Secular Science Curriculum For Homeschoolers Ultimate List

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Updated Secular Science Curriculum Ultimate List for the 2024-2025 School Year!

The Ultimate Secular Science Curriculum & Resource List For Homeschoolers

Finding Secular Science Curriculum for Homeschoolers 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. As a result, I created this site and am compiling this list to share with other homeschooling parents. Above all, I want to help others that are also having a hard time finding secular science curriculum for their homeschoolers.

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 based on facts.  But, think again, because that isn’t the case in the homeschooling world. Secular Science curriculum is a rare thing around here, though I am noticing more and more options as the years go on.

There is 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 religious based homeschoolers who don’t want to teach those topics. Therefore, 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 topics like evolution, the big bang, or climate change, a secular science curriculum is much harder to find. But, have no fear, they are out there, and I am going to share them with you!

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The Secular Science Curriculum 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.  However, this isn’t meant to be a review of the materials, but rather gathering them all in one place to make it simple 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.  For that reason, 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. Please note, in general, 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. You can find the neutral list below this one. First, I list the science only options, and then a bit further down are the all in one options that include secular science 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.  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.  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.

Building Foundations of Scientific Understanding

Building Foundations of Scientific Understanding (BSFU) is somewhat of a gold standard for secular science curriculum in the homeschooling world, certainly. There are other curricula built around these books as well. It 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.

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 terrific and makes science even more fun. His books range from elementary to advanced high school curriculum.

The elementary titles are:

 The advanced series is:

  • Chemistry
  • Biology
  • Earth Science
  • Physical Science.

You can also try out the first chapter in each subject for free to see if you like it before purchasing. Addtionally, Mr. Q also has a “Lab Notes” monthly newsletter that includes experiments and other science related things.

BioZone

BioZone is also another option for high school level courses.  Their books are available on Amazon or their own website. The courses are broken down into different programs, listed below. They are one of the only ones I have seen specifically offer materials for AP, CIE, Honors, and IB programs.

AP

CIE Program (Cambridge International Exam)

Elective & Honors Program

IB Program

NGSS (Next Generation Science Standards) Program

Moreover, they also have online courses, and as of the time of writing this, they have a 30 day free trial available.

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.

Here is how it is broken down:

Level 1 – Grades K to 6

Level 2 – Grades 6 to 10

  • Biology – Grades 6 to 10
  • Astronomy – Grades 6 to 10
    • Text
    • Teacher Guide
    • Stargazer’s Notebook: A Yearlong Study of the Nightsky

I like a list, however, if you need a more visual way to see their curricula, they have a curricula map here on their site.  In addition, you can view sample pages 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.  Their goal is to bring high school level science to middle school kids in a fun way.

Next Level Homeschool

Next Level Homeschool is also a secular program worth mentioning! It was started by a homeschool mom, and has many different options to choose from. If you are simply interested in science, they have Science Department that offers classes by the year or in 8 to 12 week segments. To see everything, you can view a list of their courses here and see the start dates for all the classes that are available. There are many science choices to choose from such as Marine Zoology, Biology, Astronomy, Earth Science and more!  My favorite choice is definitely the Harry Potter Genetics class!

CK-12 Science

CK-12 Science is a free resource for science and other subjects, available on their website. We have used these before and they are fine for a few resource, but I have found things like minor typos in the text. Many of the books are also available for free download through Amazon. I love using Amazon’s Kindle service on my computer or iphone even though I don’t down a Kindle.

There you can find the following, which are only some of what they offer:

Learn Science Academy

Learn Science 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:

For Middle School they have:

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.

Science Comics

If you’re looking for a bit of self exploration type science, these are great for later elementary and early middle schoolers! They cover so many topics and may get students who otherwise wouldn’t be interested wanting to read up about science. Here are a few of the ones that are offered:

Or they also have an 18 book set you can get as well. This kind of option is one that I also like to use as a supplement to our regular curriculum. For my kids, if it was in comic book form, they loved reading it and didn’t even realize they were doing “work”. So for me, this are a big plus in that department!

SCI

SCI, or Scientific Connections through Inquiry is another secular science curriculum option. It is based on Building Foundations of Scientific Understanding (BSFU), using it for structure. Although it uses BSFU for inspiration, it is a separate curriculum, and as far as I can tell, you do not need to have BSFU to use SCI. SCI is a complete curriculum on its own. Their books are digital only and include a teacher’s guide and student book. They offer levels 0 through 5, which correspond roughly from K – 7 grade levels, and each has a sample you can see before deciding to purchase.

Taylor Made Science

Taylor Made Science is a secular homeschool program that offers both live and prerecorded classes. Their goal is to prepare students for college level classes and their classes also include labs as well.

Their course offerings include the following

  • Science Sleuths – Middle School Prep Class
  • Honors Earth Science
  • Honors Biology
  • Honors Chemistry
  • Honors Physics
  • AP Environmental Science
  • AP Biology

As you can see, they offer AP and Honors courses, which an amazing opportunity for homeschoolers! They even have an option to try a free class so that you can see if it is a good fit for you.

