Homeschooling is legal everywhere — the details are not

If you are googling "homeschool laws by state," you are already doing the right first step. Homeschooling is legal in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. What changes from place to place is what you file, when you file it, whether your child is tested or evaluated, and what records you keep.

Two good places to start:

• The U.S. Department of Education's State Regulation of Private and Home Schools page, which links state-by-state summaries.
• HSLDA's Homeschool Laws by State map, which walks through notice, assessment, curriculum and recordkeeping requirements for each state and U.S. territory.

Neither replaces your state's own statute or department of education page. Always confirm the current wording there.

How states usually group their rules

HSLDA describes four rough regulation tiers. The labels are a teaching tool, not a substitute for the law:

HSLDA's legal FAQs also note that you generally follow the law where you are physically present, and that if you stay in a new state for more than about a month during its school year, you should look up that state's rules.

Important: "Low regulation" does not mean "no rules." Some no-notice or low-notice states still define required subjects or hours in statute. Read the actual law.

A simple checklist that works in any state

1. Look up your state's official rule. Use the ED state page or HSLDA map, then open the linked statute or department page.
2. If your child is enrolled in school, withdraw in writing. Stopping attendance without withdrawing can look like truancy. Keep dated copies.
3. File any required notice, affidavit, plan or approval on time. Some states have August or September deadlines; California's private school affidavit window, for example, runs October 1–15.
4. Know what records or assessments you need. Attendance logs, work samples, portfolios or standardized tests — whatever your state asks for.
5. Then pick curriculum. Legal setup first; shopping second. Our how to start homeschooling guide walks through the teaching side.

California families: one state, several legal paths

California is a common search for us, so here is the short version for that state only. California families often choose either:

• A private home school by filing the Private School Affidavit with the California Department of Education, or
• A public independent-study / homeschool charter, where the child is a public school student and the school may offer instructional funds.

Those are different legal paths. For the charter path — including what funds can and cannot buy — read our California-specific guide: California charter school homeschool funds. For funding options in other states, see ESA and state funds for homeschool curriculum.

What Homeschool Packets does (and does not) do

Homeschool Packets makes printable, secular worksheet packets for grades K–8. Every packet includes your child's first name, a Max & Nib comic, a full answer key, and a continuous sequence so each month builds on the last. Plans start at $7/month — see pricing.

We are not a school, umbrella program or legal service. We do not file affidavits for you, enroll students or promise that any state agency has approved us. After your state's paperwork is handled, we help with the daily work.

Sources

• U.S. Department of Education, State Regulation of Private and Home Schools
• Home School Legal Defense Association, Homeschool Laws by State and Legal FAQs
• California Department of Education, Private School Affidavit (California example only)

This article is general information for parents, not legal advice. Confirm every requirement with your state's official sources or a qualified attorney.

What an ESA actually is

An education savings account (ESA) is a state program that puts education funding into an authorized account for an eligible student. Families spend that money on approved educational expenses listed in the state's law or handbook — things like private school tuition, tutoring, instructional materials, educational technology, therapies or other categories the state allows.

The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) explains that ESAs are distinct from school vouchers and tax-credit scholarships because they can cover a wider set of costs than tuition alone.

Which states have ESA programs?

NCSL's Education Choice State Policy Scan: Education Savings Accounts (updated July 21, 2025) reports that 18 states have established ESA programs. Two of those states run more than one program (Florida has two; Tennessee has three).

States NCSL lists with at least one ESA program in that scan:

Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, New Hampshire, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, West Virginia and Wyoming.

That list answers "which states have an ESA program on the books." It does not mean every program pays for a traditional homeschool curriculum subscription. Always open the state's own parent handbook.

Homeschool eligibility is the catch

Three questions matter more than the headline dollar amount:

1. Who can apply? Some programs are universal (or will be once fully rolled out). Others limit eligibility by income, disability status, prior public school enrollment or the performance of the local school.
2. What can the money buy? Curriculum and printables may be allowed, limited or excluded.
3. Does joining the ESA change your legal status? Some programs treat participants as private school choice students and set rules about filing a separate homeschool notice.

Example from a primary state source: Arizona's State Board of Education school choice page says eligible families may use Empowerment Scholarship Accounts for private school or home education expenses such as therapies, tutoring and curriculum, and separately notes that Arizona homeschool families must submit an affidavit of intent to the county school superintendent.

Other states draw different lines. Iowa's Students First ESA, for instance, is often described as requiring enrollment at an accredited nonpublic school — which is why secondary guides warn that it may not fund a stand-alone home education program. Treat every secondary summary as a pointer back to the official handbook.

Other ways families fund curriculum (not just ESAs)

ESAs are only one tool. Depending on where you live, families also use:

If you are in California, start with our deep dive: California charter school homeschool funds. California is not listed as an ESA state in NCSL's July 2025 scan; the charter instructional-fund path is the usual public option there.

How to check your state in 15 minutes

1. Open NCSL's ESA scan and find whether your state is listed.
2. Search [your state] education savings account official and open the .gov handbook or FAQ.
3. Search the handbook for "curriculum," "instructional materials," "homeschool" and "home education."
4. Note application windows, income caps and any rule that forbids combining the ESA with a separate homeschool affidavit.
5. If you are in a charter or district program instead, ask the school for its approved vendor process in writing.

Where Homeschool Packets fits

Homeschool Packets are monthly printable PDF packets for grades K–8 (Math, English, Science, History, Spanish, Art, Coding and Life Skills), personalized with your child's first name and interests, with answer keys and a Max & Nib comic on every packet. Plans are $7, $25 or $40 per month in USD — see pricing.

If your ESA, scholarship or charter allows outside curriculum vendors, ask them whether Homeschool Packets can be approved. We do not claim approval in any state or at any school. We will send a product description, standards alignment and whatever paperwork they request.

New to homeschooling altogether? Read how to start homeschooling in any state and homeschool laws by state.

Sources

• National Conference of State Legislatures, Education Choice State Policy Scan: Education Savings Accounts (updated July 21, 2025)
• Arizona State Board of Education, School Choices / ESA overview
• California Department of Education, Independent Study (California public option; not an ESA)

Program rules change. This page is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Confirm eligibility and eligible expenses with your state's official program before you apply or buy.

Start with the law, not the curriculum aisle

The search "how to start homeschooling" usually leads people straight into curriculum catalogs. Flip that order. Homeschooling is legal in all 50 states, but each state decides what you file and when. HSLDA's legal FAQs put it simply: comply with your state's setup requirements, and if your child was enrolled elsewhere, formally withdraw them.

For the overview of how state rules differ, read homeschool laws by state. For official summaries, use the U.S. Department of Education's state regulation pages.

Step 1: Look up your state's requirements

Open your state department of education's homeschool / private instruction page and write down:

• Do you file a notice, affidavit or nothing?
• By what date?
• Required subjects, days or hours (if any)
• Testing, evaluation or portfolio rules (if any)
• Recordkeeping rules

Until those answers are written down, do not buy a full-year boxed set.

Step 2: Withdraw if your child is enrolled

Send a short, dated withdrawal letter or email to the school. Keep a copy. Ask for report cards, test scores and any IEP or 504 plan. HSLDA warns that simply stopping attendance while the child is still enrolled can trigger truancy procedures.

