Best Homeschool Social Studies Curriculum for 6th Grade

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Are you looking for a sixth-grade homeschool social studies curriculum? If so, then you are in luck! There are many excellent social studies programs for homeschooled students in this age group. These programs offer a big variety in terms of content, but they all teach either history, geography, government, or some combination of these subjects. When choosing the one that’s best for your child, you’ll want to think about your preferred content (history, geography, government, or a combination of these subjects), your child’s learning style, and your own homeschooling philosophy. In this article, we’ll tell you about six of our favorite homeschool social studies programs.

Best Integrated Geography, Government, and State History Program

My Country, My State, My Responsibility! Angela O’Dell

At the sixth-grade level, it can be fun and valuable to have your child study a combination of U.S. geography, American government, and his or her own state history. If you’re interested in this approach to social studies, check out Angela O’Dell’s wonderful My Country, My State, My Responsibility! curriculum. With this program, O’Dell has integrated three subjects that are often studied separately – geography, government, and state history – into one fantastic, effective program that sixth graders really enjoy.

This program is wonderfully tailored to the creativity and capabilities of middle school students. Students learn through a combination of reading and hands-on activities that challenge them to  develop their critical thinking skills. Students gain a strong foundation in American geography and government while also having the opportunity to learn more about the particular state in which they live. The program’s simple structure and understandable writing style make it very approachable for students to use on their own. Parents also find the program easy to follow and appreciate that prep time is very minimal.

My Country, My State, My Responsibility! is organized into four units. The first focuses on U.S. geography, the second provides a structure for students to study their own home state, the third explores American government, and the fourth covers state and city governments. Nine lessons comprise each unit, making this program fit nicely into a 36-week school year when used three times per week. 

Another fantastic feature of this program is that there aren’t a ton of required materials. You’ll need to purchase the My Country, My State, My Responsibility! text, the National Geographic Kids United States Atlas, and Eat Your Way Through the U.S.A. by Loree Pettit. In addition, you’ll want to have clear tape, glue, colored pencils, fine-tipped markers, and a set of pictures or postcards of the different states.

Best Online Program

Calvert Homeschool 6th Grade History & Geography

If you’re looking for an excellent, engaging homeschool social studies curriculum that combines world history and geography, consider Calvert Homeschool’s 6th Grade History & Geography course. Calvert Homeschool has long been a leader in secular homeschool curriculum. All of its grade 3-12 courses are now offered only online, but the quality has not diminished at all. In fact, most students find the media-rich online platform makes the learning process even more enjoyable and effective.

Calvert’s online programs do not require Zoom meetings or virtual classes at particular times of day. Rather, students complete the courses on their own schedule and at their preferred pace, just as they would with print homeschool materials. The online platform does, however, keep track of assignments and schedules and does most grading automatically. The program is set up to make working independently easy for kids, but parents can log into the Teacher’s Dashboard feature at any time to check on their kids’ progress.

Calvert’s 6th Grade History & Geography course features several diverse topics in world history and geography, focusing specifically on Ancient Greece and Rome, the Middle Ages, Eastern and Western Europe, South America, and Africa. The following units are covered: “World Geography”, “The Cradle of Civilization”, “The Civilizations of Greece and Rome”, “Life in the Middle Ages”, “Six South American Countries”, “Seven South American Countries”, “Africa”, “Western Europe”, “Eastern Europe”, and “Development of Our World”.

Calvert 6th Grade History & Geography can be purchased individually or accessed through a Calvert Homeschool subscription, which provides access to all of the platform’s wonderful online courses. Several subscription options are available, with prices varying depending on the subscription length and the number of students in your home who will be using it. These subscriptions are a wonderful option if you are homeschooling multiple children or your child will be taking more than one course through Calvert Homeschool.

Best Christian Program

Lifepac 6th Grade History & Geography, Alpha Omega Publications

If you are looking for a solid sixth-grade social studies curriculum that is Christian-based, consider the excellent Lifepac 6th Grade History & Geography course by Alpha Omega Publications (AOP). Like other courses in the Lifepac series, this is a well-structured, self-paced, approachable curriculum that students and parents both enjoy. 

