Homeschool Science Curriculum: A Complete Plan From Preschool to Graduation

Nerd alert: I LOVE science. (That’s why talking about homeschool science curriculum makes me super excited!)

Yep. It’s true. In high school, I couldn’t put down the Biology textbook. I was even president of the Biology Honors Society. Oh, and for fun, we spent our time blazing a trail on the back of the school property and growing various habitats.

I already feel better just getting that confession off my chest. Haha. So how about you? Do you love science? Or are you one of those parents who would rather have a root canal?

Perhaps you enjoy science but haven’t really found a way to engage your kids in learning it. Sometimes, we can get so caught up in memorizing seemingly random names, facts, and compounds that we miss the beauty of science.

Yep. I said science is beautiful. In fact, it ought to be every Christian’s favorite subject because in the learning of science, we can truly enjoy and find awe in all that God has created for us.

But I totally get your hesitation. Teaching science sometimes brings with it feelings of inadequacy, fear of anti-Christian agendas, and flashbacks of 100s of flashcards from our high school years. Stick with me for a few minutes, and let me help you see a homeschool science curriculum plan that won’t be quite so daunting.

Why We Teach Science

Before we get to the nuts and bolts of science, we have to talk about our reason why. I record my science vision in my Organized Homeschool Planner. Every year, I challenge myself to come up with biblical reasons for why I was teaching certain subjects, and I share these with my kids to help motivate us all.

For science, our “why” was to help us take better care of the earth, to help us hear God speak through creation and marvel at that creation, to help us discover God’s hidden treasures, and to help us defend the Bible’s truth.

I grew up thinking that the Bible and science contradicted one another, but they don’t! That’s one of the most important things I wanted my kids to get out of science education in our home.

Tips for Teaching Science 

Let me share four tips I learned while teaching science in our homeschool.

First, always keep science in its place. Science is only a core subject if you’re in high school. If you’re not, only reading and math are your two most important subjects. Now, that doesn’t mean you can’t or shouldn’t teach science. It just means we need to make sure that math and reading take priority over everything else we do in our homeschool. If either of those subjects isn’t going well or needs more practice, focus your time there. Don’t feel burdened by other subjects, such as science. Your kids will be just fine if you come back to science later.

Second, science is always best learned by doing, seeing, and touching. That doesn’t mean we can’t use books, but it’s something to keep in mind. Look for creative ways to give your kids hands-on experiences, whether it’s field trips, experiments, or nature walks.

Third, all science should focus on the scientific method. When I say the scientific method, I mean teaching our kids to ask questions in a scientific way, like “I wonder what will happen if…” If our children learn to explore, solve problems, and look at things from different angles, we’ll be successful in science. It’s really okay if they can’t name every bone in the body or classify every animal in the kingdom.

Fourth, whenever you pick a science curriculum or even a science book – anything that’s helping you teach science – be mindful of worldview. Everything has one; everything pushes an agenda. In this culture, more than ever, we have to be super careful. The Bible warns us against false teaching and wolves in sheep’s clothing. Make sure to filter through and look at what you’re teaching. Don’t just assume.

A Complete Plan From Preschool to Graduation

Homeschool Science Curriculum for Elementary

I like to start our elementary science in the backyard, and that’s why we created Backyard and Beyond. This kindergarten curriculum takes kids on nature adventures in their backyard and community. Kids develop essential literacy and math skills while exploring the great outdoors. It’s a win-win. Check out our video walk through here.

I don’t recommend buying a “science” curriculum unless it’s integrated with your core subjects like math and reading. 

The biggest reason goes back to my first tip: math and reading must be the core in the early years. We have to focus on getting really strong math skills and really strong reading skills to build that foundation. Once that foundation is built, then we can branch out into different areas of science.

When my kids were little, we read great, amazing, living books about science. We kept a notebook (think a composition notebook with blank pages)  of all the things we’d read, and we just explored interests as they came up. This is our science journal. Don’t get too overzealous about this. It can be a killjoy. Just allow your kids to draw or write something that interests them.

Sometimes I have them narrate facts to me, and other times we don’t. Let it be natural and fun!

I know this method is a little non-traditional, but remember, there is a reason we didn’t go with the traditional school option anyway, right?  During these years, we took a lot of walks, explored nature, and went on numerous field trips. 

Here’s an example of one of the things we did for science. A while back, we took a family trip to the Grand Canyon, so we kept a Grand Canyon notebook. We explored, colored, and drew pictures – all of this before we went to the Grand Canyon so my kids would have an idea of what to expect. It was tons of fun! They drew pictures, and I would narrate for them.

This science journal approach can be done thematically, like we did with the Grand Canyon, or you can just put everything in one journal as you read books and explore. It should be a very casual thing to do.

Late Elementary Science

At this stage, if everything else is in place, you haven’t had any hurdles with reading, and you feel like all of that is strong, you can try a more traditional curriculum. But don’t feel pressured.