Step 3: File whatever your state requires

Some states want notice within days of withdrawing. Others have a fall filing window. California's private school affidavit, for example, is filed annually between October 1 and 15 on the CDE affidavit page. Miss the window and you may need a different path for that year — another reason to read the official page.

Step 4: Place your child by skill, not just grade

Sit with your child for one honest session of reading and one of math. Note what is easy, what is stretch and what causes shutdown. A child who is "in 7th grade" may need 5th-grade math review and 8th-grade reading. Our K–8 checklist helps you spot gaps without turning the first week into a marathon test.

Step 5: Choose a simple first curriculum

For the first month, most beginners do well with:

• Math at the placed level
• English / reading and writing
• One content subject (science or history)
• Optional: an elective the child actually wants (art, coding, Spanish, life skills)

Homeschool Packets covers those eight subjects as printable monthly PDFs with answer keys, first-name personalization and a continuous sequence — see plans. You can also mix free library books, open educational resources and one paid core. Either way, start narrow.

If your child lights up for games and tech, read homeschool curriculum for kids who love video games and tech.

Step 6: Set a weekly rhythm you can keep

A middle school day does not need to look like a public school bell schedule. Many families aim for focused morning blocks and an afternoon for reading, projects or co-op. Steal a sample from our middle school homeschool schedule and shrink it until it fits your household.

Step 7: Keep boring, useful records

From day one, save:

• A simple attendance log (date + "school day")
• A short list of materials used
• A few dated work samples per subject each month
• Any test or evaluation your state requires

Printable packets with answer keys make tidy work samples. If you ever re-enroll in a school or apply to a college later, you will be glad you kept them.

Funding options while you get started

Paying out of pocket is the default in many states. Some families also use:

• ESAs / education savings accounts in states that offer them — see ESA homeschool funding by state
• Public independent-study charters (common in California) — see California charter funds
• Library cards, used curriculum sales and free printables — see our free printable worksheet

Your first two weeks, in plain English

You do not need a perfect year plan on day one. You need a legal start, a level that fits and a week you can repeat.

Sources

• Home School Legal Defense Association, Legal FAQs and Homeschool Laws by State
• U.S. Department of Education, State Regulation of Private and Home Schools
• California Department of Education, Private School Affidavit (example of a state filing process)

General information only — not legal advice. Confirm requirements with your state's official sources.

Stop collecting random PDFs

Search "printable homeschool worksheets" and you will find thousands of pages. The problem is rarely finding a worksheet. The problem is finding ones that fit this week's skill, come with an answer key, and connect to yesterday's work.

This guide is a grade-by-grade filter for what "good" looks like, whether you print free pages or use a monthly packet service like Homeschool Packets.

What every strong printable shares

• One clear skill (or a small, related cluster) per page
• Directions a child can reread without you
• Enough practice to show mastery, not 40 identical problems
• An answer key for the adult
• Room for the child's name and the date (work-sample friendly)
• A path into the next skill — not a dead-end novelty page

Research on personalization also matters here. Cordova and Lepper's 1996 Journal of Educational Psychology study found that personalizing learning contexts increased motivation and learning in the same amount of time. That is why putting a child's name and interests into word problems is more than a gimmick.

Kindergarten – Grade 2

Aim: short pages, big success, handwriting-friendly spacing.

Avoid tiny fonts and 20-step directions. If a page needs a parent monologue to start, it is too hard for independent work.

Grades 3 – 5

Aim: fluency plus understanding.

This is when random worksheet packs start to fail: kids can "finish the page" without understanding. Prefer pages that ask them to show work or explain one answer in a sentence.

Grades 6 – 8 (middle school)

Aim: multi-step thinking, real writing and interest hooks.

Middle schoolers spot busywork instantly. Pages about their games, sports, animals or build projects land better — see curriculum for kids who love video games and tech.

A sane weekly printable plan

File Friday's work samples in a folder by subject. Future-you (and any charter teacher) will thank you.

Free vs planned packets

Free pages are excellent for:

• Extra practice on one sticky skill
• Travel days and sick days
• Trying a grade level before you buy

They are weak at:

• Spaced review across a year
• Guaranteeing an answer key
• Keeping siblings on parallel but separate tracks

Homeschool Packets is built for the planned side: monthly PDFs in up to eight subjects, personalized with the child's first name and interests, with answer keys and a Max & Nib comic on page one. Try the free 7th grade printable, browse the 7th grade curriculum guide, or see plans.

Sources

• Cordova, D. I., & Lepper, M. R. (1996). Intrinsic motivation and the process of learning. Journal of Educational Psychology. ERIC EJ540338
• Homeschool Packets, What should my child know by grade

We do not rank third-party worksheet sites or invent download counts. "Best" here means best fit for a real homeschool week.

Their obsession is curriculum fuel

If your child would rather mine blocks, tweak a PC or jump into a headset than open a workbook, you are not failing at homeschool. You have a motivation handle. The job is to attach real grade-level skills to that handle.

That idea is not just parent folklore. Candace Walkington's 2013 study personalized algebra word problems to ninth graders' interests (including games and sports). Students who got interest-matched problems performed better, especially on writing equations from stories, and struggling students benefited most. Cordova and Lepper's earlier 1996 work likewise found personalization and meaningful context boosted motivation and learning.

Keep the spine; theme the stories

You are not replacing math with Minecraft. You are asking percent-of-change questions about a game sale instead of a fictional clothing store.

Subject-by-subject ideas

Math

• Area and volume of a Minecraft house or pixel-art canvas
• Unit rates: blocks per minute, miles per charging cycle, cost per skin
• Percents: sale prices, damage reduction, win rates
• Coordinate planes: map a world seed or a simple 2D game screen

English

• Write a patch note that explains a balance change without flaming players
• Compare two game reviews; cite evidence
• Procedural text: a five-step troubleshooting guide for a frozen laptop
• Dialogue writing for a side character (great for punctuation practice)

Science

• How LCD vs OLED screens make color
• Why VR can cause motion sickness (sensory mismatch)
• Circuits and conductivity for a simple LED project
• Ecology via biomes — real Earth biomes first, game biomes as the hook

Coding and computers (elective)

• Paper algorithms before code: sequence, loops, conditionals, debugging
• Block coding projects with a clear rubric (it works / it handles a bad input / someone else can read it)
• File hygiene: folders, backups, strong passwords as life skills

A sample week for a game-loving middle schooler

Screen time works best as the dessert after the page, or as the research tool inside the lesson — not as the only plan.

What not to do

• Do not trade every standard skill for "just play for school." Skills still need spaced practice.
• Do not use violent or age-inappropriate game content in lessons you would not want in a portfolio.
• Do not assume a coding YouTube binge equals a coding curriculum. Require a finished artifact.
• Do not personalize so hard that siblings cannot share any group lessons. Shared read-alouds can stay shared; math stories can diverge.

How Homeschool Packets helps

Tell us your child likes VR, computers, Minecraft, go-karts or anything else on the learner form. We keep the same master skills for every student at that grade, then drop their name and interests into problems and the opening Max & Nib comic. Plans start at $7/month — see pricing. For motivation tactics beyond themes, read how to motivate a homeschooler who hates worksheets.

