Science has been a subject that we have always tried to add naturally into our day and fold into our unit studies even at the high school level.
However, because we do love spending our time reading about history and geography, I wanted to be sure as the boys entered the high school years that they received a little more formal training in science.
It didn’t mean we had to give up our hands-on things we were doing with our unit studies, but I wanted to be sure our activities were high school level because I wanted our transcript to reflect that.
Like history, science is a subject that you and your teen need to determine how in depth to cover it.
Though my boys loved science, like me, they had a bent toward history and geography so that did affect their choice as to curriculum.
You may really be a science minded family first and that needs to be considered, which is if your teen is college bound or pursuing a ministry first or not choosing a career in science.
Even if your teen is not choosing a career in science, the advantages of covering science at the high school level go far beyond just college or career.
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Choosing a Homeschool High School Science Program
Before I mention those advantages for us, look at these things to mull over before you pull the trigger on a high school science program.
- Do you want to only cover the major sciences like biology, chemistry and physics?
- Do you want to cover subjects outside the traditional subjects, like astronomy or botany? Having homeschooled from the beginning, this is what appealed to my sons. They could feed their minds on subjects they were passionate about. So not only does science stir up a deep appreciation for creation, but the logical thought process that science teaches sticks with your child lifelong.
- Does a Christian or secular view matter?
- What type of teacher prep is involved?
- What kind of costs are involved for hands-on and lab? We stuck to curriculum that just used items we could find around the house and purchased a few other things like microscopes and lab things, but for the most part, we just used what we had.
Mr. Senior 2013, enjoyed the textbook approach of Apologia during his junior years but when it came to high school, he wanted a change.
He was pursuing some electives like public speaking that he wanted to focus on and writing.
Too, Apologia had advanced courses like Advanced Physics that I knew we could come back to later if he wanted to pursue science in more depth.
So after reading about the interactive content Switched-on Schoolhouse used, he decided to use SOS Integrated Physics & Chemistry.
He enjoyed the video clips, animations and games.
It was a great fit for his Perfect Paul personality that tolerated a laid out approach, predictable schedule and that had interactive and beautiful media content.
He ended up really liking their courses because they had courses that were outside of the traditional approach and kept science fun for him.
Too, I loved knowing that courses like family consumer science were offered. Such practical courses in preparation for adulthood are sometimes not easy to find.
Mr. Awesome 2015 was a bit different, but too like Mr. Senior 2013, he wasn’t particularly interested in following a traditional approach either.
Random Efforts Can Pay Off
He liked more of a simplified approach to science and wanted to study only subjects that interested him like the stars.
So we used Lift Up Your Eyes On High: Understanding the Stars (Christian Liberty Press High School Curriculum) and he also liked Biology: A Search For Order in Complexity, 2nd Edition.
Too, from what I could tell Christian Liberty Press borrows some of their books from A Beka and Bob Jones but it was still a good fit for Mr. Awesome 2015.
Then for Mr. Awesome 2015 we also used part of Biology by Bob Jones and then back to Christian Liberty Press for part of Chemistry or it was really by Bob Jones.
Mr. Senior 2015 stayed on just one or two science providers and Mr. Awesome 2015 was all over the place on subjects but liked the combinations.
Overall, I am pleased with their choices for science.
Too, the process of scientific investigation is critical to higher thinking skills and logical thinking ability is a lost art not just among teens, but among adults too. These are skill sets I wanted my boys prepared with for the future.
So though we didn’t follow a traditional approach by a family that would be pursuing a science career, we enjoyed having the variety of topics that fed my sons’ curiosity at the high school level and it kept their passion for science.
What has worked for your family or what are you mulling over?
Hugs and love ya,
Look over this article too:
When You Have a Science-Minded Kid And You Aren’t
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