5th grade homeschool curriculum: a parent’s guide
The complete guide to 5th grade homeschool curriculum, from a homeschooling mom of five.
Author
Kristy Howard
Published:
April 2025
Key takeaways
- • Fifth grade looks a lot like branching out into more complex academic skills, as well as growing in confidence through self expression, as a student prepares for the middle school years.
- • Most often, 5th grade homeschool curriculum provides opportunities for expressing opinions, expanding vocabulary and comprehension, mastering more complex math skills, and engaging with American civics, history, geography, and fine arts.
- • From 5th grade schedules and curriculum to electives and skill mastery, here’s what you need to know in order to confidently homeschool 5th grade!
A guide to homeschooling 5th grade
There’s something about homeschooling a fifth grader that puts a lump in my throat. Most often, our fifth graders have recently celebrated their first “double digit” birthday (a milestone indeed!), and it’s also likely that their elementary years are quickly coming to a close. As excited (or exhausted) as you may feel about your child’s budding personality and interests, the ever-changing dynamics at this age can leave you wondering what happened to your little boy or little girl.
Whether you’re brand new to homeschooling or a veteran home educator, chances are you’ve wondered how to homeschool a 5th grader more than once. Each school year is a new adventure, and homeschooling fifth grade is no exception.
The fact that you’re reading this tells me that you plan to homeschool 5th grade, which is amazing! Here’s everything you need to know to make it a truly wonderful year.
What subjects are taught in the 5th grade?
The answer to this question will partly depend on what state you live in. A quick review of homeschool state laws will help you determine if your state has required subjects or not.
But generally speaking, 5th grade homeschool curriculum should include the following:
- Math
- Science
- Social Studies (including history and geography)
- Language Arts (including reading, writing, and English grammar)
- Music and Art
- Physical Education
- Speech
- Theater Arts
How to homeschool a 5th grader
To homeschool 5th grade, the most important thing to realize is that homeschooling doesn’t have to look like private or public schooling. “Good” homeschooling will include a written curriculum (or online curriculum), some kind of structure or schedule, and lots of fun!
To prep for fifth grade, make sure you have the following supplies on hand for yourself and your student:
- Computer or laptop
- Printer
- Digital or paper planner
- Library card
- 5th grade homeschool curriculum
- Tote (for you)
- Backpack (for your child)
- Notebooks and folders
- Graph paper
- Basic school supplies
To dive a little deeper into this topic, also read “How to Start Homeschooling: Everything Parents Need to Know.”
How many hours a day do you homeschool a 5th grader?
In public and private school, a fifth grader will be in school for six to eight hours a day, four or five days a week. In some states, homeschoolers are required to closely mirror the public school schedule. (Again, it’s important to check your state homeschool laws for required learning days or hours per school year.)
If your state is more flexible on the required learning hours, a reasonable schedule for homeschooling a fifth grader will include about three to four hours of focused learning time per day, four to five days per week.
Many homeschool parents find it helpful to have their child spend about 45 minutes on each subject, depending on their attention span and mastery level. However, to preserve your own sanity keep this as a rule of thumb, not a rigid rule! The point is to engage with a lesson enough to master concepts over the long haul, so don’t worry if your child rushes through some lessons and needs lots of repetition with others.
State homeschool laws vary from no required days or hours, to fairly strict requirements, so make sure you check out your state homeschooling laws and learn about required hours or days of school per year.
What are the best 5th-grade homeschool curriculums?
You have many wonderful options when it comes to choosing a fifth grade homeschool curriculum! In fact, I’ve heard many new homeschool moms express overwhelm at how many options there are.
Here are a two easy ways to narrow down your options (and overwhelm) when it comes to homeschool curriculum 5th grade:
- Learn about learning styles (and try to figure out your child’s)
- Become familiar with the 8 common types of homeschooling methods (chances are you’ll relate to at least one or two)
Let’s look at some specific 5th grade homeschool curriculum.
5th grade Language Arts homeschool curriculum
I believe that language arts is one of the most important subjects you will teach in any grade. Why? Because language arts encompasses everything from reading and spelling to comprehension and writing–it’s the vital foundation for human reasoning, expression, and rhetoric.
Depending on your preferred homeschool style and method, you may enjoy any of the following as you teach language arts to your fifth grader:
- Reading literature aloud together
- Writing short stories
- Handwriting practice
- Learning how to write essays and book reviews
- Diving deeper into comprehension skills
- Dictation
- Trips to the library
- Watching the movie after reading a book
A few highly recommended language arts homeschool curriculum 5th grade include:
- Grammar Galaxy (Red Star)
- Shurley English (Level 5)
- All About Reading (Level 5)
- All About Spelling (Level 5)
- Structure and Style for Students (Year 1 Level A)
- Handwriting Without Tears
- Easy Peasy All-in-One Homeschool (Language Arts 5)
5th grade math homeschool curriculum
Math is one of those subjects where mastery and memorization are not an option–but you can still keep it fun! Here are a few resources support your child’s math success:
- 5th Grade Math Help
- 15 Math Tricks for Kids
- Brain Teasers for Kids
- How to Get Better at Mental Math
- Homeschool Math Curriculum
- Homeschool Math Practice
Here are a few of the top-rated homeschool math curriculums for 5th grade:
- The Critical Thinking Company (Level F)
- Master Books (Math Lessons for a Living Education 5)
- Saxon Math (Level 6/5)
- Math-U-See (“Epsilon” Level)
- Singapore Math (Levels 5A and 5B)
5th grade history homeschool curriculum
I think the most important thing to remember when teaching social studies to a 5th grader is not to reduce the learning to reading boring textbooks and memorizing a long list of facts. Make history come alive through storytelling and hands-on fun!