Sources

• Walkington, C. (2013). Using adaptive learning technologies to personalize instruction. Journal of Educational Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0031882
• Cordova, D. I., & Lepper, M. R. (1996). Intrinsic motivation and the process of learning. Journal of Educational Psychology. ERIC EJ540338

The goal is a livable day, not eight simultaneous classrooms

Homeschooling two or three kids in different grades feels impossible when you try to recreate a separate school day for each child. The families who last do something simpler:

1. Together for books, discussion, science and art
2. One-at-a-time for math and reading/writing skills
3. Independent for practice each child already knows how to start

Granite State Home Educators' guidance on homeschooling multiple ages and similar parent resources land on the same pattern: group what you can, rotate the rest, and protect the parent's energy.

A sample daily rhythm (two or three kids)

Shrink or stretch the blocks. The structure matters more than the clock.

What to combine vs. split

Older kids can narrate, chart data or write a paragraph while younger kids draw or dictate. Same topic, different output — that is the multi-age trick.

Independent work bins that actually work

An independent bin only helps if the child can start without asking you five questions. Stock it with:

• Math review pages at a level they already own
• Reading they can decode or a chapter book in progress
• Copywork or typing
• A hands-on quiet task (pattern blocks, sketching, LEGO challenge card)
• A "done early" choice that is still calm

Teach the routine on an easy day. Then use it while you sit with the sibling who needs you.

Separate materials without separate chaos

Each child still needs math and language arts at the right level. That is where separate printable packets shine: same household rhythm, different pages.

Homeschool Packets is built for this. Add each child on the learner form with their own grade, level, subjects and interests. Every child gets packets with their name and likes, plus answer keys so you can check work quickly between rotations. Plans are per subscription — see pricing.

For weekly structure ideas, borrow from our middle school schedule and simplify it for elementary siblings. For motivation when one child digs in their heels, see how to motivate a homeschooler.

Weekly planning that survives Thursday

• Plan themes for science/history once a week, not nightly.
• Pre-print or pre-download the next few days of pages on Sunday.
• Accept a 90% day. A finished math lesson and real reading beat a Pinterest schedule you abandon.
• Keep one catch-up block on the calendar so missed work does not haunt the weekend.
• Track attendance once per family day, then note subjects per child if your state wants detail.

When grades are far apart (K and 7th, for example)

• Do the youngest's hardest help first, while patience is high.
• Give the oldest a real project (research, coding, novel study) during sibling phonics.
• Protect a short daily one-on-one with the oldest so they do not feel like an unpaid assistant.
• Use audiobooks in the car as shared literature credit.

Sources

• Granite State Home Educators, Homeschooling Multiple Ages: Practical Strategies
• Classical Conversations, How to Homeschool Multiple Ages (practical tips roundup)

Every family rhythm looks different. Treat sample schedules as starting points, not rules.

Digital packets travel; laws do not

Homeschool Packets is built around US grade levels for kindergarten through 8th grade. Because every packet is a printable PDF emailed to you, families in the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Europe and elsewhere can use the same materials — no international shipping, no customs forms.

What does not travel automatically is your local legal status. If you educate at home outside the US, follow your country's (and sometimes your region's) registration, inspection or curriculum rules first. We are a curriculum publisher, not a school in your jurisdiction.

Rough age-to-grade map

School-year names differ even when ages match. Comparisons below follow common age charts used by international curriculum guides (for example Mathsaurus's international year-group comparison and similar age tables). Treat them as a starting point; place by skill when you can.

*Australian naming and cutoff dates vary by state; Foundation / Prep naming differs. When in doubt, match age + skill, then adjust.

So a child in UK Year 8 is usually looking at our 7th grade packets, then moving up or down after a short placement check in math and reading.

What transfers well (and what to watch)

Transfers well

• Math skills (operations, fractions, ratios, early algebra thinking)
• Reading comprehension and writing craft
• Science practices: observing, measuring, explaining with evidence
• Electives: art prompts, coding logic, life-skills projects, beginner Spanish

Watch / adapt

• US-centric history and civics pages (use as comparative history, or swap for your local sequence)
• Spelling variants (color/colour) — rare on math pages, more visible in English
• Holiday references
• Measurement: we use a mix; you can ask kids to convert as bonus practice

A simple onboarding path for international families

1. Confirm your local home-education requirements.
2. Pick a US grade from the age table above.
3. Do a one-day placement in math and reading; move a grade if the fit is wrong.
4. Start with one or two subjects before buying all eight.
5. Checkout is in USD on our pricing page; your bank converts.
6. Tell us the child's first name, grade and interests on the learner form.

US families comparing state rules can start with how to start homeschooling and homeschool laws by state. Those articles are US-focused; this page is the international companion.

Sources

• Mathsaurus, International Comparison of School Year Groups by Age
• Maths Library, US grades, UK year groups and Australian years compared

Grade maps are approximate. Local laws and national curricula always take priority over a US publisher's materials.

What is a California homeschool charter school?

Scope: This article covers California only. If you live in another U.S. state, see homeschool laws by state, ESA and state funds for curriculum, and how to start homeschooling. Outside the U.S.? Read homeschooling outside the US.

A California "homeschool charter" is a public charter school that teaches most of its students through independent study. The California Department of Education (CDE) calls this kind of program nonclassroom-based: Education Code 47612.5 defines it as instruction such as independent study, home study and distance learning, and a charter counts as nonclassroom-based for funding when less than 80 percent of its attendance is classroom-based.

In plain English: your child is enrolled in a free public school, you do most of the teaching at home, and a credentialed teacher from the school oversees the work. CDE's own summary of independent study says it is voluntary, aligned to state content standards, and has the same course requirements as regular classes.

That is the trade. You get a budget, a teacher and a structure. In exchange you follow public school rules.

Where does the money come from?

California funds schools largely by average daily attendance (ADA). A charter that enrolls your child receives state funding for that student, and many independent study charters set aside part of it as an "instructional fund" or "educational budget" for each family. The Cottonwood School explains this on its FAQ page: the state funds charters based on ADA, and families on its home-study pathway get an instructional funds budget each year.

Two details matter more than the dollar figure:

1. It is school money, not your money. Heartwood Charter School's FAQ puts it bluntly: instructional funds "are still considered school funds," and "no school funding is provided directly to parents or students for any purpose."
2. The law forbids cash-style perks. Education Code 51747.3 says a charter may not claim state funding for an independent study student if it gives the family funds or anything of value that a school district could not legally give a similar student.

What can charter homeschool funds pay for?

Every school writes its own list, but the common categories look like this:

The "must be returned" part surprises people. Heartwood says all materials ordered are school property and must go back if the student withdraws, and Cottonwood says the same for non-consumable items. Consumables like workbooks and printable worksheet packets are usually the easiest category to get approved, because they get used up.

Why "nonsectarian" matters

Charter schools are public schools, so they must be nonsectarian. Cottonwood's FAQ says plainly that funds "may not be used for sectarian materials." If your family uses faith-based curriculum, you can still use it, but you'll pay for it yourself and use the budget for secular subjects.

Who can enroll?

