FREE 2024 Solar Eclipse Activities and Printables for Kids
Are you looking for free 2024 Solar Eclipse Activities and Printables for Kids? I’ve gathered some of my favorite free resources for the Great North American Solar Eclipse and want to share them with you as we are preparing for the big event!
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The 2024 Great North American Solar Eclipse
We have our solar eclipse glasses and phone lens filter ready! The rare solar eclipse spanning across the United States, from Texas to Maine, is happening soon! It will be visible across the USA on April 8, 2024. Be sure to check out a map to see how close it will be coming to you. Even if you aren’t in the path of totality, a partial eclipse may be visible from your location.
To celebrate the occasion, I’ve gathered a list of some of my favorite free 2024 Solar Eclipse Activities and Printables for Kids for you to check out to see if your kids would enjoy them!
NASA
Of course, as to be expected, NASA has some great resources. They released a My NASA Data Page with mini lessons and resources for educators with options in grades 3-12. They’ve also recently launched the “Snap It!” Eclipse Adventure Game to learn all about the upcoming 2024 eclipse. If you go to the “Educators” area of this game, you will also find many science related activities that you can incorporate into your homeschool science lessons throughout the year, not just for the eclipse. There are many other interactive options on their site that are not eclipse related, if you’re also interested in those.
NASA has some other really fantastic Eclipse 2024 resources to be used, even posters, coloring pages, moon charts and more that you can print to remember the event. There is a page on eclipse history that is fascinating. They even have an archived set of activities for homeschoolers that is great. It is from 2017, but almost all of the activities could still be used today, check it out if you haven’t!
If you’re looking for a map, NASA has a very detailed map showing the path of totality as well. This resource is definitely my favorite of the bunch.
National Park Service
The National Park Service and The Planetary Society have come together to create a Solar Eclipse themed Junior Ranger Booklet! I love this idea because my kids have really enjoyed the Junior Ranger booklets that we have picked up at the national parks we have visited.
Commemorating The Event
If you are like me and get ornaments for big events in your life, consider this one! It is so cute an can also be personalized.
If you are more of a sticker person, this one is my favorite, and this one a close second. I’m going to be getting one for my laptop.
Other FREE 2024 Solar Eclipse Activities and Printables for Kids
National Geographic has an extensive resource they put together for Building A Solar Eclipse Viewer that is worth taking a look at. It is listed for ages grades 3-8.
This one is a stretch, but K12Reader.com has a worksheet for high school students. However, it is about reading a paragraph and identifying the main idea, the topic is just solar eclipses.
There are also many resources available at paid sites like Teachers Pay Teachers and membership sites like Education.com. I have pinned those and a few others on our Pinterest account if you’d like to see them. Be sure to follow us there as well! Those sites would be great to check out if you want to go a little more in depth with it.
I hope you enjoyed this list of FREE 2024 Solar Eclipse Activities and Printables for Kids! My family can’t wait for the eclipse, we already have our hotel booked. As homeschoolers, we try to take every opportunity available to use what is happening around us to help further our kids’ education, but it is an awesome experience for anyone, young or old! What is your family doing to celebrate the solar eclipse?
Finding Secular Science Homeschool Curriculum is Hard!
I have been a homeschool mom for the last 10 years. One thing I have always had trouble with is finding secular science curriculum for homeschoolers!I know I am not the only one because I often hear my friends struggle with the same thing. I want to help others that are also having a hard time finding secular science curriculum for their homeschoolers. So, that is why I created this site and am compiling this list to share with other homeschooling parents.
Isn’t Science Secular already?
You would think science would be a subject that it is fairly easy to find a secular curriculum for, right?I mean science seems like it would be a secular topic.But think again, because that isn’t the case in the homeschooling world. Secular Science curriculum is a rare thing around here.
There are a lot of homeschool science curricula out there, but so many of them try to appeal to the homeschooling masses.This means they often tend to avoid subjects like evolution in an attempt to still be an option for many religion based homeschoolers who don’t want to teach those topics. Because of that, many of us consider a lot of the resources that are believed to be secular science curricula more “neutral” than actually secular science curriculum. So, for those of us who prefer something that includes evolution, the big bang or climate change, a secular science curriculum is much harder to find, but they are out there!
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The Resources
I am sharing the secular science curriculum resources I have found to make the task of finding one that works for your family much easier. This isn’t a review of the materials, but rather gathering them all in one place to make it easy to locate the appropriate solution for your needs. I wanted to share all of the secular science curriculum I have found, and let you decide the best one for you. Below, I am grouping them into what I am calling secular and neutral resources, as explained above. Here are my current top choices in both categories. They are not listed in any particular order.
Secular Science Curriculum
These resources are secular and contain references to things neutral curricula usually try to avoid.
R.E.A.L. Science Odyssey
R.E.A.L. Science Odyssey from Pandia Press is definitely a secular science curriculum. It is often confused with Real Science 4 Kids because of the name similarities, but they are completely different things. The R.E.A.L. stands for Read, Explore, Absorb, and Learn science.
