Yes! Many Gather 'Round families use this curriculum on its own for all their children and all their subjects—right through high school! We have testimonies of many grad students who have successfully made the leap to college or university, fully equipped to think for themselves and read the subtext of what is being presented. That being said, we also have some families who choose to supplement based on their student's needs or because they have a curriculum that they just love and don't want to give up.While there are some reviews online that question whether we are enough, it is important to note that those were often done in the early years when we were still a startup. We have created many more resources to help close gaps, beef up our content, and find the elusive balance between "enough" and "too much". Our style is different, we focus on less quantity and more contextual learning—which can feel too simple especially if you are coming from a more traditional curriculum. However, many of our parents say that their students actually remember what they are learning and the results speak for themselves over time.

Choose a unit/topic that either interests you or meets a need (such as if you are working toward certain credits).Purchase either the digital full family bundle (which includes both the Teacher's Guide and all levels of student books), the one student bundle (which includes the Teacher's Guide and one level of your choice), or the printed books. If you decide to go with our beautiful, high-end printed books . . . you will need the Teacher's Guide and one book for each student.

What do I need to add?

The units cover all of your subjects but math. Our Modular Math program is available to cover K-grade 9 math, but high school math is not yet available on our site (though we do have plans to create it). Currently, you will need to get about 8 units per year along with about 8 math units per student in order to create a full curriculum year. Some families choose to add seatwork or our other Language Arts add-ons, fun holiday mini-units, and more . . . but these are not required.

How do I choose levels for multiple kids?

Our main units are designed to be used with the whole family. We have individual student books available in the following levels.Pre-Reader: recommended for younger students who are not ready to read/write (preschool/kindergarten age)Early Reader: recommended for emerging readers/writers (6-8 years old)Early Elementary: recommended for students who are comfortable using a word bank to write some of their answers (8-10 years old)Upper Elementary: recommended for students who are ready to write a sentence response (10-13 years old)Middle School: recommended for students who are ready for paragraph responses and more personal application/light research (13-16 years old)High School: prepares students to ask big questions, think for themselves, and apply topics to their own lives. This level is recommended for 16-18 years old and includes papers, essays, and more research.Some of our units are shorter or more simplified into levels 1, 2, and 3. For these, Level 3 is designed for Middle and High, level 2 for Early Elementary and Upper Elementary, and Level 1 for Pre-Reader and Early Reader.

How Long does it take?

Each unit is designed to take about a month—which means you will never get bored! You get to create your year based on your students' interests, covering all your subjects for all your grades, through one cohesive program that all points to Jesus! Each lesson is designed to take about 2-4 hours (depending on how many students you have, their ages, and whether you are completing the option rabbit trails or watching the resource videos available on our app). You will read the Teacher's Guide first to all students (which takes about 40 minutes to an hour depending on how many videos you show or the discussions you have) and then students will move to their student workbooks and complete their pages there. Units that have 20 lessons can be done 5 days a week and therefore being completed in 4 weeks. Or they can be done 4 days a week and take a bit longer. Because of this, most families work through about 8 units in a year with breaks and co-op days mixed in.

All of our units come with answer keys to help you mark your student's work. We have tried a bit of everything: including the answers in the Teacher's Guide, having them in the back of student notebooks, and eventually settling on including them in your downloads immediately after your order. You can use the answer key to help assign grades, but we recommend using a rubric for more accurate grading. To do this, you would assign points based on things like understanding (30%), completion (50%), effort (15%), and neatness (5%).

What is Modular Math?

Modular Math is our brand new math curriculum that covers K-grade 9 math—taking students all the way through Algebra 1. The units are topical and each step takes about 1 month. This means they can be used in either a mastery approach (staying on a topic and working on it through multiple levels) or spiral approach (completing one step of each topic throughout the year). This program was created with steps instead of grades, allowing you to custom-tailor the program to your student without discouraging them with where they are at. It can be used as a remedial program or for gifted students who want to move faster. Each day includes 2 pages. Day 1 teaches a new concept (and includes a devotional) and day 2 has practice that builds throughout the unit in a spiral approach. All you have to do is take a placement test on a topic and jump in! It is open and go with no teacher's guide, no manipulatives or resources required, and written directly to the student so that they can work independently. Yes, math can be this easy!

