooling tool! In a recent post I listed several secular publishers of workbooks that meet common core/state curriculum standards. In this post, I’ll be giving specific examples.

Multi-Subject

Covering more than one subject in one workbook is perhaps the most thrifty of all options.

Series: Big Fun Workbook

Subjects: English, Math, Science

Individual Levels: PreK – Grade 2

Publisher: Highlights / Cost: $12.99

Series Conquering “your” Grade

Subjects: Math, Reading, Science, Social Studies, Writing

Individual Levels: Pre-K – Grade 5

Publisher: Shell Education / Cost: $19.99

Series: Critical Thinking Detective

Subjects: Language Arts, Math, Thinking Skills

Spectrum Levels: Grades 3 – 12

Publisher: Critical Thinking Co / Cost: $9.99

Series: Dr. Funster’s Think-A-Minutes

Subjects: Language Arts, Math, Thinking Skills

Spectrum Ages: Grades 2-3, Grades 4-5, Grades 6-8

Publisher: Critical Thinking Co / Cost: $7.99

Series: The One Big Book

Subjects: English, Math, Science

Individual Levels: Grade 1 – Grade 8

Publisher: Ace Academic Publishing / Cost: $19.95

Series: Reading & Math Jumbo Workbook

Subjects: Math, Reading

Individual Levels: PreK – Grade 4

Publisher: Scholastic / Cost: $11.99

Series: Spectrum Math & Language Arts

Individual Levels: Grade 1 – Grade 6 / Cost: $16.99

Single Subject

Art

Artworks for Kids (Teacher Edition)

Spectrum Level: Grades 1-6

Publisher: Evan-Moor / Cost: $23.99

How to Teach Art to Children (Teacher Edition)

Spectrum Level: Grades 1-6

Publisher: Evan-Moor / Cost: $19.99

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Geography

Series: Daily Geography Practice (Student, Teacher)

Individual Levels: Grade 1 – Grade 6

Publisher: Evan-Moor / Cost: $7.99, $29.99

Series: Geography

Individual Grades: Grade 3 – Grade 6

Publisher: Spectrum / Cost: $11.99

Series: Skill Sharpeners Geography

Individual Levels: PreK – Grade 6

Publisher: Evan-Moor / Cost: $10.99

Series: The 7 Continents (Teacher Edition)

Titles: Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Australia & Oceania,

Europe, North American, South America

Spectrum Level: Grades 4-6

Publisher: Evan-Moor / Cost: $21.99 each

Series: 180 Days of Geography

Individual Levels: Grade 1 – Grade 6

Publisher: Shell Education / Cost: $22.99

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Health

Series: 180 Days of Social-Emotional Learning

Individual Levels: Grade 1 – Grade 6

Publisher: Shell Education / Cost: $22.99

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Language Arts

Language Arts fits a broad range of topics such as: grammar, handwriting, literature, phonics, reading, spelling, writing, vocabulary, etc. For this reason I’ve added a line for “scope” which describes which parts of Language Arts are covered, when it is not otherwise apparent. 

Series: At-Home Tudor: Reading & Language

Individual Levels: PreK – Grade 2

Publisher: Evan-Moor / Cost: $8.99

Series: Basic Phonics Skills (Teacher Edition)

Spectrum Levels: PreK-K, K-Grade 1, Grades 1-2, Grades 2-3

Publisher: Evan-Moor / Cost: $29.99

Series: Big Fun Practice Pad: Reading and Writing

Individual Levels: PreK – K / Publisher: Highlights / Cost: $9.99

Series: Building Spelling Skills (Student, Teacher)

Individual Levels: Grade 1 – Grade 6

Publisher: Evan-Moor / Cost: $7.99, $29.99

Series: Building Writing Skills

Spectrum Levels: Grades 3-5, Grades 6-7, Grades 6-12

Publisher: Critical Thinking Co / Cost: $12.99

Series: Common Core English Workbook

Scope: Grammar, Reading, Writing / Individual Levels: Grade 1 – Grade 8

Publisher: Ace Academic Publishing / Cost: $14.95

Daily Language Series by Evan-Moor: 

