Secular Science Curriculum For Homeschoolers Resource List

Updated Secular Science Curriculum List!

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.

Forces & Motion

1 Terminal Velocity – (Homeschool Student Pack)

2 Terminal Velocity – (Homeschool Teacher Pack)

3 Terminal Velocity – (Homeschool Family Pack)

Climate

1 Seas of Change – (Homeschool Student Pack)

2 Seas of Change – (Homeschool Teacher Pack)

3 Seas of Change – (Homeschool Family Pack)

Energy

1 Infinite Potential – (Homeschool Student Pack)

2 Infinite Potential – (Homeschool Teacher Pack)

3 Infinite Potential – (Homeschool Family Pack)

Ecology

1 Resilient Planet – (Homeschool Student Pack)

2 Resilient Planet – (Homeschool Teacher Pack)

3 Resilient Planet – (Homeschool Family Pack)

Geology

1 Tectonic Fury – (Homeschool Student Pack)

2 Tectonic Fury – (Homeschool Teacher Pack)

3 Tectonic Fury – (Homeschool Family Pack)

Weather

1 Monster Storms – (Homeschool Student Pack)

2 Monster Storms – (Homeschool Teacher Pack)

3 Monster Storms – (Homeschool Family Pack)

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.

BioZone

BioZone is also another option for high school level courses.  Their books are available on Amazon or their own website. They have several courses including Biology, Earth and Space Science, Environmental Science, Anatomy & Physiology, AP Biology 1, AP Biology 2, CIE Biology 1, CIE Biology 2, IB Biology 1, IB Biology 2, Senior Biology 1, and Senior Biology 2.  All of these have the student text and also a student workbook available.   They also have online courses, and as of the time of writing this, they have a 14 day free trail available.

CK-12 Science

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 Amazon’s Kindle service on my computer or iphone even though I don’t down a Kindle.

LearnScience.Academy

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.

CPO Science

CPO Science is one that we are not familiar with, but it looks great as well. For middle school, their programs are Earth Science, Life Science, and Physical Science. They set the high school programs up a little differently so that you can choose what fits for you. The programs are Foundations of Physical Science, Physics, a First Course (Algebra I based physics), and Physical, Earth, and Space Science (Integrated Physical and Earth Science) for 9th & 10th grade. Foundations of Physics if what they offer for 11th and 12 grade.

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!