Homeschooling has experienced a surge in popularity in recent years, attracting more families seeking an alternative to traditional education. However, this surge also brings with it a proliferation of scams and subpar curriculum options. On the bright side, there are excellent curricula available that offer quality and ease of use, albeit at a cost.

But what about moms on a tight budget? Should they settle for inferior quality or consider taking out a second mortgage to afford books and curriculum?

For many families managing their finances carefully, finding free resources becomes crucial. While numerous lists of free resources are available, many tend to focus primarily on materials for younger students who are in the early stages of learning to read and identify colors. However, this overlooks the needs of families with children in middle school, who often find themselves in need of additional resources and support.

I think it is a misconception that once children reach middle school, parents have everything figured out and don’t require additional resources. On the contrary, the challenges of homeschooling can become more complex as children progress through their education, requiring more diverse and specialized materials to meet their evolving needs. Further, more and more people are exiting public schools at the middle school junction.

By expanding our focus to include resources suitable for middle school students, we can ensure that all homeschooling families, regardless of their budget constraints, have access to the tools and materials they need to provide a high-quality education for their children. Let’s explore some free resources that cater to the unique needs of middle school students and empower homeschooling families to succeed.

Here is a curated list of some of the best free resources (specific for middle to high school materials) to enhance your homeschooling experience:

1. Easy Peasy Homeschool/High School: This online platform offers complete curriculum packages from kindergarten through high school. Easy Peasy is a favorite among homeschooling families due to its easy-to-follow structure and diverse range of subjects.

The website is well-organized and user-friendly, making it easy for both parents and students to navigate. Each grade level is clearly laid out, with daily lesson plans and links to resources provided. However, while Easy Peasy offers structured lesson plans, it also allows for flexibility. Parents can adapt the curriculum to suit their child’s learning style and pace, making it suitable for a variety of homeschooling approaches, including traditional, eclectic, and unschooling.

Further, Easy Peasy has a large and active online community of homeschooling families who share tips, resources, and support through forums and social media groups. This sense of community can be invaluable, especially for those new to homeschooling.

2. The Good and the Beautiful: This resource offers a free language arts curriculum for grades 1 through 8, along with other free resources like handwriting pages, literature units, and more. They also have math through 7th grade and Middle Grade Science Lessons for Free.

The Good and the Beautiful is known for its beautiful layout and engaging content.

Note: The site does offer additional resources via low-cost shop within the site.

3. Khan Academy: With free lessons in math, science, economics, history, and more, Khan Academy is a valuable resource for homeschoolers of all ages. Its interactive exercises and instructional videos make complex topics accessible and fun.

Further, Khan Academy has resources for adult education and testing preparation as students choose to take the ACT and SAT.

4. Ambleside Online: For families interested in a Charlotte Mason approach to education, Ambleside Online offers a free curriculum based on Mason’s principles. It emphasizes living books, nature study, and narration, providing a rich and holistic educational experience.

Ambleside Online carefully curates its book lists to include classic literature, biographies, historical fiction, and other high-quality texts. By exposing children to rich and engaging literature, parents can embrace a true Charlotte Mason education and hopefully instill a love for reading.

5. Bookshelf Academy offers a carefully selected array of free e-books spanning various subjects and grade levels. It serves as a valuable source of literature-rich content to complement your homeschooling curriculum.

Moreover, this site is ideal for conducting a comprehensive unit study, allowing students to delve deeply into specific interests or topics that may be inadequately covered in their standard curriculum.

6. YouTube – YouTube is a huge library of content. Some good and some bad obviously. However, we use the site liberally to add color to reading assignments and to help us learn art, history, and science.

Some of our favorite channels are:

Crash Course: The Crash Course YouTube channel provides engaging and informative video series on various subjects, including history, science, literature, and more. These videos are perfect for visual learners and make complex topics accessible and entertaining.

Ted-Ed: TED-Ed features short, animated lessons created by educators and animators around the world. These videos cover a diverse range of topics, from science and technology to literature and philosophy, and are designed to spark curiosity and inspire learning.

SciShow: SciShow delves into the fascinating world of science with videos on biology, chemistry, physics, and more. Hosted by Hank Green and a team of scientists, SciShow presents complex scientific concepts in an engaging and accessible manner.

Don’t forget well-known cable channels like National Geographic, Smithsonian, PBS, Discovery, and History Channel.

When in doubt don’t be afraid to watch the video before your kids. Or you could be like me and watch Country Joe and the Fish sing at Woodstock without prescreening (hint language…but it did add an exclamation point to our discussion about the Vietnam War)

7. At Home Middle School: This website offers free courses in math, language arts, science, and social studies specifically designed for middle school students. Its interactive lessons and quizzes make it a great resource for homeschoolers in the middle school years.

Throughout our homeschooling journey, we have consistently integrated AtHomeMiddleSchool into our curriculum, particularly for Science, History, and ELA book studies. However, it’s worth noting that our experience with their Spanish curriculum left much to be desired, failing to meet the standards we had set for middle school level learning. Nonetheless, this discrepancy does not overshadow the platform’s overall strengths.

One notable drawback we encountered was the absence of answer keys, which necessitated a parallel learning approach. While this may pose a challenge for some, the wealth of resources and interactive features offered by At Home Middle School outweigh this limitation, providing a comprehensive educational experience for middle school students.

8. Your Local Library: If you have followed along at all you know I have a deep love of the local library. As well as the surrounding town libraries. I’m equal opportunity for good books.

Don’t overlook the resources available at your local library. From books and audiobooks to educational DVDs and online databases, libraries offer a wealth of free resources to support your homeschooling journey.

Anything I have ever needed from reference materials to movies our librarians have gone the extra mile to get me a copy or direct me to someone who could help.

9. Nature and Road Trips: Sometimes the best learning experiences happen outside the classroom.

Take advantage of nature’s classroom by going on hikes, exploring local parks, and embarking on road trips to historical sites and museums. These hands-on experiences provide valuable learning opportunities and create lasting memories.

Mixing these free resources with your favorite paid options can create a well-rounded school day without the need for that second mortgage.

Whether you’re looking for a complete curriculum or supplemental resources to enhance your homeschooling experience, there are plenty of free options available to support your educational goals.

What is your favorite free resource for homeschooling?

Please share your top picks and continue to support each other on this journey.

Remember, education can be affordable, and with a little creativity and resourcefulness, you can provide a quality education for your children right from the comfort of your home.