Choosing homeschool curriculum can be one of the most exciting—and overwhelming—parts of preparing for a new school year.
There are so many wonderful options available, and it’s easy to get caught up in what everyone else is using. But after a few years of homeschooling, I’ve learned that the best curriculum isn’t necessarily the most popular one. It’s the one that works for your children and your family.
This year, I’m homeschooling a preschooler, first grader, and second grader. We’re using individual levels for math and language arts while bringing everyone together for subjects like science and history.
Here’s what we chose for our 2026–2027 homeschool year, what we’re continuing to use, and what we’re excited to try.
Math: The Good and the Beautiful
We’re continuing with The Good and the Beautiful Math, using levels 1 and 2. (since starting school I’ve been using level K for my preschooler and it’s going great!)
I’ve already used Math K & 1, and here is why I’m using it again:
- Open-and-go lessons that are easy to follow
- Colorful illustrations and engaging activities
- Hands-on manipulatives included in the math boxes
- Independent practice that doesn’t feel like endless worksheets
- Quick lessons mean the kids don’t get (too) wiggly
One thing I particularly like is how the activities are incorporated into the lessons. Instead of simply completing rows of math problems, children might follow a path or complete a themed activity.
It’s a small detail, but I think it makes the lessons more approachable for younger learners.
Language Arts: The Good and the Beautiful
We’re also using The Good and the Beautiful for language arts this year.
The lessons are clearly organized, with beautiful illustrations and unit reviews to help track progress.
The full course set includes booster cards and reading books that reinforce the concepts being taught.
One of my favorite aspects of the K and 1st levels are the readers. They are short and follow the sequence of the reading patterns, so kids as young as 4 can read a whole book (albeit it is only 6 pages with 4 word sentences). The confidence this gives new readers is unparalleled!!
Alongside our language arts curriculum, I’ve purchased additional books from The Good and the Beautiful, including beginning chapter books for my second grader and the Sniff and Flip and Flop series for my first grader. (Since my video my reluctant 1st grader has ENJOYED reading his Sniff book series and is *actually* excited to read the next 😮)
Reading is a major focus for our homeschool this year, so I want to make plenty of room for it in our daily routine.
Reading Comprehension and Literature
To build on our reading goals, we’re incorporating additional reading comprehension and literature activities.
One new resource I’m excited to use is Novel-Ties, including a study for Blueberries for Sal.
The guides include comprehension questions, activities, and more ideas for exploring the story before AND after reading the book. This is really going to help my kids retain the story they’re listening to.
I love the idea of slowing down and really enjoying good literature together.
We’re also incorporating reading comprehension workbooks for additional practice.
Science: NOEO Science
One of the new additions I’m most excited about is NOEO Science, starting with chemistry.
I spent quite a bit of time looking at different science options before choosing this one.
What caught my attention was its literature-based, Charlotte Mason-inspired approach. Instead of one traditional textbook, the curriculum uses different books to explore scientific topics.
The program includes 36 weekly lessons, and families can choose between two-day and four-day scheduling options.
Since we’re already placing a strong emphasis on reading, this seemed like a natural fit for our family.
I’m looking forward to seeing how it works once we’re further into the school year. (Since my video, we have completed 2 different experiments and my kids are absolutely hooked! The lessons are quick, simple and efficient)
History, Handwriting, and Art
For the the rest, we’re using
History and Social Studies: The Tuttle Twins
Handwriting: The Good and the Beautiful
Art: Art with Lauren
I like having a combination of structured core subjects and shared family learning. It allows us to work at different levels without having to teach every single subject separately.
Keeping Our Curriculum Organized
One change I’m making this year is using daily work binders for math and language arts.
Rather than pulling out multiple large curriculum books every morning, I can prepare the pages we’re currently working on and place them in individual binders.
The goal is to make our mornings simpler and help the children gradually become more independent.
I’ve also organized our homeschool closet with labeled bins for reading, science, art, and additional supplies.
You can read more about that process in my post, How I Organized Our Homeschool and Built a Simple Daily Routine.
Final Thoughts
I’m excited about our curriculum choices this year, but I’m also leaving room for things to change. I’ve learned that a curriculum can be wonderful and still not be the right fit for a particular child or season.
Homeschooling gives us the freedom to adjust, and I want to make the most of that freedom.
My goal isn’t to recreate someone else’s beautiful homeschool. It’s to build one that works for our family. And this year, that means good books, simple systems, and a little more independence.
More Homeschool Posts You’ll Love
- How I Organized Our Homeschool and Built a Simple Daily Routine
- Our Homeschool Morning Rhythm
- Why We Changed Homeschool Curriculum Midyear
You can also watch my full 2026–2027 homeschool curriculum video on the House of Cruz YouTube channel for a closer look at the books and materials we’re using.
Join the House of Cruz Community
Here at House of Cruz, I share realistic homeschooling, simple homemaking systems, family recipes, and our journey toward more intentional living.
Explore more posts and resources to help build a home and homeschool that works for your family.
Leave a Reply