Daily Academic Vocabulary (Student, Teacher) 

Individual Levels: Grades 2 – Grade 6 / Cost: $7.99, $29.99

Daily Handwriting Practice (Student, Teacher)

Cursive Options: Contemporary and Traditional

Manuscript Options: Modern and Traditional

Spectrum Levels: K – Grade 6 / Cost: $7.99, $20.99

Daily Paragraph Editing (Student, Teacher) / Scope: Grammar

Individual Levels: Grade 2 – Grade 8 / Cost: $7.99, $24.99

Daily Phonics (Teacher Edition) / Cost: $29.99

Individual Levels: Grades 1-3 & Spectrum Level: Grades 4-6 

Daily Reading Comprehension (Student, Teacher)

Individual Levels: Grade 1 – Grade 8 / Cost: $7.99, $29.99

Daily 6-Trait Writing (Student, Teacher)

Individual Levels: Grade 1 – Grade 8 / Cost: $7.99, $29.99

Series: Dr. DooRiddles & Spelling Do Riddles

Scope: Comprehension, Reading, Spelling, Vocabulary

Spectrum Levels: PreK – Grade 2, Grades 2-3, Grades 4-7

Publisher: Critical Thinking Co / Cost: $9.99

Series: Draw… Then Write (Teacher Edition)

Spectrum Levels: Grades 1-3, Grades 4-6

Publisher: Evan-Moor / Cost: $16.99

Series: Editor in Chief

Spectrum Levels: Grades 2-3, Grades 3-4, Grades 4-5, Grades 6-8, Grades 9-12

Scope: Grammar / Publisher: Critical Thinking Co / Cost: $19.99

Fundamental Language Series by Evan-Moor

Language Fundamentals (Teacher Edition) / Cost: $29.99

Scope: Grammar, Spelling, Vocabulary / Individual Levels: Grade 1 – 6

Reading Comprehension Fundamentals (Teacher Edition)

Individual Levels: Grade 1 – Grade 6 / Cost: $23.99

Vocabulary Fundamentals (Teacher Edition)

Individual Levels: Grade 1 – Grade 3 / Cost: $26.99

Series: Grammar & Punctuation (Teacher Edition)

Individual Levels: Grade 1 – Grade 6

Publisher: Evan-Moor / Cost: $21.99

Series: Language Smarts

Scope: Grammar, Spelling, Writing / Individual Levels: Grade 1 – 4

Publisher: Critical Thinking Co / Cost: $42.99

Learning Fun Workbook Series by Highlights / Cost: $4.99

Titles: Reading and Writing / Individual Level: K 

Titles: Reading and Writing and Phonics and Spelling / Levels: Grade 1 & 2

Series: Reading Detective

Scope: Literature, Reading Comprehension, Vocabulary

Spectrum Levels: Grades 3-4, Grades 5-6, Grades 7-8, Grades 6-12

Publisher: Critical Thinking Co / Cost: $24.99

Reading Text Series by Evan-Moor

Reading Informational Text (Student, Teacher) 

Reading Literary Text (Teacher) 

Scope: Comprehension, Literature, Reading, Writing, Vocabulary

Individual Levels: Grade 1 – Grade 6 / Cost: $7.99, $22.99 

Series: Reading & Writing / Publisher: Kumon

Scope: Comprehension, Reading, Vocabulary & Writing, Grammar

Individual Levels: Grade 1 – Grade 6 / Cost: $7.95

Skill Sharpener English Series by Evan-Moor

Reading (Comprehension, Phonics, Reading, Vocabulary)

