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Teach Homeschool Science

10 Popular High School Chemistry Homeschool Curriculum

May 9, 2022 | 2 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Today, I’m sharing ten popular high school chemistry homeschool curriculum. Sorting through popular chemistry homeschool curriculum can be daunting. Check out my how to homeschool high school page for awesome tips.

However, a practical high school chemistry homeschool curriculum should be easy to understand.

Both a non-science oriented teen and strong science oriented teen can find a curriculum to match their interests.

10 Popular High School Chemistry Homeschool Curriculum

Also, I’ve included choices for homeschool chemistry curriculum whether your teen is on a college track or career track.

The beginning of teaching chemistry can seem scary; I’m not sure how a fear of teaching chemistry began.

I know, I felt that way at first too.

However, as a non-science mom and after three homeschooled grads, my love and education for chemistry has grown.

With the right choices of curriculum and ideas, you and your teen can really enjoy the study of chemistry.

Besides, we practice or use chemistry every day.

From the food we eat to watching lightning produce fire, chemistry can be a fun subject to learn.

Once I moved past thinking it was only for science majors, my teens and I could dive into learning even beyond the basics.

The point is chemistry can be fun and should always be hands-on.

And one of my favorite parts is that any science study can be tied to learning the history of it. Chemistry is no different.

5 Pointers Before Choosing High School Chemistry Curriculum

And as you sort through each one, here are a few points to be aware of:

  • A lot of the major providers suggest prerequisites like having completed Algebra 1 and/or Geometry before chemistry;
  • And some providers integrate physics and chemistry because they feel all science subjects are intertwined and best taught together;
  • Still other providers which integrate physics and chemistry don’t require complex math to encourage student curiosity;
  • Too, some courses are a honor course and still others are basic chemistry; and
  • Lastly, pay attention to the credits assigned, if any, and the worldview. Some are secular and some Christian.

High School Chemistry Homeschool Curriculum

Next, look at these ten popular high school chemistry homeschool curriculum.

1. BOB JONES CHEMISTRY

BJU Press offers Chemistry in the 11th grade. They recommend that students should be taking Algebra 2 and Chemistry at the same time. According to their site, students in Chemistry have already completed Algebra 1 and Geometry.

This set is an example of an all-in-one. The complete set has a student edition, teacher’s manual, lab manual, assessments, and answer key. And like their other courses at this level, it is a solid college prep course and strong Christian worldview.

2. DISCOVERING DESIGN WITH CHEMISTRY for non-science student

3. DISCOVERING DESIGN WITH CHEMISTRY, SUPPLEMENT 2 for science student

Then, Discovering Design With Chemistry series were designed for use in 10th grade and require Algebra 1 math level. Too, they have a strong Christian worldview.

Designed as an all-in-one, they also offer video on demand classes.

4. FOCUS ON HIGH SCHOOL CHEMISTRY

Another awesome option is Focus On High School Chemistry.

When Real Science 4 Kids came on the homeschooling scene homeschoolers swooned. They’re still swooning at the ease and options offered.

Focus On High School Chemistry is offered for grades 9 to 12. It introduces students to high school basic chemistry and some concepts found in college-level chemistry.

This curriculum goes into more depth than a lot of chemistry high school programs, but does not cover all topics.

You’ll love how the experiments are broken down and easy to implement.

This original series is a one-semester course and can count as half of a high school credit. One more note of detail is that this course has a secular slant.

If your student is wanting a basic overview of chemistry, is undecided about chemistry as a science major, or wants just an overview, this curriculum keeps all options open.

5.FRIENDLY CHEMISTRY

Further, there is a reason this next chemistry option is called Friendly Chemistry.

This high school chemistry curriculum uses friendly language and introduces chemistry in a fun way.

I’ve not looked at the current editions, but some of the first editions had several typos. To some this can diminish the weight of the content.

Although I don’t like typos, I know it happens. I have a higher standard for curriculum providers. But I do not think it is a reflection of the content and the way the chemistry is taught.

Many homeschoolers love using it because their teens can use it independently.

The same lessons are taught in like a traditional high school course.

Unlike some other courses, motivated junior high-aged children complete the lessons in Friendly Chemistry.

Because this is a high school level course, you can count it as a credit because it’s intended to be completed in a year.

6. CHEMEXPLAINED

Next, if your teen prefers to learn online and take a college-prep course, then ChemExplained may be a good option.

Taught by a chemistry teacher, the videos are short and explanations are well.

Too, you’ll want to encourage your teen to take notes while learning.

Additionally, it’s hard to find faith-neutral curriculum.

A faith-neutral curriculum strives to leave religious or secular slants out of their curriculum. If you want to teach your own worldview, this is an option.

7. INTEGRATED PHYSICS AND CHEMISTRY

Not to be overlooked is Integrated Physics and Chemistry by Paradigm Accelerated Curriculum. I’ve used several of their worktexts and my teens have loved the different courses.