Independent study comes with a residency rule that trips up a lot of families in rural counties. Under Education Code 51747.3(c), a school may only claim independent study attendance for students who live in the county where the school reports attendance, or in a county immediately next to it.

So if you live in Calaveras County, for example, you're looking at charters based in Calaveras or in a neighboring county such as Tuolumne, Amador, San Joaquin, Stanislaus or Alpine. A great school three counties away is usually not an option. Each charter's website lists the counties it serves; check that first.

Many popular charters also fill up. Cottonwood, for example, notes an open-enrollment period each spring and a lottery if more families apply than there are seats.

What do you agree to in return?

This is the part the Facebook groups skip. Independent study has real requirements:

• A written master agreement for each student. CDE's charter school training resources state that any program where students spend more than 20 percent of instructional time offsite is independent study and needs an independent study policy and a compliant master agreement for each enrolled student.
• A credentialed teacher of record. You are the daily teacher, but the school's teacher supervises, reviews work and signs off. Cottonwood describes meeting families at least once every 20 school days.
• Work samples and attendance. Expect to turn in samples of your child's work each learning period. This is one reason families like printable packets: a completed, dated packet with the answer key is an easy work sample.
• Live contact. Education Code 51747 sets out live-interaction and synchronous-instruction requirements for independent study; for grades 4 through 8 it calls for opportunities for daily live interaction and at least weekly synchronous instruction. Ask each school how it meets this, because the answer shapes your week.
• State testing. Charter students are public school students and take part in state assessments.
• Grade-level standards. Your child works toward California standards, even if you choose the materials.

None of this is unreasonable. It just means a charter is a partnership with a public school, not a check in the mail.

Charter school vs. homeschool in California: which is right for you?

California gives families several legal routes. CDE's Private School Affidavit page covers the private routes; its independent study page covers the public ones.

Choose the charter if you want a budget, outside accountability and a teacher to ask for help. Choose the affidavit route if you want total freedom, religious curriculum, or less paperwork. CDE's homeschooling guidance letter explains that families who file the affidavit acknowledge under penalty of perjury that their home school meets the requirements of a full-time private school, including attendance records and instruction.

How do you actually spend the budget?

The process is similar at most schools:

1. Make a learning plan with your teacher. Most schools want purchases tied to the plan.
2. Check the vendor list. Search the school's approved-vendor portal for the curriculum or class you want.
3. Submit a purchase request. The teacher reviews it, then the school's vendor or business office approves and orders.
4. Wait for the order. Turnaround varies, so plan a few weeks ahead for the start of each semester.
5. Track the balance. Unused funds usually do not roll over to the next school year. Heartwood says funds may only be used during the year they were allotted.

What if the vendor you want isn't approved?

Ask. Most schools have a process for new vendors, and a vendor can usually send the paperwork the school needs (a W-9, insurance information, a description of the product and the standards it covers). It takes time, so start early.

Questions to ask a charter before you enroll

Email these to every school on your shortlist and compare the answers side by side:

1. What is the instructional budget per student this year, and is it prorated if we enroll mid-year?
2. Is it split by semester? Does any of it roll over?
3. How do we request a new vendor, and how long does approval take?
4. Which counties do you serve?
5. How often do we meet with the teacher of record, and is it in person or online?
6. How do you meet the live-interaction and synchronous-instruction requirements for my child's grade?
7. What work samples do you need each learning period?
8. Which state tests will my child take, and where?
9. Do non-consumable materials have to be returned if we leave?
10. Is there a waitlist or lottery for next year?

How Homeschool Packets fits in

Homeschool Packets are printable, secular worksheet packets for grades K–8, aligned to California standards and Common Core. Each one carries your child's first name, opens with a Max & Nib comic strip, includes a full answer key, and builds on the packet before it. Plans are $7/month for one subject, $25/month for any four, or $40/month for all eight subjects (see plans).

If you're in a California charter, ask your teacher whether Homeschool Packets can be added to the approved vendor list. Approval is up to each school, and we can't promise it, but we're happy to send your teacher a product description, standards alignment and anything else they ask for. Completed packets also make tidy work samples.

Already know what you want? Tell us about your learner and we'll build their first packet. Planning the rest of the year? Read our 7th grade homeschool curriculum guide and our middle school homeschool schedule. Comparing California to other states? Use the ESA funding overview and the any-state startup guide.

Sources

• California Department of Education, Charter Schools quarterly training resources (Feb. 2026)
• California Department of Education, Independent Study
• California Department of Education, Private School Affidavit and Homeschooling guidance letter
• California Education Code § 51747 and § 51747.3
• The Cottonwood School FAQ and Heartwood Charter School FAQ (examples of how individual schools describe their funds)

This article is general information, not legal advice. Rules change and every charter sets its own policies, so confirm details with the school.

What should a 7th grade homeschool curriculum include?

Seventh grade is the year math gets abstract, writing gets argumentative, and kids start asking "when will I ever use this?" A good 7th grade plan answers that question by building skills in order, week after week, so nothing feels random.

Below is what to cover in each of the eight subjects we teach, based on California's published standards (which match Common Core for math and English). Use it whether you buy a boxed curriculum, build your own, or use our packets.

What math does a 7th grader need?

Seventh grade math is the bridge to algebra. California's grade 7 standards group it into five domains:

• Ratios and proportional relationships (7.RP). Unit rates with fractions ("½ mile in ⅙ of an hour is how fast?"), deciding whether two quantities are proportional, the constant of proportionality, and multi-step percent problems: tax, tips, discounts, markups, percent increase and decrease, simple interest.
• The number system (7.NS). Adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing positive and negative numbers, including fractions and decimals.
• Expressions and equations (7.EE). Simplifying expressions, then writing and solving two-step equations and inequalities from word problems.
• Geometry (7.G). Scale drawings, constructing triangles, area and circumference of circles, angle relationships, surface area and volume.
• Statistics and probability (7.SP). Random samples, comparing two data sets, and simple and compound probability.

Teaching tip: percent change is where kids get "robbed." If a price goes up 20% and then down 20%, it ends lower than it started. Let them discover that with real numbers before you explain it. (Our very first Max & Nib comic is built on exactly that trick.)

What should 7th grade English cover?

Seventh grade English shifts from "what happened" to "how do you know?" The California ELA standards ask 7th graders to:

• Cite several pieces of evidence from a text to support what it says and what it implies (RL.7.1 and RI.7.1).
• Find a theme or central idea and track how it develops.
• Compare a written story with its film or audio version, or two authors writing on the same topic.
• Write arguments with a clear claim, reasons, relevant evidence, and a response to the other side.
• Write informative essays and narratives with organized paragraphs and transitions.
• Grammar: phrases and clauses, simple/compound/complex sentences, and avoiding misplaced modifiers.
• Vocabulary: Greek and Latin roots, context clues, figurative language.

A realistic week: read a chapter or article every day, answer 3 to 5 evidence questions, and write one solid paragraph. Every month or so, turn a paragraph into a full essay.

Book ideas many families use in 7th grade: Hatchet, The Giver, A Wrinkle in Time, Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, and The Hobbit. Pick what fits your family and your kid's reading level.

What science is taught in 7th grade?