Curriculum itself cannot be accredited, only schools can. Accreditation means a school with qualified teachers, reporting, and grading that is following the government requirements for each grade. That being said, Gather 'Round Homeschool curriculum can absolutely be used all the way through High School by you, the parent! Most schools use the Carnegie method to assign credits, this means that 120 hours of instruction in a topic = 1 credit. We've made it super easy to you by training our very own Gather bot! All of our units cover such a wide variety of subjects that you can use the bot to help figure out how many credits have been covered (or will be covered) based on the units you have done or are planning on. We also have access to full high school plans, transcripts, and unit credit breakdowns on our high school page here.

What is the Online Academy?

The Online Academy is our new online school. We have about 600 students who tune in online to watch a lesson being taught live—complete with live polls, comments, reactions, and resources. Replays are also available for families who miss a class. Homework is assigned and families complete their student notebooks together—we are even looking at adding in grading and report cards! There are currently three frequency options available (or three different levels of homeschool support): One day a week (join us every Tuesday at 10am EST)Two days a week (join us every Tuesday and Thursday at 10am EST)Four days a week (join us Monday-Thursday for every single lesson!)Currently, these lessons are being taught by the founder, Rebecca Spooner, though we hope to expand to hire more teachers and offer more class times and options in the future. Learn more

Can I use it in a group?

Gather 'Round is licensed for individual family use only (which means to a parent/guardian and the children they are legal guardians of). If you want to use this in a small group (with your sister, friend, or a few friends), you will need to make sure that each person owns their own materials, as file sharing and copying (or teaching to student's outside your home) is not allowed. If you want to use this in a co-op or hybrid model to a large group of students, we do require that you purchase print and sign an agreement stating that you will not photocopy or share. With this option, we also do have a group discount available. Learn more here.

Welcome to Michigan

Let’s journey to Michigan, the land of Yoopers, Trolls, tulips, and tannins! Discover its Great Lakes, industrial history, famous landmarks, Motown music, Petoskey stones, and local traditions. Student Book activities include mapping, lesson summaries, a Monet art study, music appreciation, a look at light pollution, the inner workings of an engine, and how rubber is made. This four-day mini unit is packed with great information and thoughtful activities.

Buy Now

Subject Cards

Science

Learn about Michigan’s motto, nickname, size, and population while studying tannins in water, foam at the base of waterfalls, colorful sandstone cliffs, and the Mackinac Bridge. Topics include the American robin, apple blossoms, the life cycle of apples, Petoskey stones, brook trout, wildlife such as gray wolves and moose, rock and mineral specimens, light pollution, dark sky sites, white pine trees, crops grown around the Great Lakes, how engines work, and how rubber is made.

Geography

Study Michigan’s geography through its Great Lakes, Upper and Lower Peninsulas, regions, cities, waterways, and landmarks. Locations include Lansing, Ann Arbor, Detroit, Holland, Mackinac Island, Sleeping Bear Dunes, Tahquamenon Falls, Pictured Rocks, Kitch-iti-kipi, the Erie Canal, and the Straits of Mackinac, along with the surrounding Great Lakes region and Lake Superior.

Language Arts

Build vocabulary while completing activities connected to Michigan’s geography, symbols, industries, economy, people, and government. Projects include creating a unit banner, solving and writing riddles about state symbols, writing summaries, poems, stories, current event reports, and a presentation featuring information gathered throughout the unit.

History

Trace Michigan’s history from the Wyandot, Ojibwe, Ottawa, and Potawatomi peoples through French traders, Fort Mackinac, the Erie Canal, and statehood in 1837. Learn about state symbols, the Edmund Fitzgerald, mining in the Upper Peninsula, the Industrial Revolution, Henry Ford and the Ford Motor Company, W.K. Kellogg, and the rise of the Motown sound in Detroit.

