Top Picks for the Best 7th Grade Homeschool Curriculum

The best way to teach 7th 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! 

By 7th grade, a child should be starting to do some independent studying. Depending on learning style, personality, and skill master, independent study may include: ability to stick with a schedule or routine; independent reading; ability to compile facts and write a paper; test study skills. 

However, don’t worry if your 7th grader still needs a little or even a lot of help staying on track! I’ve learned that one of the most important skills kids can learn as they head into middle school is to ask for help if they feel “stuck.” Make sure your child always knows they can come to you for assistance or support. 

Depending on your state homeschool laws, a 7th grader will likely need to study core subjects like math, language arts, social studies, and science, along with electives like health and art.

In public and private school, a 7th 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 7th 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. 

The answer to this question depends on one thing: your budget. 

You can homeschool for nearly free, or you can invest thousands of dollars into your child’s education. (Most homeschoolers land somewhere in the middle.) 

Here is a breakdown of some of the potential larger expenses of homeschooling a 7th grader: 

• Math curriculum–if you buy new, middle school math sets tend to run upwards of $70 – 100 
• Science curriculum–especially if you opt into a curriculum with labs or a video course, you’re looking at $100 or more 
• History curriculum–history books are easier to find used, but if you opt for new curriculum expect to spend $70 – $100 
• Extracurriculars–depending on your child’s interests, expect to spend anywhere from a few hundred dollars to $1,000 or more on gear, equipment, lessons, etc.
• Co-op fees–many homeschool communities still have free options, but the more structured co-ops charge yearly fees which can cost anywhere from $60 to $100 per family to several hundred dollars per child