California uses an integrated middle school model under the Next Generation Science Standards, which mixes life, physical and earth science each year. The Grade 7 preferred integrated course covers:

• Atoms, molecules and chemical reactions, including what changes and what is conserved.
• Matter and energy in living things, like photosynthesis and how food becomes energy.
• Earth's resources and the rock cycle, and how humans depend on them.
• Ecosystems and biodiversity, including how ecosystems change and why diversity matters.
• Engineering design: define a problem, test solutions, improve.

Do at least one hands-on investigation a week. Baking soda and vinegar (chemical reaction and gas production), a leaf in a jar (photosynthesis), and a sugar-cube "rock cycle" are cheap and memorable.

What history do 7th graders study?

In California, 7th grade is World History and Geography: Medieval and Early Modern Times, roughly A.D. 500 to 1789. The state standards walk through:

1. The fall of Rome and the Byzantine Empire
2. The rise of Islam and its civilizations
3. China in the Tang, Song, Yuan and Ming dynasties
4. The kingdoms of West Africa, including Ghana and Mali
5. Medieval Japan
6. Medieval Europe: feudalism, manors, the Church, the Crusades and the Black Death
7. The Maya, Aztec and Inca civilizations
8. The Renaissance
9. The Reformation
10. The Scientific Revolution
11. The Age of Exploration, the Enlightenment and the Age of Reason

That's 11 units, which works out to about three weeks each over a 36-week year. Pair each unit with a map, a timeline entry and one primary source (a short excerpt from Magna Carta, Ibn Battuta's travels, or Galileo is perfect).

Do you need Spanish, art, coding and life skills in 7th grade?

They are not all required, but middle school is the easiest time to add them, and they are the subjects kids most often call their favorite.

Spanish

The California World Languages standards describe progress by proficiency level, not grade. A beginner in 7th grade is working in the Novice range: greetings, numbers, family, food, school, simple present-tense sentences, and a little culture. Fifteen minutes a day beats an hour once a week.

Art

The California Arts Standards organize visual art into creating, presenting, responding and connecting. In practice: drawing skills (perspective, shading), one art movement or artist a month, and a short written response ("What is the artist trying to make you feel? How?").

Coding

California's Computer Science standards for grades 6–8 cover algorithms and programming, computing systems, data, networks and the impacts of computing. Kids can learn real concepts on paper: write step-by-step algorithms, trace loops by hand, find the bug in a short program. Then move to Scratch or Python on screen.

Life skills

Budgeting, reading a recipe and scaling it, comparing unit prices, making a weekly schedule, basic first aid. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's Money as You Grow has free, age-based money activities. Life skills also reinforce 7th grade math, because unit prices and recipe scaling are proportional reasoning.

How do you plan a 7th grade homeschool year?

Plan 36 weeks. Then lay out each subject as a sequence so every week builds on the last:

Two habits make this work:

1. Review old material on purpose. The U.S. Institute of Education Sciences practice guide Organizing Instruction and Study to Improve Student Learning recommends exposing students to key material at least twice, spaced weeks to months apart. Put two or three old problems at the start of each week.
2. Keep a simple record. Note what was covered and how it went. If your child struggles with a topic, revisit it before moving on. This also gives you a ready-made portfolio if you're in a charter or need records for a private school affidavit.

For the daily rhythm, see our middle school homeschool schedule.

Where Homeschool Packets fits

We built Homeschool Packets to do the sequencing for you. Each subject follows a 36-week scope and sequence, so every printable packet picks up where the last one ended and mixes in quick review from earlier packets. Every packet includes a full answer key, your child's first name in the problems, and a Max & Nib comic on page 1 that usually sets up a problem inside.

• $7/month for one subject, $25/month for any four, $40/month for all eight. See plans
• Want to see the level first? Try our free 7th grade sample worksheet with answer key.
• Ready? Tell us about your learner.

Not sure your child is ready for 7th grade work? Check our K–8 "what should my child know" checklist.

How many hours a day should a middle schooler homeschool?

Fewer than you think. A classroom day is around six hours, but a lot of that is transitions, waiting and managing 30 kids. One-on-one, the same work goes much faster.

California doesn't set a daily-hours rule for families who homeschool by filing a Private School Affidavit; you're responsible for running a full-time private school and keeping attendance records. (The separate credentialed-tutor option in Education Code 48224 does require at least three hours a day for 175 days.) If you're enrolled in an independent study charter, your school will have its own expectations, so ask.

A realistic target for 6th to 8th grade:

What does a good middle school homeschool day look like?

Here is a sample daily schedule. It is built on three rules: hardest thing first, short breaks between subjects, and movement before the afternoon slump.

The warm-up is small but it matters. A quick laugh gets them to the table without a fight, and two or three review problems from past weeks keep old skills fresh. The U.S. Institute of Education Sciences practice guide on organizing instruction recommends revisiting key material at least twice, spaced weeks to months apart, because delayed review markedly improves how much students remember.

What if my kid isn't a morning person?

Many 12- and 13-year-olds aren't, and biology is on their side. The CDC's sleep guidance recommends 9 to 12 hours a night for ages 6 to 12 and 8 to 10 hours for teens 13 to 18. One of homeschooling's best perks is that you can start at 10:00 if that's when their brain shows up. Keep the order the same and slide the clock.

What does a weekly homeschool schedule look like for 7th grade?

Not every subject needs to happen every day. Math and English build on daily practice. Science and history benefit from longer blocks a few times a week, so there's time for an experiment or a map.

The 4-day week

A lot of homeschool families teach four days and keep Friday for co-op, field trips, appointments or catch-up. If you do this, move the Friday items into Monday–Thursday and keep Friday's "flex" day sacred. Over 36 weeks you still get about 144 teaching days plus 36 flex days.

How do you make a homeschool schedule a 7th grader will actually follow?

Middle schoolers want control. Give them some, inside a fence.

1. Use a checklist, not a clock. Post the week's work on the fridge or in a folder. "Math packet pages 3–4" is clearer than "9:10–10:05 math."
2. Let them choose the order after math. Choice is a cheap, research-backed motivator (more on that in our post on keeping homeschoolers motivated).
3. Make "done" obvious. A printed page is finished when it's filled in and checked. Open-ended screen time never feels finished.
4. Check work daily, at the same time. Ten minutes with the answer key at the end of the day catches mistakes before they turn into habits.
5. Keep one fixed anchor. Same start time, or same first subject, every day. Everything else can flex.

How should the schedule change from 6th to 8th grade?

By 8th grade, try a Sunday-evening planning session where your kid writes their own checklist from the week's assignments. It's practice for high school and the most useful life skill on this list.

What about sick days, bad days and busy weeks?

Plan for them. Build each week so the core (math, reading, writing) fits in four days. On a hard day, do math and reading only. If you fall behind, don't skip ahead: cut electives for a week and finish the current topic, because the next topic builds on it.

Keep a few printable pages on hand for the days you can't teach. A packet your child can do with minimal help is the difference between a lost day and a light one.

How do you track what got done?

Whatever method you use, write it down:

• Date and subject
• What was covered ("percent increase and decrease")
• How it went ("8 of 10 right; mixed up the original amount on #7")

That record tells you what to review next, makes charter work samples easy, and covers the attendance records California expects from private home schools. A filled-in, dated packet with its answer key is a record all by itself.

