Are you having a hard time finding a great, secular homeschool science curriculum? It can be tricky when most homeschool curriculum is produced by faith based companies. BUT there are some incredible secular science curriculums out there!
What does secular mean?
This is how I use the word secular in reference to homeschool science curriculum:
- Secular curriculum is not written from a religious worldview or influenced by it.
- It must include all widely accepted scientific theories.
- It must not teach intelligent design (this is not scientific or accepted by the scientific community).
In other words, secular homeschool science curriculum will only teach real science. I’m also only going to include full curriculum on this list, not unit studies.
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Elementary Secular Science Curriculum (K-8)
REAL Science Odyssey
Each course focusses on 1 or 2 scientific disciplines for a whole year. This curriculum is open and go, but still includes a lot of experimentation because hands-on learning is the best way for kids (and really anyone) to learn science.
In level 1, the textbooks include student lab pages for the kids to fill out as they work through the curriculum. You can also buy additional copies of the student pages for level 1. Level 2 has separate workbooks and textbooks.
Level 1:
- Life can be used in Kindergarten or 1st Grade
- Earth & Environment can be used in Grades 1 to 4
- Astronomy can be used in Grades 1 to 4
- Chemistry can be used in Grades 2 to 5
- Physics can be used in Grades 3 to 6
Level 2:
This is a really popular secular homeschool science curriculum. It’s the curriculum I use with my kids. We really like it. It’s simple to use, and if you like the idea of studying the same thing in depth for a year then this is the curriculum for you!
They also have course schedules available on the digital planner Homeschool Planet.
Building Foundations of Scientific Understanding
Building Foundations of Scientific Understanding (or BFSU for short) is an integrated secular science curriculum for grades K through 8. This curriculum takes a bit more work to implement, but is a a really thorough and deep homeschool science curriculum. There are 3 volumes to work through.
Building Foundations of Scientific Understanding, Vol 1, K-2
This is the curriculum that we use and LOVE! It is well rounded because it integrates all the major scientific disciplines. The lessons center on real life, hands-on experiences, observations, and discussions. The main book is a must have. I read it before each lesson to make sure I fully understand what I’ll be teaching. I also like having the companion book, Early Elementary Science Education to reference during lessons though.
Building Foundations of Scientific Understanding, Vol II, 3-5
This is the second volume for grades 3 to 5. It uses the same format as the previous BFSU volume and keeps building on the concepts taught in the first volume. Dr. Nebel does recommend that you start with the first book even if your child is older than traditional K-2 students.
Middle School Science Education, BFSU, Vol III, 6-8
This just continues the progression from the previous volumes and continues to build kids understanding of science in a natural way.
Scientific Connections through Inquiry
This is a curriculum based on Building Foundations of Scientific Understanding. It includes student workbooks, discussion guides, activities, videos, and book extensions. This is a separate curriculum from BFSU, and you don’t need to own any BFSU books to implement it.
Supplement your secular science curriculum with Curiosity Stream!
With tons of great documentaries and series on history & science, it’s perfect for homeschoolers. And it’s super affordable, you can usually get a year subscription for $20 or less! My kids love it and have learned a ton from it.
Moving Beyond the Page
This is another spiraling science curriculum that covers multiple scientific disciplines throughout each year. Moving Beyond the Page utilizes a hands-on, inquiry based approach to science. They also include books to go along with each unit.
Moving Beyond the Page also offers full year packages that integrate all subjects.
Evan-Moor Science Workbooks
Evan-Moor has tons of options for secular science workbooks for grades K-6.
Be Naturally Curious
These lovely science unit studies can be used in grades K-5. They include stories, games, crafts, movement activities, experiments, and outdoor exploration. I’ve used a few of them with my kids when they were in PreK and Kindergarten and they really enjoyed them!
Science Naturally
These are fun science unit studies for elementary grades.
Mystery Science
This is an online subscription that you can usually get for free the first year. This could be a good curriculum for you if you like computer based lessons. It doesn’t seem to be as in depth as some of the other curriculums on this list, but I think it’s still a viable option for elementary science education.
Singapore Science
It seems like everyone has heard of Singapore Math, but did you know they also have a secular science curriculum? It’s set-up in a similar way to their math curriculum with textbooks, student workbooks, and teacher books.
Science Fusion
This curriculum is used in public school classrooms, but they also work with homeschoolers!
Prentice Hall Science Explorer
These are middle school science books that are often used in public school classrooms.
Next Level Homeschool
These are online classes taught by a former homeschooling mom. Her kids graduated, but she didn’t want to stop teaching, so she started Next Level Homeschool. There are some interesting, unique offerings here!
Oak Meadow
This is a Waldorf inspired curriculum. You can get full grades or choose specific subjects that you want to use. They have secular science curriculum for grades K-12.
Mr. Q’s Classic Science
Learn Science Conceptual Academy
Learn Science offers middle school secular science classes. They have 2 options for middle school science books: Physical Science Explorations and Integrated Science Explorations. They also offer online classes at Conceptual Academy.
They also have course schedules available on the digital planner Homeschool Planet.
Blossom and Root
This is a science curriculum that takes a bit of a different approach and would be a good fit for those who prefer a Charlotte Mason or Waldorf feel. It looks like an interesting and engaging science curriculum for grades K-3.
Everything You Need to Ace Science in One Big Fat Notebook: The Complete Middle School Study Guide
This science book is a great! It’s aimed at middle schoolers and meets Common Core and Next Generation Science Standards.
High School Secular Science Curriculum
BioZone Academy
BioZone Academy offers 5 online secular science courses for high school students. They also have the option of getting a print textbook too. This looks like a great, affordable high school science curriculum.
You can also find most of their textbooks on Amazon here.
CK-12
This is a free online curriculum that includes secular high school science classes! The lessons integrate different ways of learning by having a passage to read, videos to watch, and discussion questions to go along with it. It is aligned with Next Generation Science Standards.
Oak Meadow Curriculum
This is a Waldorf inspired curriculum that has all subjects. You can choose to use it for everything or just choose the subjects you want. For High School Science they offer:
- Environmental Science
- Biology
- Anatomy & Physiology
- Chemistry with Lab
- Forensic Science
- Physics
Learn Science Conceptual Academy
Learn Science has multiple pathways for high school science courses. Their secular science curriculum is offered in both self-study textbooks with video supplements and guided online classes at Conceptual Academy.
They also have course schedules available on the digital planner Homeschool Planet.
The Story of Science
This book series is for grades 7 and up. It isn’t a typical science class. It’s more like the history of scientific thought. It’s really interesting and a great addition to middle or high school studies.
Secular Homeschool Science Curriculum
Of all the secular homeschool science curriculums listed above, the two that I recommend most are Building Foundations of Scientific Understanding or REAL Science Odyssey. These two curriculums are thorough and use hand-on learning as their basis for teaching science.
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Thank you so much for this post! It’s unbelievable how difficult it is to find a truly secular science curriculum and this article is going to help me narrow down my options so much.
I am new to homeschooling, my daughter is in 5th grade. I wanted to use BFSU, but would we be able to get through 2 volumes in the next 6 months before she would start volume 3 next school year as a 6th grader? Would love your honest opinion! Thanks!
Could you do it? Yes, probably. I definitely wouldn’t rush it though. The elementary book you’ll likely go through quickly, but you might find some knowledge gaps in the second book that will take more time to learn. That’s perfectly ok! You can use Volume 2 for 6th grade science then do Volume 3 for Grades 7 and 8. Or you may need to stretch it out more than that. I haven’t personally done this as my kids are still young, but that’s likely the approach I would take.