Unlike other programs, the pacs are separate worktexts.

Encouraging the teen to learn independently with minimal supervision is the focus on their courses.

The course has twelve chapters of text and twelve companion student activities.

Whether your student chooses 9th or 10th grade to study Integrated Physics and Chemistry by Paradigm Accelerated Curriculum, it introduces students to the people, places and principles of physics and chemistry.

Also, it is a secular curriculum, but I found it easy to add faith-based ideas.

8. CONCEPTUAL CHEMISTRY

Then another solid choice is Conceptual Chemistry.

As the title of the textbook states there is emphasis on concepts, but with a fun conversational quality.

Non-science majors will love the practical part of the explanations in easy to learn language.

Introducing easy hands-on activities is another strength of this curriculum. With structure to encourage an independent learner, there is enough content to also foster critical thinking skills.

If your will teen will be a non-chemistry major or has a solid, but basic understanding of math, this is a great option. It can be used for any grade in high school.

9. Chemistry in the Kitchen

In addition, Chemistry in the Kitchen by Guest Hollow is a fun slant on chemistry.

Cooking their way through learning chemistry, teens in 9t to 12th grade don’t have to have higher levels of math.

Just a love of science and to learn in a different way are all that are required.

10. Homeschool Buyer’s Selection.

Finally, another popular option is the assortment which Homeschool Buyer’s Co-op offers each year. It’s popular because who doesn’t like to save money when you can.

Each year, Homeschool Buyer’s Co-op will list chemistry options and supplements. Be sure to check what is discounted there too.

10 Popular High School Chemistry Homeschool Curriculum

Be sure to look at my fun ideas for all ages to add to supplement your curriculum.

Look at my fun ideas for all ages to supplement your curriculum.

What do think? Are you feeling a little less intimidated about choosing a homeschool high school chemistry curriculum?

Chemistry Homeschool Ideas

If have some other chemistry homeschool ideas to help make teaching this subject fun like it should be.

  • Homeschooling High School: Curriculum, Credits, and Courses
  • Homeschool High School Chemistry & Free Reference Sheet and Resources
  • Atomidoodle Chemistry Game App
  • Medieval Chemistry and Homeschool History – Fun Hands-On Activity
  • Easy Hands-On Science: Label the Atom Playdough Activity
  • EASY Hands-on Earth Science: Fun Water Testing Kit

2 CommentsFiled Under: Choose Curriculum, Homeschool Teens _ From Teen to Graduation, Homeschooling, Science, Teach Homeschool Science Tagged With: chemistry, curriculum, high school, high school science, homeschoolhighschool, science, science lab, sciencecurriculum, teens

10 Favorite Science Movies and Documentaries for Homeschooled Kids

January 4, 2022 | 4 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Whether you add a science movie to your current plans, or want a fun change, I know you’ll find one or two of your favorite science movies and documentaries in this list. Also, look at my page homeschool middle school for more fun tips.

10 Favorite Science Movies and Documentaries for Homeschooled Kids

First, look at a few ways to use science movies in your homeschool:

How to use Science Movies in Your Homeschool

  • Compare science movies to the book – compare and contrast skills lead to higher thinking skills
  • Testing the concepts mentioned in a movie is a great way to engage a kid’s science mind – science is about testing theories
  • Encourage your kids to be aware of the greater issues facing man and science – we homeschool because we don’t want our kids learning only within 4 walls or in a bubble, but to engage with issues facing the world now
  • Reduce burnout in a student, a schedule, or learn in a relaxed way through a tough transition and to revive the love of learning – learning takes many approaches
  • Use science movies as a spine to an in-depth or surface level unit study

Then, add in some hands-on ideas or science subscription boxes and you have stand alone curriculum created from great science movies.

Look at my post 18 Amazing Kids Subscription Boxes to Try Right Now to get some ideas. It’s easier than you think to use an engaging science movie or documentary in your homeschool.

Heads up: I haven’t watched all the movies, so I’m not sure of the worldview. I respect the homeschool parent’s position to teach to your worldview to your children.

Look at this list of 10 Favorite Science Movies and Documentaries for Homeschooled Kids.

1. Kiss the Ground.

10 Favorite Science Movies and Documentaries for Homeschooled Kids

Activists, scientists, farmers, and politicians turn to regenerative agriculture to save the planet’s topsoil, and combat climate change.

  • You can go here to Kiss the Ground to get a free link to view it.

And like I mentioned before science is about adding in hands-on fun; here are some ideas from one of my favorite science providers Home Science Tools.

One kit is a climate and weather kit and the other one is weather projects for young scientists.

2. Hidden Figures.

We loved this movie and it’s one of the best science movies we’ve seen in a long time.

Three brilliant African American women at NASA – Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson – serve as the brains behind one of the greatest operations in history: the launch of astronaut John Glenn into orbit, a stunning achievement that restored the nation’s confidence, turned around the Space Race and galvanized the world.

