There is no single way to home-school. While it's crucial to know your state's requirements and make sure you are fulfilling them, beyond that, you'll want to find the style and approach that best fit you and your family. 

What materials will you need to home-school?

A large element of your curriculum plan is likely from various teaching materials. These materials can include the following:

• Books. You are likely to need lots of books to support the various curriculum you will use during each school year. These include textbooks, reading books, instructional books, and references. Some of these you will probably purchase, while others you will be able to borrow, either from individuals or libraries.
• Workbooks. Many curricula include workbooks that contain exercises for students to complete. Workbooks can be useful from kindergarten through fifth or sixth grade.
• Videos and DVDs. There are thousands of videos and DVDs that can be important elements of your curriculum. These include documentaries, historical pieces, and instructional videos. Some movies can also be very useful, such as movie versions of classic books.
• The internet. The internet can be a very significant part of your curriculum. From websites that provide reference material on any topic you can imagine to online courses your students can take, you should consider internet resources for your curriculum needs. The internet is extremely useful in developing your curriculum because of the many home-school resources you will find there.

Where can you get homeschooling materials?

There are high-quality homeschooling resources available at no cost to anyone with access to the internet.

• Khan Academy
• Easy Peasy All-in-One Home School
• Ambleside Online
• Newsela
• Virtual Field Trips and World Tours
• Scholastic Learn at Home
• Smithsonian Learning Lab
• Funbrain

According to Homeschool.com, here are some must-have homeschool supplies:

Paper supplies

• Notebooks and/or notebook paper
• Printer paper and toner/ink
• Graph paper
• Index cards

Writing supplies

• Pencils
• Pencil sharpeners
• Erasers
• Highlighters
• Pens
• Correction fluid

Math supplies

• Graphing calculator
• Rulers
• Calculators
• Protractor

Craft supplies

• Scissors
• Glue
• Glue sticks
• Glitter glue
• Hot glue gun
• Construction paper
• Colored pencils and/or crayons
• Markers
• Watercolor paints and paintbrushes
• Chalk
• 1-hole punch and 3-hole punch

Organization supplies

• Pencil cases
• 3-ring binders
• Pocket folders
• Whiteboard
• Dry erase markers
• Corkboard and pushpins
• Calendar
• Planner
• Stapler and staples
• Rubber bands
• Pencil clips
• Safety pins
• Binder clips
• Page protectors

Additional information

There are hundreds of home-school local support groups and co-ops around the country. With the growth of home-schooling families, parents have banded together to provide help and encouragement to each other. Further, support groups may offer group discounts on field trips, and parents can swap teaching skills.

• Search for local home school groups here.
• Browse Facebook for groups to connect with remotely.
• Research co-op opportunities for home-schooled students to take classes together. These are sometimes known as micro-schools.
• Visit your back-to-school HQ