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Middle School Homeschool

7 Best Budget-Friendly Homeschool Language Arts Curriculum

May 30, 2026 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I have 7 best budget-friendly homeschool language arts ideas to pair with your unit studies.

Through the years, I’ve given the same long-standing advice. Spend first what money you have budgeted for curriculum on the core subjects. They are essential to a well-rounded education.

7 Best Budget-Friendly Homeschool Language Arts Curriculum

This is a sponsored post for Homeschool Buyers Co-op and I was paid for my time. However, paid for my time does not mean paid off. All opinions are my own and for sure I will always tell you what is on my mind. Read my full disclosure here.

And its reading in the younger grades and literature in the older grades. Too, grammar and writing are vital pieces of a homeschool language arts program.

And it can become expensive quickly when you’re implementing the unit study approach using an all-in-one language arts program.

So, I was excited to share some budget-friendly homeschool language arts curriculum options.


Breaking down the language arts components worked best for me because like most kids, they are ahead in one subject and may need more time on another.

Mapping Out the Components of Language Arts

Picking and choosing the individual parts of a homeschool language arts program gives you a customized curriculum.

It’s a better match for your child’s learning style and a better value when you have a limited dollar amount to get exactly what you need.

►VOCABULARY

For vocabulary, I always try to pull words from what we’re reading about in our unit studies. Reading words in that context and using them in everyday speech is the best way to master them.

But I used the printed version of Wordly Wise 3000 with Mr. Senior to be sure I exposed him to word study as a way to enhance our unit studies. Kids can master more words than we think they can, and to cripple their vocabulary with limited vocabulary instruction can be detrimental.

Lessons don’t have to be long, but they should be comprehensive. Using Wordly Wise 3000, I can expand lessons or cut back according to each son’s need.

    1. WORDLY WISE

    Although I know Wordly Wise 3000 touts that the audio feature is great for struggling readers, I think it’s great for independent learners. I don’t have to supervise my sons to see if they are correctly pronouncing a word.

    I know you’ll love it if you’re looking for an interactive vocabulary program that is not boring.

    2. LITERATURE ADVENTURES FOR KIDS

    Then, literature adventures for kids is my VERY favorite stand-alone self-paced online language arts program. Pair a great book with your unit study.

    Are you a busy, sweet, overwhelmed homeschooler craving a consistent, dependable language arts curriculum that adds a little enchantment to your homeschool? We help homeschoolers just like you reclaim their time and reduce stress with our open-and-go courses that turn every lesson into an adventure

    ►READING OR LITERATURE

    When I started making my own unit studies, I would get a gallon size ziploc bag and put the book and literature guide together in one bag.

    3. PROGENY PRESS LITERATURE GUIDES

    Then, I would mark the reading level on the bag and organize them for the year, and I started off using printed versions of Progeny Press Literature Guides.

    7 Best Budget-Friendly Homeschool Language Arts Curriculum

    Too, I would even unfasten the literature guide so I could add just the pages that my boys needed to do for that year.

    HOMESCHOOL LANGUAGE ARTS

    I printed what I needed that year with one son, and printed a different page or pages needed for another year.

    Now, the guides are interactive which means you don’t have to print; a child can type his answers directly into the document. That is a nifty time-saving tip for a high school teen with a rigorous academic load or a reluctant writer. But sometimes we like to hold our paper in hand so we print. And I still like pairing specific lessons on pages to themes in my unit studies.

    Look at a few things they offer:

    • FOUR LEVELS – Lower Elementary for Grades K-4, Upper Elementary for Grades 3-5, Middle School for Grades 5-8, and High School for Grades 9-12
    • 100+ TITLE CHOICES – We’ve put together SIX different 5-pack bundle choices for you! YOU CHOOSE your wish list from OVER 100 TITLE CHOICES! Choose from excellent reading titles such as Beowulf (*NEW*), The Eagle of the Ninth (*NEW*), Charlotte’s Web, Anne of Green Gables, The Island of the Blue Dolphins, The Secret Garden, The Hobbit, Julius Caesar, Macbeth, Pride and Prejudice, The Screwtape Letters, To Kill A Mockingbird, and MANY, MANY MORE!

