Best Homeschool Government Curriculum

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If you are looking for a homeschool government curriculum for your high school student, you’ll have several excellent options from which to choose. Most of these courses are one semester long and thus pair nicely with another semester-long social studies course, such as economics or geography. In this article, we’ll tell you about three of our favorite homeschool government courses. 

Our picks for the best homeschool government curriculum:

If you’re interested in other types of homeschool social studies courses, check out our related articles, Best High School Homeschool History Curriculum and Best Homeschool High School Geography Curriculum. 

Best All-Around Homeschool Government Course

A Noble Experiment: The History and Nature of the American Government, Tim Spickler, M. Ed. 

We chose Tim Spickler’s A Noble Experiment as our favorite homeschool government course because more than any other course we know of, this one asks students to think critically about why the American government developed the way it has. This is not a simple high school civics course where students memorize facts about the constitution and the structure of government. This course goes much deeper, requiring students to use primary documents to really understand the intentions and meanings behind America’s founding and its subsequent political development. 

In its approach, this course is more akin to a college seminar than a typical high school course – and we think this is a good thing, as it challenges students to think critically and creatively to understand the complexities of the world around them. Rather than simply internalizing the interpretations of textbook authors, students will learn to form their own opinions and articulate their own arguments about the original historical documents they read. College-bound students, especially high school seniors, will gain valuable research, writing, and critical thinking skills in this course that will better prepare them for college.

This is an excellent course for self-led, independent, and intellectually curious learners. A DVD set provides 24 engaging lessons that help students better understand the materials. There is also a consumable student workbook that includes all the primary source readings, unit assessments, and student activities. The Teacher Resource CD provides the course syllabus, course outline, answer keys for all of the assessments, grade sheets, optional activities, and a full transcript of the DVD lessons. All three can be purchased here as a set.

This one-semester course is designed to meet the National Standards for Civics and Government. Ideally, it can be paired with Tim Spickler’s Economics course.

Best Online Homeschool Government Course

Calvert Homeschool Government

If you are looking for a solid one-semester homeschool government course for your high school student, consider Calvert Homeschool’s excellent online course. Calvert has been publishing top-notch curriculum for many years, and all of its grade 3-12 programs are now offered completely online. The online courses are engaging and rigorous while still user-friendly and approachable. 

One of the best parts of Calvert Homeschool is its online platform, which provides media-rich, dynamic, and interactive lessons. Students can access the platform at any time of day and complete the work at their own pace. This course can be completed independently with virtually no parental involvement. The online platform also keeps track of schedules and assignments, and most of the grading is done automatically. Parents can log into the Teacher’s Dashboard at any time to check on their kids’ progress. 

Calvert Government is a one-semester course that can be taken by students in grades 9-12. Students will improve their writing abilities, learn important research skills, and practice giving presentations. Additional tests, lessons, and projects are also provided. The course explores both the American government and international governments. It includes the following units: “International Governments”, “History of Governments”, “United States Government”, “The American Party System”, and “The Citizen and His Government”. This course pairs well with Calvert’s one-semester Economics course.

Calvert Government can be purchased as a single course. If you are interested in using multiple Calvert courses, consider one of the company’s subscription plans.

Best Christian Homeschool Government Course

Lifepac Civics

Published by Alpha Omega Publications, a leader in Christian homeschool curriculum, Lifepac Civics is an excellent, thorough one-semester government course with a Christian perspective. The program is designed for students in grades 7-12, so it can be used in either middle or high school. Its streamlined and approachable format make this course easy for students to complete independently. 

This course is comprehensive and engaging. Students learn about the development of the American government as well as other government types throughout history, politics, economic systems, and the meaning of citizenship. The course is broken down into five thematic units: “A New Nation”, “The Constitution”, “Branches of Government”, “Government by the People”, and “Relationship to the World”. 

As with other Lifepac courses, this one uses a set of colorful, consumable worktexts that students work through on their own. The Teacher’s Guide includes notes on each unit as well as answer keys for the assessments. The Civics Resource Guide includes important documents like the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. All of the above materials are included in the complete set. This course is excellent for self-led and independent learners, and parents appreciate the minimal involvement required. 

Since this course is only one semester long, consider pairing it with another of Lifepac’s one-semester elective courses, which include: 

Lifepac also offers full curriculum options, which include courses in language arts, math, science, history and geography, and Bible. 

Conclusion

Most high school students enjoy learning about the history and structure of government, and many love the subject and become passionate about the political system. If you are interested in other high school social studies curriculums for homeschoolers, check out our articles Best High School Homeschool History Curriculum and Best Homeschool High School Geography Curriculum.