A schedule is easier when the work is already planned

The hardest part of any homeschool schedule isn't the timetable. It's deciding what goes in each block. Homeschool Packets plans that for you: printable, grade-level packets in eight subjects that follow a scope and sequence, so each one picks up where the last ended. Each packet has your child's first name in the problems, a Max & Nib comic for the morning warm-up, and an answer key for your daily check-in.

• See the 7th grade curriculum by subject for what to put in each block.
• Grab our free printable 7th grade sample.
• Plans start at $7/month. See plans or tell us about your learner.

Sources

• CDC, Sleep and Health
• CDC, Physical activity recommendations for children and adolescents (60 minutes or more of moderate-to-vigorous activity daily for ages 6–17)
• Institute of Education Sciences, Organizing Instruction and Study to Improve Student Learning (Pashler et al., 2007)
• California Department of Education, Private School Affidavit

Why do homeschool kids lose motivation?

Every homeschool parent hits the wall: the sigh, the slump, the "how many more pages?" It's usually not laziness. Motivation tends to drop for a few predictable reasons:

• The work is pitched wrong. Too hard feels hopeless; too easy feels pointless.
• It feels endless. No clear finish line.
• It isn't about anything they care about. "A train leaves the station..."
• They have no say. Every choice is made for them.
• You're the teacher and the parent. Some pushback is just about who's in charge.

The good news: each of these has a fix, and several are backed by solid research. One of the best-known frameworks is self-determination theory. Psychologists Richard Ryan and Edward Deci's 2000 paper in American Psychologist argues that people are most intrinsically motivated when three needs are met: autonomy (some control), competence (feeling capable) and relatedness (feeling connected). The tricks below hit all three.

1. Put their name and interests in the problems

This is the single easiest upgrade, and it has some of the strongest evidence behind it.

In a classic 1996 study in the Journal of Educational Psychology, Diana Cordova and Mark Lepper taught fourth and fifth graders an arithmetic skill (order of operations) through educational activities. Some kids got plain, abstract material. Others got the same math set inside a story, and some got stories personalized with details about them, like their name and their friends' names. The researchers reported that contextualization, personalization and choice all produced large increases in motivation, depth of engagement, and how much students learned in a fixed amount of time.

A later study by Candace Walkington, published in 2013, personalized algebra word problems to ninth graders' interests (sports, music, games and so on). Students who got interest-matched problems performed better, especially on the hard skill of writing equations from stories, and struggling students benefited most.

What that looks like at the kitchen table:

Same skill. Very different kid at the table.

2. Start with a laugh

The hardest part of a school day is the first five minutes. Lower the bar to entry: a joke, a riddle or a short comic strip before any work. It turns "ugh, school" into "okay, what's this?"

We open every Homeschool Packet with a Max & Nib comic for exactly this reason. Max is an eager kid; Nib is a sarcastic pencil. The joke usually sets up a problem inside, like Nib "raising" break time 20% and then cutting it 20%, which leads straight into a percent-change challenge. Kids want to prove Nib wrong. We'll be honest: we don't have a study proving comic strips raise test scores. We use them because they get kids to the table, and that is where everything else starts.

3. Offer real (small) choices

Choice was one of the three motivators in the Cordova and Lepper study, and the choices there were about incidental things, like names and icons, not the core skill. You don't have to let your kid skip math. You can let them choose:

• Which subject comes second
• Pencil or pen, kitchen or porch
• Which three of the five practice problems to do
• The topic of this week's writing prompt
• The reward-free "fun" problem at the end

Little choices add up to a feeling of control, and that changes the whole tone of the day.

4. Make progress visible

Kids, like adults, keep going when they can see progress. Try:

• A progress bar. "Packet 5 of 36" on a chart they color in.
• A "skills I've got" list. Every time they master something, it goes on the list.
• Before and after. Keep the first week's writing sample and compare it in month three.

This feeds the competence need. A kid who can see they're getting better is a kid who believes the next thing is doable.

5. Pitch the work at the right level

If motivation drops suddenly, check difficulty before anything else. A quick rule of thumb:

• Mostly right, fast, bored? Too easy. Skip ahead or add challenge problems.
• Lots of errors, slow, frustrated? Too hard. Go back a step.
• Mostly right with some effort and a few errors you can talk through? That's the sweet spot.

Grade level is a starting point, not a rule. A 7th grader can be ahead in math and behind in writing, and that's normal.

6. Keep sessions short and finishable

A stack of 20 pages says "forever." A packet section with a clear end says "I can do this." Break work into chunks that take 20 to 45 minutes, and let your child see the finish line before they start. Printed work helps here: done is done.

7. Bring old skills back on purpose

Forgetting is discouraging. When a kid "learned" fractions in October and can't do them in February, they conclude they're bad at math. Prevent that by building review into every week.

The U.S. Institute of Education Sciences practice guide recommends revisiting key material at least twice, spaced weeks to months apart, and using quizzing to promote learning. Separately, a well-known 2006 study by Roediger and Karpicke found that college students who practiced recalling material remembered more a week later than students who simply restudied it.

Easy version: start each day with two or three problems from earlier weeks. It's a warm-up, not a test.

8. Connect, don't just correct

The third need in self-determination theory is relatedness. For a homeschooler, that's mostly you. When you check work:

1. Point out what they got right first.
2. Ask them to find the mistake before you show it ("one of these is off — can you spot it?").
3. Celebrate effort and strategy, not just the score.

Answer keys help here. When checking takes two minutes instead of twenty, you have time and patience left for the conversation.

9. Be careful with bribes

Stickers and screen time can get a reluctant kid through a rough week, and that's fine sometimes. But if every page has a price, the page becomes the obstacle between your kid and the prize. Prefer:

• Unexpected celebrations ("you crushed that unit — pizza night")
• Milestone rewards tied to progress, not each task
• Natural rewards: free afternoon once the checklist is done

What if my middle schooler flat-out refuses?

Middle school brings a new level of pushback. A few things that help:

• Separate the person from the task. "I know you're frustrated. The math still needs doing. Do you want to start with #1 or #4?"
• Shrink the first step. "Just do the first problem, then we'll talk."
• Let the answer key do the arguing. It's easier to accept "the key says 18" than "Mom says 18."
• Check the basics. Sleep, food and screen time explain a lot of bad days.

How Homeschool Packets is built around this

We built our printable packets around the ideas above:

• Personalized: your child's first name on every page and in the word problems, plus examples drawn from their interests.
• A laugh first: a Max & Nib comic on page 1 that calls your kid by name and sets up a problem inside.
• Built-in review: each packet follows a scope and sequence and brings back earlier skills.
• Answer keys: fast checking, so you can focus on the conversation.

See it on a real page in our free 7th grade sample, or compare plans ($7/month for one subject, $40/month for all eight). Ready to start? Tell us about your learner.

For the daily structure that keeps all this sustainable, see our middle school homeschool schedule.