It consists of two levels. The first level is for 1st through 5th grade and includes Life, Earth & Space, Earth & Environment, Chemistry, Astronomy, and Physics. They present the lessons in a story format accompanied with plenty of activities. Level Two consists of Biology and Astronomy and is appropriate for grades 5 through 9. Their goal is to bring high school level science to middle school kids in a fun way. You can view sample pages at their site to see what they are offering before you purchase (scroll down for science). The books are available in either eBook or print format and they say that you don’t need extensive science experience to be able to teach their curriculum.
The Story of Science
Joy Hakim’s The Story of Science is a reasonably priced three book series for grades 7 and up. These books impressed me. The series goes from ancient times to the present while illustrating the evolution of science. The books contain many visual interests with a lot of color photos, charts, and maps in a story-like setting. There is also a “Student’s Quest Guide” and “Teacher’s Quest Guide” for the books that you can purchase separately. These accompany the text and provide lessons for a better understanding and depth for the original text with hands on learning and activities. The first book is titled The Story of Science: Aristotle Leads the Way, next is Newton At The Center, and finally Einstein Adds A New Dimension.
Building Foundations of Scientific Understanding
Building Foundations of Scientific Understanding (BSFU) consists of 3 volumes that cover the K-8 spectrum. The first one is Scientific Understanding and is for grades K-2. The second is Elementary Science Education for grades 3-5. The last volume is Middle School Science Education appropriate for grades 6-8. It also incorporates elements from subjects other than science. BSFU says very little specialized equipment is required, which is a big plus. Also, they say no prior experience is needed and the teachers can learn along with the students. The author also has an online community where he offers additional help if needed.
JASON Learning
JASON Learning is a STEM program focusing on “real-life science”. A reader directed me to this one and I have to say, it looks great! They give students the opportunity to actually interact with scientists in different fields. For homeschoolers, they recommend that you purchase a package on Amazon. These packages come with a print version and also a subscription to their online digital access. Also available are Homeschool Family Packs, where you get materials for 4 students and a teacher. Here are the titles they currently offer through Amazon.
Additionally, they also have an argonaut program that offers students the opportunity to go on science based expeditions. Those for students ages 13-17 and you must go through an application process to join.
Mr. Q’s Classic Science
A high school science teach created secular science curriculum Mr. Q’s Classic Science originally for homeschoolers. He writes the books with humor and comics mixed in, which is great and makes science even more fun. His books range from elementary to advanced high school curriculum. The elementary titles are Life Science (which you can try for free!), Earth Science, Chemistry, and Physical Science. The advanced series is Chemistry, Biology, Earth Science and Physical Science. You can try out the first chapter in each subject for free to see if you like it before purchasing. He also has a “Lab Notes” monthly newsletter that includes experiments and other science related things.
Time 4 Learning
Time4Learning is an online learning service that has many options when it comes to sciences (they also offer all the other subjects). We use Time4Learning for multiple subjects and my kids really like it. I like it because it is self graded and I can print reports of how they are doing each week. You pay per month (with reduced rates for additional siblings) and can pause it at any time.
Time4Learning has it broken down into 1st – 5th grade (K can have access to the 1st grade science as well), middle school science, and finally high school science. They don’t base the elementary portion on all state standards but they do for the upper levels. They have everything written in detail on their science page, so you can check it out. Time4Learning also offers a Science4Us program with additional activities for grades K-3. They set the lessons plans up so that you can pick and choose which ones your children will do. Or if you prefer, they can complete them all.
Science 4 Us
Science4Us was mentioned above with Time4Learning because you have access to the lessons through there as well. If you are looking for just science, you can also sign up for Science4Us separately. They are also an online monthly service and cover grades K-2. We have found that a lot of the activities there are for groups, at least in the 3rd grade Time4Learning option. Obviously, as homeschoolers, that doesn’t always work well. However, we have been able to adapt a lot of them to fit our needs and my daughter has enjoyed them.
Next Level Homeschool
Next Level Homeschool is also a secular program worth mentioning! You can view a list of their classes here and see the start dates. There are many science choices to choose from like Marine Zoology, Biology, Astronomy, Earth Science and more! My favorite choice is definitely the Harry Potter Genetics class! A bonus about Next Level Homeschool is that a fellow homeschooling mom created this curriculum.
LearnScience.Academy is also another secular science curriculum and is part of Conceptual Academy. It is a new one for me and I learned about it from a comment left on my last iteration of this post, and it looks promising. For High School they offer Physics, Chemistry, Physical Science, and Integrated Science. For Junior High they have Physical Science and Integrated Science. A free sample course is featured on their website. This way you can experience a bit of what they do before you decide to purchase. They have a YouTube channel you can check out with many videos there to view.
Prentice Hall Science Explorer
The Prentice Hall Science Explorer Series consists of many text books on all different topics related to science. They range from Life Science to Astronomy and everything in between. You can find workbooks to accompany them as well. A good number of them are available on Amazon through either buying or renting, which is a cool option, since they can get pricey. They also have several resources on their site you can use to help reinforce the material.
Oak Meadow
Oak Meadow isn’t just science, it also covers all subjects and grades from K-12. They are an accredited distance learning school that is secular in nature and covers topics like natural selection and evolution in their materials. They strive to keep the child’s love for learning throughout their school experience. I have a friend who has used Oak Meadow with her two children for years and loves them. You can learn more about them at their website.