Grammar & Punctuation and Spell & Write

Individual Levels: PreK – Grade 6 /Cost: $10.99 each

Series: Smart Start Read & Write

Individual Levels: PreK – Grade 1

Publisher: Evan-Moor / Cost: $9.99

Spectrum Language Series / Cost: $7.99 – $11.99

Cursive Handwriting / Spectrum Level: Grade 3 – Grade 5

Handwriting Manuscript / Spectrum Level: K – Grade 2

Language Arts / Individual Levels: K – Grade 8

Phonics / Individual Levels: K – Grade 2

Reading / Individual Levels: K – Grade 8

Sight Words / Individual Levels: K – Grade 1

Spelling / Individual Levels: K – Grade 8

Word Study and Phonics / Individual Levels: Grade 3 – Grade 6

Writing / Individual Levels: K – Grade 8

Vocabulary / Individual Levels: Grade 3 – Grade 6

Success With Language Series by Scholastic / Cost: $4.79

Scholastic Success with Grammar / Individual Levels: Grade 1 – Grade 5

Scholastic Success with Reading Comprehension / Individual Levels: Grades 1 – 5

Scholastic Success with Sight Words / Spectrum Level: K-Grade 2

Contemporary Cursive or Traditional Cursive / Spectrum Level: Grades 2-4

Scholastic Success with Writing / Individual Levels: Grade 1 – Grade 5

Series: Wood Roots / Scope: Vocabulary

Spectrum Levels: Grades 3-4, Grades 5-12, Grades 7-12

Publisher: Critical Thinking Co / Cost: $24.99

Series: A Word A Day (Student Workbook, Teacher Edition)

Scope: Vocabulary / Individual Levels: Grade 1 – Grade 6

Publisher: Evan-Moor / Cost: $7.99, $23.99

Writing Composition Series by Evan-Moor

Creative Writing Ideas, Grades 2-4 (Teacher Edition) $16.99

How to Write a Story, Grades 1-3 & Grades 4-5 (Teacher Edition) $16.99

Paragraph Writing, Grades 2-4 (Teacher Edition) $16.99

Write a Super Sentence, Grades 1-3 (Teacher Edition) $14.99

Write Every Day: Prompts, Grades 2-6 (Teacher Edition) $23.99

Writing Fabulous Sentences & Paragraphs, Grades 4-6 (Teacher Edition) $18.99

Writing Detective / Scope: Reading, Writing / Cost: $12.99

Spectrum Level: Grades 3-6 / Publisher: Critical Thinking Co

180 Days of Language Series by Shell Education

180 Days of Language / Scope: Composition, Grammar

180 Days of Reading / Scope: Comprehension, Fluency, Vocabulary

 180 Days of Spelling and Word Study / Scope: Spelling, Vocabulary

180 Days of Writing / Scope: Composition, Grammar

Individual Levels: K – Grade 6 / Cost: $22.99

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Mathematics

Series: At-Home Tutor: Math

Individual Levels: PreK – Grade 2

Publisher: Evan-Moor / Cost: $8.99

Series: Basic Math Skills (Teacher Edition)

Individual Levels: Grade 1 – Grade 5

Publisher: Evan-Moor / Cost: $ 29.99

Series: Big Fun Learning Pad: Math

Individual Levels: PreK – K

Publisher: Highlights / Cost: $9.99

Series: Common Core Math Workbook

Individual Levels: Grade 1 – Grade 8

Publisher: Ace Academic Publishing / Cost: $18.99

Daily Math Series by Evan-Moor

Math Practice (Student, Teacher) and World Problems (Student, Teacher) 

Individual Levels: Grade 1 – Grade 6 / Cost: $7.99, $22.99

Learning Fun Workbook Series by Highlights / Cost: $4.99

Titles: Math Concepts, (Level: K) Addition, and  Subtraction (Levels: Grade 1 & 2)

Series: Math Fundamentals (Teacher Edition)

