The Best Classes to Teach at a Homeschool Co-op -

Are you involved in a homeschool co-op? If not, one reason you may want to consider doing one someday because there are some classes that may be better to do in a group rather than at home. Here are just a few of the best classes to teach at a homeschool co-op.

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Scroll down to download this list as a pdf!

Speech and Debate

There are several different speech and debate approaches that provide curriculum to help guide you through doing this at your homeschool co-op. These include NCFCA, Gavel Club, and the Institute for Cultural Communicators (ICC). This is our 4th year to be involved in ICC. One thing I love about it is that it’s for ages 6-18. The older kids, who are working on specific speeches and also doing public forum debate, are the student leaders who help guide and mentor the younger students. Each week we meet the kids have several opportunities to get up in front of everyone to present. We also speak in various places in the community as well as have a tournament each year.

Science Experiments

I am one of those moms who has a difficult time doing science experiments and projects at home. For a couple of years, we did them at a homeschool co-op, and the kids absolutely loved all the fun and interesting experiments they did there. See my post on Chemistry and Physics and for Physiology and Anatomy.

Here are some science courses from Compass Classroom:

Nature Study

No Sweat Nature Study Live is such a fun class for elementary students! If you have a co-op where students can’t go outside to experience nature first-hand, they can still learn about it through Cindy West’s inspiring lessons. Each lesson contains some printables that you can work on and a nature study drawing with optional colored pencils or watercolors. The membership includes curriculum such as Defense Mechanisms of Plants.

History (Projects and Presentations)

We used to be involved in a Tapestry of Grace Fellowship Group (co-op), so each week the kids do projects, timelines, geography, food, art, etc. that go along with our history reading for the week. We have also done some really neat evening celebration nights to culminate our studies. See the one we did on The Exodus and the Roaring Twenties.

Here are some high-school level history courses from Compass Classroom:

Does your high schooler need American History next year? Try Dave Raymond’s video course for free! Click the green “Try Free Lessons” button.

Music

See How to Add Music to Your Homeschool Co-op for lots of suggestions.

Many love to use my online courses from Learn.MusicinOurHomeschool.com at their co-op. You might like 20th Century Music Appreciation for older students or American Music for Elementary for younger students. Check all the options here:

Preschool:

10 Songs All Preschoolers Should Know for Preschool – 1st grade
KinderBach for ages 2-7

Elementary:

15-Minute Music Lessons for Elementary
Intro to Musicals for Elementary
State Songs of the 50 U.S. States for Elementary
Music of Christmas for Elementary
Music for Holidays & Special Days for Elementary
FALL Music for Holidays & Special Days for Elementary
WINTER Music for Holidays & Special Days for Elementary
SPRING Music for Holidays & Special Days for Elementary
SUMMER Music for Holidays & Special Days for Elementary
A Folk Song a Week for Elementary
American Music for Elementary
World Music for Elementary
My First Amazing Journey Around the World elementary geography course
Learn Classical Music with Cartoons for Elementary
The Friendly Music Staff: A Song to Learn the Line & Space Notes of the Music Staff for Elementary
Rainy Day & Summer Camp Fun for Elementary
Recorder Time with Mr. Jerry for Elementary

Upper Level (7th-12 grades):

Music Appreciation: Middle Ages Thru Classical Era for High School
Romantic Music Appreciation for High School
20th Century Music Appreciation for High School
10 Weeks of Shakespeare ~ An Introductory Course for 7th-12th Grades
Charlotte Mason Inspired High School Fine Arts
Guitar Time with Ben for ages 10 and up

All Ages:

A Year of Charlotte Mason Music Lessons for All Ages
Charlotte Mason Music and Shakespeare Bundle for All Ages
Great Hymns of the Faith Hymn Study for All Ages
100 Delightful Classical Music Pieces Mini-Course for All Ages
Musical Instrument Course and Notebooking Pages for All Ages
Singing Made Easy ~ Level 1 for All Ages
Singing Made Easy ~ Level 2 for All Ages
Singing Made Easy ~ Level 3 for All Ages
Singing Made Easy ~ Level 4 for All Ages
Singing Made Easy ~ Level 5 for All Ages
Christmas Carols Made Easy for All Ages
Singing Made Easy 6-Course Bundle for All Ages

FREE:

Sampler Music Appreciation Mini-Course for All Ages
The 5-Day “I Can Do Music in My Homeschool” Challenge

Membership Site:

Music in Our Homeschool Plus+

Art

Art is another subject that I have had a hard time teaching at home. We have had several forms at homeschool co-ops–drawing lessons from a certified art instructor, video lessons from See the Light (drawing, cartooning, and a variety of projects), and moms teaching from a script with Meet the Masters.

Lately, my kids have loved lessons from Masterpiece Society (membership is here and individual lessons such as Art School Drawing 101) and Chalk Pastel!

Here’s a free lesson:

P.E.

We have only been at a facility one year that was able to accommodate P.E. It was a sports complex, so it was perfect for the long cold winters we have here! There was an indoor soccer field, basketball courts, and other large play areas. One of the dads took a long lunch break and came over to teach the kids. It was great!

Looking for dance videos? Check out YouDance!

Writing

One year had a mom who wasn’t really a writing teacher use the IEW (Institute for Excellence in Writing) curriculum to guide the middle school students in writing lessons. This year we have a couple of moms who feel qualified to teach and grade the papers on their own. Either way, I’m glad my kids are getting extra writing instruction there. Another great curriculum to look into is WriteShop.

High School Writing Courses from Compass Classroom:

Grammar

Grammar Galaxy would be a really fun language arts class to do with elementary students at a homeschool co-op. Use these flashcards for classroom games.

Check out the new audiobook for the first volume Nebula.

Here is a high-school level Grammar course from Compass Classroom:

Grammar for Writers

Drama and Filmmaking

Drama at a co-op can be as simple as helping the kids learn, memorize, and perform a few little skits (like my kids do every month or so at our Tapestry of Grace co-op) or as complex as putting on a full-length play, like we did with middle school and high school students with the ancient Greek drama The Trojan Women.

Get a free guide for learning how to direct a play here: Introduction to Directing FREE .pdf by Sabrina Justison

Here is a Filmmaking course from Compass Classroom:

Filmmaking from the First Directors

Life Skills

Life skills such as using tools, emergency readiness, cooking, sewing, etc. are awesome to learn in a group setting. And if you need a curriculum, Skill Trek Academy is available now!

Preschool

Preschool “stuff” can be so fun for 3 to 5-year-olds. They love to do crafts, paint, listen to books being read aloud, and singing games. While the older siblings are doing their classes, be sure to have activities planned for the preschoolers!

A wonderful preschool curriculum that I recommend by Kathy Gossen is Encompass!

And, don’t forget music for preschoolers: 10 Songs All Preschoolers Should Know for Preschool – 1st grade.

Entrepreneurship

These courses are amazing! Christian Homeschool Entrepreneurship includes 36 weekly lessons to guide your students into learning all about being an entrepreneur–and putting it into action.

Selling on Etsy Masterclass for Teens is a step-by-step game plan for creating an Etsy shop and being a successful seller there.

Both of these classes would be really fun in a co-op setting so the students can share and brainstorm ideas, practice their sales pitches, and even collaborate together! Contact the owners of each course about a co-op license.