Look at my unit study Exploring Space and Astronomy Free Unit Study for Multiple Ages and here is a trailer to Hidden Figures.

Look at my astronomy lapbook to round out your movie viewing.

  • Dynamic Astronomy Lapbook for Multiple Ages

    Dynamic Astronomy Lapbook for Multiple Ages

    $4.00
    Add to cart

3. Uranium — Twisting the Dragon’s Tail.

Physicist Dr. Derek Muller travels across the globe to unlock the mysteries of uranium. Filmed on five continents, the program takes viewers through the element’s past, present and future and explains its many uses, from weaponry to medicine. It’s part science and part history.

  • Here is a trailer to Uranium–Twisting the Dragon’s Tail from YouTube.

4. The Lorax.

Twelve-year-old Ted lives in a place virtually devoid of nature; no flowers or trees grow in the town of Thneedville. Ted would very much like to win the heart of Audrey, the girl of his dreams, but to do this, he must find that which she most desires: a Truffula tree.

Here is the The Lorax (Classic Seuss) which is such a fun way to introduce nature and care for the earth.

Also, I have some lesson planning helps which go with the science movie.

I found this movie on Netflix.

Free Lesson Planning Ideas

Here is a teacher’s guide from Penguin Random House.

Then, here are some printables and lesson plan ideas from A to Z Teacher Stuff.

In addition, add in some fun hands-on nature ideas.

Look at my posts:

  • How to Make an Easy Nature Paint Brush With Kids;
  • Nature Study: Make a Fun Bird Nesting Bag;
  • Winter Nature Craft: How to Make Easy DIY Bird Feeders;
  • Hands-On Mixed Media Flower Art Fun Nature Study;
  • and Fun Kids Activity How to Make Wildflower Seed Bombs.

5. David Attenborough’s Natural Curiosities.

There are many episodes on various nature topics presented by David Attenborough of the UK. I know we haven’t watched all of them, but it looks like Wikipedia has a super roundup of the movies.

All of his topics are fascinating because they explore the unordinary and unexplained curious things about nature.

Science Movies for Homeschooled Kids

6. Lorenzo’s Oil.

True-life drama of a father and mother who battled against the odds to save their son’s life. Augusto and Michaela Odone are dealt a cruel blow by fate: five-year-old Lorenzo is diagnosed with a rare and incurable disease, but the Odones’ persistence and faith leads to the cure which saves their boy and re-writes medical history.

Then, add in this cool kit from Home Science Tools about phlebotomy. Want to learn the medical art of phlebotomy? You’ll be able to practice all facets of venipuncture with this kit! Excellent for current and aspiring medical professionals alike.

Also, look below at a bacteria growing kit.

7. Osmosis Jones.

Mixing live action and animation, the film follows the misadventures of a zoo worker with an unknown malady he contracted after eating an egg contaminated with simian saliva. The responsibility of eradicating this lethal virus falls to a white blood cell cop and a fussy cold-cure pill.

You’ll love my human body lapbook and human body hands-on activities.

  • Dynamic and Fun Human Body Lapbook for Multiple Ages

    Dynamic and Fun Human Body Lapbook for Multiple Ages

    $5.00
    Add to cart

8. The Poisoner’s Handbook.

Documentary. From PBS. In the early 20th century, the average American medicine cabinet was a would-be poisoner’s treasure chest, with radioactive radium, thallium, and morphine in everyday products.

You can also watch a trailer here on PBS.

9. October Sky.

John Hickam is a West Virginia coal miner who loves his job and expects his sons, and Homer, to follow in his footsteps. But Jim gets a football scholarship, and Homer becomes interested in rocket science after seeing Sputnik 1 crossing the sky. John disapproves of his son’s new mania, but Homer begins building rockets with the help of friends and a sympathetic teacher. Rocketry, he hopes, will prove his ticket to a better life.

Also here is the book, Homer H. Hickam: Rocket Boys: A Memoir.

The movie, October Sky is based on and then another book, Rocket Science is for middle school kids which would go great this movie.

Additionally, look at these lesson planning helps and free guides below.

  • It’s just rocket science .pdf guide.
  • Another huge teacher guide which is helpful.
  • A massive 133 page .pdf educator’s guide from Nasa.

Here is a trailer of October Sky on YouTube.

10. Chasing Coral.

Too, here are some free lesson plans about rocket science you can add to your science movie.

Next, from the site Chasing Coral it says: “A team of divers, photographers and scientists set out on a thrilling ocean adventure to discover why corals are vanishing at an unprecedented rate.“

Also, there is a free download of curriculum for grades 6 to 12 on the site.

10 Favorite Science Movies and Documentaries for Homeschooled Kids

You’ll also love my free Coral lapbook.

Lastly look at some of these other posts you’ll like:

  • 54+ Fun Books Turned Movies to Spark a Love For Reading
  • 10 Fun Amazon Prime Movies for the Youngest Homeschoolers
  • 7 Educational Movies for Kids About Westward Expansion
  • Homeschool History Teaching Ancient Civilizations Using Netflix

Science movies are great for visual learners and bring spice to your day. What other science movies do you like in your homeschool day?