Social Studies

Examine Michigan’s culture, industries, economy, tourism, and government. Topics include Dutch, Polish, and Middle Eastern immigrant communities, natural-resource industries, agriculture, manufacturing, conservation efforts, sports teams, regional nicknames, the creation of the pasty, local township government, unusual laws, and Michigan’s role as a battleground state during elections.

Art

Study Claude Monet’s Tulip Fields in Holland, create artwork inspired by Polish rocks, and design a Michigan state symbol. Music activities focus on “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” the Motown sound, and identifying musical instruments and instrument families.

Bible

Read passages that teach that God works all things together for good, that the testing of faith produces steadfastness, that two are better than one, and that each person is fearfully and wonderfully made. Scripture references include Romans 8:28, James 1:2–4, Ecclesiastes 4:9–10, Psalm 139:14, and Revelation 21:5.

Home Economics

Use cornflakes in a variety of recipes.

Resources

Access helpful materials, guides, and downloads that support your learning journey with Gather ’Round. Explore our growing library of resources designed to make teaching simple and engaging.

Explore Resources

Resources

Access helpful materials, guides, and downloads that support your learning journey with Gather ’Round. Explore our growing library of resources designed to make teaching simple and engaging.

Explore Resources

Booklist

Meet Michigan

M Is For Mitten: A Michigan Alphabet

by Annie Appleford

Exploring Michigan: Great Lakes State

by Colleen Monroe and Michael Glenn Monroe

The Great Book of Michigan: The Crazy History of Michigan with Amazing Random Facts & Trivia (A Trivia Nerd’s Guide to the History of the United States)

by Bill O’Neill

Nature and Weather

How Do Apples Grow? (Hello, World!)

by Jill McDonald

Let’s Go Rock Collecting (Lonely Planet Kids)

by Laura Baker

29 Missing: The True and Tragic Story of the Disappearance of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald

by Andrew Kantar

Industry and Economy

Fun on The Cherry Farm

by Maxim Bell

Paddle-to-the-Sea: A Classic Adventure About a Carved Canoe’s Journey Through the Great Lakes

by Holling Clancy Holling

Beyond the Far Horizon: Adventures of a Fur Trader

by Charles Cleland

People and Governance

Stevie Wonder (Little People, BIG DREAMS)

by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara

Who Was Henry Ford?

by Michael Burgan

City of Champions: A History of Triumph and Defeat in Detroit

by Stefan Szymanski and Silke-Maria Weineck

Supplies

Meet Michigan

Teacher's Guide

Hands-on Activity

materials from home to build a suspension bridge
small items to test the bridge’s strength (coins, toy cars, candies, etc.)

Student Notebooks

Science + History: Tannin (Lesson 1, page 2)

1 black tea bag
1 mug
hot water to fill mug

Science + History: Tannin (Lesson 1, page 2)

2 black tea bags
2 mugs
hot water to fill one mug
cold water to fill one mug

Science + History: Tannin (Lesson 1, page 2)

one of each tea bag: green, white, rooibos, black
4 mugs
hot water to fill each mug
cold water to fill each mug (optional)

Nature And Weather

Teacher's Guide

Hands-on Activity

Rocks
Sandpaper (both coarse and fine grit)
A leather cloth
Clear nail polish or mineral oil

Industry and Economy

Teacher's Guide

Home Economics: Cornflakes (Lesson 3, page 4)

Cornflakes
Ingredients for a dish or snack that will include cornflakes

People and Governance

Student Notebooks

Science: How Rubber Is Made (Lesson 4, page 2)

2 tablespoons of glue
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons of water
1 teaspoon of borax
2 cups
1 stirring stick

Scope and Sequence

Check out the scope and sequence for this unit.

