Top picks for the best 6th grade homeschool curriculum
Learn what 6th grade homeschool learners need to know, and discover top 6th grade homeschool curriculums for each subject.
Author
Lisa Luciano
Published:
April 2025
Key takeaways
- • Learn what homeschool learners should know by the end of 6th grade.
- • Find out more about 6th grade homeschool curriculum choices in each subject.
- • Discover some tips for homeschooling a 6th grader.
Throughout many areas of the country, sixth grade is the first part of middle school. It’s a year of transition for students as they face new challenges and build on knowledge they have accumulated in elementary school. As much as sixth grade was a transition year for my children, it was also a transition year for me. When they hit sixth grade, I often realized I had been doing too much for them. Instead of giving them the answer to a question, I would ask them to think of a way to find the answer independently. They often heard me say, “This is the year you start to do more for yourself.” Problem-solving, critical thinking, and the ability to apply real-world connections are crucial skills to work on in sixth grade. Finding the right 6th grade homeschool curriculum is a key planning step for the year, so read on if you want to know more about how to homeschool 6th grade.
What subjects are taught in the 6th grade?
Here is an overview of the academic subjects taught in sixth grade, along with the skills that students typically learn by the end of their sixth-grade year:
Language Arts
Sixth-grade language arts aims to develop the reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills of students. Here are some specific skills to master by the end of sixth grade:
Reading
- Strategies for reading comprehension
- Analyzing text for the main idea and supporting details.
- Developing vocabulary
- Understanding word roots, prefixes, and suffixes
- Read and discuss a variety of genres, including biography, poetry, plays, fiction, and non-fiction.
- Write a long-form research paper.
Writing
- Writing practice in various genres: persuasive, descriptive, expository, and narrative.
- Understand and implement figurative language
- Apply the writing process: prewrite, first draft, revise, edit, and publish.
- Master mechanics and grammar: punctuation, capitalization, sentence structure, and proper usage.
Speaking and Listening Skills
- Engage in discussions
- Listen attentively to a speaker
- Present projects
- Use visual displays and media
- Express ideas clearly
Tips to help your sixth grader gain speaking and listening practice in a homeschool setting:
- Students can read their written reports aloud. “Slowly, clearly, and loudly enough for everyone to hear,” is my teacher’s mantra.
- Collaborate with another homeschooling family for a “speech day.” Students prepare reports or presentations to give in front of their friends.
- Practice listening skills through role play, at church, graduations, or other public assemblies.
Math
A sixth-grade homeschool math program aims to develop math concepts and problem-solving skills. By the end of sixth grade, many students have mastered the following:
- Operations with whole numbers, decimals, fractions, and percentages
- Understand basic algebra concepts.
- Understand geometry concepts such as shapes and angles.
- Analyze data from graphs and charts.
- Solve word problems with proper mathematical operations.
History
Homeschooling sixth-grade history was a fun year for us because it was the year of country unit studies. My sixth grader chose a country to research, and would eventually write a comprehensive report on it, from history to geography to food to present-day demographics and cultural practices. The student would choose a recipe from that country and whip up something for everyone to share. They rose to the occasion and seemed to enjoy integrating the country theme into a variety of academic subjects. Depending on the curriculum you choose, 6th grade homeschool history includes:
- Social studies and geography as well as history
- Various historical events and cultural developments from ancient times to the Middle Ages.
- Geographical regions
- Understand the contributions of ancient civilizations.
- Map skills: understanding map legends, and geographical features, and identifying territories and regions
- U.S. Government and The Constitution
Science
In grade 6 homeschool, students learn more about the scientific method while learning fundamental concepts across various fields of science. Depending on your choice of curriculum, subjects covered may include:
Life Science
- Animal and plant cells
- Reproduction of living things
- Ecosystems
- Multicellular organisms
Earth Science
- Weather and climate
- The water cycle
Physical Science
- Heat
- Types of energy
Art
Some parents purchase an official art curriculum and some do not. Whether or not you use a formal art curriculum, art is a great way to break up academic studies and it can be integrated into every subject area.
Table of contents
Sixth-grade homeschool schedule
If you are wondering how to homeschool a 6th grader and what kind of schedule works, you may be surprised. Many families successfully homeschool sixth grade within 2-3 hours per day. If you are looking for help in creating a sixth-grade homeschool schedule, consider the following guidelines:
Morning:
- Core subjects: language arts, math, and science
- Take short movement breaks as needed
- Lunch
Afternoon:
- History, art, physical education
- Free reading
- Movement: sports, swimming, running, walking, outdoor games
Having a schedule can keep your sixth-grade homeschool on task and a high priority. However, it’s important to be flexible and allow your child to explore their interests and have time to relax and recharge. Finding what works best for your family and being willing to adjust your schedule allows a more pleasant learning experience for you and your child. If you feel that you are in a rut, consider one of these ideas:
- Take a field trip
- Use the afternoon for art or educational games
- Start a themed unit study
- Join a library reading program or local reading contest
- Connect with other homeschoolers
How to choose a 6th grade homeschool curriculum
There is no perfect 6th grade homeschool curriculum. The most important consideration is to find an engaging curriculum or combination that works for you and your child. Education is not all about the bookwork, but a great curriculum will challenge your child in academics and propel progress to the next level. When weighing different curriculum options, consider these things:
- What are your child’s strengths and weaknesses?
