Non-Lutheran Curriculum or Schooling Options

There are a lot of non-Lutheran curriculum or homeschool options. A lot. Many of them Christian. Many of them with decades of experience teaching the faithful.

This page will 1) list free & common options, and 2) hopefully serve as a place where Lutherans can offer reviews or tweaks so Lutheranism better shines through.

Because there are so many choices out there, and because our goal is Lutheran education, we have included Christian options that are broadly Christian, but excluded things specifically Reformed, Roman Catholic, etc. That way there has already typically been a level of doctrinal agreement about the content included. We have also included a few free secular options.

(For Free Non-Lutheran Resources, go here. Again, for Lutheran offerings, see either Free Lutheran Educational Resources or Lutheran Recommendations.)

Free Options!

Ambleside Online: This curriculum is designed to follow the curriculum that Charlotte Mason used in her own private and correspondence schools. For preschool through twelfth grade. You can easily supplement simply by adding Lutheran books. A Child’s History of the World assumes evolution, but you can replace it with a different choice. Bible class consists of reading Scripture.

Connections Academy: Online public school for grades kindergarten through twelfth.

Core Knowledge: Lesson plans lined up with the Core Knowledge Series and Common Core State Standards for 4K through sixth grade.

Easy Peasy – All In One Homeschool: Free online resources for 180-day/ 36 week lesson plans for preschool through eighth. No enrollment necessary. This is a freely available curriculum resource. Bible class consists of reading & retelling Scripture, at least for younger ages. Easy Peasy All-In-One High School is the high school extension.

Freedom Homeschooling: This site contains a lot of free suggestions for curriculum. It also includes sites which may be partially free. Some material is religious, like everything in their Bible category.

Guest Hollow: This site offers both free and for purchase items including curriculum, curriculum schedules (which may combine a separate textbook, videos, etc.), printables, workbooks, etc. This site is still expanding.

Hippo Campus: Over 6800 free videos in 13 different subject areas are available here for middle school to college level.

K12: Online, virtual public school. Tuition free and full time. (By the way, there may also be online state charter schools that exist for schooling at home.)

Khan Academy: This organization has a ton of videos and online options. However, there are references to gay marriage and likely other unbiblical elements. Good for supplements, but should perhaps be used with adult supervision.

Old Fashioned Homeschool: A 200-day/ 40-week schedule that mainly uses free resources with textbook and Living Books. Available for kindergarten through twelfth grades.

Plain and not so Plain: A homeschooling mom with a large family crafted her own basic curriculum! Thus far she has prepared first through ninth grades, including home ec/life skill resources. Downloads are free, although printed books are also available.

SAS Curriculum Pathways: This is another option alligned with Common Core Standards. There are also Spanish resources.

Under the Home: No religious affiliation, although some religious references are included in some materials.

You can, of course, also google for free homeschool resources which are not complete curriculum packages. There is a lot out there!

Commonly Purchased Non-Lutheran Curriculum Brands

LutheranHomeschool.com would love to link the names below (or more) with Lutheran reviews of specific material. I’m sure there is a lot of quality information in these company’s products. I’m likewise sure it would be great to know comments in advance such as, “prepare to explain different commandment numbering systems for pages x, y, and z” or “rework chapter x and its emphasis on [decision theology, covenant theology, evolution, etc.]”!

Abeka

Abeka publishes curriculum materials for K-12. You can find Abeka’s believe statement here. They use KJV.

Alpha & Omega Publishing

Alpha & Omega have many homeschool options, including LifePac, a Christian curriculum for grades K-12. By many options we mean that there are print-based, computer-based, and online homeschooling curriculum choices!

BJU: Bob Jones University

Bob Jones University is non-denominational.

Classical Conversations

Classical Conversations is part group-learning, part-home learning. It may have Reformed elements, as it requires memorizing timeline information about Calvin rather than Luther and memorizing the Ten Commandments with the coveting commandments together, but Lutherans have certainly pursued excellence through CC.

Guest Hollow

This site offers both free and for purchase items including curriculum, curriculum schedules (which may combine a separate textbook, videos, etc.), printables, workbooks, etc. This site is still expanding.

Memoria Press

Classical, Christian material. Religion material does number the Ten Commandments differently than we do, and uses KJV, but the Christian Studies curriculum is strong about teaching biblical accounts, vocabulary, geography, etc. Memory work is included. There may be occasional nuances Lutherans might direct differently, but generally I’ve been very pleased.

My Father’s World

A multi-sensory approach that combines elements of classical education, Charlotte Mason, and unit studies with a Christian perspective and worldview.

Rod & Staff

Rod & Staff is a Mennonite publishing company that incorporates biblical material in all subject areas.

Sonlight

Evangelical Christian company

Tapestry of Grace

Classical, Christian education

Veritas Press

There are Reformed elements, but also a lot of quality material for a classical education. Here is an audio recording, “Omnibus: An Integrated Humanities Curriculum” by Dr. Gene Veith.

Common  Curriculum Per Subject

Honestly, this list is bound to fall far short so we’re including a very bare minimum. There are hundreds of homeschool publishers and sources for various material. Still, since there are so many new to homeschool, we’re adding this section just to get you started.

Math

Science

  • Apologia
  • BJU
  • God’s Design Science
  • Sonlight

Recommended Books or Courses on Various Subjects

Language Arts

(May be affiliate links)

Psychology

Rest