    ►GRAMMAR

    Grammar is a tool to best apply while writing so I’ve always kept it a separate subject. But grammar is also just the rules of any language. Teaching rules shouldn’t be complicated. Short lessons are best, which is why Analytical Grammar works.

    4. ANALYTICAL GRAMMAR

    In my beginning years, I used a grammar program which combined complex writing assignments with grammar.

    After homeschooling another 5 years, I realized that a grammar program should focus only on explaining grammar rules without time-consuming composition assignments as the only way to learn them.

    Yes, writing assignments are a great way to illustrate grammar rules, but shorter is better.

    Besides, I needed a grammar curriculum which would give me the flexibility to pull writing themes from topics that piqued my boys’ interest in our current unit study. More important, I wanted a program that helped us to use words in a way that conformed to the rules of grammar. I wished I would have used Analytical Grammar, for grades 4-12 earlier, but I’m glad I hopped on board when I did.

    ►WRITING OR COMPOSITION

    Next, identifying a writing program which was engaging for my sons and took them incrementally through the writing process was not easy. Institute for Excellence in Writing, for grades K-12 was our answer.

    Melding Homeschool Language Arts and Unit Studies

    It was a huge load of stress off after separating grammar and composition when I started using Institute for Excellence in Writing, grades K-12.

    7 Best Budget-Friendly Homeschool Language Arts Curriculum

    As you can see in the picture above, the boys were working on our FBI unit study. Dad was helping the boys make a crystal radio after they wrote about it.

    However, their essay followed the writing model learned in Institute for Excellence in Writing or (IEW). IEW makes it easy to choose your own topics to write about or they have writing topics for your children to choose.

    What I liked the most is that although grammar and writing are inextricably linked, it’s important to not overwhelm beginner writers.

    5. INSTITUTE FOR EXCELLENCE IN WRITING (IEW)

    The veteran teaching tip is to make one skill or the other the focus at different times. IEW explained grammar while keeping the focus on writing and modeling to my sons how to compose their ideas.

    7 Best Budget-Friendly Homeschool Language Arts Curriculum

    Here is how IEW works: It takes a unique approach provides the structure that students need to develop confidence in the writing process, while gradually guiding them toward greater independence and creativity.

    They will learn nine structural models (note taking, writing paragraphs, stories, simple reports, writing from pictures, research reports, creative writing, essays, and critiques) to help them organize any type of composition.

    ►READING OR LITERATURE

    Then, buying living history literature guides gives me a two for one deal.

    Not only do I use living literature in my unit studies as a topic or theme, but it counts as the reading or literature aspect of the three Rs. Buying living history literature helps me to keep homeschooling affordable.

    6. BEAUTIFUL FEET BOOKS (HISTORY & LITERATURE)

    With living history literature by Beautiful Feet Books.

    Remember, since this is living literature, the vocabulary is not simplified, and it may be harder for some kids.

    Though I school for Biblical reasons, I don’t think you have to teach about it in every book.

    I do try to choose living history books which have a good story line, are intriguing, have a challenging reading level, include details about the time period, and can be easily implemented in a unit study which builds character without feeling preachy.

    It’s a lot to ask for in a book. I’m selective, but I love starting with Beautiful Feet Books.

    ►REVIEW AND ENRICHMENT

    Then I hear about the fear of gaps when doing unit studies. Having a way to fill in gaps or shore up weaknesses is a great feature of IXL Language Arts Practice, which is for grades K-12.

    You probably heard of their math, but their language arts is equally practical.

    7. IXL LANGUAGE ARTS PRACTICE

    Look at what they offer: IXL makes the world of words come alive with fun visuals and interactive questions. Build great writers through playful skills that pique students’ curiosity about language!  

    Then this next deal, which is Discovery Education, for grades K-12 is the one I’m about to pull the trigger on because we love media with our unit studies.

    8. DISCOVERY EDUCATION

    But did you know it’s so much more? It covers every content area.

    Look at what you get:

    It’s easy to see why homeschoolers rave about Discovery Education Streaming Plus and probably the most extensive and feature-rich educational video streaming service in the world.

