Catholic Schoolhouse is designed to be flexible and work with a variety of curricula. You, the home teacher, are the best expert there is to choose resources for your students, and we encourage you to explore and try new things.
Because many families have requested ideas, we have put together this list of possibilities for you. In addition to this list, the Catholic Schoolhouse Blog posts have ideas, activities, AND recommended books that go with each week of the tour guide.
Don’t be confused: you don’t NEED any of the books below to successfully use Catholic Schoolhouse in your home. The curriculum is designed to integrate whatever books you already have on the subjects into your homeschool. If you already have an encyclopedia set, use it! If you already have a nice book about space, use it! We have just complied some of our favorite ‘extra’ books into the list below, so if you’re a family starting from scratch, you have some guidance in building your library!
(The links below are affiliate links. If you purchase a book using these links, Catholic Schoolhouse will receive a small portion of that sale. It does not increase the cost to you in any way. Thanks!)
Year 1
History
What your ___ Grader Needs to Know, by E.D. Hirsch
2-8 The Story of the USA. by Franklin Escher
5-8 From Sea to Shining Sea (Cath. textbook, Ave Maria University)
Language Arts
Grammar-Land by M.L. Nesbit (free from google books)
Primary/Secondary Language Lessons by Emma Serl
American Cardinal Readers, by grade level
Math
Sir Cumference Adventures by Cindy Neuschwander
Penrose the Mathematical Cat Adventures by Theoni Pappas
Science
What your ____ Grader Needs to know, by E. D. Hirsch
How the Weather Works by Michael Allaby
My Temple of the Holy Spirit (Catholic Heritage Curricula (Q3)
Simple Machines in Automobiles
Music
Musician stories by Opal Wheeler: Sebastian Bach, The Boy from Thurungia (Q1), Ludwig Beethoven and the Chiming Tower Bells (Q2)
Art
Saints
For young Readers- In the Footsteps of the Saints series (see Marys Books)
For older Readers- Books by Mary Fabian Wyndeatt and Vision Books
Religion
King of the Golden City (Catholic Heritage Curricula)
Latin
Year 2
(a lot of these are the same for each year- the core subjects can use the same series of material)
History
What your ___ Grader Needs to Know, by E.D. Hirsch
Child’s History of the World by V.M. Hillyer
Language Arts
Grammer-Land by M.L. Nesbit (free from google books)
Primary/Secondary Language Lessons by Emma Seri
American Cardinal Readers, by grade level
Math
Sir Cumference Adventures by Cindy Neuschwander
Penrose the Mathematical Cat Adventures by Theoni Pappas
Science
What your ____ Grader Needs to know, by E. D. Hirsch
Music
The Nine-Note Recorder Method, by Penny Gardner
Art
Artist Stories by Ernest Raboff
Saints
For young Readers- In the Foodsteps of the Saints series (see Marys Books)
For older Readers- Books by Mary Fabian Wyndeatt and Vision Books
Religion
King of the Golden City (Catholic Heritage Curricula)
Latin
Latina Christiana, Memoria Press
Year 3
(a lot of these are the same for each year- the core subjects can use the same series of material)
History
What your ___ Grader Needs to Know, by E.D. Hirsch
2-8 The Story of the Western civilization, book 4 by Alan Riese (Q1)
Child’s History of the World, Ch. 62-91 by V.M. Hilyer
Language Arts
Grammer-Land by M.L. Nesbit (free from google books)
Primary/Secondary Language Lessons by Emma Serl
American Cardinal Readers, by grade level
Math
Sir Cumference Adventures by Cindy Neuschwander
Penrose the Mathematical Cat Adventures by Theoni Pappas
Science
What your ____ Grader Needs to know, by E. D. Hirsch
How the Earth Works by Michael allaby (Q2)
My Temple of the Holy Spirit (Catholic Heritage Curricula (Q3)
Music
Musician stories by Opal Wheeler
Art
Artist Stories by Ernest Raboff
Saints
For young Readers- In the Footsteps of the Saints series (see Marys Books)
The Man who Limped into Heaven (about Saint Ignatius) (Mary’s Books)
For older Readers- Books by Mary Fabian Wyndeatt and Vision Books
Religion
King of the Golden City (Catholic Heritage Curricula)
Classical Languages