Individual Levels: Grade 1 – Grade 6

Publisher: Evan-Moor / Cost: $21.99

Series: Mathematical Reasoning

Individual Levels: PreK – Grade 6

Publisher: Critical Thinking Co / Cost: $32.99 – $42.99

Math Workbooks by Kumon Publishing / Cost $ 7.94

Addition and Subtraction / Individual Levels: Grades 1 – 3

Addition & Subtraction / Grade 3

Multiplication and Division / Individual Levels: Grades 3 & 4

Decimals & Fractions / Individual Levels: Grades 4 & 5

Geometry & Measurement / Individual Levels: Grades 1 – 6

Word Problems / Individual Levels: Grades 1 – 6

Middle School Math by Kumon Publishing

Spectrum Level: Grade 6 – Grade 8 / Cost: $14.95

Pre-Algebra, Algebra, Intro to Geometry, Geometry and Word Problems 

Series: Skill Sharpeners Math

Individual Levels: PreK – Grade 6

Publisher: Evan-Moor / Cost: $10.99

Series: Smart Start Math

Individual Levels: PreK – Grade 1

Publisher: Evan-Moor / Cost: $9.99

Scholastic Success with Math Series / Cost: $4.79

Addition & Subtraction / Individual Levels: Grade 1 – Grade 2

Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, & Division / Individual Level: Grade 4

Fractions & Decimals / Individual Level: Grade 5

Multiplication Facts / Spectrum Level: Grades 3-4

Multiplication & Division / Individual Level: Grade 3

Scholastic Success with Math / Individual Levels: Grade 1 – Grade 5

180 Days of Math Series by Shell Education

Titles: 180 Days of Math and 180 Days of Problem Solving

Individual Levels: Grade 1 – Grade 6 / Cost: $22.99

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Science

Series: Daily Science (Student, Teacher)

Individual Levels: Grade 1 – Grade 6

Publisher: Evan-Moor / Cost: $7.99, $29.99

Series: Hands-On STEAM Learning Fun Workbook

Individual Levels: PreK – Grade 2

Publisher: Highlights / Cost: $4.99

Series: Science Lessons & Investigations (Teacher Edition)

Individual Levels: Grade 1 – Grade 6

Publisher: Evan-Moor / Cost: $21.99

Series: Skill Sharpener Science

Individual Levels: PreK – Grade 6

Publisher: Evan-Moor / Cost: $10.99

Series: Smart Start STEM

Individual Levels: PreK – Grade 1

Publisher: Evan-Moor / Cost: $9.99

Series: Spectrum Science / Cost: $11.99

Individual Levels: Grade 3 – Grade 8

Series: STEM Lessons and Challenges (Teacher Edition)

Indvidual Levels: Grade 1 – Grade 6

Publisher: Evan- Moor / Cost: $19.99

Series: 180 Days of Science

Individual Levels: Grade 1 – Grade 6

Publisher: Shell Education / Cost: $22.99

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Social Studies

History Pockets Series by Evan-Moor (Teacher Edition)

Titles: The American Civil War, The American Revolution, Ancient Civilizations, Ancient Egypt, Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome, Colonial America, Explorers of North America, Life in Plymouth Colony, Moving West, Native Americans

Spectrum Levels: Grades 1-3, Grades 4-6 / Cost: $16.99

Series: 180 Days of Social Studies

Individual Levels: Grade 1 – Grade 6

Publisher: Shell Education / Cost: $22.99  

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Thinking Skills

Series: Building Thinking Skills

Spectrum Levels: PreK, K- Grade 1, Grades 2-3, Grades 4-6, Grades 7-12

Publisher: Critical Thinking Co / Cost: $24.99 – 29.99

Series: Critical & Creative Thinking Activities (Teacher Edition)

Indvidual Levels: Grade 1 – Grade 6

Publisher: Evan-Moor / Cost: $21.99

Series: Daily Higher-Order Thinking (Teacher Edition)

Individual Levels: Grade 1 – Grade 6

Publisher: Evan-Moor / Cost: $21.99

Series: Practical Critical Thinking

Spectrum Level: Grades 9-12

Publisher: Critical Thinking Co / Cost: $39.99

Series: Skill Sharpeners Critical Thinking

Individual Level: PreK – Grade 6

Publisher: Evan-Moor / Cost: $10.99

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Happy Homeschooling!

Love,

b

Dear Sis,

Although our homeschool journey is in its very beginning phases (pre-k), it is a huge priority of my time as a stay-at-home mom and of our financial resources. We are currently setting aside funds each month to create an $800 annual curriculum budged, which I further round out with gifts for the kids from our family and holiday budgets. 

