Homeschool Science Curriculum Tips All Parents Need to Know

The thought of a homeschool Science curriculum can cause many people to worry and be afraid that they aren’t capable of teaching it adequately. When you think of teaching Science in the steps mentioned below, it becomes a bit more manageable. 

Remember you only have to be one page ahead of your student. Once they are in 4th grade and above, they are capable of doing a lot of self-teaching. 

Basically Science can be broken down into 3 main topic areas:

1. Earth Science

2. Life Science

3. Physical Science

You don’t have to learn it all in 1 year. You actually have 13 years to introduce these concepts to your child. A Kindergartener will be introduced to some very basics concepts in these areas of Science. You can choose 1 or 2 areas to study each year after that and have plenty of time to dive into more in-depth areas of study. As a child gets older they get more and more detailed in their study of these areas, but all of this can be done when spaced out over time.

Detailed outline of what is covered in each area of Science:

Earth Science - Meteorology, Geology, Astronomy - This includes the basic study of air and water, weather and climate,atmosphere, solar system, water, and land.

Life Science - Biology, Zoology, Botany - This includes:

1. Animals and their classifications, characteristics, reproduction and environment.

2. Plants and their characteristics, relationships with animals and reproduction.

3. Human body including parts, senses, teeth, cells, skin, body systems, illness and drugs.

Physical Science - Physical Science , Physics, Chemistry, Technology - This includes force, gravity, machines, air and water as forces, magnetism, energy, electricity, sound, matter, atoms, elements and compounds, gasses, water, solids, electronics, engineering, flight and the periodic table.

Homeschool Science Curriculum Ideas:

• Textbook/workbook approach - You can view these reviews for more information - Apologia, Abeka Science, Spectrum Math (with links to their science programs), School of Tomorrow, Switched on Schoolhouse review, and Sonlight Curriculum.
• Video - Online Homeschool e-Science Program. You can also get more information about the online e-Science program from my interview with them at Supercharged Science. Switched on Schoolhouse also uses some videos with their homeschool science curriculum.
• Auditory - Lyrical Life Science
• Hands-On approach - Considering God's Creation, Sixth edition 2-volumes with CD
  By Susan Mortimer & Betty Smith / Eagle's Wings Educational
  
  This hands-on approach to learning science is a wonderful alternative for all types of students! Whether they're creative, Kinetic, high-energy or traditional students, this course has activities and learning opportunities for all. Chapters cover all aspects of God's creation, including the natural world, solar system, the human body, animals, plants, weather and more. Many activities are cut-and-paste, with the final result being a chart, mobile, helpful illustration or demonstration or the concept, sequential order of events or other representation of the creativity displayed throughout the universe. The student text contains the instructions and reproducibles; the teacher's guide contains lessons with instructional information and answers. Student book is 268 pages with puzzles, songs and glossary; Teachers Manual is 128 pages with answers, CD with Bible songs, and lessons. This can be used for 1 or 2 years of a homeschool science curriculum.

• Supercharged Science can also be used when teaching with a hands-on approach. They make it easy to get your children interested in Science. They have videos that show you complete science experiments right before your eyes. You can do them on your own too, but it's wonderful to be able to have someone else do the planning and initial experimenting. They offer a free Science Experiment Guide. The best value is their e-Science Curriculum Program where you can access all their videos online and work at your own pace. If you want to see some of their videos, just enter your information and view them on their website  Articles: Supercharged Science also provides lots of parent resources on their site in relation to teaching science. Whether you are using a homeschool science curriculum or their online program, they provide lots of fun and interesting things for your children to learn. 

1. Seven Biggest Mistakes in Teaching Science and What to Do About Them 
2. Secrets from Successful Teachers 
3. Six Keys to Teaching Homeschool Science 
4. Long-Term Effects of Not Fulfilling Your Child's Passion for Science 
5. Science Activity Manual and Video Guide

• Picture Books - For preschool through the early elementary years, I believe that you can use picture books for ALL of your homeschool science curriculum. Homeschool Science can easily be taught with picture books. This is an enjoyable method for BOTH parent AND child.
• Unit Studies - Amanda Bennett is the queen of unit studies! Why reinvent the wheel when she has already done all the hard work for you? Here is a sample of what Amanda has available in Science unit studies:

1. Oceans Astonishing Animals
2. Creation Camouflage/Autumn Treasures
3. Tremendous Trees
4. Handsome Horses/Davy Crockett
5. Dogs
   
6. Dolphin Days
7. Animals Fun Pack - 7 units One Year
   
8. Download N Go program 
9. Click here to see all the Unit Studies available by Amanda Bennett.

Simple Science suggestions you can use alone or with a homeschool science curriculum:

- Sprinkle baking soda in each sink of our house and then pour vinegar over it to see the bubbles. It’s a fun activity to do together and it gets my drains cleaned without damage to pipes or our lungs.

-Plant seeds indoors our outdoors.

-Draw animals and plants with your child. This helps them notice details and characteristics.

-Watch and track the weather and climate with your child.

-Explore the planets and how they rotate around the sun.

-Get books out of the library about animals and discuss what kind of characteristics they have and where they live.

-Talk about the colors of leaves that fall in Autumn.

-Walk around outside in the Spring and watch the blooms and growth of the trees and flowers.

-Talk about your body and how it works and how to take care of it.

-Talk with them about how machines can be used to get work done.

-Discuss how everything is made up of either a solid, gas or liquid.

Whether you use a prepared homeschool Science curriculum or you put together your own Science resources, be sure to use the time you have with your child to enjoy the world that God has created. Use the resources available to you, but don’t make it a chore. Answer your child’s questions about the world around them and help them create a sense of wonder about how things work and how they were created. This will help you the most when approaching a homeschool Science curriculum.

Once my children turn 13 or 14 I get them started on the Apologia Science series. Before that you can use Considering God's Creation or the Apologia Zoology Series mentioned above.

Science Experiments

My son and I did some fun exeriments with water that I have listed here:

Alkaline Water Experiments Video -

Testing Water for Chlorine Video -

For more information about alkaline water or the supplies I used here, you can either contact me or check the website for product information and retail prices. I have access to a 50% discount that I can share with you if you contact me.

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