I encourage you to include a few of the following activities in your homeschool program for fourth grade social studies:
- Trips to museums
- Visits to historical sites
- Movies or shows about historical characters or events
- Dress-up or reenactments, if that’s fun for your student
- Colorful maps for table place mats, wall arts, etc.
- Songs and jingles to help memorize facts and dates
- Celebrating historical days
- Attending parades and other historical “holiday” events
Here are a few favorite resources for teaching 5th grade history and social studies:
- The Story of the World (Volume 2)
- The Mystery of History (Volume 1 or 2)
- History Quest (the United States program is recommended for up to 6th grade)
- Curiosity Chronicles (the Snapshots of Medieval History are great for 5th grade learning)
- Beyond the Page (a literature-based program that covers science, social studies, language arts, and math)
- Beautiful Feet Books (a Charlotte Mason literature-based K – 12 curriculum)
I can’t over emphasize the importance of reading interesting, engaging history books with your student! And by “history books,” I don’t necessarily mean textbooks (although those have their place). If you prefer a traditional approach to homeschooling, check out the first four recommendations in the history curriculum list above.
But there’s certainly nothing wrong with browsing your local library for chapter books, or even picture books, about historical characters, events, or places, and snuggling on the coach with your fourth grader (and a cup of hot cocoa or a snack) to “do history” together.
I’ve found that these are the kind of “history lessons” that have stuck best with my kids, and made them excited to learn more about the people who lived before us.
Table of contents
5th grade science homeschool curriculum
Much like history, exploring science with your 5th grader should be exciting, hands-on, and anything but boring!
I’m not a “science” person, but I’ve still enjoyed discovering this subject with my kids. Here are some top recommended science resources for 5th grade:
- Noeo Science (Level 2 is geared for 4th – 6th grades)
- Journey Homeschool Academy (Level A, video-based science curriculum)
- Beyond the Page (a literature-based program that covers science, social studies, language arts, and math)
- Beautiful Feet Books (a Charlotte Mason literature-based K – 12 curriculum)
5th grade art homeschool curriculum
Here’s the good news about teaching art as a homeschooler: you don’t have to be a great artist! Especially during the elementary years, giving your child the freedom to explore and create (and make messes) is usually all you need to do.
That being said, enrolling your child in a local art class is always an option for homeschool art, too. I’ve done this option a lot over the years, and my kids always love it.
If a local art class isn’t an option, or you just want to teach art at home, here are some art programs loved by homeschoolers:
- ARTistic Pursuits (4th – 5th grades, a classic art program)
- Freedom Homeschooling (a resource for 100% free art and music curriculum)
- Chalk Pastel (a fine arts program for K – 12th grades)
- Easy Peasy All-in-One Homeschooling (lots of free art activities, from ancient to modern)
- The Homeschool Art Box (just what it sounds like, an art lesson in a box!)
- Child-Size Masterpieces (a Montessori-approach to art, four books in total)
- Denise Logan’s Amazing Art Projects for Children (for second grade and up)
- Global Art (the ideal art book for use alongside world cultures or geography)
- Great American Artists for Kids (perfect art and artist study guide)
What Do You See? (a three-volume art study program, suitable for elementary)
5th grade physical education homeschool curriculum
The most important parts of physical education for a 5th grader include the following:
- Refining Motor Skills
- Teamwork and Sportsmanship
- Game Play and Strategies
- Self-Analysis and Improvement
- Problem Solving and Conflict Resolution
- Personal Health and Fitness
There are a number of ways to approach physical education in 5th grade as a homeschooler. If your state requires this to be taught as a “subject,” you might look into implementing an actual curriculum or program. If not, consider enrolling your child in a sport or activity that they enjoy–that option certainly ticks all the boxes for a robust physical education program!
Here are a few 5th-grade friendly sports activity options lots of homeschool families enjoy:
- Baseball
- Obstacle Courses
- Calisthenics
- Hiking
- Swim
- Cheer
- Dancing
- Martial Arts
- Gymnastics
- Horseback Riding
- Ballet
- Ice skating
Here are a few physical education curriculums for your 5th grade homeschool program:
- Physical Education 4 -6 (a video-based P.E. program by Master Books Academy)
- Freedom Homeschooling (completely FREE physical education programs and activities)
- Family Time Fitness (a complete pre-K through high school homeschool P.E. program)
Easy Peasy All-in-One Homeschooling (FREE health and P.E. for homeschoolers)
FAQs
The best way to teach 5th grade at home is to to pick a curriculum that aligns with both your homeschool style and your child’s learning style; invest in a few basic school supplies; create a sustainable schedule for your homeschool program; be consistent with your chosen schooling time; stay connected with friend groups or a homeschool community; stay active and have lots of fun!
Depending on your state homeschool laws, a 5th grader should do anywhere between three to four hours of focused learning per day, four to five days a week.
A strong focus on expanding reading comprehension, language arts mastery, and learning more complex math skills. (Check your local homeschool laws to see if your state has a required list of subjects.) Common subjects for 5th graders to learn include math, language arts (including reading, writing, and grammar), science, history and geography, music and art, theater arts, and physical education.
Generally speaking, a 5th grader should be able to do the following:
- Work through multi-step math problems
- Understand complex stories and texts
- Write organized paragraphs
- Demonstrate fluency in reading and writing
- Show proficiency in basic math skills
