8th Grade Homeschool Curriculum Picks for the Upcoming Year

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If you’ll have an 8th grader in your homeschool next year and you’re looking for ideas—or you’re just curious what we’re planning—this post is for you! I’m sharing all of the curriculum choices I’ve made for my son as we head into his 8th-grade year.

A Quick Homeschool Update

In addition to my son entering 8th grade, I also have twin daughters going into 7th grade, and a younger son heading into 1st grade. I’ll be sharing curriculum picks for those also (over on my Homeschool YouTube channel), and while there’s a little overlap between my 8th grader and my 7th-grade twins (since they do some subjects together), there are differences too.

We’ve been homeschooling since my oldest was in kindergarten. Over the years, I’ve used My Father’s World and BJU Press quite a bit, but now I find myself pulling from a variety of resources.

With each passing year, I get a clearer picture of what each child needs and which resources support us best. Even after 8 years, I’m still learning and adjusting—so if you are too, you’re not alone!

☑️ Math: CTCMath (Algebra)

We’ll be continuing with CTCMath, and my son will be tackling Algebra this year. My older kids have used this program for the past few years, and I’ve found it incredibly helpful!

I used to be a high school math teacher, so in an ideal world, I’d teach each of my kids math one-on-one (I just love it that much!). But with four kids…that’s just not realistic.

CTCMath has been a lifesaver. The short video lessons, automatic grading, and customizable worksheets have worked really well for us!

If you’re curious about CTCMath, I’ve got a playlist of videos where I walk through how it works and why I recommend it.

Since Algebra is a high school-level course, I’ll be grading it and counting it as a credit. That’s totally optional—if your child isn’t ready, Algebra can absolutely wait until 9th grade. But this is where we’re at, and it’s the right time for him.

☑️ Language Arts: A Mix of Resources

We’re using a few different things for Language Arts this year. Some of it I feel confident about, and other pieces I’m viewing as a trial to see how they go.

✏️ Writing & Grammar: Essentials in Writing + Writing & Rhetoric

We’re starting with Essentials in Writing Level 8, paired with Writing & Rhetoric: Chreia and Proverb as a supplement.

In a recent update video, I shared that we hit a rough patch with one unit in Essentials in Writing (my son really struggles with narrative writing!)—but overall, I think it’s a solid program. I HAVE seen growth in my son’s writing this year!

The first part of the course focuses on grammar (24 lessons), then transitions into composition with nearly 70 lessons on various writing forms: narrative, essays, letters, and even a research project.

If you’re considering this program, check out my flip-through and review of Level 7—it’s very similar. The writing assignments are just slightly more advanced.

We used the scoring service this past year, and it was great…but expensive. I’m skipping it this year, though I might use it again in high school to lighten my load.

We’re also continuing with Writing & Rhetoric, which I introduced this past year and have really enjoyed.

I think it teaches a few different, important skills than Essentials in Writing does, and the format is engaging.

This curriculum emphasizes narration, outlining, summarizing, reading comprehension, and dictation. The Chreia & Proverb book even gets into writing a 6-paragraph expository essay. We’re using it about three times a week, with the goal of finishing one lesson per week.

Even though this book is aimed at 4th or 5th graders, it’s been the right level for my kids to strengthen these skills since we didn’t start at the very beginning. We’ll just continue working through the series as time allows.

✏️ Vocabulary: Wordly Wise

I’m also adding Wordly Wise this year to help build vocabulary. We’ll use Book 7, even though my son is technically in 8th grade, because I’m having my girls do it too…it works well to have my oldest three all on the same page whenever possible.

The words in here are not all familiar to him, and he can use the practice!

Each week’s lesson follows the same structure, and I like the consistency. It’ll just be a small piece of our Language Arts block, but I think it will help.

📖 Literature: Generations Great Christian Adventures

We’re trying something new for literature this year: Generations’ Great Christian Adventures Set, aimed at grades 7–8. It includes:

• Titus: A Comrade of the Cross (historical fiction)
• The Swiss Family Robinson (a novel)
• The Life of Henry Martyn (a missionary biography)

These 19th-century Christian works have a style we’re not super used to, so I’m a little nervous about my son getting through the readings—but I’m also hopeful.