Fifty States: Michigan

Level 1

Lesson 1

Science

Quick facts: motto, nickname, size, population
Tannins released by trees alter the color of water
Foam forms at base of waterfall
Colorful sandstone cliffs
Mackinac Bridge
Tannins in tea experiment

Geography

Great Lakes: Lake Erie, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron
Upper Peninsula
Lower Peninsula
Central/Mid-Michigan
Lansing
Ann Arbor
Thumb Region
Erie Canal
Southern Region
Detroit
Atlantic Ocean
Toledo, Ohio
Maumee River
Henry Ford Museum
Greenfield Village
Dearborn
Holland
Sleeping Bear Dunes
Mackinac Island
Arch Rock
Straits of Mackinac
Tahquamenon Falls
Kitch–iti–kipi
Pictured Rocks
Keweenaw Penisula/Cooper Harbor
Label places from the lesson on a map

Language Arts

Vocabulary: expanse, dune
Start working on the unit project banner, including a flag, facts, and favorite place in Michigan

History

Indigenous Peoples of Michigan: Wyandot, Ojibwe, Ottawa, Potawatomi
Early 1600s: French traders arrived
Achieved statehood (1837)
Henry Ford built the Model T
British built Fort Mackinac (1700s)
Life of workers who built the Erie Canal

Social Studies

Henry Ford preserves American history
Dutch immigrants celebrate their heritage (1800s)
Famous Dune Climb
Mackinaw Bridge

Art

Monet's Tulip Fields in Holland

Bible

Romans 8:28
God works all things together for good

Lesson 2

Science

American robin
Apple blossom
Life cycle of apples
Petoskey stone
Brook trout
White-tailed deer
Black bears
Gray wolves
Moose
Sandhill cranes
Loons
Agate
Yooperlite
Quartz
Granite
Sea glass
Answer comprehension questions about Michigan's symbols
Light pollution
Dark sky sites

Geography

Petoskey
Waterways: inland lakes, rivers, wetlands, marshes
Lake Superior
The Great Lakes

Language Arts

Vocabulary: relic, remote
Add state symbols to the unit banner
Solve riddles about state symbols

History

Apple blossom: state flower since 1800s
Petoskey stone chosen as state stone (1960s)
Brook trout designated state fish (1980s)

Social Studies

Official tourism slogan: Pure Michigan
Conservation efforts of gray wolves
Rock hounds search for agates

Art

Polish rocks
Design your own state symbol

Bible

James 1:2–4
The testing of your faith produces steadfastness
Revelation 21:5

Lesson 3

Science

White pine trees
The lakes produce ideal conditions for natural crops: corn, asparagus, apples, blueberries, cherries
How engines work

Geography

Detroit
Mackinac
Traverse City

Language Arts

Vocabulary: boom, prime
Answer comprehension questions about Michigan's industries and economy

History

Henry Ford introduced the moving assembly line (early 1900s)
W.K. Kellogg founded the Kellogg Company (1906)
The Industrial Revolution impact

Social Studies

Industry created from natural resources: fur pelts and lumber
Great Lakes provided natural transportation system
Remains one of the most agriculturally diverse states in the country
Popularity of summer tourism encourages schools to opt for later start day in the fall
Add fact cards about industries in Michigan to the unit project

Bible

Ecclesiastes 4:9–10
Two are better than one

Home Economics

Using cornflakes in recipes

Lesson 4

Science

How rubber is made
Rubber scavenger hunt

Geography

Detroit: the Motor City

Language Arts

Vocabulary: evidence, pursue
Write or dictate a story
Add a spotlight on Henry Ford to the unit project

History

State grew through industry (late 1800s–early 1900s)
Motown sound created in Detroit
Henry Ford founds Ford Motor Company (1903)

Social Studies

Late-ninetheenth-century Polish immigrants influenced state culture
Attacked Middle Eastern immigrants work in factories (1900s)
Nicknames associated with residents depending on region of the state
Motown sound created in Detroit
Fiercely loyal sports fans: Detroit Tigers, Detroit Lions
European immigrants create pasty out of neccessity
Weird laws
Answer comprehension questions about Michigan's people and government

Art

Music appreciation: "Ain't No Mountain High Enough"
Motown sound of music
Identifying instrument sounds

Bible

Psalm 139:14
I am fearfully and wonderfully made

Level 2

Lesson 1

Science

Quick facts: motto, nickname, size, population
Tannins released by trees alter the color of water
Foam forms at base of waterfall
Colorful sandstone cliffs
Mackinac Bridge
Tannins in tea experiment

