By Five Marys Ranch
M5 Ranch School
Learn the ropes of agriculture and ranching with us.
40 hands-on lessons for kids and families, built around everyday life on our ranch in Fort Jones, California. Every lesson pairs a video with a full printable lesson and activities for every age, so you can watch it, read it and then go do it.
New Ranch School video lessons every Monday on our YouTube channel.
About M5 Ranch School
The Ranch Is Our Classroom
We homeschool our four daughters here on the ranch, and so much of what they learn happens outside with the animals, in the garden and in the kitchen, figuring things out with their own hands. M5 Ranch School is how we share that with your family, in 40 lessons built around everyday life at Five Marys Ranch.
You don't need to live on a ranch to use any of it. The lessons work just as well at the kitchen table, in the backyard or in a classroom as they do out here.
Before ranching I spent nineteen years running a tutoring and academic coaching company, and we built these lessons the way I love to see kids learn, with a purpose behind every worksheet and something to go make or do at the end of it.
The 40 Ranch School Lessons
Four groups to explore in any order. Print any lesson for $15, save with a bundle for the whole group, or get all 40 with the videos in the app.
Animals
13 LESSONSChickens, Beef Cattle, Dairy Cattle, Turkeys & Thanksgiving, Horses, Sheep & Lambs, Rabbits & Rodents, Working Dogs, Fishing & Hatcheries, Insects & Arachnids, Bees, Pigs and Animal Veterinary Science
Food & Kitchen
8 LESSONSCanning & Preserving, Baking Pies & Goodies, Cheesemaking, Breadmaking, Cooking & Grilling, Making Maple Syrup, Butchery and Natural Herbs & Wellness
Skills & Crafts
11 LESSONSChores & Caretaking, Candle Making, Leatherworking, Textile Handiwork, Knots & Pocket Knives, Wild Earth Dyes, Animal Fibers, Flowers & Arranging, Tools & Building, Welding & Metalwork and Prime Movers
Land, Plants & Outdoors
8 LESSONSCamping & The Outdoors, Survival Skills, Tree Harvest, Winter Gardening, Gardening & Growing, Weather & Natural Disasters, Water & Irrigation and Tractors & Farm Implements
What's In Every Lesson
Each lesson is built so the whole family can learn together, whatever their age.
- Video lesson to watch together as a family
- Text lesson to read along from start to finish
- A to Z learning pages with new words from the lesson
- Activity worksheets for every age, from coloring pages to math and research projects
- Future entrepreneur pages that turn what you learned into a business idea
- Challenge activities to get outside and go do it
- Children's book read-aloud video
- How-tos, recipes or tutorials
- A reading list and links for kids who want to keep going
In the app
Plus everything else, all in one place
- Seasonal content and activities
- Behind-the-scenes extras from the ranch
- Interdisciplinary learning activities
Printable lesson packs come with the full text lesson and every worksheet. The app has all 40 lessons with every video, printable and read-alouds together, for a one-time $99.
SEE THE WAYS TO JOINWho It's For
All ages are welcome! The worksheets run from A to Z coloring pages for little ones all the way up to math, research and business pages for junior high and high school, so brothers and sisters can work through the same lesson together at their own level.
- Homeschool families
- Classrooms and co-ops
- 4-H and FFA kids
- Grandparents and grandkids
- Anyone curious about where their food comes from
Free sample lesson
All About Sheep
Our whole sheep lesson is free on the blog, with the worksheets, a quiz, a crossword, a campfire activity and a read-aloud, so you can see exactly what comes in every Ranch School lesson before you join.
Three Ways to Learn With Us
Start with the free videos, print the lessons you want, or get everything in one place for good with the app.
FREE ON YOUTUBE
Free
A new lesson every Monday
- New Ranch School video lessons every Monday morning on our channel, Five Marys Ranch
- Free to watch, no account needed
- A great way to preview a lesson before you print it
PRINTABLE LESSON PACKS
$15 per lesson
or $39 for a whole group bundle
- The full text lesson plus every worksheet and activity
- Instant PDF download to print at home
- Bundle a whole group, like Animals or Food & Kitchen, and save
BEST VALUE
THE M5 RANCH SCHOOL APP
$99 one time
Lifetime membership, no monthly fees
- All 40 lessons, every video and every printable in one place
- Children's book read-alouds, how-tos and recipes
- Seasonal content and behind-the-scenes extras from the ranch
- On your phone or computer, whenever you want it
Common Questions
What ages is Ranch School for?
All ages! The worksheets go from A to Z coloring pages for little ones up to math, research and entrepreneur pages for junior high and high school, and the videos are made for the whole family to watch together.
Do I need the app to use the lessons?
No. You can watch the videos free on YouTube and buy only the printable lessons you want. The app is the easiest way to have every lesson, video and printable together in one place.
Is the app a subscription?
No, it's a one-time $99 payment for a lifetime membership, so there's nothing to renew or cancel.
How do the printable lesson packs work?
Each pack is a PDF download with the full text lesson and every worksheet. You'll get your download link right after checkout, so you can print it at home and get started the same day.
What's the difference between a lesson pack and the app?
A lesson pack is the printable side of one lesson. The app has all 40 lessons with the videos, printables, read-alouds and extras together, and it's yours for life.
Can we start anytime?
Yes! Join whenever you're ready and work through the lessons in whatever order fits your family.
When do new videos come out?
Every Monday morning on our YouTube channel, Five Marys Ranch. Subscribe there so you don't miss one.
Can I give Ranch School as a gift?
Yes! Email us at hello@fivemarys.com and we'll help you set up a gift membership.
Come Learn the Ropes With Us!
Join M5 Ranch School for a one-time $99 and get every lesson, video and printable for life.
JOIN RANCH SCHOOLQuestions or gift memberships? Email hello@fivemarys.com