What drew me in is the way the course integrates Scripture and encourages a Biblical lens for reading. There’s background info, summaries, study questions, vocabulary, and Scripture connections for each book. I’m excited to see how this change works for us!

☑️ Science: Journey Homeschool Academy – Earth Science 🌍

We’re switching things up for science this year and using Journey Homeschool Academy’s Earth Science course for middle schoolers.

This is a video-based program taught from a Biblical worldview. It includes:

• One video lesson per week (35 weeks total)
• Optional reading assignments
• Weekly online quizzes (kids must score 70% or higher to move on)
• One lab per week
• Guided notes to teach note-taking and study skills

All my older kids (grades 7 and 8) will be doing this together, each with their own login. I plan to start the lessons together and then let them work independently, coming back together for labs.

As for the textbook, they recommend either BJU Press (young earth) or Novare (old earth). I’m still deciding which to use, and I’d love your input—would you choose a book that aligns with your viewpoint or use one that offers a different perspective?

🧾 History: The Mystery of History, Volume 2

We’re sticking with Mystery of History and moving on to Volume 2, which covers medieval history. This year we’re planning to take our time and complete the course over the full year, instead of rushing through like we did with Volume 1.

My kids and I love the writing style, the integration of secular and Biblical history, and the timeline activities. If you’re interested, I have a couple of videos where I walk through a lesson and share more about why we enjoy it:

✝️ Latin: Third Form Latin from Memoria Press

We’ll continue with Third Form Latin from Memoria Press. I started teaching this series to our homeschool co-op when my son was in 3rd grade, and we’ve stuck with it ever since!

It’s definitely a long-term study, but I appreciate the systematic approach and slow progression through grammar and vocabulary. It’s rigorous, but rewarding. We’re still in the grammar stage now, building the foundation for future translation and deeper understanding.

☑️ Electives and Extras

We’re also adding in a few “extras” this year:

🎨 Art: Creating a Masterpiece

Art kind of fell by the wayside this past year, but I’m hoping to bring it back using Creating a Masterpiece. My kids have loved it in the past, but I wasn’t consistent in planning. This year, I plan to choose one project per month and prep ahead of time.

The video lessons are great, and the variety of project types gives my kids the chance to choose what excites them. I want to make art more of a priority again!

🎼 Hymn Study: Foundations in Worship

I picked up Foundations in Worship from Master Books to use with my older kids. I’ve wanted to do a hymn study for a while but never managed to put something consistent together.

This curriculum includes background on hymns, profiles of hymn writers, and Biblical applications. It’s written for grades 7–12, so perfect for middle school and high school.

🌍 Worldview: What We Believe Series (Apologia)

I also bought the What We Believe series from Apologia. I’m not sure if we’ll use it during school time or just as a family read-aloud, but I’ve heard great things!

If you’re looking for a good worldview curriculum, I also highly recommend BJU Press’s Basics for a Biblical Worldview—we went through it and loved it.

📚 Character Building: Books for Boys

Lastly, I picked up Practical Happiness and Created for Work—two books recommended by Generations for young men. We’ll be working through at least one this year.

They include discussion questions at the end of each chapter, so I’m hoping my husband and son can read and talk through them together. Maybe with donuts. (Always a good motivator!)

💭 Final Thoughts

Planning for 8th grade can feel like a big step—you’re getting closer to high school, and it’s a great time to start thinking about building more independence and responsibility into your homeschool routine. I hope walking through our curriculum choices has given you some helpful ideas and a sense of what’s possible!

Every homeschool family is different, and that’s the beauty of it—you get to tailor things to what works best for your child and your season of life. If you have any questions about the resources I mentioned or want to share what you’re using, I’d love to hear from you in the comments. Here’s to a meaningful and successful year ahead!

Related Posts

• BJU Press Homeschool Curriculum: Our First-Year Experiences
• How to Choose Homeschool Curriculum: Tips to Ease the Overwhelm
• Homeschool Prayer Challenge Week 13: What Not to Leave Out When Choosing Homeschool Curriculum

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