    But it’s not just a collection of videos that you can watch from beginning to end. This library has been organized into useable video clips, organized and categorized, close-captioned, and supplemented with lesson plans, teaching guides, interactive simulations, images, audio resources, and other resources and materials that you can incorporate into virtually every aspect of your homeschool curriculum.

    What a comprehensive way to enrich a unit study with so many features like audio books, self-paced training, images, games and the ability to customize lessons at your fingertips.

    When you’ve chosen curriculum which gives your child a solid foundation in language arts and covers the significant areas, you can spend more time planning the fun part of unit studies.

    MORE HOMESCHOOL LANGUAGE ARTS RESOURCES

    • Enhance Your Language Arts Kindergarten Curriculum with Free Flip Books
    • How to Easily Add Language Arts to Homeschool Unit Studies (& Resources)
    • 24 Borderline Genius Ways To Relieve Language Arts Boredom 
    • 20 Ideas for Bringing Writing Alive through Unit Studies
    • How to Choose the BEST Homeschool Middle and High School Language Arts Curriculum & Options
    • Free Middle and High School Homeschool Language Arts
    • Letting Go of the Homeschool Language Arts Stranglehold

    How to Buy It

    Products:

    ►Grammar: Analytical Grammar for grades 4-12.

    ► Self-Paced Language Arts for all grades: Literature Adventures for Kids

    ►Literature Guides: Progeny Press Literature Guides, pdf format, grades K-12

    ►
    Vocabulary: Wordly Wise 3000

    ►Composition or Writing: Institute for Excellence in Writing, grades K-12

    ►
    Review and Enrichment:

    Video Streaming: Discovery Education grades K-12

    Language Arts Review: IXL Language Arts Practice, grades K-12

    ►Reading or Literature:

    Living History Literature: Living History literature by Beautiful Feet Books


    Also, look at these other homeschool articles to help you.

    5 Best Resources to Start a Homeschool Unit Study in a Few Hours, 24 Borderline Genius Ways To Relieve Language Arts Boredom and Unfolding of a Homeschool Unit Study – An Easy Mnemonic { I-SIP}.

    Don’t forget to follow BOTH of my Pinterest accounts for AWESOME pins.

    Visit Tina Robertson’s profile on Pinterest.


    Visit Tinas Dynamic Homeschool ‘s profile on Pinterest.

    Leave a CommentFiled Under: Choose Curriculum, Homeschool Curriculum Review, Homeschool Simply, Homeschool Teens _ From Teen to Graduation, Homeschooling, Middle School Homeschool, Product Review, Sponsored Posts, Teach Homeschool Language Arts, Teach/Which Subjects to Teach/Cover EVERYTHING Tagged With: language arts, languagearts, reading, reasonstohomeschool, spelling, writing

    How to Teach Science Through A Story – Middle & High School

    May 28, 2026 | 120 Comments
    This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

    When you teach science through a story that is powerful. Using storytelling as a powerful teacher is not a new concept to homeschoolers. Also, look at my page Homeschool Middle School,  How to Homeschool High School and How to Choose the Right Homeschool High School Science pages for more fun tips.

    Not only do we love reading stories but we understand their power to captivate and convince readers.

    How to Teach Science Through A Story - Middle & High School

    I stalked the mailman waiting for these books from Beautiful Feet Books. I was given this product free, and I was compensated for my time. However, paid for my time does not mean paid off or that a company will receive a glowing review. I don’t roll that way. ALL opinions are my own and for sure I will always tell you what is on my mind. When I do accept a product it’s because I’m giddy to tell you about it. Read my full disclosure here. Now on to the fun stuff!

    However, until I started using Beautiful Feet Books I wasn’t so confident that teaching science through a story or through biographies would benefit my kids all the way through to high school.

    First, I need to back up and explain what curriculum we’ve been poring over.

    For the past couple of months, it has been a delight to use the History of Science. (update: This curriculum has now been retired but the approach is timeless.) I leave my thoughts here for you.

    I knew it was geared toward the 3rd to 7th grade level.

    But we were over the top excited to ditch the science textbook and learn the history of science through living literature.

    Besides, science biographies can be used for older kids.

    History of Science Living Literature

    In addition, I had already figured out that my worksheet approach, as academic and bookish as it sounds, didn’t work because my boys retained lessons better using a learn-by-doing approach.