Sources

• Cordova, D. I., & Lepper, M. R. (1996). Intrinsic motivation and the process of learning: Beneficial effects of contextualization, personalization, and choice. Journal of Educational Psychology, 88(4), 715–730. ERIC record
• Walkington, C. (2013). Using adaptive learning technologies to personalize instruction to student interests. Journal of Educational Psychology, 105(4). DOI
• Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2000). Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being. American Psychologist, 55(1), 68–78. PubMed
• Roediger, H. L., & Karpicke, J. D. (2006). Test-enhanced learning. Psychological Science, 17(3), 249–255. APS
• Pashler, H., et al. (2007). Organizing Instruction and Study to Improve Student Learning. Institute of Education Sciences.

How do you know if your child is on track?

You don't need a standardized test to get a good read. Grade-level standards tell you the handful of skills each grade is built around. If your child has those, they're on track. If not, you know exactly where to go back.

The checklist below is our plain-English summary of the California Common Core math standards and English language arts standards, which are the same Common Core standards many states use, plus California's history–social science course sequence. It's not every standard. It's the ones that matter most, because later grades depend on them.

How to use it: read your child's grade and the grade before. Ask them to do a quick example of each skill. Check off what's solid; circle what's shaky.

Kindergarten: what should my child know?

Math - [ ] Count to 100 by ones and by tens - [ ] Count a group of up to 20 objects and tell how many - [ ] Add and subtract within 10 (with objects or drawings), and fluently within 5 - [ ] Name basic shapes (circle, square, triangle, rectangle, hexagon, cube, cone, cylinder, sphere)

Reading and writing - [ ] Recognize and name all upper- and lowercase letters - [ ] Know the most common sound for each consonant, plus the long and short sounds of the five vowels - [ ] Read common high-frequency words ("the," "of," "to," "you") - [ ] Use drawing, dictating and writing to tell about an event

1st grade

Math - [ ] Add and subtract within 20; fluent within 10 - [ ] Understand tens and ones in a two-digit number - [ ] Count to 120; compare two-digit numbers with >, = and < - [ ] Tell time to the hour and half hour

Reading and writing - [ ] Decode regularly spelled one-syllable words - [ ] Read grade-level text aloud with accuracy and expression - [ ] Write a few sentences on a topic, with a sense of closure

2nd grade

Math - [ ] Know from memory all sums of two one-digit numbers - [ ] Fluently add and subtract within 100; add and subtract within 1,000 - [ ] Solve money word problems (dollars, quarters, dimes, nickels, pennies) - [ ] Tell time to the nearest five minutes; measure lengths

Reading and writing - [ ] Decode two-syllable words with long vowels - [ ] Ask and answer who/what/where/when/why/how about a text - [ ] Write an opinion with reasons and a short informative piece

3rd grade

Math - [ ] Know from memory all products of two one-digit numbers (multiplication facts) - [ ] Multiply and divide within 100 - [ ] Understand fractions as numbers on a number line; compare simple fractions - [ ] Find area by counting and by multiplying; tell time to the nearest minute

Reading and writing - [ ] Read multisyllable words and grade-level text fluently - [ ] Find the main idea and supporting details - [ ] Write paragraphs with linking words ("because," "therefore," "for example")

4th grade

Math - [ ] Fluently add and subtract multi-digit numbers with the standard algorithm - [ ] Multiply up to four digits by one digit, and two digits by two digits - [ ] Divide up to four-digit numbers by one-digit numbers - [ ] Recognize equivalent fractions; add and subtract fractions with like denominators

Reading and writing - [ ] Refer to details and examples when explaining what a text says - [ ] Summarize a story and describe a character in depth - [ ] Write multi-paragraph opinion and informative pieces

5th grade

Math - [ ] Fluently multiply multi-digit whole numbers with the standard algorithm - [ ] Add and subtract fractions with unlike denominators - [ ] Multiply fractions; divide unit fractions and whole numbers - [ ] Add, subtract, multiply and divide decimals to hundredths; find volume

Reading and writing - [ ] Quote accurately from a text to explain it - [ ] Compare two characters, events or texts - [ ] Write organized essays with an introduction, body and conclusion

6th grade

Math - [ ] Understand ratios and unit rates - [ ] Divide fractions by fractions; fluently divide multi-digit numbers - [ ] Work with negative numbers on a number line and the coordinate plane - [ ] Write and solve one-step equations; describe data with mean, median and spread

Reading and writing - [ ] Cite textual evidence to support analysis - [ ] Determine a theme or central idea - [ ] Write arguments with claims and clear reasons

7th grade: what should a 7th grader know?

Math - [ ] Compute unit rates with fractions (½ mile in ⅙ hour = 3 miles per hour) - [ ] Recognize proportional relationships in tables, graphs and equations (y = kx) - [ ] Solve percent problems: tax, tips, discounts, percent increase and decrease, simple interest - [ ] Add, subtract, multiply and divide positive and negative numbers - [ ] Write and solve multi-step equations and inequalities from word problems - [ ] Find the area and circumference of a circle; work with scale drawings - [ ] Find simple and compound probabilities

Reading and writing - [ ] Cite several pieces of textual evidence - [ ] Analyze how a theme develops over a text - [ ] Write arguments that acknowledge opposing claims - [ ] Use phrases and clauses correctly; vary sentence structure

For a subject-by-subject plan, see our 7th grade homeschool curriculum guide.

8th grade

Math - [ ] Work with exponents, square roots and scientific notation - [ ] Understand functions; graph and interpret linear equations (slope) - [ ] Solve linear equations and systems of two linear equations - [ ] Use the Pythagorean theorem; find volume of cones, cylinders and spheres

Reading and writing - [ ] Cite the evidence that most strongly supports an analysis - [ ] Analyze how an author's word choices affect meaning and tone - [ ] Write well-organized arguments and research papers with sources

What science and history does each grade cover?

Math and reading are the "stacking" subjects, but here's the typical California sequence for the rest, so you know what's coming.

Sources: CDE History–Social Science standards; CDE Grade 7 integrated science course model.

What should I do if my child is behind?

Being behind in one area is common, and fixable. Some steps that work:

1. Find the real starting point. Go back grade by grade until your child gets nearly everything right. That's where to start.
2. Fix the foundation skills first. In math, the big ones are multiplication facts (3rd grade), fractions (4th–5th) and negative numbers (6th–7th). Gaps there cause problems in everything after.
3. Practice a little every day. Fifteen focused minutes daily beats an hour once a week.
4. Keep grade-level reading going. A kid catching up in math can still read and discuss grade-level books.
5. Revisit, don't just move on. Mix old skills into new practice so they stick. The Institute of Education Sciences recommends spacing review across weeks and months.

What if my child is ahead?

Let them go deeper before they go faster. Harder word problems, longer writing, real-world projects (budget a trip, design a garden) build stronger skills than rushing to the next grade's worksheet. When they truly master their grade's anchor skills, move them up in that subject only.

How Homeschool Packets uses this checklist

Every Homeschool Packet is built on these grade-level anchors. When you sign up, you tell us your child's grade and where they really are in each subject: ahead, on track or catching up. We pitch each subject separately, follow a scope and sequence so each packet builds on the last, and include an answer key so you can see right away what's solid.

• Packets for K–8 in Math, English, Science, History/Social Studies, Spanish, Art, Coding and Life Skills
• Your child's first name in the problems and a Max & Nib comic on page 1
• $7/month for one subject, $25 for any four, $40 for all eight. See plans

Try a free 7th grade sample page, or tell us about your learner and we'll start at the right level.