Blossom and Root
Blossom and Root is a secular, nature based homeschool program. They have materials for kids as young as 2 years old all the way up to fourth grade. Children of multiple ages can use their hands-on science. They also have a Book Seeds program that incorporates nature, STEM and literature together in one unit. Check them out if you are looking for something heavily based in nature.
Evan-Moor, 180 Days, Spectrum and DK Workbooks
There are quite a few workbook style science materials that can be used as a supplement to another science program or to go along with unit studies as reinforcement. I’ll list a few of the ones we have used here for you to check out.
Evan-Moor’s Daily Science is an option for grades 1-6. The books are usually around the $20 mark and seem to get great reviews. They include hands-on activities, lessons, and vocabulary. This is enough to reinforce concepts but not so much that it is overwhelming to a child.
Another workbook style that we like is 180 Days of Science. It is, as the name says, daily work for 180 days and there are books available for grades K-6th. The lessons are divided into weeks and days (like Week 3, Day 2), which I like.
Spectrum Science is a workbook that goes through 8th grade. It is the cheapest and shortest option of the workbook styles that I have listed up to this point. We have used this one before as well and liked it for reinforcing ideas. I do prefer the other ones a bit more. The way this is set up is also good for incorporating reading comprehension.
For the younger grades, DK has some small 60 page workbooks for Pre-K to 3rd graders. They are very basic, but if you are just looking for something to introduce a small child to science in a fun way, these could be what you are looking for.
They consist of the Student Book, the Investigations Manual, and the Equipment Kit, you can find all of them on their website. One reason we haven’t used CPO Science is that it can be quite pricey. This is especially true for the high-quality equipment kit. However, you can find many of the books on Amazon used for a reduced rate. From feedback I got on the last post, one person commented that Physical, Earth, and Space Science is truly secular, while the others are more neutral.
Everything You Need To Ace Science
This next book isn’t a stand alone science, but it is a rather a fun text called Everything You Need to Ace Science In One Big Fat Notebook – The Complete Middle School Study Guide. We have a few of these (they make them for Math, American History, World History and English/Language Arts as well) and we love them! It lists out the basics of everything you need to know in book format in a way that is easy to find. If you have a child that is a reader and would do well with this type of self-guided book, you might like this one. They are great to have just for a reference for answering kids’ questions on a variety of topics as well, and that is how we use them.
Neutral Science
In this portion of the list, the curriculum content is secular but it is created in a way that is careful not to contradict religious perspectives.
Nancy Larson Science
Nancy Larson Science is for grades K – 5 and is purchased as a complete set of everything you need for that grade, just open the box and start! It starts out as something you do 2 days a week for 20 minutes and finishes at 4 days of 45 minutes each. This shows that the time and depth of the material progresses as they age. They are full of hands-on activities and the kits consist of a Tool Kit, Teacher’s Manual, Student Materials and Resource Materials.
Elemental Science
Paige Hudson is the creator behind Elemental Science. She states that she is from a Christian background but has tried very hard to write her programs to focus on science and not religion. There is no direct inclusion of the Big Bang or Evolution in the younger science programs. However, there are optional pages on the Big Bang theory for the older years.
The curriculum includes all ages from pre-school through high school. Sassafras Science appeals to me the most out of the many options they have. This is also known as The Living Book Series and is for 1st – 5th grades. They have five volumes currently available, but there will be a total of eight when it is completed. Volume One is Zoology, Volume Two is Anatomy, Volume Three is Botany. Their newest additions are Volume 4, Earth Science, and Volume Five, Geology. You can also get the guides and the log book, all of which is available on Amazon. My daughter enjoyed reading Volume 1 as a supplement, and we may read some of the other ones in the future.
Supercharged Science
Supercharged Science is written in a creation neutral way as to not contradict religious perspectives. However, with that said, it appears to be a solid choice especially if you are looking to make science fun. She has many options from eScience to Science Mastery programs and covers all grades from K-12. Check out her site for more information.
Moving Beyond The Page
Moving Beyond The Page is curriculum we have used in the past. We really enjoyed it and the kids thought it was very fun. Their curriculum spans from ages 4-5 all the way to High School. I love that you can buy one unit of the curriculum and see how you like it before moving on. This also helps to spread the cost out a bit.
In my experience, some of their materials contain references to religion. However, they are presented in a community setting as in being part of your neighborhood, not as actual religious materials. I am told they do have one lesson that covers evolution in 12-14/8th grade level that can be included or skipped. Moving Beyond The Page covers many subjects, including science, through a literature based curriculum.
ScienceFusion
ScienceFusion is a program that I haven’t been able to find much information about. So, I am putting it into the neutral category even though it is used in a lot of schools and may be fully secular. They have write-in student workbooks along with digital lessons and virtual labs. You can purchase kits on their website or some of the subjects have textbooks available on Amazon for a lower price.
Singapore Science
Singapore Science is another neutral secular science curriculum option to consider.They have a few different programs for different age groups. The one I have heard talked about the most is the My Pals Are Here series. It is for grades 1-6 and looks really fun for elementary age students.There is also Earlybird Science for grades 1 & 2, Lower Secondary Science for grades 7 & 8, and Science Matters for grades 9 & 10.