4 CommentsFiled Under: Science, Teach Homeschool Science Tagged With: astronomy, homeschoolscience, human body, movies, nature, science, science lab, sciencecurriculum

How to Easily Meet the Lab Component of Homeschool High School Science

July 22, 2021 | 2 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Teaching the lab component part of high school science doesn’t have to be expensive or overwhelming. Quite the opposite, it can be utterly fun and fulfilling. Check out my page How to Homeschool High School for more tips!

With that being said, when I had my first homeschooled teen I was at a loss as to where to start.

So today, I’ve rounded up some fun ways to easily meet the lab component of homeschool high school science.

How to Easily Meet the Lab Component of Homeschool High School Science

The first place to start when planning is to identify the end science goal for your teen.

Not all kids will be science majors.

Lab Component Goals Matter

If your student will be, then you’ll want more of a traditional experience.

The best thing for kids pursuing a science major is to always ask the college for their requirements.

If your kid will not be choosing a science major, you have so much room for flexibility and to mix and match lab component resources.

6 Things to Know When Choosing Science Lab Components

Moreover, look at these six things to know when choosing science lab components.

1.
Determine your teen’s science learning track – career or college?

  • Will your teen follow the traditional high school science route? What I call the traditional route is studying these areas: Biology, Chemistry, and Physics. It begins in your teen’s freshman year. A lot of the traditional curriculum providers follow this sequence. So for beginners, it’s easy to follow this sequence if you use a textbook.
  • Also, depending on what your teen chooses to do after graduating, your student may need a fourth year of science if attending a specific college.

For example, if your teen will be going into a STEM field, then the course and labs will have to meet high expectations.

Another point to understand is that if your child is a science major, you still have much room to pick and choose lab resources.

Labs are meant for your teen to experiment, engage, and interact with the information your teen is learning.

Whether your teen is choosing a career track or college track, try to keep all future options open by doing at least two or three sciences for high school.

2.
Meet your homeschool state law science requirements, if any.

Next, each state’s law is different.

For example, some states list hours needed to cover subjects only, but don’t separate the lab component.

Other state laws require two labs; others divide hours by core and non-core.

However, they may not state number of labs hours needed or even separate the lab component.

Many others list no requirement for hours, but to just teach science in high school.

For a lot of states, you have much flexibility in how many labs your teens does and what actually counts as credit and how many hours too.

Point is know exactly what is your state law.

The second step is mix your teen’s goal with your state law to give you a wider picture of your goals.

3.
If this is your first teen, will you get your money’s worth by purchasing some home lab equipment now to use with all of your kids?

Subsequently, I realized that I had quite a few more future labs after my first high school teen because I had younger children.

Determining how much science equipment, if any, I wanted to invest in was my next step.

Purchasing science equipment, using it with my first high school teen, and using it for every child after that gave me my money’s worth for my purchase.

One of my best purchases early on when all my kids were younger was the niftiest microscope sold by Sonlight which was specifically built or made for home use.

But for high school, look at microscopes with a few more options.

Look at this Home LED Microscope by Home Science Tools. This home microscope is easy-to-use, sturdy, affordable & allows observers to see intricate cell details.

The final step before you choose resources for the lab component is to understand how high school science curriculum is organized.

4.
Traditional high school science courses incorporate labs in their curriculum.

For beginners, purchasing the type of curriculum that easily adds science lab component which can be done at home is a great starting point. This is what I started out doing.

It was sanity-saving when I didn’t have a lot of time to prepare labs to know that my teen could gather most items needed at home and perform the activities.

For example Apologia has step by step instructions. The course description for Biology states: Labs that cover experimentation, field studies, microscopy, and dissection.

Bob Jones and Abeka homeschool are more examples of a science program which includes instructions for labs. Some of the curriculum providers have science kits which you can purchase separately.

Finally, you’ll want to know what is a good rule of thumb for counting lab hours. The simple answer is that it varies, but that didn’t help me much in the beginning..

5.
Thirty (30) lab hours is a good rule of thumb for a lab science course.

Fast forward twenty years of homeschooling and research I learned a good rule of thumb is thirty lab hours.

If you’re using 180 hours for 1 science course then logically that means 150 hours would meet the academic course and 30 meet the lab hours.

6. Simple Lab Report

Another area I stressed about in the beginning was how to get my teens do what I call the official lab reports.

I learned that because he was not going to have a science major that I could ease up on the reports.

Sure, I wanted him to know what one was and to have some of the official experience.

However, I learned too that thoughts could be penned in a worksheet just as well and still accomplish much of the same.

Like I mentioned we did lab reports on certain labs because they were valuable in teaching my kids how to write down what they were learning, draw pictures, and label.

You don’t really have that ability with a straight worksheet.

