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 Maryland

Join us as we travel through a small state packed to the brim with history, culture, and nature! The next stop on the Fifty States tour takes you through a place that won a front-row seat to the nation’s birth: Maryland! With its crucial location on the Eastern Seaboard and its shared border with the U.S. capital (Washington, DC), there’s not much this state hasn’t seen or done. We will visit the famous Civil War battlefield, Antietam, learn about the blue crabs and black-eyed Susans that dot the state’s waters and countryside, and study just why Maryland is known as America in Miniature. Our spotlight falls on American hero Harriet Tubman, who helped many enslaved people to safety along the Underground Railroad. We will also learn how Maryland’s proximity to the Atlantic Ocean and the federal government allowed it to position itself as an important player in shipbuilding, health care, and technology.

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Subject Cards

Science

Learn about Maryland’s barrier islands, maritime forests, estuaries, and climate transition zone while studying habitats, natural defenses, and the effects of large bodies of water on weather. The unit also covers Maryland state symbols and wildlife such as the Baltimore oriole, blue crab, diamondback terrapin, and bald eagle, along with food webs, fossils, fossilization, and rock layers. Activities include fossil replicas, taste experiments, balanced meal planning, and barrier island demonstrations.

Geography

Study the geography of Maryland through locations such as the Chesapeake Bay, Annapolis, Assateague Island, Baltimore, Washington, DC, Brookeville, the Potomac River, and the Delmarva Peninsula. The unit also covers the Mason-Dixon Line, neighboring states, Calvert Cliffs, the Atlantic Ocean, Central America, and the locations of some of the world’s longest bridges. Lessons include labeling important places from the unit on a Maryland map.

Language Arts

Build vocabulary connected to Maryland’s geography, industries, government, and symbols while completing comprehension questions, summaries, guided notes, riddles, poems, stories, and current event writing. Throughout the unit, a Maryland-themed project highlights state symbols, facts, industries, Harriet Tubman, and favorite places in the state, with older students creating presentations and news reports.

History

Explore the history of the Piscataway and Nanticoke tribes, English settlers in the 1600s, Lord Baltimore, the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, and the Battle of Antietam. Additional topics include Francis Scott Key and the national anthem, the Maryland Gazette, Baltimore Clippers, plantations, indentured servants and slavery, colonial crops, the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, Harriet Tubman, and the Underground Railroad.

Social Studies

Examine Maryland’s landmarks, government, industries, culture, and population through topics such as Fort McHenry, the US Naval Academy, Antietam National Battlefield, the National Mall, the White House, and Smithsonian museums. The unit also looks at Maryland industries, crop diversification, defense and technology sectors, food culture, state government, current events, leadership, the Preakness Stakes, and Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad National Historical Park.

Art

Create memorial sculptures or sketches inspired by memorials and monuments, and design an original Maryland state symbol.

Bible

Read passages about humility and caring for others in Philippians 2:3–4, abiding in Christ and being spiritually strengthened in John 15:5 and Isaiah 58:11, and building life on a strong foundation through obedience in Matthew 7:24–27. Older lessons also include 1 Corinthians 6 and themes of honoring God with the body. The unit concludes with passages from Romans 8:28 and Exodus 6 about God working through circumstances and His relationship with His people, alongside lessons connected to Moses.

Home Economics

Students prepare a Smith Island cake, connecting hands-on cooking with cultural learning as they explore a traditional regional dessert.

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 Maryland

Lucky to Live in Maryland

by Kate Boehm Jerome

Maryland (Explore the United States)

by Julie Murray

Calvert of Maryland: A Story of Lord Baltimore's Colony

by James Otis

Nature and Weather

Animals of Maryland! (A My Incredible World Picture Book for Children)

by Hope Aicher

Wild Wonders of Maryland

by C.E. Moore

Year Across Maryland: A Week-by-Week Guide to Discovering Nature in the Chesapeake Region

by Bryan MacKay

Industry and Economy

ABCs of Crabbing on the Chesapeake Bay

by Susan Swift

The Oyster Wars of Chesapeake Bay

by John R. Wennersten

Maritime Maryland: A History

by William S. Dudley

People and Governance

I am Harriet Tubman (Ordinary People Change the World)

by Brad Meltzer

Harriet Tubman: Conductor on the Underground Railroad

by Ann Petry

Harriet Tubman: Freedombound (Heroes of History)

by Janet and Geoff Benge

Supplies

Meet Maryland

Student Notebooks

Science: Barrier Islands (Lesson 1, page 2; Optional Extension Activity)

plastic tub
sand
small rocks
water

Nature And Weather

Teacher's Guide

Hands-on Activity

a small figurine, a LEGO brick creation, or small objects that are waterproof
glue
a jar with a lid
water
glycerin, light corn syrup, or baby oil
glitter or fake snow
waterproof glue or hot glue (optional)

Student Notebooks

Science: Fossilization (Lesson 2, page 2)