My son, Luke, didn’t start a traditional science curriculum until fifth grade. This wasn’t because he wasn’t ready with math and reading, but because he was doing chemo treatments, and I didn’t want to frustrate the situation. I knew science could wait, so we focused on math and reading during that time.

If your kiddos master reading and math and you’d like to add a little more for those upper-level elementary years, here are a few of my favorites.

We LOVE Apologia science curriculum. It’s hands-on, provides tons of notebooking experiences, and is just plain fun. Our favorites have been Flying Creatures and Swimming Creatures, but they are all great.

One of the reasons I opt for Apologia is that I absolutely KNOW I can trust the content being taught to my children. Not only is evolution taught as an incorrect theory, but students are also given tools for supporting and proving the fact that God created the earth. I love this point of view!

We also love Master Books science. I love that it’s lighter in content but gives kids plenty of opportunities to dig deeper. Luke tried Elementary Zoology by Master Books. One of the things I really loved about this curriculum was that it came with activity books and living books that were super fun and engaging for kids his age, and it also came with worksheets and activities. These living books are mostly Answers in Genesis books, which is a trusted company forbBiblically sound science materials.

Another idea for later elementary, especially if you have multiple children, is unit studies. Unit studies were like my dream homeschool method! Let your kids pick a topic that many of your children (at least kindergarten through eighth grade) can explore together. You can find resources on the Internet – some are already put together for you, and some are just printables. You can just start a Pinterest board and collect ideas and follow the interests and passions of your kids.

Homeschool Science Curriculum for Middle School

Most people would say that middle school is the time to really hunker down and push hard in science. I disagreed. I found that middle school was a great time to dig into topics that my children had extreme interest in. We enjoyed things like marine biology, astronomy, anatomy, and ecology. My kids loved studying these topics, and it gave them a passion for science.

So I highly recommend that you consider letting your kids pick what they’re going to pursue in middle school. My seventh grader, Nathan, did General Science from Master Books. Similar to the elementary age, this stage came with beautiful books that weren’t as intimidating as a textbook – they were smaller and more engaging. He also did a chemistry class like this.

Another example is astronomy. It’s a fascinating subject that usually doesn’t fall on the high school transcript. Kids LOVE it, and the study of it builds scientific skills and knowledge without seeming so, well, “scientific.” My friend Luke Gilkerson has a course that we love called Experience Astronomy.

In the course, Mr. Gilkerson teaches the kids on video each week, assigns homework (think star-gazing), and even gives quizzes. Each one of my kids has been excited about middle school, so they can enjoy this course! Oh, and did I mention you get ALL of this from a strong Christian perspective? It’s a win-win for sure. You could also save this subject for high school if you wanted to.

Homeschool Science Curriculum for High School

Once you get to high school, you’ll need to make sure you know the requirements of your state. You can find these on the HSLDA website. Parents almost always assume that you must take biology, chemistry, and physics – no question, no choice. When I read the South Carolina requirements, they never mentioned that those subjects were actually required.

Now, some colleges may require specific science courses. I would highly recommend that if your child has an idea where they might want to go to college, pull up their requirements and read them. We found that colleges weren’t nearly as stringent about that as you might expect.

With that in mind, we had a more flexible view of what high school science could look like. I had two high schoolers at one point. My daughter, Rachel, did Biology 101, which was a DVD series covering all the major concepts in biology. She kept a notebook where she watched the videos, noted things, drew diagrams, and documented what she was learning. I had her do some projects and experiments alongside that.

The reason I approached it that way for her was because I wanted to make sure that reading wasn’t a stumbling block in science. Science should be about science and not about reading, right?

My oldest child did Apologia Biology and loved it. Apologia also offers online classes, and, of course, you can buy the books and the teaching CDs, too. Later, my youngest went a little outside the box and took Experience Astronomy at the high school level. This was a full 36-week course guiding kids through the study of astronomy with quizzes and lectures – all the things you would expect from a typical high school course but in a really fun way.

My friends Trisha and Luke also had a high school level biology course that Nathan was excited about taking when it was his turn. These types of courses are great because they provide excellent teaching, an independent curriculum, and a strong biblical worldview all in one! Eventually, all of my kids ended up moving to the Gilkersons Journey Academy for their super-engaging online science courses. Students watch lectures, complete assignments, and even take quizzes.

I hope this encouraged you and that you found a few tips and resources to help as you seek to teach your children how amazing God is through the study of science.

Remember, science doesn’t have to be complicated or scary. Keep your priorities straight, focus on hands-on learning when possible, be mindful of worldview issues, and don’t be afraid to adjust your approach based on your child’s needs and interests.

More Christian Homeschool Curriculum

Need guidance on curriculum for other subjects? Read more about our Christian homeschool curriculum tips and favorites.

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Your turn–>

What is your favorite homeschool science curriculum? Leave a comment and tell me how you make it work in your homeschool!