Real Science 4 Kids
Often confused with R.E.A.L. Science Odyssey, Real Science 4 Kids is in contrast something completely different. They offer a couple of options. One is Focus On Science, which is a series of single-subject programs. The subjects include Biology, Chemistry, Geology, Astronomy, and Physics for elementary age. They also have the same lineup (Biology, Chemistry, Geology, Astronomy, and Physics) for middle school. Building Blocks of Science is a multi-subject program that includes all of the subjects listed above into one book. These are divided out simply into Book 1, Book 2, Book 3, Book 4, Book 5, Book 6, and Book 7. I have seen some question in the past on if these books are secular or not, so here is what it says on their FAQ page so you can decide for yourself. – “All of the books introduce real science to students and this means scientific facts and theories that are currently accepted by the scientific community. However, the books also introduce students to the philosophy of science and encourage students to explore opposing viewpoints when it comes to interpreting what these facts and theories may mean to individuals, groups, and the larger community.”
Have any more to share?
I am always searching for new secular science curriculum materials to share. I hope you found what I have compiled so far helpful. My goal is to help you determine which secular science curriculum would be best for your homeschooling family. If you have any secular science resources that you think I should check out, comment below and let me know!
Do your kids love Harry Potter like mine do? My kids are obsessed with anything Harry Potter related. We have been to Universal Studios to see the Harry Potter World there, and they loved it! So, I thought, what better way to motivate my kids to really love science than to use Harry Potter? In my search, I found that there were a lot of Harry Potter themed science sources, even some really awesome lesson plans that are completely FREE. Score! I’m going to share with you the secular science resources I found that we will be using this year to supplement our curriculum and have homeschool science with Harry Potter. This would make a great unit study as well.
Genetic Traits in HP
This FREE lesson plan, provided by NLM (National Library of Medicine), is fantastic and very well organized. What better way to learn Genetic Traits than homeschool science with Harry Potter? They have everything done for you, step by step, complete with DNA, recessive and dominant genes, punnet squares, and everything in between. They have multiple printables and slides available to use along with a bonus “Monster Genetics Lab” activity. These are designed for classrooms, but I believe they could be adapted to homeschool science with Harry Potter as well.
Teaching Classification
Another one of my favorite lesson plans with the Harry Potter theme is this awesome (and FREE) Harry Potter science lesson teaching classification using Bertie Bott’s Every Flavored Beans, which you can buy in stores now or at Amazon. Over on NSTA.org, David T. Crowther has put together a really great lesson called “Harry Potter and the Dichotomous Key” that gives step by step how to teach classification using this method. Be sure to check this one out!
Invisible Ink
Remember the disappearing ink on the Marauder’s Map? You can make your own using the chemical reaction of baking soda and acid (from citrus)! PBS has a link with the ingredients and amounts you’ll need to do this yourself. There are also some really cool items that you can purchase to make this even more fun. One of my favorite products I have found is the Marauder’s Map Guide to Hogwarts that has a light in the wand which will reveal secret messages. And there is also a pen in the wand that can help you make your own secret map! This makes a good opportunity to use homeschool science with Harry Potter to learn the science behind black light as well!
Astronomy and Physics
Astronomy is a great subject to explore more through Harry Potter. At Hogwarts, the kids had to take Astronomy class, and your kids can do the same. One idea is to use some of the characters with constellation names as a starting point. Find out what the constellations look like and try to go find them in the night sky. If you need help locating them, I really like this book with the step by step guide. Or my favorite, this interactive 3-in-1 globe that also has the constellations on it!
Going a little further, other things like gravity, force and motion could also be tied into homeschool science with Harry Potter. You can take this starting point and run with it, making this a whole astronomy or physics unit if you’d like. You can meet your student where they are and learn about planets, the sun, stars, waves and rays or even quantum physics if you like!
Chocolate Frogs and Other Creepy Things
This might be the yummiest way to experience a little science! Why not make some chocolate frogs like the ones in the movie? My daughter has this chocolate making kit and I think it would be perfect to use with this frog mold to create some really tasty chocolate frog treats to have. You can also incorporate this into a learning experience by studying some of the animals that appear Harry Potter. Frogs, spiders, snakes, and not so creepy owls are all options, just to name a few.
Polyjuice Potion
Who doesn’t love making slime, aka Polyjuice Potion? This is more of a fun activity, but it does involve chemistry, and that is enough for us at my house. Is it a solid or a liquid? Why do you think vinegar will dissolve slime? You can even make magnetic slime or glow in the dark slime!
If you want to make your own, here is a FREE resource from the American Chemical Society that gives a scientific explanation behind slime. Or you can buy a kit if you want it just to be easy and everything delivered to your door. To make it even cooler, use potion bottles to store your slime. You can make a “Polyjuice Potion” label. I have even seen the potion bottles in the Dollar Tree this time of year. Your potions can be used as a Halloween decoration as well!