I realize that not everyone dreamed about homeschooling long before the conception of their children. I realize that some make the decision to homeschool without allocation of funds, and although they can certainly do that next school year, what about this coming school year!?

One of our neighbors who has become one of my “mom” friends, shared with me her desire to homeschool this coming school year, but admitted she had no idea where to start! Knowing that time was ticking I offered to help provide as much information as I could. 

In our first meeting we talked about state (OH) requirements and I shared some of my favorite programing. She too was drawn to many of my choices for the same reasons I was. And next year, she very well may use some of them, but this year I am scrambling to find low cost, relatively spontaneous homeschooling options. What I stumbled upon is amazingly cost effective and may alter the course of my future homeschooling choices as well. Here is what I learned:

Online Public & Charter Schools in Ohio

Hands-down the lowest cost home based schooling is online public school or community (charter) schools, which provide a laptop and hard copy curriculum materials for each student. These schools vary in the amount of time needed online and whether or not that time is “live” and scheduled or “recorded” and accessible on the learner’s timetable.  A quick google search will give you a half dozen choices in your area, most of which will be online public schools. For a complete list of charter schools, called community schools in Ohio, visit Ohio Department of Education’s Directory of Community Schools.  

How to Home School in Ohio

You know your student best! In the homeschool environment you can tailor your students curricula to their strengths, weaknesses, and areas of interest. But a good place to start is always by meeting your state’s requirements.

Ohio Homeschool Requirements

• Subjects
  • Language, Reading, Spelling, Writing
  • Geography, History of United States and Ohio, National, State, and Local Government
  • Mathematics
  • Science
  • Health, Physical Education
  • Fine Arts and Music
  • First Aid, Safety, and Fire Prevention

Once you have located workbooks for each subject, it is possible to briefly outline your curriculum for the year and provide the list of teaching materials that make up that curriculum. Your superintendent will need this outline and list in your signed cover letter informing them that you will be homeschooling this year. 

Next comes the business of documenting your school year. A school year is defined at 900 or more hours of instruction in the subjects listed above. 

Next year your homeschool letter to the superintendent must also include your student work assessment from the previous school year. Information on how assessments are to be preformed can be discussed directly with your superintendent or can be as directed in State Law & Administrative Rules. 

Academic Assessment Code: Rule 3301-34-04

Affordable Homeschool Curricula

Needless to say, online public, charter, or private schooling requires screen time. For younger kiddos especially, I understand hesitation to embark on this type of learning adventure, even though it is home based. This conflict is what lead me to discover affordable workbook curricula. Honestly, we use a few workbooks each school year, and will probably use them more heavily as we move on to more advanced learning. Especially now that I know more!

Workbooks

Workbooks are consumable and will be written in by your student, unless you make photo copies, to allow for multi student use. Workbooks blend information that traditionally might be conveyed via textbook, discussion or lecture, and practice worksheets all in one place. Actually, many public/charter/private schools use workbooks in place of textbooks during the elementary years especially. 

Workbooks are also very user friendly. Many have instruction right on the worksheet itself and an answer key, alleviating a need for a teacher’s manual. Some workbooks rely more heavily on a teacher’s manual to provide additional reading and discussion material the teacher can share with the learner. These particular workbooks are not used in conjunction with textbooks to keep cost lower.

Workbooks can be found at Target, Walmart, even Dollar Tree. Not all workbooks are created equally. This list includes secular workbooks that keep up with state, and/or common core, standards. If you have additional suggestions for our list, please comment below!

Ace Academic Publishing PreK – Grade 8

Critical Thinking Co. PreK – Grade 12+

Evan-Moor PreK – Grade 8

Kumon PreK – Grade 8

Highlights PreK- Grade 2

Scholastic PreK- Grade 5

Shell Education PreK – Grade 12

Spectrum PreK – Grade 8

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In the next few posts, I will be putting together a directory of sorts. I hope my research can save you some time and trouble as you chart the course for your family homeschool journey.

Love,

b