Checklist items summarize standards in plain language; see the official CDE documents linked above for exact wording.

Your free 7th grade worksheet

This is a one-page-style sample of what our packets feel like: a little of each core subject, real 7th grade skills, and an answer key on its own page. Print it, hand it over, and see where your kid is.

Free Sample · Grade 7

Name: ______________________Date: ____________

Nib says: “Fourteen questions. I believe in you. Mostly.”

Math

1. Max walks ½ mile to the park in ⅙ of an hour. What is his speed in miles per hour?
2. Nib sells pencils by the box. The table shows the cost.

   Boxes (x)	2	5	8
   Cost in $ (y)	7	17.50	28

   a) Is the relationship proportional? b) What is the constant of proportionality? c) Write an equation.
3. A $40 jacket's price goes up 20%, then the new price goes down 20%. What is the final price? Is it more, less, or the same as $40?
4. Evaluate: a) (−8) + 15 − (−6)    b) (−3)(−4) ÷ (−2)
5. Nib has 24 erasers and gives away 3 each day. Write and solve an equation to find how many days until Nib has 6 left.
6. A circular garden has a diameter of 10 feet. Using π ≈ 3.14, find its circumference and its area.
7. A bag holds 3 red, 5 blue and 2 green marbles. a) What is P(blue)? b) You draw one, put it back, and draw again. What is P(red, then green)?

English: read, then answer

Before about 1450, nearly every book in Europe was copied by hand. A single Bible could take a skilled scribe many months, so books were scarce and expensive, and most people never owned one. Then Johannes Gutenberg, a goldsmith in Mainz, developed a printing press with movable metal type. Workers could set a page of letters once and print it again and again.

The change was not instant, but it was enormous. Within a few decades, print shops had spread to cities across Europe. Pamphlets, maps and textbooks became cheaper. Ideas that once traveled at the speed of a scribe's pen could now reach thousands of readers. Some leaders worried about this. When anyone could print an argument, it was harder to control what people read and believed.

8. What is the central idea of the passage?
9. Give two pieces of evidence from the passage that support the central idea.
10. What does scarce mean? Which clue in the sentence helped you?
11. Write a paragraph: Was the printing press good for ordinary people? State a claim, support it with evidence from the passage, and respond to one opposing view.

Science

12. In a sealed bag, 5 g of baking soda and 20 g of vinegar react and the bag puffs up. a) Is this a physical or chemical change? Give one piece of evidence. b) What is the total mass inside the bag after the reaction? Why?

History

13. Put these in order, earliest first: Columbus reaches the Americas · Magna Carta is signed · Gutenberg's printing press · the Western Roman Empire falls.
14. Under feudalism, what did a lord give a vassal, and what did the vassal owe in return?

Answer Key · Grade 7 Free Sample

1. 3 mph. ½ ÷ ⅙ = ½ × 6 = 3.
2. a) Yes: 7/2 = 17.5/5 = 28/8 = 3.5. b) k = 3.5 ($3.50 per box). c) y = 3.5x.
3. $38.40, less than $40. $40 × 1.2 = $48; $48 × 0.8 = $38.40. The 20% decrease is taken from a bigger number, so it removes more than the increase added. (Overall change: 1.2 × 0.8 = 0.96, a 4% decrease.)
4. a) 13 (−8 + 15 = 7; 7 + 6 = 13). b) −6 (12 ÷ −2).
5. 24 − 3d = 6 → 3d = 18 → d = 6 days.
6. Circumference = πd ≈ 3.14 × 10 = 31.4 ft. Area = πr² ≈ 3.14 × 5² = 78.5 sq ft.
7. a) 5/10 = 1/2. b) 3/10 × 2/10 = 6/100 = 3/50.
8. Sample: Gutenberg's printing press made books and ideas far cheaper and faster to spread, which changed Europe.
9. Any two: books were copied by hand and took months; print shops spread across Europe within decades; pamphlets, maps and textbooks became cheaper; ideas could reach thousands of readers; leaders found it harder to control what people read.
10. Rare / hard to get. Clue: “so books were scarce and expensive, and most people never owned one.”
11. Look for: a clear claim; at least one piece of passage evidence; a response to an opposing view (for example, “Some leaders worried… but…”); complete sentences.
12. a) Chemical change. Evidence: a gas forms (bubbles, the bag puffs up); a new substance is made. b) 25 g. In a sealed bag no matter escapes, so mass is conserved: atoms are rearranged, not created or destroyed.
13. Western Roman Empire falls (476) → Magna Carta (1215) → Gutenberg's press (about 1450) → Columbus reaches the Americas (1492).
14. The lord gave land (a fief) and protection; the vassal owed loyalty and military service.

More packets like this, made for your child by name: homeschoolpackets.com

To print: press Ctrl + P (Windows) or Cmd + P (Mac). Only the worksheet and the answer key will print. Choose “Save as PDF” to keep a copy.

How should you use a free printable worksheet?

A worksheet like this is most useful as a check, not a lesson. Three ways to use it:

1. Placement. Have your child try it cold. Questions they breeze through are solid; questions they skip or miss show you where to start. Our K–8 "what should my child know" checklist helps you go further back if needed.
2. Review. Use it after a unit to see what stuck.
3. A light day. Sick day, travel day, appointment day: one printed page keeps the streak going.

Check it together using the answer key. Have your child find their own mistakes first; it's faster and they remember it better.

What makes a good printable homeschool worksheet?

Plenty of free worksheets are busywork. Before you print a stack, check for these:

The best worksheets also connect to what came before. A one-off page can't do that, which is why free worksheets work best alongside a sequenced plan. See our 7th grade homeschool curriculum guide for a full-year order of topics.

Where can I find more free printable homeschool resources?

These are reputable, free and worth bookmarking:

• Smarter Balanced sample items: practice questions in the style of the tests California public school students take (useful for charter families).
• Library of Congress: primary sources for teachers, including documents, maps and photos you can print for history.
• NASA STEM: free learning resources for science and engineering.
• Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: Money as You Grow activities for life skills and money.
• California Department of Education: the official grade 7 math standards, so you know exactly what to practice.

Why do printable worksheets still work in a screen-heavy world?

Paper has some real advantages for kids this age:

• It has an end. A page is done when it's done. That makes it easier to start.
• It shows work. You can see how your kid got a wrong answer, not just that they did.
• It's distraction-free. No notifications, no tabs.
• It makes a record. A dated, completed page is proof of learning, handy for charter work samples or your own homeschool records.

Want a full packet made for your kid?

This free sample is a taste. A real Homeschool Packet goes deeper:

• One subject at a time, with enough practice to actually master the skill
• Your child's first name on every page and in the word problems
• A Max & Nib comic on page 1 that calls your kid by name
• A 36-week sequence, so every packet builds on the last, with review built in
• A full answer key for you
• Eight subjects: Math, English, Science, History/Social Studies, Spanish, Art, Coding and Life Skills

Plans: $7/month for one subject, $25/month for any four, $40/month for all eight. See plans or tell us about your learner to get started.

Struggling to get your kid to the table at all? Read how to motivate a homeschooler who hates worksheets.