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Two homeschool civics and economics programs, compared on what actually decides the fit: viewpoint, what you study, teaching style, and how much you'll teach.
Updated September 2026 · based on parent reviews and publisher information
Still torn? Answer a few questions and see how both rank for your child, side by side.
Compare for my child| Notgrass Uncle Sam and You | The Tuttle Twins | |
|---|---|---|
| Grades | 5th–8th | Ages 5–11 (teen guidebooks too) |
| Viewpoint | Patriotic and politically neutral, with a short Bible-based activity in each lesson | Limited-government and libertarian; no religious content |
| Approach | Daily textbook lessons with a workbook (5th–6th) or written lesson review (7th–8th), plus optional literature | Story books with discussion questions; companion workbooks and parent guides sold separately |
| Who teaches | The program does the teaching | The parent teaches |
| Parent prep | Low (instructions are written to the student; a parent checks the workbook) | Low (read aloud and talk through the questions) |
| Screen time | Mostly offline (books and paper) | Mostly offline (books and paper) |
| Video lessons | None: print books with no video lessons | None: books and PDF workbooks; no video lessons |
| Cost | $110: curriculum package; the eight literature books are extra (or borrow them from a library) | $13: each story book ($12.99); all 14 PDF activity workbooks are $64.99, and the Family Starter Pack (14 books, 3 history volumes, workbooks) is $229.95 |
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Reviewers call it thorough and well laid out, with hundreds of pictures and a patriotic, optimistic tone that aims to stay politically neutral. Students can do most lessons on their own. The main complaint is the amount of text: Cathy Duffy notes there's still a lot of it, and one parent found it heavy for 5th and 6th graders. Each lesson includes a short Bible-based activity.
Parents like the short, easy-to-read stories and say children can explain big ideas afterward. The one detailed outside review notes the books strongly push a limited-government, libertarian viewpoint and that some discussion questions are too advanced for younger children. The workbooks and parent guides are PDF-only and cost extra, and some of the online reviews we found read as promotional.
Neither is better for every child. Notgrass Uncle Sam and You is the stronger fit for christian worldview; minimal. The Tuttle Twins is the stronger fit for economics; free-market, limited-government.
Notgrass Uncle Sam and You: patriotic and politically neutral, with a short Bible-based activity in each lesson. The Tuttle Twins: limited-government and libertarian; no religious content.
Notgrass Uncle Sam and You: $110: curriculum package; the eight literature books are extra (or borrow them from a library). The Tuttle Twins: $13: each story book ($12.99); all 14 PDF activity workbooks are $64.99, and the Family Starter Pack (14 books, 3 history volumes, workbooks) is $229.95.
Summaries are in our own words.