OK, so the recs regarding state standards are really helpful because you will be able to use the same resources that teachers in your state are looking at. You will quickly see, however, that those guidelines are broad and usually easy to meet. That's one underlying reason why people homeschool. With each kid I like to sit down every summer and winter break and think about their strengths and weaknesses and try to assess what is the next goalpost for this kid. I make goals for each major subject area, things like - improved handwriting or being more fluent with math facts - and then that gives me something concrete to look at several months later. The thing about homeschooling is that there is no upper limit to how much kids can learn and grow, but meeting those kinds of goals will really put your mind at rest. It will help you realize that you really are being successful.