Mystery Science

Mystery Science is an option for those looking for digital video lessons. One of the best features of this curriculum is that they offer mini lessons as well as full lessons, so you can get learning in even on days you are short on time. They are for grades K through 5 and align with the NGSS. Another fun thing about their site is that students can submit questions directly to the “curiosity jar” and they answer some of these each week. It is a great website to check out if you are looking for something in this format.

JASON Learning

JASON Learning is a STEM program focusing on “real-life science”. I haven’t used it, however, 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 offer a subscription plan, or they have products you can purchase on their site.

Additionally, they also have an argonaut program that offers students the opportunity to go on science based expeditions. However, those are only for students ages 13-17 and you must go through an application process to join.

Torchlight

Torchlight is a flexible literature based secular curriculum that looks fantastic. It isn’t just science, but instead covers all the subjects. If my kids were younger, this is certainly one we try. They have offerings for Pre-K up to Middle School, and they plan to release one level per year. Torchlight has some unique offering, such as the Art of Rock & Roll for Level 5. There is a level placement tool that you can use to see which level is right for you as well.

Oak Meadow

Oak Meadow isn’t only 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.  Oak Meadow strives 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. Currently they have materials for kids as young as 2 years old all the way up to 5th grade. Children of multiple ages can use their hands-on science curriculum. Additionally, 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.

Time 4 Learning

Time4Learning is an online learning service that has many options when it comes to science (they also offer all the other subjects).  We used Time4Learning for multiple subjects and my kids really enjoyed it and found it interesting.  I liked it because it is self graded and I could print reports of how they were doing each week.  You pay per month (with reduced rates for additional siblings) and can pause it at any time, which is a really nice feature.

Time4Learning has their curriculum broken down into Preschool, Kindergarten, Elementary School Science, Middle School Science, and High School Science. Regardless of which level you choose, it can be a stand alone curriculum or used as a supplement, depending on what you need.

Generation Genius

Generation Genius is a Science & Math video based education program. You can also just buy the science portion. They are often used by teachers in schools, but they do have a “classroom” option that homeschoolers can use as well. If you know a group of homeschoolers interested, the price can be discounted by a significant amount per family. In addition to the videos, there are also lesson plans, activities, quizzes and more. It looks like a fun option if your family prefers video learning.

Core Knowledge

Core Knowledge has many subjects, not only science, but a lot of their materials are completely free to download. Here is a link to the free science section, you can filter further by subject. Materials are available from Kindergarten to 8th Grade. Additionally, they do have a bookstore if you prefer to purchase the books or you are interested in science kits.

Khan Academy

If you are looking for a free resource that offers a really wide range of subjects, don’t overlook Khan Academy. They have science offerings from Middle School subjects all the way to AP courses. We have used this occasionally for different classes, and had mixed feelings on it. One of my students really liked it, and the other did not at all. So, since it is free, it may be a wonderful option to look into to see if it would work for your needs. Even though we don’t currently use it on it’s own, it is fantastic for supplementing concepts that we need a little more understanding on from time to time. They offer much more than just science classes as well.

Homeschool Pro

Homeschool Pro is a subscription service that has classes in many subjects, not just science. They do, however, offer many science classes in their lineup. It can be used as a full curriculum or a supplement to what you are already doing. This is a resource that could be good for families with multiple children, as you pay the same fee whether you have one child or many, it is a family subscription. It also allows the student to take classes at any grade level and there are hundreds of classes available. I have not personally used this option, but it is one we are considering for a few courses.

Many Secular Science Curriculum Workbook Options!

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. We’ve also used these over the summer as well. I’ll list a few of the ones we have used here for you to check out.

Evan-Moor

Evan-Moor has many options for workbooks that are great for homeschoolers that are a really great value for what you get.

The books are usually a superb value 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.

180 Days of Science

Another workbook style that we like is 180 Days of Science. It is, as the name implies, daily work for 180 days and there are books available for grades PreK-6th.  The lessons are divided into weeks and days (like Week 3, Day 2), which I like because it makes it easy to lesson plan.

Spectrum

Spectrum Science is a workbook that covers 3rd through 8th grade.  We have used this one before as well and liked it for reinforcing ideas as well as getting ready for standardized tests at the end of the year. I do prefer the other ones a bit more. The way this is set up is also excellent for incorporating reading comprehension.

DK

Finally, 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.

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.  Also a middle school science book, there is an option for Computer Science and Coding.

They have also started making subject specific versions for high school. The options available are Everything You Need To Ace Biology and Chemistry.  We have a few of these (they make them for Math, American History, World History, US History, Geometry, 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 for a reference for answering kids’ questions on a variety of topics as well, and that is how we use them.

ACS Free Chemistry Materials

Surprisingly, ACS provides many chemistry materials for free geared toward teaching chemistry at home. For the elementary age they have Inquiry in Action lesson plans. The middle school grades have Middle School Chemistry and also Remote Lessons from Middle School Chemistry. Additionally, Adventures in Chemistry is aimed at both elementary and middle school students. Here is the page for the High School Chemistry resources as well.