Geography

Great Lakes: Lake Erie, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron
Upper Peninsula
Lower Peninsula
Central/Mid-Michigan
Lansing
Ann Arbor
Thumb Region
Erie Canal
Southern Region
Detroit
Atlantic Ocean
Toledo, Ohio
Maumee River
Henry Ford Museum
Greenfield Village
Dearborn
Holland
Sleeping Bear Dunes
Mackinac Island
Arch Rock
Straits of Mackinac
Tahquamenon Falls
Kitch–iti–kipi
Pictured Rocks
Keweenaw Penisula/Cooper Harbor
Label places from the lesson on a map

Language Arts

Vocabulary: asset, curate
Start working on the unit project banner, including a flag, facts, and favorite place in Michigan

History

Indigenous Peoples of Michigan: Wyandot, Ojibwe, Ottawa, Potawatomi
Early 1600s: French traders arrived
Mid-1800s: Tupelo War
Achieved statehood (1837)
Henry Ford built the Model T
British built Fort Mackinac (1700s)
Life of workers who built the Erie Canal

Social Studies

Henry Ford preserves American history
Dutch immigrants celebrate their heritage (1800s)
Famous Dune Climb
Mackinaw Bridge

Art

Monet's Tulip Fields in Holland

Bible

Romans 8:28
God works all things together for good

Lesson 2

Science

American robin
Apple blossom
Life cycle of apples
Petoskey stone
Brook trout
White-tailed deer
Black bears
Gray wolves
Moose
Sandhill cranes
Loons
Agate
Yooperlite
Quartz
Granite
Sea glass
Lakes affect state weather
Answer comprehension questions about Michigan's symbols
Light pollution
Dark sky sites

Geography

Petoskey
Waterways: inland lakes, rivers, wetlands, marshes
Lake Superior
The Great Lakes and surrounding states

Language Arts

Vocabulary: bushel, elusive
Add state symbols to the unit banner
Solve riddles about state symbols

History

Apple blossom: state flower since 1800s
Petoskey stone chosen as state stone (1960s)
Brook trout designated state fish (1980s)
The ship Edmund Fitzgerald sank in 1945

Social Studies

Official tourism slogan: Pure Michigan
Conservation efforts of gray wolves
Rock hounds search for agates

Art

Polish rocks
Design your own state symbol

Bible

James 1:2–4
The testing of your faith produces steadfastness
Revelation 21:5

Lesson 3

Science

White pine trees
The lakes produce ideal conditions for natural crops: corn, asparagus, apples, blueberries, cherries
How engines work

Geography

Detroit
Mackinac
Traverse City

Language Arts

Vocabulary: depleted, deposit
Answer comprehension questions about Michigan's industries and economy

History

Large scale mining developed the Upper Peninsula (mid-1800s)
Henry Ford introduced the moving assembly line (early 1900s)
W.K. Kellogg founded the Kellogg Company (1906)
The Industrial Revolution impact

Social Studies

Industry created from natural resources: fur pelts, lumber, copper, iron ore
Great Lakes provided natural transportation system
Manufacturing has expanded to include robotics, computer design, and engineering
Remains one of the most agriculturally diverse states in the country
Popularity of summer tourism encourages schools to opt for later start day in the fall
Cost of living in Michigan
Add fact cards about industries in Michigan to the unit project

Bible

Ecclesiastes 4:9–10
Two are better than one

Home Economics

Using cornflakes in recipes

Lesson 4

Science

How rubber is made
Make your own coagulated mixture
Rubber scavenger hunt

Geography

Detroit: the Motor City

Language Arts

Vocabulary: influence, notable
Research and outline a current event
Add a spotlight on Henry Ford to the unit project

History

State grew through industry (late 1800s–early 1900s)
Motown sound created in Detroit
Henry Ford founds Ford Motor Company (1903)