I also had this website bookmarked for something else, but it does kind of look like magic, so it might be fun to add here. Let your kids try their hand at a 7 layer density model. How do the liquids stay separated and not mix together? Is it magic, or is there science behind it?
Harry Potter Cookbooks!
Another yummy idea that greatly appeals to me about homeschool science with Harry Potter, A Harry Potter inspired cookbook, with great reviews! The recipes look amazing. I know my daughter and I are going to have the best time working our way through this cookbook! I think we will also add a movie themed day to this. We will watch one of two of the movies, maybe make some festive decorations, and a meal right out of the cookbook. Sounds like my kind of science!
I also saw this one, the Wizard’s Cookbook, that says it is inspired by Harry Potter. So, it may be a fun one to try out as well! It also has great reviews, which is a really good sign that the recipes are good.
Some Other Great Books for Homeschool Science with Harry Potter
The first one I found is The Wizard’s Workshop: A Science Activity Book. This book looks amazing based on the reviews and pictures. Another similar Harry Potter themed science activity book is, Harry Potter: A Journey Through The History of Magic. With both of these books, there are a ton of fun science activities to do, and that would be perfect for this type of unit study. I can’t wait to try out these books! The reviews seem to indicate these are both great, but if you have tried either of these personally, let me know so that I know which one to try out first! Or, I may just end up with both since I can’t seem to decide and how can you go wrong with Wizard and/or Magic science?
There is also this book, Science Magic Tricks that seems like it could be a fun addition to homeschool science with Harry Potter.
Mostly For Fun, but Still A Bit of Science
Just to add a little more fun to your Harry Potter unit, you could add these Harry Potter flyers. If you haven’t used these before, they are basically guides to making themed paper airplanes. They give you paper to use that makes it look as much like the real thing as possible. They are a lot of fun and my kids loved making and flying them. Additionally, the kids would even have races or fly them off the back deck to see what patterns they would notice with different ships. We don’t have the Harry Potter one yet, but we have the Star Wars version, and it was really great! If your kids are into paper airplanes and Harry Potter, they will love this book. It comes with everything you need to make them.
And how about a Science Magic Kit? I always seem to love the Thames and Kosmos products, and it appears they have a fantastic magic kit, Science or Magic?, available. Here are a few other science based magic kits with great reviews that also look like a lot of fun!
More Than Just Science
Finally, although this site is focused on science, you can go much farther than just homeschool science with Harry Potter. Use the ideas below to see how you can work Harry Potter into many subjects.
You can explore the Latin meanings behind the words used in the spells. You could use some of the characters names as a jumping off point to explore more about mythology. Try using the story itself as a motivator for creative writing, or quoted for hand-writing practice. You could go into the world of film-making and special effects. There are many art projects or even just drawings and paintings that can be inspired by Harry Potter. You can read about the story of J.K. Rowling and how she didn’t give up when her Harry Potter stories were first rejected. You could go into more of the history of witchcraft and magic or with things like the Salem Witch Trials. The possibilities with this are endless if you use your imagination (and maybe a bit of magic!)!
Finding Secular Science Homeschool Curriculum is Hard!
Having been a homeschool mom for the last 8 years, one thing I have always had trouble with is finding secular science curriculum for homeschoolers!I am part of many groups, and that is a question that comes up so often in the discussion, so I know I am not the only one.I was determined to tackle secular science and find the best non religious based resources out there for homeschool secular science, and I’m going to share them with you.
Isn’t Science Secular already?
You would think science would be a subject that it is fairly easy to find a secular curriculum for, right?I mean science in itself seems like it lends itself as a secular topic.But think again, because that isn’t the case in the homeschooling world. Secular Science curriculum is a rare thing around here.
There are a lot of homeschool science curricula out there, but so many of them try to appeal to the homeschooling masses.This means they often tend to avoid subjects like evolution in an attempt to still be an option for many religion based homeschoolers who don’t want to teach those topics. Because of that, a lot of the resources that are believed to be secular science curricula are considered by many of us to be more “neutral” than actually secular science curriculum. So, for those of us who prefer something that includes evolution, the big bang, climate change, etc., a secular science curriculum is much harder to find, but they are out there!
By sharing the secular science curriculum resources I have found, I am hoping to make the task of finding one that works for your family much easier. This isn’t a review of the materials, but rather gathering them all in one place to make it easy to locate the appropriate solution for your needs. I have not used every single one of these, but several of them I have used or will be using this year. I wanted to share all of the secular science curriculum I have found, and let you decide the best one for you. Below, I am grouping them into what I am calling Secular and Neutral resources, as explained above. Here are my current top choices in both categories:
Secular Science
These resources are secular and contain references to things usually avoided by neutral curricula.
R.E.A.L. Science Odyssey
R.E.A.L. Science Odyssey from Pandia Press is definitely a secular science curriculum. Often confused with Real Science 4 Kids because of the name similarities, they are completely different things. The R.E.A.L. stands for Read, Explore, Absorb, and Learn science. They wrote the curriculum specifically for homeschoolers (or small classrooms).