This course uses a worktext format, which consists of ten consumable student books and one teacher’s guide. Each covering one unit, the student books include all the required reading as well as illustrations, maps, vocabulary, comprehension questions, activities, and self-tests. The teacher’s guide includes answer keys to the self-tests as well as plenty of information about the course and how to help guide your child through the material.  

In its organization and topical breadth, this course is nearly identical to Calvert Homeschool’s 6th Grade History and Geography. The main differences between the two programs are first, that Calvert’s is online and this is in a print format; and second, that whereas the Calvert program is secular, this one is solidly Christian-based. The following units are covered: “World Geography”, “The Cradle of Civilization”, “The Civilizations of Greece and Rome”, “Life in the Middle Ages”, “Six South American Countries”, “Other South American Countries”, “Africa”, “Modern Western Europe”, “Modern Eastern Europe”, and “Development of Our World”. 

If you prefer a computer-based course, consider AOP’s Monarch and Switched-On Schoolhouse programs. These offer the exact same courses as Lifepac but in a digital format. Monarch courses are taken online and can be purchased either individually or as part of a subscription. Switched-On Schoolhouse courses are available on both CD-Rom and USB drive, and they do not require an internet connection. Be advised, however, that Switched-On Schoolhouse is not Mac-compatible and only runs on certain Windows operating systems, so check the system requirements before purchasing. 

Best Classical History Program

Story of the World, Susan Wise Bauer

If you follow the classical homeschooling approach promoted in The Well-Trained Mind: A Guide to Classical Education at Home, you are surely already familiar with Susan Wise Bauer’s sweeping Story of the World history curriculum. Yet this curriculum is also very popular with homeschoolers who follow a variety of different approaches. It is well-structured, approachable, and engaging, and it is designed in such a way that allows for flexibility in terms of both pace and subject matter. 

Story of the World tells the history of the entire world over four chronological volumes: Ancient Times, The Middle Ages, Early Modern Times, and The Modern Age. Following the classical tradition, important figures and events in Western history are emphasized, beginning with the development of the first civilizations in Mesopotamia and the rise of ancient empires in Egypt, Greece, and Rome. The texts also include many detailed sections on Asian, African, Middle Eastern, Australian, and pre-Columbian North and South American history. Whereas many history programs separate U.S. history from world history, Story of the World does not. Instead, American history is featured as a central component of the last two Story of the World volumes.

Story of the World caters well to both secular and religious homeschool environments. Christianity is presented in a historical context, as are other major world religions like Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism. Passages from the Bible are occasionally included, but they are clearly indented and are used to describe an event that is specific to Christian history. Passages from other, non-Christian sacred texts and the mythological traditions of other cultures in history are also included. If you are a secular homeschooler, you will have no problem with Story of the World, as it assumes no truth claims about Christianity or any other world religion. If you are a Christian homeschooler, you can supplement the sections on Christian history with further material or Bible study. 

Each of the four volumes of Story of the World is intended to cover one year of study. Ideally, students begin with Ancient Times in first grade, proceed through all four volumes by grade four, and then repeat the series in grades five through eight. If your student is starting the program in sixth grade, however, it is fine to begin with any of the volumes. If your child has never studied ancient or medieval history, this series presents a great opportunity to do so. 

The only required material for each course is the corresponding Story of the World text. Several supplementary materials are also available for each course, including an activity book, a test and answer key, and an audio version of the text. 

Best Literature-Based Program

Beautiful Feet Books Literature Packs

If you are looking for a sixth-grade social studies program that is thoroughly based in high-quality literature, consider the social studies literature packs offered by Beautiful Feet Books. These literature packs are more than simply collections of classic, historically-related books. Rather, they are entire curriculums, complete with teacher’s guides that parents can follow to help students connect the stories they’re reading to the history and geography of the world. 

