Homeschool Science: Things I Would Do Differently
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Mr. B’s sketch based on an illustration in Astronomy Magazine |
“Mr. Fisher says, ‘There are real books, and there are textbooks.’ The day is soon coming when everyone will realize that textbooks have no educational value. We hardly ever use textbooks in our Parents Union Schools. Whenever possible, we use books that spark the imagination and have a touch of originality. These are the differences between a real book and a text book.
Charlotte Mason, volume 6 page 272
Teaching high school science can put fear in your heart. Science texts tend to be a little overwhelming and can increase your anxiety that you cannot offer high school science in your home. Setting that fear aside and keeping in mind your goals, it is possible to have a great science experience at home. Here are a few thoughts from my brain this week on how I would handle the teaching of science in our home if I could go back and do it again.
1. Throw out the preplanned sequences, especially in the lower grades. I can see the wisdom now in allowing the younger years to be left open for exploring and observing in nature. See volume 1 page 43-44 for more information on how to accomplish this with your little ones.
2. Include larger numbers of living books. Living books about nature and the world of science are much more interesting than any textbook. I have learned even in high school that a good interest-drawing book is worth its weight in gold. It takes some more thought and preparation but they are available for just about any topic. (I am working on a Squidoo lens to gather the living books we used for high school science.) Don’t rely solely on textbooks.
3. Do the best you can with labwork and leave the rest for a later date. Labs in high school science are highly overrated. I stressed too much over not having the right equipment and supplies to make labs “exciting”. Most labwork is not all that exciting since our homeschool labs and budgets do not allow room for the WOW! factor. I can offer simple labs that teach what I want my boys to learn: lab procedure, how to record a lab, and to think beyond the text. I am limiting the number of labs to those that are going to teach what they need to know and then leave the rest for online demos, YouTube videos, and then co-op classes, cc, and beyond. I hate it when you put in a lot of time, money, and effort and then the lab falls flat. All that fussing and you could have done just as well to have them watch an online demo and then research any questions or topics that come up.
4. Tell the story of science chronologically. I would teach more of the history of science with stories of scientists who were successful and also struggled and failed. I found a great series for using with our high school science that my boys loved and would narrate with enthusiasm. It tied history, science, and real people together. Check out the Story of Science series by Joy Hakim. Timeline work would be a part of science study.
5. Start the study of Greek and Latin roots early. This will make things easier once you get to high school biology, chemistry, and human anatomy. I used the Science Roots system from Paula of Paula’s Archives when the boys were studying biology and those vocabulary cards are coming back out now as we study human anatomy. She suggests you start the roots before you hit high school biology and I want to chime in to second that idea. Don’t wait…..
I am actually looking forward to Mr. B’s Human Anatomy and Physiology course this year. I chose a basic course that we are adding some CM style learning to with sketching, biographies, and narrative books. I was struggling with a text until I realized that I didn’t want a text… I came up with this: Simple Schooling: Human Anatomy and Physiology Part 1 and there is a Part 2.
Don’t let high school science intimidate you when the time comes. Stay the course with Charlotte Mason’s principles and make it work in your family.
Barb-Harmony Art Mom

I so appreciate your high school and homeschool coaching in general. Thank you for taking the time to teach us mamas 🙂 We are loving English from the Roots Up and Science Roots.
You are a wise woman and we are blessed by your wisdom and experience. Thank you.
I don’t know about wise but I have certainly been around the science block a few times. 🙂
Now that I have it all figured out…I will be finishing my homeschool career. Does it seem fair?
Well, at least I get to share what I learned with all of you and that makes me happy.
Thank you for sharing, Barb. I always appreciate your posts about high school, because we are hoping to homeschool all the way through. I’m looking forward to your squidoo lens too! Thanks for all you do and share.
I just saw your comment about having it all figured out at the end…..that’s what I always say to my husband….that I imagine I’ll have it all figured out about the time our dd is ready to graduate! 🙂
Thank you much for this post!
Thank you SOOO much for these posts. As August draws to a close, I feel the pull to purchase full blown curriculum. We’re still in 8th and 5th, but I feel the pull to “get ahead”. I still want to explore and enjoy. I’m going to order Science Roots, Trish put peer pressure on for that one too this morning, well, ok, it was a picture in a post – but I’m easily swayed. Ha! I’d be really interested in your Squidoo when it is ready!