It consists of two levels. The first level is for 1st through 5th grade and consists of four themes: Life/Biology, Earth & Space, Chemistry, and Physics. The present the lessons in a story format, followed by plenty of activities to keep the kids interested. Level Two consists of Biology and is appropriate for grades 5 through 9. Their goal is to bring high school level science to middle school kids in a fun way. You can view sample pages at their site to see what they are offering before you purchase. The books are available in either eBook or print format.
The Story of Science
Joy Hakim’s The Story of Science is an inexpensive three book series for grades 7 and up. The series goes from ancient times to the present while illustrating the evolution of science. The books contain many visual interests with a lot of color photos, charts, maps, etc. in a story-like setting. There is also a “Student’s Quest Guide” and “Teacher’s Quest Guide” for the books that you can purchase separately. These accompany the text and provide lessons for a better understanding and depth for the original text with hands on learning and activities. The first book is titled The Story of Science: Aristotle Leads the Way, followed by Newton At The Center and finally Einstein Adds A New Dimension. My son is entering the 7th grade this year, and we will be using these in the upcoming years.
Building Foundations of Scientific Understanding
Building Foundations of Scientific Understanding (BSFU) consists of 3 volumes that cover the K-8 spectrum. The first one is Scientific Understanding and is for grades K-2. The second is Elementary Science Education for grades 3-5. The last volume is Middle School Science Education appropriate for grades 6-8. It is based on hands on learning and also incorporates elements from other subjects. BSFU claims very little specialized equipment is required, which is a big plus. They also say no prior experience is needed and the teachers can learn along with the students. The author also has an online community where he offers additional help if needed.
Mr. Q’s Classic Science
Mr. Q’s Classic Science is a secular science curriculum written by Mr. Q., a high school science teacher who created his materials for homeschoolers. He writes the books with humor and comics mixed in, which is great and makes science even more fun. His books range from elementary to advanced high school curriculum. The elementary titles are Life Science (which you can try for free!), Earth Science, Chemistry, and Physical Science. The advanced series is Chemistry, Biology, and Earth Science. He also has a “Lab Notes” monthly newsletter that includes experiments and other science related things. So far, we are really liking the Life Science book to use with my daughter.
Intellego Unit Studies
Intellego Unit Studies has many secular science offerings. Their goal is for students to be able to think critically and actually use the information that they learn, not just recite facts. They have their core curriculum divided into grades K-2, 3-5 and 6-8. Within these core curriculum groups are many science options that appear to be extensive. Just as an example, for the 6-8 group the topics you can purchase separately include Astronomy (where they cover the origins of the universe and the Big Bang Theory), Evolution, Cells & Genetics, Light & Sound, Physics, Disease and Infection in the Human Body, Electricity and Magnetism, Chemical Reactions and Energy, Oceanography, Structure and Chemical Bonds, and Plate Tectonics. They also have elective Unit Studies available for several science topics (as well as other subjects).
CPO Science
CPO Science is one that we are not familiar with but it looks great as well. They have middle school and high school offerings. For middle school, their programs are Earth Science, Life Science, and Physical Science. They set the high school programs up a little differently. The programs are Physics, a First Course, Foundations of Physical Science for 9th & 10th grade, Physical Earth, Space, and Life Science for 9th & 10th grade and Foundations of Physics. They consist of the Student Book, the Investigations Manual, and the Equipment Kit. One reason we haven’t used them is that it can be quite pricey. This is especially true for the high-quality equipment kit. However, you can find many of the books on Amazon used for a reduced rate.
Time 4 Learning
Time4Learning is an online learning service that has many options when it comes to sciences (they also offer all the other subjects). We use Time4Learning for multiple subjects and my kids really like it. I like it because it is self graded and I can print reports of how they are doing each week. You pay per month and can pause it at any time.
Tim4Learning has it broken down into 1st – 5th grade (K can have access to the 1st grade science as well), middle school science, and then high school science. They don’t base the elementary portion on all state standards but they do for the upper levels. They have everything broken down very nicely into detail on their science page, so you can check it out. Time4Learning also offers a Science4Us program with additional activities for grades K-3. They set the lessons plans up so that you can pick and choose which ones your children will do. Or if you prefer, they can complete them all.
Science 4 Us
Science4Us was mentioned above with Time4Learning because you have access to the lessons through there as well. If you are looking for just science, you can also sign up for Science4Us separately. They are also an online monthly service and cover grades K-2. We have found that a lot of the activities there are for groups, at least in the 3rd grade Time4Learning option. Obviously, as homeschoolers, that doesn’t always work well. However, we have been able to adapt a lot of them to fit our needs and my daughter has enjoyed them.
CK-12 Science is a free resource for science and other subjects. They have Earth Science, Life Science, Physical Science, Biology, Chemistry, Physics and K-5 Science books available. Many of the books are also available for free download through Amazon. I love using their Kindle service on my computer or iphone even though I don’t down a Kindle.
Prentice Hall Science Explorer
The Prentice Hall Science Explorer Series consists of many text books on all different topics related to science. They range from Human Health to Astronomy and everything in between. You can find workbooks to accompany them as well. A good number of them are available on Amazon through either buying or renting, which is a cool option. They also have several resources on their site you can use to help reinforce the material.