Many types of homeschoolers, especially those that follow a Charlotte Mason-style approach, will appreciate the way these literature-based courses are structured. Students’ primary work is reading, while parents use the teacher’s guides to ask questions, guide discussion, and suggest extension activities. Lessons are generally short, and students are given plenty of opportunity to learn more about the topics that most interest them. The reading selections include a mix of fiction, biography, and non-fiction, all carefully chosen to provide a dynamic and immersive experience with the course’s theme. 

Beautiful Feet’s literature packs can be used as a family and are a great choice if you have students of similar age but different grades (such as a fourth grader and a sixth grader, or a fifth grader and an eighth grader). The teacher’s guides make it easy to complete the lessons as a family, and the literature selections in the various packs are chosen to suit a range of reading levels.

Beautiful Feet offers six different literature packs at the fourth- to sixth-grade level, any of which can be used as the basis for a complete social studies course. The Early American History Intermediate Jumbo Pack explores early American history with books on Benjamin Franklin, Abraham Lincoln, Pocohontas, the Constitution, the Vikings, the Lewis and Clark expedition, and much more. The History of Science Pack considers scientific development from ancient to modern times and includes biographies of such notables as Marie Curie, Leonardo Da Vinci, George Washington Carver, and Galileo. A wonderful option for horse lovers is the History of the Horse Pack, which includes classics such as Black Beauty and The Black Stallion alongside historical works on different horse breeds. If you are looking to focus on geography, the Geography Through Literature Pack is an excellent option. This pack focuses on the Great Lakes and Eastern Seaboard regions of the United States and includes titles such as Minn of the Mississippi and Paddle-to-the-Sea. The Teaching Character Intermediate Pack is another wonderful option, including such classics as Caddie Woodlawn, The Family Under the Bridge, and The Little Prince. And if you are looking for a course that deals specifically with California state history, the Around California with Children’s Books pack includes a variety of fiction and non-fiction texts such as Island of the Blue Dolphins, Riders of the Pony Express, and Song of the Swallows.

Beautiful Feet also offers slightly more advanced, intermediate-level history packs that can be used up to the eighth-grade level. These include the Modern American and World History Pack, the Ancient History Intermediate Pack, the Medieval History Advanced Intermediate and Junior High Pack, and the History of Classical Music Jumbo Pack. For more information on any of these literature packs, see Beautiful Feet Books’ website.

Best for Gifted Students

Moving Beyond the Page Age 10-12 Social Studies Curriculum

If you are looking for a social studies curriculum that will be engaging for a gifted, intellectually curious, independent learner, consider the excellent program offered by Moving Beyond the Page. Moving Beyond the Page is a unique curriculum that explores how language arts, science, and social studies intersect, and although it can be used for any type of learner, it is designed specifically for gifted students.

Moving Beyond the Page challenges students to consider the interdisciplinary nature of each subject they study – to consider how science, language arts, and social studies are all related and impact one another. As much as any other program available, this one is designed to develop your child’s critical thinking skills. It can also be completed mostly independently. 

Because Moving Beyond the Page explores the intersections between language arts, science, and social studies, many families use this program for all three subjects. However, you also have the option to use only one of these subjects in your homeschool, and that may be the right choice if you already have language arts and science programs that are working well for your student. 

Most sixth-grade students will be ready for the Age 10-12 Social Studies curriculum, which includes the following units: Geography and Landforms; Slavery and the Civil War; World Wars I and II; Civil Rights; North and South America; and Incas, Aztecs, and Mayas. If you aren’t sure which age level is appropriate for your child, Moving Beyond the Page provides free placement tests on its website. The Age 10-12 Social Studies program can be taken in print form or online. For the most convenience, purchase the entire Social Studies package for the appropriate age level, which will include all the curriculum, literature, and manipulatives needed to complete the course.

Conclusion

There are many excellent homeschool social studies curriculums for sixth graders. You’ll want to think about your child’s learning style and your own homeschooling approach, as well as the content you’d like to see covered, as you choose the program that’s right for your family. If you have questions or would like more information on this topic, please email us!