Homeschool Science Curriculum

Are you looking for the best homeschool science curriculum? What is out there and what do you need to consider before purchasing your science curriculum?

Still not convinced on what curriculum to use? Check our Best Homeschool Curriculum blog post for the list of curriculums we recommend.

Science can be a fun and engaging subject, however, reading about science in a textbook can drain all the fun away.

First you must consider whether you would like to use a Christian or secular science program because this will really narrow down your options.

Are you interested in an old world view, new world view or the big bang theory? There are plenty of options to choose from so this will focus your search.

Homeschool Science Curriculum You Have To Try

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What are the things you need to consider?

What is your budget for science? A bigger budget will allow you to purchase premade kits or supplies while a smaller budget will leave you to gather your household materials for experiments. If you don’t have a budget at all, design your own curriculum with library books.

How would you like to study science in your home? Do you want it to be experiment based or prefer nature studies? The main objective of the science curriculum can vary so you must decide how you would like science to be done in your house. You can read from a textbook and complete experiments and then do a science report or you can head outdoors and decide to hunt for ants. There are so many ways to study science, you don’t need to limit yourself to one exclusively.

How many experiments does the curriculum contain? Science can be a fun and messy subject, however, it also takes some planning as well. Be realistic about how many experiments or projects you put together. Are you teaching other children as well? Can you group them together to teach science to everyone? Or perhaps you may have a new baby in the house and not be able to incorporate very much time to experiments. You are not going to want an experiment based program.

If you can’t seem to find the perfect program, why not design your own curriculum? You can choose what topics to cover and find the appropriate materials to use with your children. It can seem overwhelming at first, but it can be done. Grab a book from the library and take a look at the table of contents, determine what topics you want to cover and those you want to exclude. Find an experiment book and some living books and you will have a very exciting science curriculum catered to your child.

Apologia Science

The Exploring Creation series covers a wide range of topics and each level comes with an extensive amount of resources to help your child with their science. This is not a secular resource but is very thorough. I use the textbook and student notebook for my son and daughter so that he doesn’t have to worry about copying out the questions from the text.

We prefer to use the notebooks for them to capture what they’ve learned in the textbook and it allows them to write their own narrations.

There are also audio mp3s and instructional DVDs available as well. I like that you can use the program as a text alone or grab all the add-ons if your budget allows. I also like that the series goes all the way up to the upper levels.

Nancy Larson

I started using this program with my second grader and I love how complete it is in that it includes all the supplies necessary for the year. I’m looking forward to jumping in fully as we’re just getting started, but for the Science 3, it came with a teacher’s manual and workbook as well as the necessary supplies for the experiments including a rock kit, large posters, different earth samples, frog books, and more.

R.E.A.L. Science Odyssey

This curriculum appeals to me because it’s experiment-focused with a complete list of supplies for the year and then worksheets to record the data. I’m all about doing what makes things easier for me without a huge price tag. I know that if all the planning is taken care of, I’ll more likely get to it with the kids.

For the early years, I’d create lapbooks for my kids based on the topic that they’d like to learn. We learned about dinosaurs with my oldest for an entire year because he was so into them. He still remembers a lot of the info. Whatever curriculum you choose, you need experiments, there’s no getting around that as well as some good reference books. I like the Usborne book for younger kids and the Kingfisher one for upper elementary kids.

Ellen McHenry

I love her resources, they’re mainly short unit studies meant to last 6-8 weeks depending on the topic. They’re filled with thoughtful exercises and activities that teach a high level of science to young kids. She makes it fun and interesting and this science lover fell in love after I used Elements with my oldest.

Recommended Homeschooling Books for Moms

If you need more ideas about homeschooling, these books can answer your questions. Grab these books and have a stress-free homeschooling experience.

The Brave Learner: Finding Everyday Magic in Homeschool, Learning, and Life Think About Homeschooling: What It Is, What It Isn’t, & Why It Works Home Learning Year by Year, Revised and Updated: How to Design a Creative and Comprehensive Homeschool Curriculum Homeschooling: The Early Years: Your Complete Guide to Successfully Homeschooling the 3- to 8- Year-Old Child (Prima Home Learning Library)The Unhurried Homeschooler: A Simple, Mercifully Short Book on Homeschooling Homeschooling for Absolute Beginners: Make Learning at Home Simple, Affordable, Fun, and Effective

>> See more ideas on How to Homeschool Successfully

Favorite Science books

Janice VanCleave’s series – Chemistry for Every Child, Biology for Every Child, Earth Science for Every Child
Fizz Bubble & Flash
Usborne Science Encyclopedia
Kingfisher Science Encyclopedia

If you need more resources, check my Biology Books for Kids blog post to get more ideas on what biology books are perfect for your child.

By following your child’s interest, you will foster a love of science for life. Your child will soon start taking apart your old phones or toasters. Let them explore and don’t mind the mess.

You can find the best science curriculum for your family by determining what your world views, budget, and methodology are first to narrow down your search for the best science curriculum.