About half of families begin foreign language in the elementary years, while the other half wait until high school. If you’re trying to decide which language to select, may I make the case for Spanish?
Read more about Spanish language-learning, including TalkBox and DuoLingo!
Study basic Spanish concepts with these fun, brick-themed daily calendar labels. Concepts covered include: months, days, seasons, and weather. Use this unit with Lego or other building blocks! Designed to be printed and laminated for continuous use.
Celebrate Christmas and practice your Spanish foreign language simultaneously! This 14 Christmas carols are beautifully printed in both Spanish and English – to help with language learning and for your caroling pleasure.
Looking for a more structured and traditional approach to foreign language? SchoolhouseTeachers.com offers several different language options, along with every other subject - for all grades. Try it out for one month. You'll get access to everything they have and will have a chance to see if it's the right fit for your family! (Spoiler: We bet it will be!)
September 15th to October 15th is National Hispanic Heritage Month. During this time, Americans celebrate the history, culture, and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. Here are some ideas for you to incorporate unit studies, read alouds, and other fun activities into your homeschool this month!!
Fantastic New Books!!
This crop of new reads incorporates elements of Hispanic culture, interweaving them seamlessly into stories that educate and / or entertain. Here are some of our favorites...and many include RECIPES, too!
Sundays are the best: that’s when a little girl and her mamá, abuelitos, tías and primos all gather together to eat yummy menudo, a traditional Mexican soup. But when playtime with the cousins and family dogs gets out of hand and Abuelito Esteban’s special bowl of menudo breaks, everyone has to pitch in to make a new batch! Through all the menudo mishaps and sneaky snacks for perritos with wagging tails, young readers will giggle as they learn to count from 1-15 in Spanish and English. Bonus materials at the back of the book include a glossary of Spanish words, a note from the author, and tips for hosting your very own Menudo Sunday!
Lila and her Abuelo Carlos miss Abuela Ana. Without the sound of her laughter, the rhythm of her dancing, or the aromas of her cooking, home just isn’t the same. So Lila devises a plan to hold onto every detail she can remember. She and Abuelo will make Abuela’s signature dish—sancocho! Off to the market they go, guided by a faded recipe that takes them through the stalls, where each ingredient sparks a warm memory. As Lila and her abuelo learn to lean on each other, Abuela’s words help them recreate a dish that tastes like love.
A little girl meets more relatives than she can count—but how will she communicate with them if she can’t speak their language? It’s a little girl’s first trip to her papa’s homeland, and she’s wowed by all the amazing sights and sounds—and especially by the size of her enormous family! But she only knows a little Spanish, and it’s hard not to be able to share jokes and stories. Fortunately, her relatives help her see that there are other ways they can connect, and soon she feels like she’s right where she belongs: in the heart of a loving family, learning as she goes along.
Gonzalo Alberto Sánchez García has never considered himself the hero of his own story. He’s an observer, quietly snapshotting landscapes and drawing the creatures he imagines emerging from them. Forced to spend the summer with his estranged grandfather, Alberto William García—the very famous reclusive author—Gonzalo doesn't expect to learn that heroes and monsters are not only the stuff of fantasy. But that’s precisely what happens when Gonzalo’s CEO mother, Veronica, sends Alberto on tour to promote the final book in his fantasy series for children and Gonzalo must tag along, even though he feels no connection to his grandfather or the books. Together, they embark on a cross-country road trip from Mendocino to Miami in a classic 1968 Oldsmobile Cutlass S convertible named Mathilde. Over the course of ten epic days on the highway, they will slay demons, real and imagined; confront old stories to write new ones; and learn what it truly means to show up for your family.
Nico wants to be a famous film director. He's pretty sure if he can make the right movie, and soon, his life will completely change. The catch? His parents are sending him to Puerto Rico for the summer to stay with his iconic, but old-school, Abuela Luciana, and his awesome, but unpredictable cousins. Still, the show must go on. Until Nico and his cousins awaken a monster. A monster that looks an awful lot like the infamous Chupacabra. And it turns out this isn't a chance encounter. The creature begins stalking them all over Puerto Rico, turning up on every dark corner, sandy beach, and moonlit night. To make matters worse, a shadowy cult enters the chase, intent on capturing them before the Chupacabra can. Soon they are thrown into an adventure that brings them face-to-face with the ancient Taino people, even more ancient Taino gods, and the mysterious Chupacabra, who is somehow linked to everything. Nico keeps his camera rolling, hoping the epic documentary will catapult him to stardom. But in the end, it's the island's fate that hangs in the balance, as they face down the very gods that created Puerto Rico.
Dive Deeper with Literature-Based Unit Studies
We Were There with Cortes and Montezuma -- In the early 16th century, Spanish colonies were already well established in the Caribbean islands and they were turning their eyes westward. Under the leadership of Hernán Cortés, the Spaniards looked to Aztec territory in present-day Mexico...