Again, the point is you decide when you want your teen to do an official lab report and when sometimes a worksheet will work just fine.

8 Easy Homeschool Science Lab Component Resources

Next, if you have flexibility in planning labs, there are other ways to meet the lab component which are creative.

Because a lot of homeschool state laws don’t describe what counts as a lab science, you have wiggle room.

Depending on how your teen learns you can use many resources to meet science lab. Mixing and matching to add spice works best.

1. Dissection Kits and Supplies

A lot of curriculum providers provide kits which can be purchased from them, but separately from the course.

However, one of the BEST science provider through the years for me has been Home Science Tools.

Not only do they put kits together for numerous curriculum providers, they also have the best science tools and supplies for home use.

How to Easily Meet the Lab Component of Homeschool High School Science
How to Easily Meet the Lab Component of Homeschool High School Science

Also, look here at my Amazon store for more ideas for kits and supplies.

2. Videos

Although you’ll want your teen to know how to write a lab report to analyze his findings and learn from his mistakes, writing lab reports is not the only component to learning.

Many students benefit from watching videos and incorporating them as part of the lab.

Look at this site, Biologybyme which has many dissections and videos. Brainstuff is another one I love and Deep Sky Video. Deep Sky Video is amazing. And here is another super one about the human body.

The point is there is NO shortage of wonderful videos and science channels.

However, remember when choosing resources to count for high school credit your resource needs to be for a high school level. Unless your child has special needs, you want to choose videos for teens to adults.

Also, paying for a video course is a great option too. I love The Great Courses They can be a bit more, but then somebody else is also doing the teaching. That can be a good thing when you want that option for you or your teen.

3. Yes, Adult Science Coloring Books

In addition, a lot of teens love to learn by the color and/or label method. It wasn’t too long ago that science coloring books were frowned on, but hands-on education has come a long way.

Too, many of the coloring books are great reference tools and encourages students to dive deeper to learn the different parts of the science topic.

Look at Human Anatomy Coloring Book: an Entertaining and Instructive Guide to the Human Body – Bones, Muscles, Blood, Nerves and How They Work .

Too, here is Veterinary Anatomy Coloring Book. How cool!

I have MORE great science coloring books here on my Amazon storefront.

Then another choice we love as homeschoolers is to do labs with others like in a co-op.

4. Homeschool Co-ops

Homeschool co-ops which are set up to suit homeschool families instead of ran like mini private schools maintain tons of flexibility and teens love them.

Some subjects are just better learned with others. Lab science is one of those subjects my teens loved doing with others.

A co-op can be as simple as two, three or more families meeting together sharing science supplies and the best part is sharing the teaching.

If you’re not a science-minded mom, this is a great option to let your girlfriends do some of the teaching.

How to Easily Meet the Lab Component of Homeschool High School Science

5. Community College

Another option we had available in our area was doing a science at the local community college.

Teens mature at different rates and some of them enjoy taking courses or dual enrollment at colleges. Be sure to talk to the counselor at the colleges like I did.

It was very helpful to understand how they assigned credit for high school and college with a lab.

6. Virtual Labs

Next, virtual labs are another way of meeting the credit for science labs.

Remember, your teen’s science track determines if virtual labs are frowned on by colleges.

Some colleges where teens are seeking STEM careers may designate that only a certain amount of time is credited for virtual learning.

A lot of colleges want teens to have the interaction of learning hands-on, then still others may not care.

However, if there are no strict guidelines to abide by, enjoying the flexibility of adding virtual labs.

Also, look at this Experience Biology Lab Kit from Home Science Tools.

Look at some options for virtual labs and simulations.

  • VirtualLabs is a fun one about testing food for humans and animals.
  • The Biology Corner. From the site: It contains a variety of lessons, quizzes, labs, web quests, and information on science topics for all levels, including introductory life science and advanced placement biology.
  • PhET Interactive Simulations has virtual labs which you can search by grade.
  • the Science Bank. Their online dissection resources are fantastic.
  • Disease Lab.
  • The CDC has this Microbiology Series.
  • This next site, SERC, is pretty fun and helpful because it’s a year long earth science course (free) with labs.
  • ChemCollective. From the site: The ChemCollective is a collection of virtual labs, scenario-based learning activities, tutorials, and concept tests. Teachers can use our content for pre-labs, for alternatives to textbook homework, and for in-class activities for individuals or teams.

7. Field Trips Count

In addition, don’t forget to count field trips as labs too. I know some in our group counted the whole time as hours and other moms only counted the time the teen was learning, etc. Again, it’s up to you.

There are many places near you that you may not have thought of. The easiest is a museum with classes, but also we lived near a state park that offered classes outside on various topics.

I had learned about the rangers leading discussions early one when we had scavenger hunts there when the kids were little. So it was a great resource as the got older.

Don’t forget the zoo counts if your teen is leaning towards biology.

