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
British Columbia

Explore fjords and shorelines, historic towns, and a very remote archipelago in the Candian province of British Columbia. Along the way, you'll discover diverse people groups, the legacy of the fur trade and fishing industry, and how tourism boosts the economy. Marvel at nature and wildlife, including the rare spirit bear! Student Book activities include mapping, lesson summaries, legends, and the science of fingerprints. Onward!

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Subject Cards

Science

Students explore the natural world of British Columbia through topics like glacial lakes, ecosystems, Pacific salmon, seasons, and the way the ocean shapes climate. They also study local plants and animals, environmental stewardship, natural hazards, endurance, and genetics through age-appropriate activities and investigations.

Geography

Students journey across British Columbia as they learn about its capital, regions, mountains, fjords, forests, coastlines, and notable destinations. They practice map skills while discovering the province’s landscapes, landmarks, and unique natural beauty.

Language Arts

Language Arts builds vocabulary, reading comprehension, listening skills, and creative writing through legends, provincial symbols, industries, and notable people from British Columbia. Students also complete a unit project that invites them to organize facts, respond to prompts, and present what they have learned

History

Students discover key moments from British Columbia’s past, including Indigenous trade, European traders, Hudson’s Bay Company posts, boomtowns, and the gold rush. They also learn about the legend of Ogopogo and the inspiring story of Terry Fox.

Social Studies

Students explore the people, culture, industries, and daily life of British Columbia while learning about Indigenous groups, multiculturalism, trade, tourism, government, and current events. The unit also introduces topics like sustainability, cost of living, bartering, and even some unusual provincial laws.

Art

Art activities encourage students to respond creatively to what they are learning about British Columbia. Projects include designing a provincial symbol, illustrating a destination, and creating a travel-style brochure.

Bible

Bible lessons connect the study of British Columbia to Scripture by reminding students that God has purposefully placed people where they are and guides their steps. Throughout the unit, students reflect on God’s creation, His plans, and the call to keep pressing forward in faith.

Math

Students apply math skills by collecting and comparing information about British Columbia through polls, bar graphs, and, for older students, pie charts. These activities help students interpret data in a meaningful, real-world context.

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 British Columbia

Goodnight British Columbia

by Niki Dorman

Tarragon Island

by Nikki Tate

Eyewitness

by Margaret Thompson

Nature and Weather

West Coast Wild: A Nature Alphabet

by Deborah Hodge

Canada Wild: Animals Found Nowhere Else on Earth

by Maria Birmingham

British Columbia Nature Guide

by Erin McCloskey and Gregory Kennedy

Industry and Economy

Building

by Henry Cole

Far West: The Story of British Columbia

by Daniel Francis

Hudson’s Bay Company Adventures: Tales of Canada’s Fur Traders

by Elle Andra-Warner

People and Governance

T is for Terry: An ABC of Courage

by Denise Dias

Meet Terry Fox

by Elizabeth MacLeod

Terry: Terry Fox and His Marathon of Hope

by Douglas Coupland

Supplies

Meet British Columbia

Student Notebooks

Science: Emerald Lake

a clear container like a cup or jar
a spoon
water
a small amount of flour or cornstarch
a flashlight or sunlight
blue or green food coloring (optional)

Science: Emerald Lake

2 clear containers like cups or jars
a spoon
a bowl of water for each container
a small amount of flour or cornstarch
a flashlight or sunlight
blue or green food coloring

Nature and Weather

Teacher's Guide

Hands-on Activity

Dominoes or something else to make a chain reaction

Student Notebooks

Social Studies: Fingerprints

A stamp pad

Scope and Sequence

Check out the scope and sequence for this unit.

British Columbia

Level 1

Science

Glacial lakes
Emerald Lake demonstration
Western red cedar
Pacific dogwood
Steller's jay
Spirit bear
Genetic traits and albinism
Ecosystems of British Columbia
How the ocean regulates climate
Seasons in British Columbia
Effects of albinism on animals
Fingerprints
Beaver ecosystems
Overuse of natural resources
Ecosystems
Ways to help or hurt nature
Endurance
Long-distance running vs. sprinting
Quick energy vs. steady energy

