Science {How To Homeschool For Free}

Be sure to check out How To Homeschool For Free in READING, SPELLING, MATH, and HISTORY too!

The following is a post by Surviving The Stores contributor Jody Scott at Red Mixer Bakery! (Be sure to check out her recipe this week for Homemade Tiramisu!!! OH MY!!)

Science can be intimidating for some of us. While I was a fair student of science, I was never a genius. I have been blessed to have children who seek out science concepts on their own without the use of a formal curriculum every year. This year, I never did decide what to do, so I’m benefiting from this week’s post as much as some of you are! We will definitely be using a free curriculum this year.

There are actually so many choices for science lessons. I looked at about 30 of them and narrowed it down to these. I based my choices on what I thought were the most helpful & user friendly sites. I’m excited to share these with you!

How Stuff Works

How Stuff Works and How the Body Works were lifesavers for me in 2006. I was practically useless for anything physical when I had a few herniated discs in my neck. My kids, then in 3rd, 1st, and K. had a list of topics they wanted to learn about that year. So, while I was recovering, they were exploring the various items on the list & accomplishing more than I ever thought we would.

cK-12

cK-12.org is a company that started up with the intent to reduce textbook waste. These e-books are called Flexbooks. You get the student book, workbook, Teacher Edition, and the Answer Key for each subject. (Note: You have to email a request for the answer key.) You can get the books in .pdf, Kindle and iPad editions are also available. It was easy to register & download the Earth Science course. It looks easy to navigate and teach from the teacher’s edition. To me, this is something people might pay a good amount of money for, but it’s FREE!

NASA and IMAGERS

NASA and IMAGERS have provided three thematic units. Within each unit, you will find lesson plans, reproducible worksheets, visuals, and links to useful resources. The adventure begins with the online book, Echo the Bat. The teacher’s guide will provide you with printable worksheets, discussion questions, and more.

The Vega Science Trust

The Vega Science Trust (out of England) has a series of videos and articles involving, well… science! If you want to learn how to generate electricity, click here to watch the video, but also click here to get the article that shows you the lesson. There are various lessons to get your student interested and ready to learn. Be sure to see what other lessons on video are also available!

Math Science Nucleus

Math Science Nucleus has curriculum for both Elementary and Secondary students. There is a teacher section, as well as interactive components for students, including story books, multimedia activities, slideshows, and online tests.

University of California

University of California offers UCPrep for students as well as teachers. The link will take you to the page of lessons where you will find video lessons for each course from UC College Prep’s Classic Collection. They have more than science. There are lessons for math, history, and social sciences as well.

Physics Tutorials & Curriculum

For those who have students in upper grade levels, you’ll want to check out all of the free Physics curriculum resources over at Five Js!

Local Libraries

Don’t forget about your own Local Library! Many libraries offer classes in the building as well as online resources that might otherwise cost you money for a subscription on your own. For example, several libraries in the Dallas area give members-only access to Science Online, a website that has a search option for finding out which subjects should be taught in specific grades. Once you find the grade & subject, a list comes up with links where you will find that subject material on the Science Online website. This particular library in Dallas County is not unique and the online resources are getting better all the time. I urge you to find out what your local library offers both in the building and online. Don’t limit yourself to one library, either! We utilize the online resources of 3 libraries. I’d love to know what your library offers.

There must have been at least 100 websites for finding free science curriculum.

I’m sure I missed some good ones, so please share what you use if I left it out!

Jody Scott is a veteran homeschool mom of 5 active girls and loves to bake yummy treats every chance she gets! You can check out her latest sweet treat at her blog, Red Mixer Bakery.