At Galveston near where we lived they had classes for ocean science and even on the beach. Even the aquarium offered classes. They’re constantly changing so I had to research each year.

Too, if you live near an estuary, it’s a great place for labs outside.

Next, remember since you’re the one in charge and fun in science doesn’t have to stop in the high school years, you’ll want to add games.

8. Science Games

If you’ve homeschooled for any length of time, you know the value of games. Not only is it a fun way to review concept, but teens love them.

The Basement Workshop Store

I love the ones from Ellen McHenry’s Basement. Also, check out her fun courses and free games.

How to Fit In Homeschool Science Labs With a Busy Schedule

Additionally, I wanted to share one more important tip to take out the struggle of how to schedule labs. With my first teen it felt like huffing and puffing to get the labs in.

However, I learned that when we did them on our own, having an all day science day worked for us.

We would basically pull out all of our supplies and do several labs in one morning or one day. Even leaving the items out overnight so we could tackle more labs the next day was good for us.

Just like I did with my kids when they were younger and we would have an all day reading day or all day history day that tip was great for high school too.

Sometimes, having a lab a week worked, but with so much on our plate it was hard to do them consistently a few years.

Doing labs with other teens at a co-op where you have a set time and an all day science days was great too.

Finally, remember labs are fun ways to test theories for a teen and to get your students thinking.

There is no one right way to teach science at the high school level or to do labs. Just relax, have fun, and fit them into your day naturally.

Look at these other helps:

  • When a Homeschooled Sophomore Struggles
  • 100 Brilliant STEM Activities Using Everyday Items
  • 41 Easy Hands-on Faith-Neutral Science Activities for Kids
  • How to Teach Science Through A Story – Middle & High School
  • Homeschooling High School: Curriculum, Credits, and Courses
  • Famous and Historic Trees Fun Nature and History Homeschool Unit Study

If you have a question, let me know. What do you like to do for your teen’s lab?

Hugs and love ya,

2 CommentsFiled Under: Homeschool Teens _ From Teen to Graduation, Homeschooling, Teach Homeschool Science Tagged With: earthscience, hands-on, hands-on activities, handsonhomeschooling, high school, high school science, homeschool highschool, homeschoolhighschool, homeschoolscience, life science, physical science, science, science lab, sciencecurriculum, teens

54+ Fun Books Turned Movies to Spark a Love For Reading

December 16, 2020 | 2 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Today, I’ve rounded up 54+ fun books turned movies to spark a love for reading.

Living in a world of visual learners, we need numerous ways to nurture their love for reading

Whether you want to do a comparison between a book to a movie or want to breathe life into language arts, you’ll love the choices here.

54+ Fun Books Turned Movies to Spark a Love For Reading

Books Turned Movies

Click on the book cover for the book link and the corresponding movie link is under it.

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children

Movie link.

Because of Winn-Dixie

Movie link.

The Swiss Family Robinson

Movie link.

Holes (Holes Series)

Movie link.

The Call of the Wild

Movie link.

Mr. Lemoncello and the Titanium Ticket

Movie link.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Movie link.

The Chronicles of Narnia

Movie link.

The Tale of Despereaux

Movie link.

Too, here are a few questions to stir your creative conversations about the movie.

I like to have a set of questions to give my kids ahead of time.

They can think about the answer while the movie is playing, then discuss afterwards.

  • What do you think is the message of the movie? Which part in the movie makes you feel that way?
  • What do you predict will happen?
  • Are there any expressions which you don’t understand?

Teaching Language Arts with Movies

Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH

Movie link.

The Black Stallion

Movie link.

Old Yeller

Movie link.

The Secret Garden

Movie link.

Harriet the Spy

Movie link.

How to Train Your Dragon

Movie link.

Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs

Movie link.

Wonder

Movie link.

Cheaper by the Dozen

Movie link.

Comparing Kids Books to Movies

Additionally, here are a few ideas if you use the book with the movie.

  • Instead of having a child write, use compare/contrast visual charts.
  • Then use a rating system. Did your child like the movie or book best? We did this while watching and realized many times we loved the book better, but not always. My kids would just down a few words for the part they either liked or didn’t on the movie, then we’d compare at the end.
  • Do a character sketch. Instead of writing about the character, have your child draw them from what they think they look like from the book. Compare their visualization with the movie.
54+ Fun Books Turned Movies to Spark a Love For Reading

Click on the book cover for the book link and the corresponding movie link is under it.

Babe: The Gallant Pig

Movie link.

Doctor Dolittle

Movie link.

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh

Movie link.

The Spiderwick Chronicles

Movie link.

James and the Giant Peach

Movie link.

Heidi

Movie link.

The Indian in the Cupboard

Movie link.

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

Movie link.

Where the Wild Things Are

Movie link.

Teaching Reading with Movies

And besides turning the caption on in movies for beginner readers which is a fun tip, here are a few other ways to teach reading with movies.