Geography

Capital city: Victoria
Pacific Ocean
Fjords
Fort St. John
Vancouver and Vancouver Island
Cathedral Grove
Pacific North Rim
Clayoquot Sound
Tofino
Gastown
Whistler Mountain
Kelowna and Okanagan Valley
Yoho National Park
Barkerville
Haida Gwaii
Duncan
Nonaimo
Label Canada, United States, British Columbia, Pacific Ocean, and Victoria on a map
Great Bear Rainforest
Oak Bay
Port Loquitlam
Esquimalt

Language Arts

Vocabulary: heritage, inhabit
Start working on the unit project banner, including a flag, facts, and favorite place in BC
Legends
"The Legend of Ogopogo"
Make up your own legend
Vocabulary: imprint, remote
Answer comprehension questions about British Columbia's symbols
Add provincial symbols to the unit banner
Solve riddles about provincial symbols
Vocabulary: anchor, scarce
Answer comprehension questions about British Columbia's industry and economy
Add fact cards about industries in British Columbia to the unit project
Vocabulary: contrast, hobby
Answer comprehension questions about British Columbia
Add a spotlight on Terry Fox to the unit project

History

1800s gold rush
History of the legend of Ogopogo
Indigenous traders: what they traded, how they traded, who they traded with
1940s law prohibited the sale of stoves on Wednesdays
Terry Fox Marathon of Hope (1980)

Social Studies

Province facts: motto, nickname, population, size
More than 200 indigenous tribes, including Haida and Coast Salish
Choosing provincial symbols
Use of fingerprints for unlocking devices
British Columbia industries: trade, foresty, fishing, mining
Set up a trade
Tourism
Contrasting lifestyles across British Columbia
Weird laws
Create a pretend news report

Art

Design your own state symbol

Bible

Acts 17:26
Perfectly placed by God
Psalm 139:16b
Ephesians 2:10
Exodus 16–17
Numbers 30
Isaiah 6:3
Genesis 15:5
Philippians 3:12–14

Math

Contrast poll
Bar graphs

Level 2

Science

Glacial lakes
Emerald Lake demonstration
Western red cedar
Pacific dogwood
Steller's jay
Spirit bear
Genetic traits and albinism
Ecosystems of British Columbia
Pacific salmon
How the ocean regulates climate
Seasons in British Columbia
Geographical hazards: earthquakes, mudslides, wildfires, avalanches
Effects of albinism on animals
Fingerprints
Beaver ecosystems
Overuse of natural resources
Ways to disrupt or restore ecosytems
Quick effort vs. long-lasting effort (endurance)
Fast-twitch muscle fibres
Slow-twitch muscle fibres

Geography

Capital city: Victoria
Pacific Ocean
Eight regions of British Columbia
Coast Mountains
Rocky Mountains
Interior Plateau
Fjords
Fort St. John
Vancouver and Vancouver Island
Cathedral Grove
Pacific North Rim
Clayoquot Sound
Tofino
Gastown
Whistler Mountain
Kelowna and Okanagan Valley
Yoho National Park
Barkerville
Haida Gwaii
Duncan
Nonaimo
Label Coast Mountains, Rocky Mountains, Canada, United States, British Columbia, Pacific Ocean, and Victoria on a map
Great Bear Rainforest
Oak Bay
Port Loquitlam
Esquimalt

Language Arts

Vocabulary: flock, arid
Start working on the unit project banner, including a flag, facts, and favorite place in BC
Legends
"The Legend of Ogopogo"
Write your own legend
Vocabulary: spawn, regulate
Answer comprehension questions about British Columbia's symbols
Add provincial symbols to the unit banner
Solve riddles about provincial symbols
Vocabulary: pelt, entice
Answer comprehension questions about British Columbia's industry and economy
Add fact cards about industries in British Columbia to the unit project
Vocabulary: luxury, keenly
Answer comprehension questions about British Columbia
Add a spotlight on Terry Fox to the unit project

History

Late-1700s European traders
Hudson Bay Company trading post
1800s gold rush
History of the legend of Ogopogo
Indigenous traders: what they traded, how they traded, who they traded with
European fur traders
1850s boomtowns
1940s law prohibited the sale of stoves on Wednesdays
Terry Fox Marathon of Hope (1980)

Social Studies

Province facts: motto, nickname, population, size
More than 200 indigenous tribes, including Haida and Coast Salish
Choosing provincial symbols
Uses of fingerprints: unlocking devices, solving mysteries
British Columbia industries: trade, foresty, fishing, mining, tourism, creative industries
Cost of living and taxes
Sustainability: hydroelectric power, responsible fishing and forestry
Set up a trade
Bartering
Tourism: plan a visit
Contrasting lifestyles across British Columbia
Multiculturalism
Parliamentary system of governing
Weird laws
Research and outline a curent event in British Columbia