    Next, early on in my homeschooling journey, I had stumbled upon Early American History with my then first kindergartner.

    After using it with him, I learned that other equally important elements which stir a child’s thinking are living literature and absorbing history through a story.

    There has not been a more enriching way to teach him or my other sons to high school than a literature-based approach.

    What I’m saying is that storytelling, learning-by-doing, and living literature are inextricably linked.

    Using those same elements while teaching science are the same ones used in teaching the History of Science and used for teaching an older child.

    7 Creative Ways to Adapt Curriculum for Older Homeschooled Kids

    Learning how to adapt a multiple age curriculum for upper grades can be challenging, but look at some ways I did this with the features of History of Science.

    They are the same tips I used with my sons all the way through middle school and into high school.

    How to Teach Science Through A Story - Middle & High School
    • With a yearlong program geared toward 3rd to 7th grade, there is a lot of room to allow exploring topics in more depth. Using a yearlong program is key.
    • Even though the biographies are geared toward a lower reading level, they are likable by an older child. Many essay points can be gleaned from each biography. For example, previous to studying this curriculum, we hadn’t researched much about George Washington Carver. Reading about this American Pioneer and his many uses of peanuts made for a fun rabbit trail or research project. Even though your younger kids can join in the project to list the many uses of peanuts, I had Tiny delve deeper into this since it piqued his interest. I required that he explain the history of the peanut. I had questions like what is the history of the peanut, why was Carver encouraging farmers during the American Civil War to break away from cultivating just cotton, and explain the growing process of the peanut. For example, he had to know that it wasn’t a peanut at all but a seed and understand that the boll weevil could devastate cotton crops.
    • Another fascinating point to glean from the History of Science is understanding and seeing science through the eyes of great scientists. We use this concept for history all the time. We want to learn history through the eyes of a character who lived in a particular time period. Learning science through biographies of Archimedes, Leonardo da Vinci, Galileo, Sir Isaac Newton, Marie Curie, George Washington Carver, Wright Brothers and Albert Einstein keeps kids equally inspired to learn about the wonders of science instead of dry, boring facts.
    How to Teach Science Through A Story - Middle & High School
    • In addition, with many notebook pages, vocabulary words, and hands-on ideas the study guide is just that. It’s a springboard for you to use and add your own ideas.A guide on the other hand gives me a nudge or jump to another teaching concept that my son is interested in.
    • After I abandoned my wrong and stereotypical view that hands-on learning means no learning at all, I’ve been touting for years how hands-on learning needs to be used through to high school. The best books have been culled through and selected for easy hands-on activity that can be used for a variety of ages. Not only did we start our science portfolio notebook, but we did many hands-on learning activities like this one Day 4. Ancient Greece (Hands-on Science) 3 EASY Activities, ice cutting, and writing the Greek alphabet.
    How to Teach Science Through A Story - Middle & High School
    • One more fun way to engage older kids through a story is to let them learn through a timeline. A timeline is a visual and natural way to learn. Kids can race ahead and place figures on a timeline while they read about scientific discoveries, events, and biographies. This is another key benefit to this curriculum. The timeline can stand on its own. It can be used completely separate. Instead of quickly placing the key events or scientists in order, challenge your older kids to learn about them before seeing the dates. Which significant event happened first, next and so on? Your middle school kids can memorize the events in order. It’ll give your kids foundational pegs as they fill in with more information with each time period.
    • Another tip that makes this curriculum especially useful to me is that it has scientists from different time periods. It’s organized into 3 parts that coincide with history, which are Ancient Scientists, Medieval & Renaissance Scientists, and Modern Scientists. I can easily add one section in depth this year and come back to this resource another year to focus on a different time period.
    • One last tip I do is to completely turn the teaching guide and everything over to my older kid. When you’re finished with the younger kids, let your middle or high school kid work through the lessons at their pace or at their will. For example, Tiny skipped all over the place when it came to reading and what interested him. That is such a liberating feeling for any learner and it’s the way to encourage independent learning. A lot of Beautiful Feet Books curriculum can be used that way, which is why I’ve been a user for a long time and couldn’t be more pleased.

    The last thing I know you want to know about is whether it’s Christian or secular. I guess that depends on your definition of those two concepts.

