If you’ve been in Christian homeschool circles for more than five minutes, you’ve probably heard the name Notgrass. It comes up in co-op conversations, Facebook groups, and curriculum fairs. But is it actually the right fit for your family?
This Notgrass History review gives you an honest look — including our own experience with one of their products — so you can make a confident decision before you buy.
Our Notgrass History Review: What You Need to Know
Notgrass History is a Christian homeschool curriculum created by Ray and Charlene Notgrass, veteran homeschoolers themselves. Their courses cover American history, world history, and geography from early elementary all the way through high school — all written from a Biblical worldview.
What sets Notgrass apart is the narrative style. Instead of dry textbook writing, lessons read more like a story. Scripture is woven throughout — not tacked on at the end of a chapter, but built into how history is taught. The goal is to help kids see that God is sovereign over all of history, not just Sunday mornings.
Their elementary line covers grades 1 through 4 and includes courses in U.S. history, U.S. geography, and world geography. It’s designed to be open-and-go, meaning parents don’t need to do a lot of prep work before each lesson.
Our Honest Experience With Notgrass
We want to be upfront with you: we haven’t used the full Notgrass History program. What we have used is their geography product — specifically the states curriculum — with our daughter in first grade.
Here’s what happened.
The material itself is solid. It’s well-made, clearly Christian, and genuinely educational. But for our first grader, it was a lot. The lessons required more focused attention than she was ready to give at that age. It started to feel like a sticky point in our school day — the thing she resisted — and that resistance was starting to affect the rest of our lessons.
We made the call to pull it out of our rotation and find something lighter for that season. It wasn’t a failure — it was a fit issue.
Here’s what that taught us about Notgrass: it has real substance and structure. That’s actually a compliment. It’s not a fluffy, light curriculum. It expects something from your student. For a child who thrives on structure and is used to sitting and working, that’s a gift. For a child still building those habits, you may want to wait.
We fully plan to revisit Notgrass when our daughter is a few grades older and her school stamina has grown.
Who Is Notgrass History Best For?
Based on what we experienced and what we’ve heard from other homeschool families, Notgrass tends to be a great fit for:
Kids in grades 2 through 4 and up. Notgrass offers content for first grade, but many families find it works better once a child is more comfortable with the structure of formal learning. If your child is still learning how to do school, you may want to start with something lighter and come back.
Families who want strong Biblical integration. This isn’t a secular curriculum with a Bible verse sprinkled in. Scripture shapes how history is understood throughout every lesson. If that’s a priority for your family, Notgrass delivers.
Parents who want open-and-go. One of the most common things you’ll hear from Notgrass users is how little prep it requires. Lessons are laid out clearly. You don’t need to be a history expert to teach it well.
Kids who enjoy reading and listening. Notgrass uses a narrative approach — lots of story-driven content. Kids who love being read to, or who are strong independent readers, tend to thrive with this style.
What to Know Before You Buy
A few things worth knowing as you consider Notgrass:
The elementary line covers grades 1–4. Courses include U.S. history, U.S. geography, and world geography. You can use them in any order, and you can switch to Notgrass from another curriculum without needing to start at the beginning — each course is designed to stand on its own.
High school courses are more comprehensive. If you’re looking ahead, the high school courses integrate history, English literature, and Bible into a single program — potentially earning students credits in all three subjects. That’s a significant value.
Pricing is mid-range. Elementary packages typically run around $75–$95 depending on the course. That’s reasonable for a full curriculum that covers an entire school year.
It’s not a DVD or app-based program. Notgrass is a reading and discussion-based curriculum. If your child needs videos or interactive digital elements to stay engaged, you’d want to supplement or consider a different fit.
How Does It Compare to Other Christian Homeschool History Options?
If you’re deciding between Notgrass and other popular options, here’s a quick frame:
Notgrass vs. Story of the World — Story of the World uses a pure storytelling approach and is a strong choice for early elementary, especially ages 4–8. Notgrass has more structure and Biblical depth. Many families use Story of the World in the early years and move to Notgrass in the upper elementary or middle school grades.
Notgrass vs. Mystery of History — Both are Christian and content-rich. Mystery of History covers world history chronologically across four volumes and works well for multi-age families. Notgrass offers more grade-specific courses and an easier open-and-go experience.
Notgrass vs. Masterbooks — Masterbooks is another solid Christian option with a strong creationist worldview emphasis. Notgrass tends to have a more narrative, literary feel, while Masterbooks leans more structured and academic.
Our Verdict
Notgrass History is a well-made, genuinely Christian curriculum with real substance. It’s not trying to be the flashiest thing on the shelf — it’s trying to give your children a meaningful understanding of history through the lens of Scripture — and if you’re also looking for a dedicated Bible curriculum to pair with it, we have a full guide on the best Bible curriculum for homeschoolers. That combination can give your kids a strong foundation in both history and faith.
Is it the right fit right now for every family? Not necessarily. If you have a young child still building school habits, you may find the structure is more than they’re ready for — that was our experience. But if you have a child in second grade or older who is ready to dig in, Notgrass is absolutely worth a serious look.
We’ll be revisiting it in our own home in the coming years. That’s the best endorsement we can give.
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Some content in this review reflects research and community insights alongside our personal experience with one Notgrass product. AI tools were used in the preparation of this content.