Charlie Hernandez -- Latin American culture is full of terrifying mythological creatures that our parents used to scare us into good behavior! The Charlie Hernandez books pull myths from several countries and weave them together into a story of good battling evil while teaching readers about these cultural tales. And no, la chancla isn't one of them, but as any Latino kid knows...it should be...
The King's Fifth -- The earliest exploration of the Southwest occurred as a result of the accident that left Cabeza de Vaca and his companions shipwrecked along the Gulf Coast. Cabeza de Vaca was one of the first non-Native Americans to travel through Texas, and he published a narrative of his adventures that would inspire the expeditions of de Soto and Coronado...
Encounter -- When Columbus met some native men in the Carribbean, they said "Taíno, Taíno," which meant, "We are good, noble." Columbus thought they were saying the name of their people....and the name stuck...
Studying Central America -- Once home to the Mayan civilization, one of the greatest historic civilizations of the Americas, Central America is a narrow isthmus connecting North and South America...
Dia de Los Muertos - Day of the Dead may sound like a sad celebration, but it's actually a joyous celebration of remembering loved ones who have died. Death is viewed as just part of the cycle of life, and children are taught not to fear it. It is a celebration for families and friends we have lost...
Foreign Language Resources
The best parts of each of these resources is that you don't have to know the language because you'll be learning alongside your children. This can be used with young children for bilingual development, or with older children as foreign language curriculum. And the subscription model helps families to stay the course, focusing on different language aspects each month!
Unit studies are popular with homeschooling families because they provide a hands-on, in-depth approach to learning about any topic of choice. This is a great way to provide individualized instruction for your students, allowing them explore the 'topic-du-jour,' and instills a love of learning!
Why incorporate diversity?
Bring current events to life. Seeing news stories can be jarring for children, especially if they have no frame of reference for that region or culture. Reading a book can help them develop empathy and better understanding, and it can spark age-appropriate conversations.
See the similarities. Not every multicultural book spotlights diversity as a different experience. Sometimes it's about demonstrating a human truth - that we're not as different we think.
Explore your roots. Every family has a unique set of ancestry and heritage, particularly American families, which tend to have many different sets of roots. Taking the time to further explore those origins can put a personalized spin on learning about other cultures.
Travel the world. You don't need a passport to explore faraway regions and lands...all you need are the pages of a book. Good books will have characters that feel so life-like, you can relate to them and learn from their experiences.
Two of our favorite diversity-themed unit bundles to pick up are the Jewish Holidays & Diversity Novel Studies sets. Each incorporates multiple books that each focus on a different culture and/or historic event. Jewish Holidays features a full-year of holiday stories infused with culture, religion, and activities, and it is best utilized over the course of the year, in line with the holiday seasons. Diveristy Novel Studies features eight different stories from cultures around the world. Both include fantastic reads that teach world religions, culture, and history in a wonderfully-engaging manner!
Bring modern history to life with living literature that represents several different groups! Includes eight unit studies covering cultural stories from around the world. Each unit addresses a historic era from a new perspective, and these are told in living history format. Each unit has introductory text, which will give the student basic background information about the topic at hand.
Each of the ten unit studies in this year-long bundle centers around a book for middle school level and includes videos, cooking projects, hands-on activities, writing assignments, and more. There are also resources for younger children in eight of the ten units (not in *).
While it may seem like a much scarier prospect to begin homeschooling during the high school years, there are so many great resources available to parents to help them teach their older children. Plus, the fact that older children can accomplish much more on their own is a benefit. It is often possible to enroll them in online courses for homeschooling students as well. In reality, the possibilities seem endless for all the wonderful homeschooling opportunities for high school students. Take courage in knowing that you will be able to provide your high school student with a good education.
Even though it may seem like a daunting task, you can start to homeschool your child during their high school years. If you take one day at a time, you will be able to meet their educational needs, as well as help your child become a compassionate citizen. You are qualified to homeschool your high school student. And if you need help, you only need to ask. Here are some easy-peasy options to help you get started...either with a full program or just a bit of extra help!
Are you confused, overwhelmed, or frustrated by the thought of tackling homeschooling through high school? Let our years of experience as school counselors, homeschoolers, and educators guide you so that you can enjoy the process of homeschooling your students! Select from the Homeschool Pathways Consultation (appropriate for any grade level and/or special needs issues) or the High School Academic Advising (appropriate for 9th-12th grade planning).
Sparks Academy provides blended classes in language arts, history, math, and science for middle and high school students.
What’s a blended class?