    It’s easier to tell you that it’s very friendly toward both type of views which I appreciate.

    10 Resources to Teach Science Through a Story

    Books of any level can be read and used in depth to create a science curriculum. Adding hands-on resources like a timeline and activities help too.

    Image for The Picture History of Great Inventors

    The Picture History of Great Inventors

    Have you ever wondered who invented the calculator? Or what the first map of the world was made of? Or how lasers work?Here is an entertaining and fact-packed introduction to the great inventors of the world and their inventions. Follow the lives and work of over 50 major innovators as you set off on a journey from the earliest inventions in recorded history to the most recent developments in science and technology. Colorful, decade-by-decade catalog of the world's greatest inventors. Illustrated with 800+ drawings, and bursting with facts, Great Inventors celebrates ingenuity of people throughout the ages. Fascinating read for those curious about the notable, and not so notable, technical achievements that have shaped our lives.

    Image for Starry Messenger: Galileo Galilei

    Starry Messenger: Galileo Galilei

    In every age there are courageous people who break with tradition to explore new ideas and challenge accepted truths. Galileo Galilei was just such a man--a genius--and the first to turn the telescope to the skies to map the heavens. In doing so, he offered objective evidence that the earth was not the fixed center of the universe but that it and all the other planets revolved around the sun. Galileo kept careful notes and made beautiful drawings of all that he observed. Through his telescope he brought the starts down to earth for everyone to see.

    Image for Archimedes and the Door of Science

    Archimedes and the Door of Science

    Jeanne Bendick, through text and pictures, admirably succeeds in bringing to life the ancient Greek mathematician who enriched mathematics and all branches of science. Against the backdrop of Archimedes' life and culture, the author discusses the man's work, his discoveries and the knowledge later based upon it. The simple, often humorous, illustrations and diagrams greatly enhance the text.

    Image for The Way Science Works

    The Way Science Works

    The perfect introduction to how science explains the world around us! Eye-opening experiments and exceptional photography bring science to life. Discover science in action from the principles that explain everyday occurrences to the theories behind the technology in today's fast-moving world. Test the theories in more than 100 hands-on projects. Next-generation visuals and cutting-edge content help illuminate key scientific developments. Packed full of facts about famous scientists, technology newsflashes, and more. An exciting way to keep ahead of the curriculum and discover science for yourself.

    Image for George Washington Carver: A Picture Book Biography

    George Washington Carver: A Picture Book Biography

    Shampoo from peanuts? Wallpaper from clay? Ink from sweet potatoes? With imagination and innovation, George Washington Carver (1864–1934) developed hundreds of unexpected products from everyday plants.Carver was an exceptionally uncommon man: trailblazing scholar, innovative scientist, pioneering conservationist, and impassioned educator. This book follows his life from enslaved orphan to his student days as the first African American to attend Iowa State College (where he later taught) and on to his work in the field of agriculture. Illustrated with historical photographs, and published with The Field Museum, Chicago, the book traces Carver’s life, discoveries, and legacy.

    Image for The Wright Brothers for Kids: How They Invented the Airplane, 21 Activities Exploring the Science and History of Flight

    The Wright Brothers for Kids: How They Invented the Airplane, 21 Activities Exploring the Science and History of Flight

    This activity book tells the amazing true story of how two bicycle-making brothers from Ohio, with no more than high-school educations, accomplished a feat that forever changed the world. At a time when most people still hadn’t ridden in an automobile, Wilbur and Orville Wright built the first powered, heavier-than-air flying machine. Woven throughout the heartwarming story of the two brothers are activities that highlight their ingenuity and problem-solving abilities as they overcame many obstacles to achieve controlled flight. The four forces of flight—lift, thrust, gravity, and drag—and how the Wright brothers mastered them are explained in clear, simple text. Activities include making a Chinese flying top, building a kite, bird watching, and designing a paper glider, and culminate with an activity in which readers build a rubber-band-powered flyer. Included are photographs just released from the Wright brothers’ personal collection, along with diagrams and illustrations. The history of human flight and its pioneers, a time line, and a complete resource section for students are also provided.