Social Studies

Late-ninetheenth-century Polish immigrants influenced state culture
Attacked Middle Eastern immigrants work in factories (1900s)
Nicknames associated with residents depending on region of the state
Motown sound created in Detroit
Fiercely loyal sports fans: Detroit Tigers, Detroit Lions
European immigrants create pasty out of neccessity
Townships (1,200 of them) govern local affairs throughout the state
Weird laws
Answer comprehension questions about Michigan's people and government

Art

Music appreciation: "Ain't No Mountain High Enough"
Motown sound of music
Identifying instrument families

Bible

Psalm 139:14
I am fearfully and wonderfully made

Level 3

Lesson 1

Science

Quick facts: motto, nickname, size, population
Tannins released by trees alter the color of water
Foam forms at base of waterfall
Colorful sandstone cliffs
Mackinac Bridge
Tannins in tea experiment

Geography

Great Lakes: Lake Erie, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron
Upper Peninsula
Lower Peninsula
Central/Mid Michigan
Lansing
Ann Arbor
Thumb Region
Erie Canal
Southern Region
Detroit
Atlantic Ocean
Toledo, Ohio
Maumee River
Henry Ford Museum
Greenfield Village
Dearborn
Holland
Sleeping Bear Dunes
Mackinac Island
Arch Rock
Straits of Mackinac
Tahquamenon Falls
Kitch–iti–kipi
Pictured Rocks
Keweenaw Penisula/Cooper Harbor
Label places from the lesson on a map

Language Arts

Vocabulary: standoff, tannin
Start planning a unit project presentation

History

Indigenous Peoples of Michigan: Wyandot, Ojibwe, Ottawa, Potawatomi
Early 1600s: French traders arrived
Mid-1800s: Tupelo War
Achieved statehood (1837)
Henry Ford built the Model T
British built Fort Mackinac (1700s)
Life of workers who built the Erie Canal

Social Studies

Henry Ford preserves American history
Dutch immigrants celebrate their heritage (1800s)
Famous Dune Climb
Mackinaw Bridge

Art

Monet's Tulip Fields in Holland

Bible

Romans 8:28
God works all things together for good

Lesson 2

Science

American robin
Apple blossom
Life cycle of apples
Petoskey stone
Brook trout
White-tailed deer
Black bears
Gray wolves
Moose
Sandhill cranes
Loons
Agate
Yooperlite
Quartz
Granite
Sea glass
Lakes affect state weather
Answer comprehension questions about Michigan's symbols
Light pollution
Dark sky sites

Geography

Petoskey
Waterways: inland lakes, rivers, wetlands, marshes
Lake Superior
The Great Lakes and surrounding states

Language Arts

Vocabulary: statistic, rock hound
Write a summary of the lesson
Add state symbols to the unit project
Write riddles about the state symbols
Write a poem using state symbols

History

Apple blossom: state flower since 1800s
Petoskey stone chosen as state stone (1960s)
Brook trout designated state fish (1980s)
The ship Edmund Fitzgerald sank in 1945

Social Studies

Official tourism slogan: Pure Michigan
Conservation efforts of gray wolves
Rock hounds search for agates

Art

Polish rocks
Design your own state symbol

Bible

James 1:2–4
The testing of your faith produces steadfastness

Lesson 3

Science

White pine trees
The lakes produce ideal conditions for natural crops: corn, asparagus, apples, blueberries, cherries
How engines work

Geography

Detroit
Mackinac
Traverse City

Language Arts

Vocabulary: conveyor, engineering
Use guided notes to write a summary about Michigan's industries and economy
Write about an industry that had an important impact on the economy in Michigan and add it to the unit project

History

Large scale mining developed the Upper Peninsula (mid-1800s)
Henry Ford introduced the moving assembly line (early 1900s)
W.K. Kellogg founded the Kellogg Company (1906)
The Industrial Revolution impact

Social Studies

Industry created from natural resources: fur pelts, lumber, copper, iron ore
Great Lakes provided natural transportation system
Manufacturing has expanded to include robotics, computer design, and engineering
Remains one of the most agriculturally diverse states in the country
Popularity of summer tourism encourages schools to opt for later start day in the fall
Cost of living in Michigan
Listening comprehension: Michigan's industries and economy

Bible