Best Homeschool Math Curriculum for Middle School

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Our picks for the best homeschool math curriculum for middle school:

Math can be a struggle for many students, including homeschooled ones. Parents can also become frustrated as they try to teach with math curriculums that are poorly designed or are a bad fit for their kids’ learning styles. Fortunately, there are many excellent homeschool math curriculums available, so you just need to find the right fit! 

In this article, we’ll tell you about three of our favorite homeschool math curriculums for middle school students. If you’d like some suggestions for manipulatives that will further help your middle school student in math, see our article Best Math Manipulatives for Middle School. 

Best All-Around

Saxon Math

For many years, Saxon Math has been the most popular homeschool math curriculum because it is academically solid and also approachable for students and parents alike. The program teaches math using the “spiral approach”, wherein concepts are introduced, reintroduced, and continually reviewed. Students learn incrementally and feel successful rather than frustrated. 

Most types of learners do well with Saxon Math. The program is designed in such a way that most students can work independently with minimal parental involvement. We especially recommend the Teaching Tape DVD set that is available with each middle school course. The DVDs feature a state-certified teacher explaining the concepts step-by-step. Students can watch and re-watch the lessons at their own pace to make sure they completely understand the concept being taught before they move onto the next lesson. 

Additionally, an optional supplementary DIVE CD-Rom is available for each course in the middle school series. Using a digital whiteboard format, the DIVE CD-Rom provides a 10-15 minute video that compliments each lesson in the Saxon Math course. These video demonstrations really help students better visualize the concept they are learning on paper. Use of the DIVE CD-Rom alongside the Teaching Tape DVD set is sure to help students gain a thorough understanding of the math concepts being taught, with minimal parental participation required.

The Saxon Math courses available at the middle school level are Saxon Math 6/5, Saxon Math 7/6, Saxon Math 8/7, and Saxon Math Algebra ½ (note that no Teaching Tape DVD is available for the Algebra ½ course, but a DIVE CD-Rom is available).

Best for Struggling Students

Life of Fred, Stanley F. Schmidt

If your middle school student struggles to care about math and understand why it matters, we highly recommend Stanley F. Schmidt’s Life of Fred series. This math series is unlike any you’ve ever heard of before. Its unconventional approach makes math approachable and even, dare-we-say, FUN for most students, even those who usually hate the subject. 

Life of Fred tells the story of Fred Gauss, a six-year-old math professor who encounters the need for math as he goes about his life. The story is presented in the style of a funny novel and demonstrates how math is necessary for all kinds of things in normal life. Fred’s adventures teach math concepts in an effective and entertaining way that will especially help students who struggle with repetitive math drills or don’t understand why math matters. 

Life of Fred is a complete math curriculum with programs for grades 1-12. There are five courses designed for grades 5-8: 

Depending on your student’s grade level and math abilities, you may be able to skip the first two courses and begin with the pre-algebra series. If your student is more advanced in math or has already successfully completed a pre-algebra course, you can move onto the Life of Fred high school math series.


Best for Visual and Hands-On Learners

Math-U-See, Demme Learning

If your middle school student is a tactile, hands-on learner, consider Demme Learning’s fantastic Math-U-See program. It is one of the most popular math programs among homeschoolers, and for good reason. Math-U-See teaches math in a carefully structured, incremental, and multi-sensory way. Students who struggle with traditional textbook learning and math drills tend to thrive with this program because of its excellent, hands-on design.

Each Math-U-See lesson follows a step-by-step approach that includes preparing for the lesson, introducing and discussing the given math concept, reviewing and practicing that concept until it is mastered, and then progressing onto the next concept. Each concept is taught using a variety of different tools, including manipulatives and video instruction. The primary manipulative used is the Integer Block Kit, which only needs to be purchased once per family. Students will use the same kit every year, and siblings can also share the kit. 

Math-U-See is a great fit for many different kinds of homeschooling families. Traditional homeschoolers appreciate the thorough DVD instruction and solid practice exercises in the workbook. Classical homeschoolers enjoy the program’s focus on concept mastery. Charlotte Mason-style homeschoolers like the short and simple lessons, hands-on learning, and the way the program provides opportunities for narration-style “teaching back” opportunities. Unschoolers appreciate how the program is not organized by grade; instead, students progress through the various levels at their own pace. For homeschoolers who follow a unit-studies approach, Math-U-See is also a good fit because of the way it organizes topics into conceptual groups.

The program levels that correspond to middle school are Epsilon (grade 5-6), Zeta (grades 6-7), Pre-Algebra (grades 7-8), and Algebra 1 (grades 8-9). For the most convenience, purchase the universal set for the course your student will be taking. If you aren’t sure what level your child is at, placement tests are available at the Math-U-See website.

Conclusion

There are many excellent math curriculums available to homeschoolers. You’ll need to consider your child’s learning style as you choose the program that’s best for your family. If you’d like some recommendations for manipulatives to supplement your student’s math studies, check out our article Best Math Manipulatives for Middle School.