    Image for Leonardo da Vinci: An Orbis Pictus Award-Winning Biography About the Renaissance Artist and Inventor

    Leonardo da Vinci: An Orbis Pictus Award-Winning Biography About the Renaissance Artist and Inventor

    In this magnificent addition to a distinguished series that includes Cleopatra, Joan of Arc, and Bard of Avon: The Story of William Shakespeare, award-winning author-artist Diane Stanley blends wonderful storytelling with gorgeous illustrations to convey the stunning scope of Leonardo da Vinci's genius in a book that has won many awards and earned two starred reviews. This nonfiction picture book is an excellent choice to share during homeschooling, in particular for children ages 6 to 8. It’s a fun way to learn to read and as a supplement for activity books for children.

    Image for Early American History Timeline
    Photo Credit: bfbooks.com

    Early American History Timeline

    This collection features 28 illustrations of key events and figures from 1000 to the Thirteenth Amendment in 1865. Notable milestones like the Declaration of Independence and the Abolitionist Movement are depicted, with figures such as the Founding Fathers, Harriet Tubman, and Frederick Douglass.Students can color, cut, and paste the images onto card stock strips, creating a personal visual timeline. It’s a great way for students to showcase what they’ve learned throughout the year.

    Image for Marie Curie for Kids: Her Life and Scientific Discoveries, with 21 Activities and Experiments (65)

    Marie Curie for Kids: Her Life and Scientific Discoveries, with 21 Activities and Experiments (65)

    Marie Curie, nicknamed “Manya” by her family, reveled in reading, learning, and exploring nature as a girl growing up in her native Poland. She went on to become one of the world's most famous scientists. Curie’s revolutionary discoveries over several decades created the field of atomic physics, and Curie herself coined the word radioactivity. She was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize and the first person ever to win in two different fields—chemistry and physics.

    Image for Isaac Newton: A Life From Beginning to End (Biographies of Physicists)

    Isaac Newton: A Life From Beginning to End (Biographies of Physicists)

    Isaac Newton seemed to be a most unwanted child of the world. Ignored by his mother, scorned by contemporaries, seemingly at war with the world in which he lived, Newton turned his energies to things unseen. His laws of motion and law of universal gravitation would set the stage for a most extraordinary life.

    While it has some parts that ask your child to write a Bible verse, you can leave it, use it, or add your own. That part shows they support a Christian view.

    However, their goal with their curriculum is to leave it up to you as the parent to add your worldview.

    Using storytelling as a powerful teacher is not a new concept to homeschoolers. Not only do we love reading stories but we understand their power to captivate and convince readers. However, until I wasn’t so confident that teaching science through stories works for all ages of my kids. Click here to read 7 creative ways to teach older kids!

    I can say it’s more easily done with this curriculum than many I use which saturate their curriculum with their Christian or secular worldview and makes it almost impossible to tweak.

    If you’re wanting to use curriculum that teaches science through storytelling with a focus on hands-on learning by using a part unit study approach and part Charlotte Mason, you’ll love this curriculum like I do.

    Read about the other curriculum I’ve used here at Early American and World History which is not available anymore, but it is now two separate levels and revamped, the Medieval History Sr. High levels and Medieval Intermediate Pack.

    How to Purchase It.

    ►Product Name: History of Science
    ►Website: Beautiful Feet Books – BFBooks
    ► Don’t Miss: The Getting Started page. It’s been such a helpful guide for me through the years.
    ►Type of product: These is a physical product but the study guide is available as a digital download too. From their site: Our newly revised and updated History of Science is a popular and exciting read-aloud approach to the study of science! Rebecca’s course uses biographies to tell the life stories of famous scientists like Archimedes, Galileo, Leonardo da Vinci, Marie Curie, George Washington Carver, Einstein, and others as well as hands-on experiments to prove the scientists’ theories and test their discoveries. An enriching way to introduce biology, chemistry, and physics. For grades 3-7, this one-year study will cover basic scientific principles and the history of scientific study beginning in ancient Greece and continuing through the 1990s. Contains 85 lessons, dozens of experiments, lab reports, and much more.