I agree on everything. My experience has been radically different than yours but I arrived at many of the same conclusions. I especially agree with chronologically teaching science and with roots. I don’t know why everyone rushses to buy science curriculum for younger kids. Nature study, simple experiments and science “stories” are the main things. Great post. Hopefully you will save a lot of moms a lot of anxiety and money!!
Thank you for your encouragement to me today. I never did nature study growing up, and it was the most daunting thing about CM methods for me. Your Handbook of Nature blog has made that accessible to me in the last 2 years… after 5 years of Comstock’s book sitting on my shelf because I was too overwhelmed. My oldest will be in 7th grade this year, and I have to say that most of the textbooks we have used for science (mainly in a co-op setting, where i don’t choose for science) pale in comparison to nature study.
I have been fretting a little over high school. I really, really don’t want to “have to” send my boys to one of the big co-ops (mainly for science) and I stress about the finances of it. This quiets my sould, especially from a mom who is not guessing, but who actually knows from experience. Thanks again!
My son and I will also be doing Simple Schooling Anatomy and Physiology this year so I’d be very interested in the biographies, narrative books etc … that you’re planning to add to the course. Post them if you get the chance! You’ve been an inspiration to us on our high school homeschool adventure! Thank you! — Tina
Tina,
I will share our “extras” soon.
I can’t wait to see your Living Book list for high school. Thanks for that perspective on the experiments. Would you do a post on the microscope? Like if you have one and how to you implement it within the context of living high school sciencs?
Thank you!
I am new to your blog and am really impressed with your Art programs. I have a little interest in doing art projects with my little ones as well so it’s fun to see fellow artists. Good work Mama.
hi barb, how did you decide what biographies and narratives to use along with the simple schooling anatomy and physiology handbook? were the other resources suggested in that curriculum? or did you find the suggestions on another website? thanks for your help! all the best, dorina
Dorina,
I am in the process of picking some biographies….not using any resource from the book or a website….just hunting around for resources like this: http://www.amazon.com/Leonardos-Anatomical-Drawings-Dover-Library/dp/0486438627/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1315062978&sr=8-2
He will read and copy some of the drawings and use the style to record his own dissections.
I will share my resources when I get them gathered…probably on my soon to be finished “Living Books for High School Science”.
Barb,
My boys are only 9 and 10 and we really learn most of our science topics right now from nature study and literature. I was intrigued by what you said about telling the story of science chronologically…I have looked at Beautiful Feet and their Science through history stuff…”read-aloud approach using biographies to tell the life stories of famous scientists like Archimedes, Galileo and Newton and hands-on experiments to prove the scientists’ theories”.
is this the kind of thing you were referring to in this post (not necessarily their curriculum, but, rather, the concept)?
Melissa,
Yes, I think it is so much more of a “living” subject if you pull scientists into your history cycle and learn all the influences they had on their work. Galileo is the perfect example…so much more than science. I also think that it is interesting to use a timeline with science so that you can see who was alive and influencing each other as the science concepts developed. It is a great way to make science more meaningful.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us at Trivium Tuesdays! I love the idea of teaching science chronologically. The books your linked to look great. I was wondering if you have any suggestions like that, but for the younger crowd? Something to read when we come to the appropriate places as we start history next year. If you have any suggestions, I’d love to hear them!
yay! i just want you to know that i’m using this today w/ my homeschool planning. we’re gonna go for chemistry this year, i think. i’m looking forward to it with only a little fear and trembling. 🙂
I am reaching highschool and wish I could start all over again. My boys, eapecially the 14 year old, have had a rocky ride and its mostly my fault. How can I reclaim the Charlotte mason / classical approach with teens when they don’t like to read- and one just wants to do the least to get through. I am so sad at where we have ended up. Each stage and “plan” we started in really thought God had planned for us to be there- but two years is all we have lasted and then I am left at square one And no plan, and boys that just don’t like school. I get one more chance! I don’t want toes up highschool and the text book is looking good only because all the information is in one place. What if I mess up again and don’t teach what they need to prepare them for college? I’m supposed to be a homeschool mentor and I haven’t taken any of my own advice! Help!
Elisabeth- I would love to answer you in an up-coming post. I will put my mind to thinking about some tips to give you and share on the blog in the next week or two. Hang in there…it will be better than you think with your boys. High school is very different from the earlier years. 🙂