📚 Back-to-School, Campground-Style
Curriculum Choices That Actually Work for Roadschooling
Homeschool kicks off for us in just a couple of weeks! Since we’re from New York, I still stick with the traditional schedule of starting after Labor Day. I’ve been busy prepping and shopping for curriculum, and this year feels extra different, I’ll have one in elementary school, one in middle school, and one starting high school.
On top of that, I’ve been learning the new regulations and finishing up our IHIP for NYS. Last year we relied heavily on online programs, but I didn’t love it, so I decided to shake things up this year with a new mix of resources. I’ll give you a rundown of what we’ll be using (and what we’ve tried in the past).
Outside of school prep, life is giving me all the fall vibes lately, I picked up a new pair of jeans on a recent shopping trip, soccer season has officially kicked off, and the nights are starting to get cooler. I can feel fall in the air, and I’m so excited because it’s my favorite season!
Anyway, back to homeschool prep! Here are some of the curriculums we’ve used over the years, along with what worked, what didn’t, and what we’re trying this year.
IXL
This one is fully online and very easy to use. I liked that there was an app (super handy for my 1st grader at the time), but I wasn’t a fan of the grading system. If a child got a problem wrong, it just kept generating more and more questions, which led to frustration when they didn’t understand something right away. My older kids often skipped the instructional videos and just tried to push through the work, which led them to not actually learning the material.
BookShark
I loved that this program was literature-based, with lots of reading and workbooks. It also worked well for teaching science and social studies to multiple kids together, while math and language arts stayed grade-specific. This year, I’m using it for history with my 9th grader. He’s not a big reader, but since he enjoys history, I think this will be a good way to combine the two.
The Good and the Beautiful
We used this last year for science and it was a big hit. The unit studies are designed so kids of different grade levels can study the same topic together but with age-appropriate workbooks, perfect for families like mine with multiple kids. I let each of my youngest pick two units this year, so we’ll be diving into marine biology, paleontology, ecosystems, and motion & simple machines. We’re also switching to The Good and the Beautiful for math and language arts for my 2nd and 7th grader this year.
Time4Learning
This was the very first program we tried when we started homeschooling. I liked that it was online but also offered printable worksheets. The kids, however, didn’t enjoy the videos, so it was hard to keep them engaged. It is very affordable though, and I know many families who love it, it just wasn’t the best fit for us.
Along with the basics, we’ve got some fun extras planned this year too. We’ll be taking a history field trip to Colonial Williamsburg this fall, my youngest wanted to learn the ukulele so we bought one and will be working on that for music, and my 9th grader, who’s into dirt bikes and fixing things, will be taking an online course on 2-stroke and 4-stroke engines. My daughter, who loves reading and is showing an interest in writing, will be taking a creative writing class on Outschool (last year she did one on cosmetology). That’s one of the things I love most about homeschooling, we can really cater their education to their individual interests.
📍 Worth the Stop
On my list for a future stop is The Dollar Book Swap in Dayton, Ohio, a massive warehouse where every book is just $1.25. Perfect for stocking up on homeschool reads, road trip books for the kids, or adding to your campground reading stash without breaking the budget. A book lover’s dream!
🚐 RV Tip of the Week
I came across a clever shoe organization hack on Facebook this week and just had to share! Shoes always seem to pile up by the RV door (and it drives me crazy). I even read that in feng shui it’s considered bad energy, trapping negative vibes or blocking good ones from coming in. Either way, I’m excited to try this out.
🛒 Add to Cart: My Current Faves
I picked up this cute bookish shirt that says “one more chapter” — which pretty much sums up my nightly reading routine. I always tell myself I’ll stop after just one more chapter… and then suddenly it’s way past bedtime. I love the color, and it’s so comfy for lounging around the campground with a good book in hand.
📚 What I’m Reading
This week I picked up Ruth Run at the bookstore, it caught my eye and sounded intriguing. The story follows a girl who learns to rob banks through hacking, only to end up on the government’s radar and on the run. It was a great read overall, though I have to admit I was a little disappointed with the ending. It felt like there were some loose ends… maybe it’s being set up for a sequel?
Next on my list is Not Quite Dead Yet. I’ve definitely been on a thriller streak lately, they keep me guessing, while the romance reads have started to feel a little too predictable.
🏕️ Campground Update
Another offer went in this week, could this be the one? 🤞 In the RV Park mastermind I’m part of, I learned it can take up to 100 deals before you land your first park. We’re only on #8, so it looks like we may still have a journey ahead.
It actually reminded me of what we tell our franchisees at Fireside RV Rental: it often takes 100 leads to get 1 person signed up for RV rental management. Maybe it’s just a universal “law of 100”?
📬 Before You Go…
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