    120 CommentsFiled Under: Choose Curriculum, Free Homeschool Resources, Graduate a Homeschooler, Hands-On Activities, Homeschool Curriculum Review, Homeschool Teens _ From Teen to Graduation, Middle School Homeschool, Notebooking Pages, Other Unit Studies, Science, Teach Homeschool Science Tagged With: freeprintables, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, high school, livingbooks, middleschool, science, teens

    Science Books for Middle School: An Easy Guide for Parents

    December 5, 2025 | Leave a Comment
    This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

    When choosing science books for middle school, I like a good mix of textbooks and living books. Also, look at my page How to Successfully Homeschool Middle School for more ideas.

    Besides choosing the right science books for your middle school kid can feel overwhelming, biology here, physics there, and suddenly you’re drowning in options. However, with the right mix of engaging reads, hands-on resources, and go-to references, science can become one of the most exciting parts of your homeschool.

    Science Books for Middle School: An Easy Guide for Parents

    Additionally, science doesn’t have to be intimidating. With the right resources, students can feel confident exploring everything from microscopic cells to distant galaxies. The goal isn’t just to cover content, it’s to encourage curiosity, critical thinking, and a lifelong love for discovering how the world works.

    And as with the rest of homeschooling, science should be taught to your child’s learning style and interests to have the most significant impact.

    For example, this might mean including science comics (yes, they have those), a Minecraft-themed science notebook, AND a textbook on human anatomy and physiology.

    Too, this guide will help you understand what science topics are typically taught in middle school and how different types of books-from textbooks to living books-can support your child’s growing curiosity.

    WHAT SCIENCE IS USUALLY TAUGHT IN MIDDLE SCHOOL

    Next, middle school is a time when students move from simple observation to deeper investigation. Many curricula cycle through the major branches of science during grades 6–8, providing students with a foundation in several topics.

    Let’s break those down and see what is generally taught in 6th-8th grade.

    Earth & Space Science- This branch taps into big, awe-inspiring questions and natural systems.
    Topics often include:

    • Earth’s layers and plate tectonics
    • Rocks, minerals, and soil
    • Weather vs. climate
    • Water cycle
    • Oceans and marine life
    • Sun, Moon, and planets
    • Stars, galaxies, and the universe
    Science Books for Middle School: An Easy Guide for Parents

    Earth and space science gives middle school kids a sense of scale, how enormous the universe is, yet how precisely our planet is designed.

    Physical Science (Chemistry and Physics Foundations)- This is usually the most “hands-on” science for middle school.

     Topics often include:

    • Matter and its states
    • Atoms, molecules, and introductory chemistry
    • Chemical reactions
    • Forces and motion
    • Simple machines
    • Energy forms (light, heat, sound, electrical)
    • Newton’s laws

    Physical science introduces cause and effect, helping students understand why things behave the way they do.

    Scientific Inquiry & the Nature of Science

    Topics often  include:

    • Drawing conclusions
    • Asking questions and defining problems
    • Forming hypotheses
    • Designing experiments
    • Collecting and analyzing data

    MORE MIDDLE SCHOOL BOOK LISTS

    • 3 Tips for Raising Homeschooled Middle School Book Lovers
    • 11 Best Science Fiction Books For Middle Schoolers
    • How to Put Together a Middle School Nature Study With Book List
    • Free Middle School Science Curriculum and Magazines
    • Human Body Books for Middle and High School Homeschooled Kids

    MIDDLE SCHOOL SCIENCE BOOKS

    Finally, look at these fun books I’ve rounded up.

    10 Science Books for Middle School

    While not an exhaustive list, here is a good start on all three types of books to fill your bookshelves and offer your 6-8th graders brain food.

    Image for Everything You Need to Ace Science in One Big Fat Notebook: The Complete Middle School Study Guide

    Everything You Need to Ace Science in One Big Fat Notebook: The Complete Middle School Study Guide

    The BIG FAT NOTEBOOK™ series is built on a simple and irresistible conceit—borrowing the notes from the smartest kid in class. There are five books in all, and each is the only book you need for each main subject taught in middle school: Math, Science, American History, English Language Arts, and World History. Inside the reader will find every subject’s key concepts, easily digested and summarized: Critical ideas highlighted in neon colors. Definitions explained. Doodles that illuminate tricky concepts in marker. Mnemonics for memorable shortcuts. And quizzes to recap it all.