  • Look for movies which align closer to the book because I’ve found for visual learners it’s easier to remember the story.
  • Character sketches can be drawn in reading journals then write the traits.
  • Although the movie is not like an audio book, it can still be viewed like that. Have your child predict outcomes.
  • Have your child listen and watch with the closed captions for figurative expressions and new vocabulary words.

However, unlike an audio book, a movie is visual. Your child’s spelling can improve by watching the captions.

In addition, remember I have the free form, Free and Useful Editable Movie Report For Homeschool which you can use in place of a book report.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians

Movie link.

Journey to the Center of the Earth

Movie link.

The Art of Ratatouille

Movie link.

Beezus and Ramona

Movie link.

The Jungle Book

Movie link.

Maryellen: Taking Off (American Girl® Historical Characters)

Movie link.

The Bad Beginning: Or, Orphans! (A Series of Unfortunate Events,

Movie link.

The Mouse and the Motorcycle

Movie link.

The Education of Little Tree

Movie link.

Another one of my favorite resources to teach about movies and language arts is by Literary Adventures for Kids.

Check out Poetry and a Movie.

We loved doing the unit Poetry and a Movie.

54+ Fun Books Turned Movies to Spark a Love For Reading

Is The Book Better Than The Movie

Additionally, deciding whether the book or movie is better is normally a cause for great conversation in my home. 

I read one time when a book turns movie it can focus on the outside of the character while a book spends time describing what a character is on the inside. I agree.

True, some movies are better, but as a book lover overall I prefer the descriptions in books.

Click on the book cover for the book link and the corresponding movie link is under it.

Pollyanna

Movie link.

Inkheart

Movie link.

Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice

Movie link.

Peter and Wendy or Peter Pan

Movie link.

Railway Children

Movie link.

Justin Morgan Had a Horse

Movie link.

Paddle-to-the-Sea:

Movie link.

The Borrowers

Movie link.

Misty of Chincoteague

Movie link.

Appreciating Literature Through Movies

Ready Player One

Movie link.

J.R.R. Tolkien 4-Book Boxed Set: The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings

Movie link.

Fantastic Mr. Fox

Movie link.

Anne of Green Gables

Movie link.

The Princess Bride

Movie link.

Mary Poppins Boxed Set

Movie link.

A Bear Called Paddington

Movie link.

The Incredible Journey

Movie link.

My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George

Movie link.

Homeschooling with Netflix

Next, I have this list too of books turned movies which can be found on Netflix.

  • There is a series of Unfortunate Events.
  • Anne Frank.
  • The Lorax
  • Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs 2.
  • Pride & Prejudice.
  • The Indian in the Cupboard
  • War Horse
  • Mowgli from The Jungle Book
  • White Fang
  • The Cat in the Hat
  • Jurassic Park
  • Green Eggs and Ham
  • Benji
  • Les Miserables
  • Richie Rich
  • E.T.
  • Fiddler on the Roof
  • Magic School Bus
  • Chicken Little

Another fun resource you’ll love to get is the guide to use Movies as Literature. It’s very comprehensive.

Lastly, the list above is by no means complete, but it has many different levels of books turned movies; I know you’ll find one or two to interest your kids.

I think you’ll love these other resources:

  • Best Homeschool High School Literature Suggestions For Teens
  • 12 of the Best Books For Beginner Readers Being Homeschooled
  • How to Easily Add Language Arts to Homeschool Unit Studies (& Resources)
  • Free and Useful Editable Movie Report For Homeschool
  • How to Choose the Best Middle School Literature And Favorite Resources
  • 20 Ideas for Bringing Writing Alive through Unit Studies
  • What You’ve Got To Know About Teaching Reading Comprehension
  • When Should I Start Teaching Spelling in Homeschool?

Do you have a favorite book turned movie?

2 CommentsFiled Under: Be an Exceptional Homeschool Teacher, Do Unit Studies, Homeschool Multiple Ages of Children, Homeschool Simply, Homeschool Teens _ From Teen to Graduation, Homeschool When Nobody Wants To, Middle School Homeschool, Reading Lists, Teach Homeschool Language Arts, Teach Homeschool Science, Teach Unit Studies Tagged With: homeschool, homeschoolreading, language arts, languagearts, movies, read aloud, reading, reading journal, readingcomprehension

How to Build Elementary Homeschool Curriculum Directly From Amazon

July 11, 2020 | 1 Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

How to build elementary homeschool curriculum directly from Amazon is easier than you think.

Whether you’ve homeschooled from the beginning or suddenly have been thrown into homeschooling, you’ll love the flexibility of being able to choose from Amazon.

I love supporting vendors who sell homeschool curriculum, but in person conventions did not happen everywhere this year because of the pandemic.

How to Build Elementary Homeschool Curriculum Directly From Amazon

Having an option to build your elementary homeschool curriculum is vital and I made this easy for you by creating lists in my Amazon store.

Also, I have options for middle and high school. Click here for How to Build High School Curriculum Directly From Amazon and here for How to Build Middle School Curriculum Directly From Amazon.