Play-Doh or clay
small toy or object

Student Notebooks

Science: Fossilization (Lesson 2, page 2)

Play-Doh or clay
a small object
optional supplies: plaster of paris (or glue mixed with baking soda)

Student Notebooks

Science: Fossilization (Lesson 2, page 2)

Play-Doh or clay
a small object
plaster of paris (or glue mixed with baking soda)

Student Notebooks

Home Economics: Smith Island Cake (Lesson 2, page 3)

three 9-inch cake pans
mixer
4 cups sugar
3 sticks unsalted butter
5 eggs
3 cups flour
¼ teaspoon salt
1 heaping teaspoon baking powder
2 cup evaporated milk
3 ½ teaspoons vanilla
½ cup water
5 ounces unsweetened chocolate

Industry and Economy

Teacher's Guide

Hands-on Activity

wooden craft sticks
tape or glue
string
some small weights such as coins, washers, or marbles
two stacks of books

People and Governance

Student Notebooks

Science: The Science of Taste (Lesson 4, page 2)

banana
lemon
unsweetened cocoa powder
olive oil

Extension Activity (Lesson 4, page 2)

honey
lemon with some of the white part
sea salt

Science: The Science of Taste (Lesson 4, page 2)

foods or drinks to taste test

Snowglobe with a miniture Washington DC inside

Scope and Sequence

Check out the scope and sequence for this unit.

Baltimore Clipper ship on the waterwith big white sails and the US flag

Fifty States: Maryland

Level 1

Lesson 1

Science

Barrier islands

Geography

Chesapeake Bay
Annapolis
Regions of Maryland
Mason-Dixon Line
Pennsylvania
Virginia
Potomac River
Assateague Island
Baltimore
Washington, DC
Brookeville
Label places from the lesson on a Maryland map

Language Arts

Vocabulary: charm, spark
Start working on the unit project banner, including a flag, facts, and favorite place in Maryland

History

Piscataway and Nanticoke tribes
English settlers (1600s)
Lord Baltimore
Civil War Battle of Antietam
Revolutionary War
Maryland Gazette (1727)
Francis Scott Key
National anthem

Social Studies

Quick facts: motto, nickname, population, size
US Naval Academy
Fort McHenry
USS Constellation
Antietam National Battlefield
Burnside Bridge
National Mall
US Capitol Building
Lincoln Memorial
Smithsonian museums
The White House
Washington Monument
Jefferson Memorial

Art

Sketch or sculpt a memorial for someone

Bible

Philippians 2:3–4

Lesson 2

Science

Baltimore oriole
Black-eyed Susan
Blue crab
Food webs
Diamondback terrapin
Rock layers
Fossils
Bald eagles
Climate transition zone
Fossilization
Sediment
Make a fossil replica

Geography

Central America
Atlantic Ocean
Calvert Cliffs

Language Arts

Vocabulary: depict, drastic
Answer comprehension questions about Maryland's symbols
Add state symbols to the unit banner
Solve riddles about state symbols

Art

Design a new state symbol

Bible

John 15:5
Isaiah 58:11a

Home Economics

Smith Island Cake

Lesson 3

Science

Tobacco crops
Respiratory system
Tobacco risks to the lungs

Geography

Location of the world's longest bridges

Language Arts

Vocabulary: export, swift
Answer comprehension questions about Maryland's industries and economy
Add fact cards about industries in Maryland to the unit project

History

Indentured servants and slaves on plantations (1600s)
Baltimore Clippers (late 1700s)
War of 1812
Nations's leading canned foods center (mid-1800s)
Chesapeake Bay Bridge opens to traffic (1950s)
Cash vs. subsistence crops in colonial America

Social Studies

Industries of Maryland

Bible

Matthew 7:24–27

Math

Comparing the world's longest bridges

Lesson 4

Science

Benefits of recycling shells
The science of taste
Have a taste test experiment

Language Arts

Vocabulary: mold, staple
Answer comprehension questions about Maryland's people and government
Write or dictate a story
Add a spotlight on Harriet Tubman to the unit project

History

Harriet Tubman
Underground Railroad

Social Studies

Variety of Maryland residents
Love of the state flag
Food culture: blue crab, Old Bay seasoning, Smith Island cake
Weird laws
Create a pretend news report
Leadership

Bible

Romans 8:28
Exodus 6:7a
Moses

Level 2

Lesson 1

Science

Barrier islands
Maritime forests
Estuaries
Create a barrier island demonstration

Geography

Chesapeake Bay
Annapolis
Great Britain
Regions of Maryland
Mason-Dixon Line
Pennsylvania
Virginia
Potomac River
Delmarva Peninsula
Delaware
Assateague Island
Baltimore
Washington, DC
Brookeville
Label places from the lesson on a Maryland map

Language Arts

Vocabulary: seaboard, neutral
Start working on the unit project banner, including a flag, facts, and favorite place in Maryland