- Do you prefer a secular or faith-based curriculum?
- What are your long-term goals for your child?
- What is your child’s learning style?
- Do you want your child to learn online or stay unplugged?
- What is your budget?
Note: Even after making a careful curriculum decision, you may decide it’s not right for your child. It’s better to find a curriculum that fits your child vs. making your child fit the curriculum. In 28 years of homeschooling a big family, we have added and taken away curriculum choices that didn’t work for us, and this is normal for any homeschooling family.
What are the best 6th-grade homeschool curriculums?
The best curriculum is one where the student is engaged and learning, and the parent can navigate easily. What works for another family may not work for you, so do your research and read parent reviews. Here is a sampling of popular 6th grade homeschool curriculum choices:
6th-grade Language Arts homeschool curriculum
- Learning Language Arts Through Literature. Published by Common Sense Press, this curriculum uses fragments of texts and four full books per year to teach literature, writing, grammar, and spelling. It’s designed for homeschool families to easily implement the lessons at home.
- Institute for Excellence in Writing. We have used IEW for years and never looked back. If you struggle to know what is and isn’t good writing, this curriculum makes it more objective and methodical (but not boring.) Andrew Pudewa, the video presenter, is fun and engaging and the self-paced lessons are easy to follow. Parents report seeing fast, real progress in their child’s writing.
- All About Spelling is a mastery-based program that teaches spelling rules, encoding skills, and multisensory strategies for success in spelling.
- Lightsail is a comprehensive online language arts curriculum that can take your student through high school. The reading components have built-in comprehension assessments, and the writing connects with the reading passages. Lightsail is a favorite of families that want an all-in-one online curriculum.
6th-grade math homeschool curriculum
- Math-U-See is a comprehensive K–12 math curriculum that uses manipulatives, videos, and other elements to assist students as they gain mastery of math concepts. Math-U-See is one of the most popular math curriculums available and appeals to a wide variety of learners.
- Saxon Math has a spiral approach that introduces a new skill or concept and then reviews the skill until students are confident before moving on. The program helps students become well-grounded in math computation and principles. Saxon Math offers printed textbooks and a video math tutor.
- Horizons Math helps your child build a solid foundation in math, mastering concepts through practice before moving on to the next concept. Their all-in-one teaching and grading kits are easy for parents to use and also budget-friendly.
6th-grade history homeschool curriculum
- Pandia Press. Through storytelling, creative hands-on activities, literature suggestions, cultural exploration, and more, each comprehensive study guide and narrative chapter book brings history to life.
- Book Shark is a literature-based curriculum that many families enjoy. Some find it easy to conquer a lesson in as little as 20-30 minutes per day. Learning history in the context of literature helps students make memorable connections that last. The lessons take students on a journey that covers history, geography, and culture through quality literature.
- Oak Meadow is an all-in-one curriculum that offers K-12 education and distance learning. The benefit of purchasing an all-in-one curriculum is that there is a seamless connection between subjects. Oak Meadow offers curriculum packages, literature packages, individual curriculum items, craft kits, and a digital curriculum.
6th-grade science homeschool curriculum
- Pandia Press offers hands-on science with projects and experiments designed for families to learn together. The Level One course, written by science experts, includes activities, reading lists, labs, and parent instructions. Topics covered in Level One: astronomy, biology, chemistry, earth and environment, and life science.
- Next Level Homeschool. If you have a child who is highly interested in science, Next Level Homeschool Science might be the perfect choice. They offer challenging, exciting lessons, video labs, and projects.
- Mr. Q’s Classic Science was created by a high school science teacher, and his content is written with humor and fun. The elementary science titles include life science (you can try this for free!), earth science, chemistry, and physical science. Mr. Q offers “Lab Notes,” a monthly newsletter with experiment ideas and science-related information.
Our favorite 6th grade books
From audiobooks to read-alouds to quiet reading binges, we are big readers at our house. We join the library reading contests and get motivated to read even more when they offer prizes. Many of our favorite, high-quality books for 6th grade are educational as well as exciting. Here are some of our top family picks:
- The Crispin series by Avi
- Tripods series by John Christopher
- Mysterious Benedict Society series by Trenton Lee Stuart
- Hatchet series (Brian’s Saga) by Gary Paulsen
- Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes
- True Grit by Charles Portis
- Rifles for Watie by Harold Keith
Conclusion
Homeschooling a sixth grader is easier when you have the right tools working for you. Choosing the right 6th grade homeschool curriculum is an important part of this, but it can be challenging. Local homeschool groups offer used curriculum book sales, which is an inexpensive way to see what might work for your family. Many curriculum companies also offer samples, so you can try before you buy.
FAQs
If you have already been homeschooling, easing into 6th grade will seem like the normal next step, with more challenges as your student strengthens skills. If you are new to homeschooling, 6th grade is an exciting year to start. Choosing the right curriculum can guide you into a successful 6th grade homeschool year.
The core subjects taught in 6th grade include language arts, math, history, and science.
Sixth graders will strengthen skills in multiplication, division, and fractions. They will gain understanding and solve problems with ratios and beginning algebraic equations. They will learn basic geometry principles and solve problems relating to area, surface area, and volume. Here is the full list of 6th-grade common core math standards.
