Our Just-Right Homeschool Year: Curriculum Picks for My 5th Grader

Aug 10

Each year, I piece together our homeschool curriculum like a patchwork quilt: some “store-bought,” some hand-stitched, and all designed for my 10-year-old daughter’s unique strengths and needs. She’s advanced in language arts, history, and science, but traditional math worksheets make her eyes glaze over. So here’s a look at what we’re using this year and why.

Language Arts: A Mix of Structure and Story

We’re using Hearth and Story’s 5th Grade ELA curriculum, which offers a thoughtful balance of grammar, spelling, and brain games, all built around high-quality literature. We’re especially enjoying the novel and short story units.

For writing, I create my own lessons based on her interests. Right now, she’s working on perfecting her poetry (she even won her first poetry contest in Orlando, and you can see it on display at MCO if you are visiting:). She writes best when she’s emotionally connected to the topic, so I let her lead with topics, but guide with editing practices and structure.

Math: Starting Over with Beast Academy

This year, we switched to Beast Academy, which takes a very different approach to teaching math from anything we have used before. Even though she completed a higher level in a different program last year, we started a level down so she could learn Beast’s unique style. It uses puzzles, comic-style storytelling, and visual problem-solving to build conceptual understanding. She’s familiar with the core ideas - we’re just learning to speak Beast.

Science: Following the Standards and the Spark

My approach to science is a blend of standards and spark: I start with 5th grade benchmarks, then layer in her interests. This year, she’s into all things microscopic. We’re starting with cells.

We’re using:

Lakeshore Learning’s Cells and Organisms kit
A student-grade microscope with a digital screen (the one in the kit didn’t cut it for us)
Prepared slides
My Disney Homeschool Cell-ebration Unit (I created this specifically because I was so tired of seeing every cell unit have a final project of creating a cell and labeling the parts of a cell. I did that in middle school in the 90s. It’s time to move on lol). For this, we are learning the parts of a cell and their functions by creating analogies. It’s peak science-meets-the-theme-park.

I have also pieced together relevant information she needs from the Lakeshore Kit. While the kit could technically be ready to go from the box, at this level, my kiddo requires more visuals. I use a combo of YouTube videos and books depending upon where her interests and questions go.

History: Facts and Fiction Working Together

For history, we’re using History Quest: United States History by Pandia Press. It’s new to us, but I was drawn to its combination of overviews and short historical fiction stories. My daughter loves to read, so this format lets her engage both intellectually and emotionally with history.

For the geography side of things, I am using The 50 States book, plus a puzzle for some hands on learning. The puzzle is of the US states, and behind each state is its capitol city.

World Language: Duolingo as a Family

We’ve made Duolingo a daily family habit. It’s simple, motivating, and just the right amount of challenge. We take turns cheering each other on - and a little friendly competition never hurts. Because we work on it as a family, we can speak to each other and practice at home for more immersion.

Extracurriculars: Learning Beyond the Books

One of the benefits of homeschooling in the Orlando area is the wide variety of daytime enrichment classes. My daughter’s current lineup includes music, sports, and art.

She loves being around other kids her age, but she also thrives when she has space to work on big creative projects solo. We try to keep a balance of both.

Fridays: Field Trips and Fresh Air

As the weather cools down (eventually...), Fridays become our field trip days. Sometimes we visit the parks. Other times, it’s museums, trails, or just something unexpected. These days give us the chance to slow down, reconnect, and explore learning in the real world.