History

Piscataway and Nanticoke tribes
English settlers (1600s)
Lord Baltimore
Ratification of the Constitution
Civil War Battle of Antietam
Revolutionary War
Maryland Gazette (1727)
Francis Scott Key
National anthem

Social Studies

Quick facts: motto, nickname, population, size
US Naval Academy
Fort McHenry
USS Constellation
Antietam National Battlefield
Burnside Bridge
National Mall
US Capitol Building
Lincoln Memorial
Smithsonian museums
The White House
Washington Monument
Jefferson Memorial
Martin Luther King, Jr., Memorial

Art

Sketch or sculpt a memorial for someone

Bible

Philippians 2:3–4

Lesson 2

Science

Baltimore oriole
Black-eyed Susan
Blue crab
Food webs
Diamondback terrapin
Rock layers
Fossils
Bald eagles
Climate transition zone
How large bodies of water impact weather
Tropical remnants
Fossilization
Body fossils vs. trace fossils
Permineralization
Make a fossil replica

Geography

Central America
Atlantic Ocean
Calvert Cliffs

Language Arts

Vocabulary: intricate, coincide
Answer comprehension questions about Maryland's symbols
Add state symbols to the unit banner
Solve riddles about state symbols

Art

Design a new state symbol

Bible

John 15:5
Isaiah 58:11a

Home Economics

Smith Island Cake

Lesson 3

Science

Tobacco crops
Respiratory system
Tobacco risks to the lungs

Geography

Port of Baltimore
Location of the world's longest bridges

Language Arts

Vocabulary: nimble, dredge
Answer comprehension questions about Maryland's industries and economy
Add fact cards about industries in Maryland to the unit project

History

Indentured servants and slaves on plantations (1600s)
Baltimore Clippers (late 1700s)
War of 1812
Nations's leading canned foods center (mid-1800s)
Chesapeake Bay Bridge opens to traffic (1950s)
Cash vs. subsistence crops in colonial America

Social Studies

Industries of Maryland
Crop diversification for profit
Defense, intelligence, and technology sectors
Cost of living in Maryland

Bible

Matthew 7:24–27

Math

Comparing the world's longest bridges

Lesson 4

Science

Benefits of recycling shells
The science of taste
Have a taste test experiment

Language Arts

Vocabulary: proximity, zoning
Answer comprehension questions about Maryland's people and government
Research and outline a current event
Add a spotlight on Harriet Tubman to the unit project

History

Harriet Tubman
Underground Railroad

Social Studies

Variety of Maryland residents
Love of the state flag
Food culture: blue crab, Old Bay seasoning, Smith Island cake
Preakness Stakes
Maryland's state government
Weird laws
Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad National Historical Park
Current events in Maryland
Leadership

Bible

Romans 8:28
Exodus 6:7
Moses

Level 3

Lesson 1

Science

Barrier islands: habitats and natural defenses
Maritime forests
Estuaries
Design and create a man-made barrier with layers of defense

Geography

Chesapeake Bay
Annapolis
Great Britain
Regions of Maryland
Mason-Dixon Line
Pennsylvania
Virginia
Potomac River
Delmarva Peninsula
Delaware
Assateague Island
Baltimore
Washington, DC
Brookeville
Label places from the lesson on a Maryland map

Language Arts

Vocabulary: revolution, monument
Start planning a unit project presentation

History

Piscataway and Nanticoke tribes
English settlers (1600s)
Lord Baltimore
Ratification of the Constitution
Civil War Battle of Antietam
Revolutionary War
Maryland Gazette (1727)
Francis Scott Key
National anthem

Social Studies

Quick facts: motto, nickname, population, size
US Naval Academy
Fort McHenry
USS Constellation
Antietam National Battlefield
Burnside Bridge
National Mall
US Capitol Building
Lincoln Memorial
Smithsonian museums
The White House
Washington Monument
Jefferson Memorial
Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial

Art

Sketch or sculpt a memorial for someone

Bible

Philippians 2:3–4

Lesson 2

Science

Baltimore oriole
Black-eyed Susan
Blue crab
Food webs
Diamondback terrapin
Rock layers
Fossils
Bald eagles
Climate transition zone
How large bodies of water impact weather
Tropical remnants
Fossilization
Body fossils vs. trace fossils
Permineralization
Make a fossil replica

Geography

Central America
Atlantic Ocean
Calvert Cliffs

Language Arts

Vocabulary: tidal wetland, estuary
Answer comprehension questions about Maryland's symbols
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

Art

Design a new state symbol

Bible

John 15:5
Isaiah 58:11

Home Economics

Smith Island Cake

Lesson 3

Science

Tobacco crops
Tobacco risks to the body
Sugar risks

Geography

Port of Baltimore
Location of the world's longest bridges

Language Arts

Vocabulary: indentured servant, diversify
Listening comprehension: Maryland's industries and economy
Use guided notes to write a summary about Maryland's industries and economy
Write about an industry that had an important impact on the economy in Maryland and add it to the unit project

History