Elementary Homeschool Curriculum Directly From Amazon

First, the essential subjects that you want to teach in the elementary years are language arts, math, history and science.

Of course this doesn’t mean these are the only ones, but those four are the basis for a solid foundation.

Too, in the elementary years one-to-one tutoring does not take as long as the academic load that homeschooled kids in the upper grades carry. While it’s true a younger child may need more breaks, the workload is still pretty flexible in the elementary years and you have time to add other subjects for enrichment.

Now that you understand the 4 BIG ones as I call them, you also need to know how to break down language arts components.

Here are the components of language arts and based on your child’s age, ability, or level, you need to decide which ones he will need to do.

  • Reading. This includes reading aloud.
  • Phonics. Normally you want to do this until about 4th grade.
  • Spelling. Phonics is the precursor to spelling. Don’t be so quick to teach formal spelling because a child needs input first which phonics does.
  • Penmanship (no this is not composition). This is just what it means, learning how to write. It’s done in the early grades.
  • Composition comes after penmanship and it is about teaching a child how to compose his thoughts.
  • Grammar. Normally you start this in the second or third grade.

Language Arts Curriculum from Amazon

Keep in mind the subjects you cover in the elementary grades are just a rule of thumb.

Because kids can be all over the place on levels, I am giving you the big picture so you know how to choose.

It’s worrisome to not know which subjects to introduce and when to introduce them. I want you to be in the know.

So look at the subjects below based on grade level.

  • If your child is at grades 1 or 2, you want to choose a reading program, a phonics program, and a writing program.
  • If you child is at grades 3 to 4, you want to choose a reading program, a phonics program, a spelling program, a writing program or composition program and a grammar program.
  • If your child is at grades 5 to 6, you want to choose a reading program, a composition program, a spelling program, and a grammar program.
  • Science and history can be as easy as reading a book in the earlier grades and then progress to taking more time like from 3rd grade on.

Curriculum from Amazon

Also, to be sure you’ve covered the bases for subjects, use my checklist for curriculum resources below

You can download an editable copy over at STEP 5A of my free 7 Step Homeschool Planner.

Additionally, I have this super helpful post How to Know What A Homeschooled Child Should Learn Yearly.

Now, look at lists I’ve created for you to give you choices on the different variety of curriculum.

By using the guideline above where I explain what to choose in each grade, you’ll be sure you won’t miss any vital curriculum for a grade.

  • If you’re teaching a new reader, choose a phonics program from the Elementary – Phonics (Up to 4th Grade) List and beginning readers from the Elementary – Teaching Reading & Beginner Readers.
  • Click here for the Elementary Spelling List.
  • Click here for the Elementary – Writing (Penmanship OR Composition) List.
  • Look at this Elementary – Reading List to get you started. Pick a few books along with what your child is reading for history and science and you have an excellent reading program.

Homeschool History and Science from Amazon

In addition, history and science are considered core subjects in some states.

Here is the Elementary – History & Geography List and here is the Elementary – Science List.

After you add the Big Four core subjects, you can add other subjects. By starting with the Big Four, you know that you have the essentials covered.

If you have many learners under the age of 7 or 8, then covering the Big Four for the day is solid. As your little ones get older and as you have time, you can add other subjects which interest your kids.

Sometimes lesson plans can be too lofty for the elementary ages, but remember play is still a huge part of the learning day too. There is no need to fill your day with too many subjects.

How to Build Elementary Homeschool Curriculum Directly From Amazon

The Big Four subjects a.k.a. language arts, math, science and history are the same ones all the way to High School. There is a lot of years to cover those subjects so include plenty of hands-on activities too.

Elementary Homeschool Curriculum

Look at these other tips I have for you:

  • How to Build Middle School Curriculum Directly From Amazon
  • 20 Nature-Inspired Kids’ Novels to Nurture Interest In the Outdoors
  • 6 Boy Approved Books Which Spark the Love of Reading
  • 6 Tricks for the Kid That’s NOT in Love with Reading!
  • How To Get Your First Homeschooled Child Reading
  • 10 Fun Things You Can Teach Using Geronimo Stilton Books
  • Homeschool Colorful Reading Journal to Motivate Kids
  • 3 Ways to Choose the BEST Writing Curriculum (for a Growing Homeschool Family)
How to Build Elementary Homeschool Curriculum Directly From Amazon

The beauty of choosing curriculum directly from Amazon is that you not only can meet your kids’ needs, but also meet state guidelines if you have them.

You’re off to a great start this year!

1 CommentFiled Under: Choose Curriculum, Homeschool Simply, Kick Off Your Homeschool Year, Lesson Plan, Teach Homeschool Math, Teach Homeschool Science, Teach/Which Subjects to Teach/Cover EVERYTHING Tagged With: curriculum, cursive, elementary, homeschoolreading, language arts, languagearts, math, phonics, reading

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