Art

Design your own state symbol
Draw or design a place to visit

Bible

Acts 17:26
Perfectly placed by God
Psalm 139:16b
Ephesians 2:10
Psalm 37:23
Exodus 16–17
Numbers 30
Isaiah 6:3
Genesis 15:5
Philippians 3:12–14

Math

Contrast poll
Bar graphs

Level 3

Science

Glacial lakes
Emerald Lake demonstration
Western red cedar
Pacific dogwood
Steller's jay
Spirit bear
Genetic traits and albinism
Ecosystems of British Columbia
Pacific salmon
How the ocean regulates climate
Seasons in British Columbia
Geographical hazards: earthquakes, mudslides, wildfires, avalanches
Effects of albinism on animals
Autosomal recessive conditions
Alleles: dominant and recessive
Punnett squares
Biometrics: fingerprints, facial recognition, DNA
Beaver ecosystems
Overuse of natural resources
Ways to disrupt or restore ecosytems
Deforestation
Reforestation
Invasive species
Wetland restoration
Quick effort vs. long-lasting effort (endurance)
Type II muscle fibres
Type I muscle fibres

Geography

Capital city: Victoria
Pacific Ocean
Eight regions of British Columbia
Coast Mountains
Rocky Mountains
Interior Plateau
Fjords
Fort St. John
Vancouver and Vancouver Island
Cathedral Grove
Pacific North Rim
Clayoquot Sound
Tofino
Gastown
Whistler Mountain
Kelowna and Okanagan Valley
Yoho National Park
Barkerville
Haida Gwaii
Duncan
Nonaimo
Label Coast Mountains, Rocky Mountains, Yukon, Alberta, Northwest Territories, British Columbia, Pacific Ocean, and Victoria on a map
Great Bear Rainforest
Oak Bay
Port Loquitlam
Esquimalt

Language Arts

Vocabulary: dialect, infrastructure
Start planning a unit project presentation
Legends
"The Legend of Ogopogo"
Plan and write your own legend
Vocabulary: temperate, albino
Answer comprehension questions about British Columbia's symbols
Write a summary of the lesson
Add provincial symbols to the unit project
Write riddles about the provincial symbols
Write a poem using provincial symbols
Vocabulary: finite, recurring
Listening comprehension: British Columbia's industry and economy
Use guided notes to create a summary about British Columbia's industry and economy
Write summaries about destinations in British Columbia
Write about an industry that had an important impact on the economy and add it to the unit project
Vocabulary: precedence, prosthetic
Listening comprehension questions about British Columbia
Use guided notes to create a summary about British Columbia
Complete your unit project with the writing prompts and present it
Grade your unit project with the included rubric

History

Late-1700s European traders
Hudson Bay Company trading post
1800s gold rush
History of the legend of Ogopogo
Indigenous traders: what they traded, how they traded, who they traded with
European fur traders
1850s boomtowns
1940s law prohibited the sale of stoves on Wednesdays
Terry Fox Marathon of Hope (1980)

Social Studies

Province facts: motto, nickname, population, size
More than 200 indigenous tribes, including Haida and Coast Salish
Choosing provincial symbols
Uses of biometric identification systems
Compare and contrast biometric identification systems
British Columbia industries: trade, foresty, fishing, mining, tourism, creative industries
Cost of living and taxes
Sustainability: hydroelectric power, responsible fishing and forestry
Bartering
Double coincidence of wants
Medium of exchange
Tourism: plan a destination
Destinations in Britsh Columbia
Contrasting lifestyles across British Columbia
Multiculturalism
Parliamentary system of governing
Progressive political leanings of British Columbia
Weird laws
Research current events in British Columbia and write a breaking news report about one

Art

Design your own state symbol
Design a brochure

Bible

Acts 17:26
Perfectly placed by God
Psalm 139:16
Ephesians 2:10
Psalm 37:23
Exodus 16–17
Numbers 30
Isaiah 6:3
Psalm 19:1
Genesis 15:5
Philippians 3:12–14

Math

Contrast poll
Bar graphs
Pie charts

Certificate

When you complete the unit, grab a certificate to celebrate your progress!

Download Certificate

Certificate

When you complete the unit, grab a certificate to celebrate your progress!

Download Certificate

Search

Commonly searched

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