Oak Meadow
Oak Meadow covers all subjects and grades from K-12 through their accredited distance learning school. They are secular in nature and do cover things like natural selection and evolution in their materials. They strive to keep the child’s love for learning throughout their school experience. I have a friend who uses Oak Meadow with her two children and loves them. You can learn more about them at their website.
Evan – Moor
Evan-Moor is another option. They have a lot of materials which can be used as a supplement to another science program, a spine to build off of, or to go along with unit studies. Daily Science is one series by Evan-Moor that seems to get great reviews. You have a short amount of activities and information to go through each day. This is enough to reinforce concepts but not so much that it is overwhelming to child. They also have the Giant Science Resource book for grades 1-6 that looks great. In addition, they have many smaller books with activities on specific topics such as the Human Body, Simple Chemistry, Weather and more.
Neutral Secular Science
The curriculum content is secular but it is created in a way that is careful not to contradict religious perspectives.
Real Science 4 Kids
Often confused with R.E.A.L. Science Odyssey, Real Science 4 Kids is something completely different. They offer a couple of options. One is Focus On Science, which is a series of single-subject programs. The subjects include Biology, Chemistry, Geology, Astronomy, and Physics for elementary age (K-4). The have the same lineup (Biology, Chemistry, Geology, Astronomy, and Physics) for middle school (5-8). Building Blocks of Science is a multi-subject program that includes all of the subjects listed above into one book. These are divided out simply by Book 1, Book 2, Book 3, Book 4, Book 5, Book 6, and Book 7. Which option you choose depends on which style you like best.
Nancy Larson Science
Nancy Larson Science is for grades K – 4 (5 is coming soon) and is purchased by grade as a complete set of everything you need for that grade. It starts out as something you do 2 days a week for 20 minutes and finishes at 4 days of 45 minutes each. This shows that the time and depth of the material progresses as they age. They are full of hands on activities and kits consist of a Tool Kit, Teacher’s Manual, Student Materials and Resource Materials.
Elemental Science
Elemental Science by Paige Hudson is another option. She states that she is from a Christian background but has tried very hard to write her programs to focus on science and not religion. There is no direct inclusion of the Big Bang or Evolution in the younger science programs. There are optional pages on the Big Bang theory for the older years.
The curriculum includes all ages from pre-school through high school. Sassafras Science appeals to me the most out of the many options they have. This is also known as The Living Book Series and is for 1st – 5th grades. They have four volumes currently available, but there will be a total of eight when it is completed. Volume One is Zoology, Volume Two is Anatomy, Volume Three is Botany, and Volume 4 is Earth Science. You can also get the guides and the log book, all of which is available on Amazon.
Supercharged Science
Supercharged Science is written in a creation neutral way as to not contradict religious perspectives. With that said, it appears to be a solid choice especially if you are looking to make science fun. She has many options from eScience to Science Mastery programs and covers all grades from K-12. Check out her site for more information.
Moving Beyond The Page
We used Moving Beyond The Page curriculum in the past for a couple of years. We really enjoyed it and the kids thought it was very fun. Their curriculum spans from ages 4-5 all the way to High School 1. I love that you can buy one unit of the curriculum and see how you like it and be able to spread the cost out a bit.
In my experience, some of their materials contain references to religion. However, they are presented in a community setting as in being part of your neighborhood, not as actual religious materials. I am told they do have one lesson that covers evolution in 12-14/8th grade level that can be included or skipped. Moving Beyond The Page is not an exclusive science curriculum. It covers many subjects, including science, through a literature based curriculum. If that is what you are seeking, it could be a great choice.
ScienceFusion
ScienceFusion is a program that I haven’t been able to find much information about, so I am putting it into the neutral category even though it is used in a lot of schools. The have write-in student workbooks along with digital lessons and virtual labs. The makers of ScienceFusion also have HMH Science Dimensions, which looks similar. I just wanted to list it here as something to check out if you think it may work for you.
Singapore Science
Singapore Science is another neutral secular science curriculum option to consider.They have a few different programs for different age groups. The one I have heard talked about the most is the My Pals Are Here series. It is for grades 1-6 and looks really fun for the elementary age students.There is also Earlybird Science for grades 1 & 2, Lower Secondary Science for grades 7 & 8, and Science Matters for grades 9 & 10.
Always Looking For More Secular Science Curriculum
I am always searching and trying to find new secular science curriculum materials to share. This is what I have compiled so far and I hope you found it helpful. My goal is to help you determine which secular science curriculum would be best for your homeschooling family. If you have any secular science resources that you think I should check out, comment below and let me know!
Free Solar Eclipse Printables and Activities for Kids!
We have our solar eclipse glasses ready! The rare solar eclipse spanning from Oregon to South Carolina is happening soon! It will be visible across the USA on August 21st, 2017. Be sure to check out a map to see how close it will be coming to you. Even if you aren’t in the path of totality, a partial eclipse may be visible from your location.
To celebrate the occasion, I’ve gathered a list of some of my favorite free solar eclipse printables and activities for you to check out to see if your kids would enjoy them!
NASA
Of course, NASA has some great downloadables and activities. They have some really fantastic resources to be used, even posters that you can print to remember the event in the downloadables section. There is a page on the eclipse history that is fascinating. They even have a section for homeschoolers that is great, check it out if you haven’t! This resource is definitely my favorite of the bunch.