So glad you asked! These are classes hosted online that include textbook and video elements, discussion feeds with peers, and live, virtual meetings. Each week, the students are interacting through facilitated discussion in a private forum. Rather than labeling these live classes, we have labeled them blended because we will not be meeting live every single week.
How and when will the class meet? Each class has its own class join code in Canvas. Classes “meet” weekly via shared assignments and moderated discussion during the school year (August 18, 2025 – May 6, 2026 for the ’25-’26 school year). Most classes are pre-recorded with community discussion and group chats. Periodically we have live class meetings. These are on the syllabus for your student to plan ahead. If you are unable to attend a live class, it will be recorded for later playback. Self-paced coursework will be assigned between classes.
What it my student is absent? Since the coursework is assigned on a weekly basis, students have the flexibility to complete it on their own schedules. If your student will be absent for an extended period of time, or you are predicting an act of nature (eg, hurricane at your home), please contact us so we can make arrangements. If a family emergency arises, please do the same. We understand that life happens occasionally.
I don’t think I quite understand how a pre-recorded class works with group discussion? If it isn’t live, how do they get to interact with the instructor and each other?
That’s a good question, and one our test group grappled with, but currently what it looks like is: periodic live classes (once per quarter), discussion threads, peer reviews, and digital interaction through the platform with face-to-face interaction in those live classes (which will be recorded for any students who miss attending). Some of the classes also contain a group project component, where they will be working together, virtually.
Our original plan had been to stream every class as live interactive, but the internet capability where we live simply isn’t up to the task. And I’m not moving just for streaming. However, we are able to secure a place up in the city every so often to hijack their net for those live streaming classes.
What technology will we need? Required technology: Digital notebook (Google Docs or One Drive), internet access, Canvas (you will be sent access instructions), and the ability to use camera & microphone during class discussions
Where can I see a sample class? Currently, there is a Language Arts 1, a Physical Science class, a Chemistry class, a Consumer Math class, and an American History class for sample on the Academy page.
What if my student has questions? Within our online platform, Canvas, there is an email icon which will allow your student to directly contact the teacher with any questions.
How do you ensure students’ privacy? None of our students’ personal information is revealed in the online classroom. Students log in using a screen name. They do not provide last names or any contact information in the online classroom. Only teachers can see any personal information about each student. Work assignments are submitted via email and will only be shared with student permission for educational purposes. Teachers are not responsible for archiving data, so be sure to keep a copy of your work. Sparks Academy uses security protocols, but is not liable for data breaches or lost data.
Do I have to buy the curriculum, or will it be provided? All co-op members are required to purchase the PDF or physical copy of each course that they are participating in. (Purchases are verified. There are a few different options for verification.) In most cases, you will only need the student textbook. This information is provided in the course description. The student text for both Energy Science and Economics comes as part of the enrollment fee of those classes.
Grading All students receive a grade based on projects, quizzes, journals, and class participation.
Which classes are for Middle School? As of Fall '25, Level 7 Language Arts, US Constitution, General Science, and Physical Science would all be appropriate for upper-middle school aged students. They are also appropriate for 9th grade, and any student who may struggle in one of those subjects at a higher grade. The beauty of homeschooling is that it's flexible, and we can tailor our student's subjects to each of those levels!
Why is it called Sparks Academy?
Our oldest son is a blacksmith, and also a fan of word play. When we were hanging out in his shop one afternoon, watching him work (and making sparks), it just developed. Then he came up with the slogan, and the rest is history…
What if I just want someone to help with writing assessment, but don’t need an entire class?
We offer writing assessment and feedback packages for The Good & the Beautiful Levels 6, 7, and High School. If you are using any writing curriculum other than TGTB, please purchase the high school level.
If you usually use The Good & the Beautiful, why did you choose Notgrass for history?
TGTB is currently revamping their entire history program. Once they release it, we will examine the changes to see if it is still a good fit. In the meantime, Notgrass is an amazingly comprehensive program that will prepare your high schooler for further academic challenges! There is still a possibility that we will offer both Notgrass and TGTB history options for you to select from in the future, but we simply cannot say for sure right now.
There are also self-paced courses.
Students have access for one year after date of purchase. These courses do not have student interaction, as the students are completing the work at different times / paces. Students should be independent workers who are self-motivated.
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Study basic Spanish concepts with these fun, brick-themed daily calendar labels. Concepts covered include: months, days, seasons, and weather. Use this unit with Lego or other building blocks! Designed to be printed and laminated for continuous use.
Looking for a more structured and traditional approach to foreign language? SchoolhouseTeachers.com offers several different language options, along with every other subject - for all grades. Try it out for one month. You'll get access to everything they have and will have a chance to see if it's the right fit for your family! (Spoiler: We bet it will be!)
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However, we are able to secure a place up in the city every so often to hijack their net for those live streaming classes.
