10th Grade Curriculum Plans

On my instagram I shared some of what we are using for our 10th grader's first term for the 2026-2027 homeschool year. This is our 15th year of homeschooling officially - though I did homeschool the kids before our eldest two went to public school for a short time. This is my third time homeschooling 10th grade, so let's get into it! 

Disclaimer : You do not need to use my affiliate links, they are there so you can see what the book or resource looks like. We bought many books used off of amazon, eBay or vintage book shops online or locally. Also, for some Orthodox Christian resources, I did list alternatives if you are Catholic or Protestant where applicable. 

Language Arts 

• McGuffey's Fourth Original Reader : Using for speech, vocabulary/spelling, morality discussions, copywork and narration. McGuffey is the language arts workhorse in our homeschool as it is an incredible resource. Currently using our McGuffey's with The Lesson Book Level Five by Sherry Hayes of MomDelights.com
• Composition Book I by Stratton Brooks. Get it for FREE here. We have been using Stratton Books this whole past school year and really enjoy it more than any writing curriculum we have used yet. We are using this for grammar, so just as needed and not cover to cover. 
• On Writing Well by William Zinsser spread out over 3 terms. 
• Well-Spoken Thesaurus by Tom Heehler is a resource all of my high school homeschoolers have used. It has 17 very short lessons and then it's a thesaurus resource that helps while writing papers. He will do one lesson per week until all 17 are done. 
• Interdisciplinary practice of narration, oral and written, across all subjects. 
• Literature : Not an exhaustive list since we always add books in where there's need or space but here's some : Several stories from Heroes Every Child Should Know by HW Mabie [Yesterdays Classics, Living Book Press, or a Vintage Copy], The Hobbit, A Christmas Carol [and other Dickens Christmas stories, I got ours locally at Barnes and Noble], The Old Man and The Sea, The Perfect Storm, Beowulf, Crusader King, Oliver Twist, and Chaucer for Children. 

Mathematics 

• Lessons in Experimental and Practical Geometry by Hall & Stevens. Using the reprint by Yesterday's Classics during term one as a refresher. 
• Plane Geometry by Fletcher Durell. We are using a vintage copy but this is an excellent reprint by Living Book Press. 

Science 

• Biology [Form 3/4] by Sabbath Mood Homeschool using the book Men, Microscopes, and Living Things by Katherine Shippen. This is one day per week for the full school year. 
• Term 1 - Weather [Form 5/6] by Sabbath Mood Homeschool using the book The Secret World of Weather by Tristan Gooley. This is three days per week for 11 weeks. 
• Term 2 - Astronomy [Form 3] by Sabbath Mood Homeschool using the book Planets by Dava Sobel. This is three days per week for 11 weeks. 
• Term 3 - Botany [Form 3/4] by Sabbath Mood Homeschool using the book First Studies of Plant Life by George Atkinson. This is three days per week for 11 weeks. 
• Nature Study is done as a family four days per week using Nature Explorers Level 1, Rotation A by Sabbath Mood Homeschool. Also picked up The Year Round by CJ Hylander, since it's scheduled for me in the guide. 
• For Nature Lore I just selected from our collection of vintage nature books. This year I chose : Under the Sea-Wind by Rachel Carson and Bird Stories from Burroughs by John Burroughs which is such a lovely book and it's free online at that link. 

History 

• The Book of the Middle Ages by Dorothy Mills
• Church History by Fr. Thomas Hopko - this is for Orthodox Christians. Catholic Option : The Story of the Church by Rev. George Johnson. Protestant Option : Trial and Triumph by Richard Hannula. 
• Socrates' Children Vol. II Medieval Philosophers by Peter Kreeft, just selecting a handful to read from this volume. We enjoyed Vol. I Ancient Philosophers this school year. 
• Book of Centuries by RiverBend Press. There are free options aplenty online. 

Religion Faith Studies  

• Faith is lived, so daily prayers and going to Divine Liturgy, participating in the life of our Parish is just living. We read and discuss the books below, in a very casual way and copy down Scripture and quotes from the Saints and Church Fathers that are applicable to our life or inspiring in our journals.
• Three Homilies on the Devil  by St. John Chrysostom by Pleroma Press [Term 1]
• On Holy Images by St. John Damascene by Pleroma Press [Term 1]
• The Way of a Pilgrim this book has no specific author and because of that you'll be able to find one written for Catholics and Protestants. The one linked is from an Orthodox Monastery and we love this edition. A short and powerful read about prayer and simplicity. [Term 1] 
• Wounded by Love : The Life and Wisdom of Elder Porphyrios. [Terms 2 & 3] Easily one of my Top 5 Favorite Books and I’m excited for my son to read it, too.