MIT OpenCourseWare

The MIT OpenCourseWare seems like a phenomenal resource. I haven’t had a chance to dig too deep into it, however. At first glance, they offer a huge number of classes for free, many of them are science classes. I saw biology, quantum physics, chemistry, and more just with a quick look. If you have time to comb through everything and incorporate it into your homeschool, I have no doubt there are real gems in here and it is mind blowing that these are available for free.

Weather IQ

IQ Weather was a reader suggestion, and it looks like a marvelous resource for homeschooling, especially if you are wanting to do an in depth weather study. These lessons are video based and there are so many of them.

Teacher Institute For Evolutionary Science

The Teacher Institute for Evolutionary Science is a fantastic website if you need some help teaching your students about the topics of evolution and natural selection. The Teacher Resources page has a big list of materials available to use for a complete unit on evolution aimed at middle schoolers.

Hooked On Science

Hooked On Science is a program that visits schools to do various engaging interactive experiments with the students. However, on their page, they have a huge list of free experiment guides that would be great if you are wanting some ideas of experiments you can do.

Neutral Science Curriculum

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 is based on conversation and a multi-sensory approach to build a love for learning. With this purpose in mind, 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 both for the older years, which she encourages people to utilize.

Sassafras Science by Elemental Science

First, there is Sassafras Science. It 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 – 7th grades. They have seven volumes currently available, but I believe there will be a total of eight when it is completed. 

The logbooks are for students to record their findings and the guides provide extra materials, activities, and information. They are optional materials you can add to the main text, but I included the links above just in case those are helpful to have together. My daughter adored reading these stories when she was younger.

Classical Science by Elemental Science

One of the other programs that is available from Elemental Science is Classical Science. It is divided into three age groups. Grammar Stage is for ages 5 to 10, Logic Stage is for ages 10 to 14, and Rhetoric Stage is for ages 14 to 18. The High School stage they are no longer updating, but they offer it for free on their site. It is a guide that is based around the CK-12 books, mentioned earlier in this article.

For example, a subject they offer in the Logic Stage is Biology, where they have a student guide and teacher guide. For the Grammar Stage, the Biology they offer comes in a student workbook form as well as a teacher guide. Additionally, they also offer kits that go with these on their website that you can buy as a bundle.

Science Chunks by Elemental Science

They also have a Science Chunks program available, you can read more about it on their site if you’re interested in doing science unit by unit.

Supercharged Science

Supercharged Science mentions it does not include anything on creation or evolution. In short, 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. There are also some free activities on there as well.

Top Science

Top Science is an option that has been around since 1977! Their old school books cover a wide range of topics that allow for hands on activities that are still relevant for all grade levels. You can find a sample lab to see if their products are the right fit for you. I put them in the neutral category because I didn’t see information one way or the other and couldn’t find anything directly relating to topics I usually search for to narrow it down.

Moving Beyond The Page

Moving Beyond The Page is curriculum we have used in the past. It covers many subjects, including science, through a literature based curriculum. We really enjoyed it and the kids thought it was a fun way to learn.  Their curricula spans from ages 4-5 all the way to early 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. They have a full page explaining their view on being a secular curriculum.

My Pals Are Here Science

My Pals Are Here Science is another neutral secular science curriculum option to consider.   It is for grades 1-6 and looks exceptionally fun for elementary age students. In general, the main focus is on critical thinking and exploration.  It is set up to have a textbook, an activity book, and a teacher’s guide for each gravel level.

Real Science 4 Kids

While it is 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.  First, Focus On Science 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. Next, they have Building Blocks of Science, which 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.   Lastly, they also have a 7 book series on their website, which states book 1-4 are elementary and 5-7 are for middle and high school. I believe these last two may be the same thing, just different versions.

Young Scientist

The Young Scientists collection is a group of 11 books for ages 9-12 covering different topics. In order, they are:

They are available individually or in a kit. There are several free samples to try on their website.

Book Shark Science

Book Shark is a literature based curriculum that offers many subjects, but they do have a separate science packages that can be purchased from PreK to High School. They state in their FAQ that they are faith neutral and do not teach creationism, evolution, or intelligent design, which is why it is here in the neutral section. Being that it is booked based, users can add books from these elements that go with what they want their students to learn. On the linked page you can also see their scope and sequence as well as get a sample of the curriculum.

Science for High School

Science for High School is a neutral program that features 3 courses. These are High School Biology in Your Home, High School Physical Science In Your Home, and High School Chemistry in Your Home. For K through 8th graders, they also offer Great Science Adventures. This program is said to be ideal to do with older siblings taking the high school courses because they can benefit from the labs. There are sample pages available.

Noeo Science

I included Noeo Science here even though I am on the fence about it be included on this list. They state that a few of their living books are religious and a few reference evolution, so I am putting it in the neutral section, and you can decide for yourself it if it is right for you family. They offer materials for grades 1-8 in various subjects that are full of experiments as well as living books.

Have any more secular science curriculum resources to share?

I am always searching for new secular science curriculum materials to share.  I hope you found what I have compiled so far to be 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, please leave a comment and let me know!

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