Best Homeschool Curriculum for Maine Families: Subject-by-Subject Picks

Maine law specifies what must be taught — ten subjects, 175 days — but leaves the how entirely to you. There is no approved curriculum list, no textbook mandate, and no requirement to align with state learning standards. That is genuinely liberating, and it also means the work of choosing curriculum falls entirely on the parent.

This post cuts through the options by subject, with a focus on what actually generates usable documentation for Maine's annual assessment. Whether you prefer structured textbook programs, online platforms, or living books, each pick below is chosen because it covers the content and leaves a paper trail that holds up at portfolio review.

English and Language Arts

Best structured pick: All About Reading / All About Spelling (primary); Writing & Rhetoric (upper elementary/middle) All About Reading is systematic, uses the Orton-Gillingham method, and generates obvious, progressive work samples — exactly what a portfolio evaluator wants to see for ELA. Writing & Rhetoric (Classical Academic Press) builds composition skills methodically through middle school and produces strong written work samples.

Best for high school: Lightning Literature Lightning Literature integrates reading, literary analysis, and composition and generates substantial written output. High schoolers in Maine need to demonstrate ELA coverage each year through grade 12, and a writing-heavy program makes that straightforward.

Free option: Khan Academy ELA + public library reading logs Documenting reading logs with brief written narrations plus Khan Academy grammar/writing modules covers ELA adequately for younger students. Less portfolio-rich than a structured program, but workable.

Mathematics

Best overall: Saxon Math Saxon's incremental, cumulative structure means students revisit and reinforce concepts constantly, which translates directly to strong standardized test performance. If you plan to use Maine's standardized test option for your annual assessment, Saxon is a natural fit. The daily lesson-and-practice format also generates abundant work samples for portfolio review.

Best alternative: Beast Academy / Art of Problem Solving For students who find Saxon too drill-heavy, Beast Academy (grades 2–5) and Art of Problem Solving (grades 5+) develop deeper mathematical reasoning. These produce different evidence — fewer repetitive worksheets, more complex problem sets and projects — but work well for portfolio review with an evaluator who understands the approach.

Free option: Khan Academy Khan Academy's math curriculum is comprehensive from elementary through calculus. Progress reports can be printed and function as legitimate portfolio evidence. Not ideal for standardized test prep without supplementing, but excellent for covering the statutory subject requirement.

Science and Technology

Best structured pick: Apologia (Christian) / Real Science Odyssey (secular) Apologia is widely used among Maine homeschoolers, particularly in the Christian community, and covers biology, physical science, chemistry, and earth science with structured labs. Real Science Odyssey is the secular equivalent with strong hands-on lab components — both generate lab report documentation that evaluators recognize.

Best for nature-based learners: Outdoor Science with Janice VanCleave resources + nature journaling Maine's natural environment is itself a curriculum asset. Marine biology along the coast, forest ecology in the western mountains, and freshwater science anywhere inland all satisfy Science and Technology. Nature journals with dated entries, photographs, and written observations are legitimate portfolio evidence and are often more impressive than worksheet-based documentation.

Social Studies

Best structured pick: Mystery of History / Story of the World These are the most popular history spines in the Maine homeschool community. Both are literature-based, generate written narrations and timelines, and cover the scope of world and American history that satisfies Social Studies requirements.

Maine-specific supplement: Primary sources from the Maine State Archives and Maine Historical Society Adding Maine-specific primary sources — town records, historical maps, letters — connects Social Studies to the Maine Studies requirement and strengthens both subject areas simultaneously.

Maine Studies (Grades 6–12)

This is the requirement that catches families off guard. Maine law requires Maine Studies to be taught at least once between grades 6 and 12, covering state history, Wabanaki culture, Maine geography, and civic traditions.

Best dedicated resource: HOME unit studies Homeschoolers of Maine (HOME) sells unit studies specifically designed to fulfill the Maine Studies mandate, priced around $10.95–$27.50. These are the most direct way to satisfy the requirement with a defensible, curriculum-based approach.

Best experiential approach: Field trips plus structured documentation Fort Knox State Historic Site, the Maine State Museum, the Abbe Museum (Wabanaki history), Penobscot Marine Museum, and local historical societies provide rich primary content. Document visits with photographs, written summaries, and a brief reflection on what was learned. A six-week unit combining two or three field trips with reading from Maine authors (Sarah Orne Jewett, Kenneth Roberts) and a state government project covers the requirement thoroughly.

Free online resource: Maine Public Broadcasting educational content Maine PBS has produced curriculum materials on Maine history and ecology that are freely available and can anchor a Maine Studies unit without any purchase.

Library Skills

Best approach: Structured research projects using Maine InfoNet databases Maine's Library Skills requirement is about information literacy — navigating databases, evaluating source credibility, and citing correctly — not just visiting a library. The Maine InfoNet statewide system gives all Maine library cardholders free access to research databases including EBSCO and ProQuest. Assign two or three substantial research projects per year that require using these databases, explicitly document the search process, and collect the resulting citations and bibliographies.

This approach generates clear portfolio evidence and teaches skills that matter for college-level research — a practical alignment, especially for middle and high school students.

Physical Education and Health Education

Physical Education: Activity logs There is no requirement for a formal PE class. Log hiking, swimming, skiing, cycling, sports team participation, martial arts, or any structured physical activity. Maine's winters and outdoors culture make this the easiest subject to satisfy and document — dated entries in a simple activity log are all you need.

Health Education: Integrate into existing subjects Health is most efficiently covered by integrating it into other subjects: human anatomy in science, nutrition as part of cooking or home economics, mental health and community health in social studies. A brief unit on first aid, CPR, or personal safety also covers the requirement. Document it as you would any other subject — brief lesson notes and any written work the student produces.

Fine Arts

Best pick: Whatever your student actually wants to do Maine law is broad here. Music (instrument or voice), visual art, photography, graphic design, woodworking, culinary arts, and theater all qualify. Document participation in lessons, recitals, exhibitions, or productions. Photographs of completed work, programs from performances, and teacher letters are all legitimate portfolio evidence.

Computer Proficiency (Grades 7–12)

Best structured option: code.org, Scratch (younger), or a Python course on Coursera/Udemy (older) Computer Proficiency must be demonstrated at least once between grades 7 and 12. A completed coding course with a certificate of completion is the cleanest documentation. Scratch certificates for younger students and Python or JavaScript project portfolios for older students both work.

Practical alternative: Document existing digital tool use If your student uses word processing, spreadsheets, databases, or digital research tools as part of their regular schoolwork, capture screenshots and brief written explanations of what they did. This is less formal than a coding course but legally sufficient.

Curriculum choice is the fun part of homeschooling in Maine. The less-fun part — but arguably more important — is making sure your legal framework is solid before you start. The Maine Legal Withdrawal Blueprint walks through how to file the Notice of Intent correctly, which legal pathway (Option 1 vs. REPS) fits your situation, and how to structure your documentation from day one so the annual assessment process is straightforward.

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