National Park Service
The National Park Service and Bill Nye the Science Guy (Planetary Society) have come together to create a Solar Eclipse themed Junior Ranger Booklet! I love this idea because my kids really enjoy the Junior Ranger booklets that we have picked up at the national parks we have visited. Be sure to check this one out!
Other FREE Activities, Worksheets, Coloring and more
National Geographic has an extensive resource they put together for Building A Solar Eclipse Viewer that is worth taking a look at. It is listed for ages 8-14.
The Royal Astronomical Society has a worksheet for ages 7-9 for solar eclipses.
Dreamworks’ School of Dragons website has a worksheet available for Solar and Lunar Eclipses that looks like it would be fun, especially for fans of How To Train Your Dragon. It is listed under 6th grade worksheets.
Books and Giggles had a craft available, they also link a YouTube video that explains the solar eclipse.
This one is a stretch, but K12Reader.com has a worksheet for high school students. However, it is about reading a paragraph and identifying the main idea, the topic is just solar eclipses.
There are also many resources available at paid sites like Teachers Pay Teachers and membership sites like Education.com. I didn’t want to list all of those here because I wanted the main focus on the free solar eclipse printables and activities available. I have pinned those and a few others on our Pinterest account if you’d like to see them. Be sure to follow us there as well! Those sites would be great to check out if you want to go a little more in depth with it.
I hope you enjoy these! My family can’t wait for the eclipse. As homeschoolers, we try to take every opportunity available to use what is happening around us to help further our kids’ education, but it is an awesome experience for anyone, young or old! What is your family doing to celebrate the solar eclipse?
Lego is used for so many things in the education world. I remember when my son was learning multiplication. The concept just wasn’t sinking in. I saw something on Pinterest about using the lego bricks as a visual for multiplication and then it clicked for him. He used the different size Lego and made all these stacks and charts, and then he had it down. He’s been great at multiplication ever since. And we’ve been using Lego every since, too!
Lego Science
Just like with math, Lego can also be used in science. I have a ton of DIY ideas pinned that would be fun to try with the kids. Over the years, we have used Lego for so many things. My kids have made boats out of them to see what would float or sink and how much they could carry. We’ve made marble runs, towers, bridges, models demonstrating the layers of the Earth, and so much more using Lego science!
We also enjoy some of the kits available for science activities using Lego. We have found these two Lego science kits below to be fabulous and I wanted to share them with you.
Lego Chain Reactions
This Klutz Lego Chain Reaction Craft Kit has been something my son has played with over and over again. They give you instructions to make 10 different moving machines. Of course, the awesome part about Lego using them for creations of your own. My son loved this book so much and he said that his favorite part was just seeing the chain reactions happen. I asked him if he realized he was learning about science while using it, and he didn’t even realize that is what he was doing. So, it is great to be able to incorporate science in a fun way that they will want participate in.
This seems somewhat similar to another book we have had, Lego Simple Machines. My son enjoyed the Klutz books so much more than the Simple Machines books. However, I thought I’d mention it since some may like that style better for Lego science concepts.
Lego Crazy Action Contraptions
The second item we love is the Klutz Lego Crazy Action Contraption Craft Kit. It includes 16 projects with gears and axels. My son really loves cars, so this was perfect for him. He spent hours with it and loved building all the options and some of his own as well. Again, he didn’t even realize this was an educational activity. It also helped him be more creative with the things he made up on his own.
Combination
There is also this set that has both of them in it if you’re interested in both! You can save a little money that way as well if you plan to get both Lego science sets anyway.
Check out my Lego Science Pinterest board to see a ton of fun ways to use Lego in your homeschool science activities! Let me know in the comments which ones you have tried or plan to try.
Joy Hakim’s 
These accompany the text and provide lessons for a better understanding and depth for the original text with hands on learning and activities. The first book is titled 
Forces & Motion
Climate
Energy
Ecology
Time4Learning has it broken down into 1st – 5th grade (K can have access to the 1st grade science as well), middle school science, and finally high school science. They don’t base the elementary portion on all state standards but they do for the upper levels. They have everything written in detail on their science page, 
There are quite a few workbook style science materials that can be used as a supplement to another science program or to go along with unit studies as reinforcement. I’ll list a few of the ones we have used here for you to check out.
Another workbook style that we like is 
For the younger grades, 
This next book isn’t a stand alone science, but it is a rather a fun text called 
One is Focus On Science, which is a series of single-subject programs. The subjects include 
Astronomy is a great subject to explore more through Harry Potter. At Hogwarts, the kids had to take Astronomy class, and your kids can do the same. One idea is to use some of the characters with constellation names as a starting point. Find out what the constellations look like and try to go find them in the night sky. If you need help locating them, I really like 
Another yummy idea that greatly appeals to me about homeschool science with Harry Potter, 
The reviews seem to indicate
I know a lot of big Harry Potter fans already own these, but if you don’t yet, they would be fun items to add to the mix. J.K. Rowling’s set called 
And how about a Science Magic Kit? I always seem to love the Thames and Kosmos products, and it appears they have a 