    Image for The Science Chef: 100 Fun Food Experiments and Recipes for Kids

    The Science Chef: 100 Fun Food Experiments and Recipes for Kids

    What melts in your mouth and not in your hands, plumps when youcook it, and comes in more than forty-eight scrumptious flavors?Give up? The correct answer is: Science!With The Science Chef you'll learn loads of basic science by doingfun, easy-to-perform cooking projects. And you get to eat theresults when you're finished!Why do onions make you cry? How does yeast make bread rise? Whatmakes popcorn pop, whipped cream frothy, and angel food cakefluffy? You'll discover the scientific answers to these and dozensof other tasty mysteries when you prepare kid-tested recipes foreverything from Cinnamon Toast and Basic Baked Potatoes toStromboli Pizzoli and Monkey Bread.Whether you're a beginner or an experienced cook, you can become agreat Science Chef. All 100 experiments and recipes require onlycommon ingredients and standard kitchen utensils. And The ScienceChef includes rules for kitchen safety and cleanup, plus a completenutrition guide.

    Image for The Physics of Popcorn (Curious World of Kitchen Science)

    The Physics of Popcorn (Curious World of Kitchen Science)

    Learn how the microwave oven works, conduct experiments with static electricity, and discover the truth about toast!

    Image for The Kingfisher Science Encyclopedia

    The Kingfisher Science Encyclopedia

    Science is vital for every inhabitant of today’s world, and being scientifically informed and literate is a crucial part of any child’s education. Science can seem daunting –- especially as scientific knowledge advances so quickly –- and this volume is the perfect purchase for any family. It will bear repeated use by all the family from 10+ through the teenage years.Fully updated for this new 4th edition with the very latest facts and data; clear text and more than 1000 photos and illustrations will inform and amaze.

    Image for How to Survive Middle School: Science: A Do-It-Yourself Study Guide

    How to Survive Middle School: Science: A Do-It-Yourself Study Guide

    Learning is an adventure both inside and outside of the classroom with the How to Survive Middle School study guide series!These colorful, highly visual books cover all the essential info kids need to ace important middle school classes. Large topics are broken down into easy-to-digest chunks, and reflective questions help kids check understanding and become critical thinkers.Written by middle school teachers and vetted by curriculum experts, thisseries is the perfect school supplement or homeschool resource—and a great way to help create independent learners.

    Image for The Chemistry of Cola

    The Chemistry of Cola

    Get ready to play (and learn) with your food! Discover the truth about the problems with plastic and recycling, learn how to read the periodic table, conduct experiments with soda rockets, and more.The Chemistry of Cola uses applied science for a fun and interactive approach to learning for the whole family.

    Image for 7 Subject Science Portfolio - Minecraft & The Real World: Ages 10 to 17 - Biology, Chemistry, Geology, Meteorology, Physics, Technology and Zoology ... Homeschooling Workbooks by Thinking Tree)

    7 Subject Science Portfolio - Minecraft & The Real World: Ages 10 to 17 - Biology, Chemistry, Geology, Meteorology, Physics, Technology and Zoology ... Homeschooling Workbooks by Thinking Tree)

    7 Subject Science Portfolio - Minecraft & The Real World: Ages 10 to 17 - Biology, Chemistry, Geology, Meteorology, Physics, Technology and Zoology ... Homeschooling Workbooks by Thinking Tree)

    Image for Exploring Creation with Human Anatomy and Physiology (Young Explorer Series)

    Exploring Creation with Human Anatomy and Physiology (Young Explorer Series)

    Exploring Creation with Human Anatomy and Physiology (Young Explorer Series)
    Image for Science Comics: The Digestive System: A Tour Through Your Guts

    Science Comics: The Digestive System: A Tour Through Your Guts

    Your guide to the gut is a friendly bacterium who will take you on a journey beyond imagination. Uncover how food is transformed into nutrients! Explore strange and dangerous glands! Behold the wonders of saliva, mucus, and vomit! Writer Jason Viola and illustrator Andy Ristaino provide a trip to the toilet you will never forget!Every volume of Science Comics offers a complete introduction to a particular topic―dinosaurs, the solar system, volcanoes, bats, robots, and more! Whether you're a fourth grader doing a natural science unit at school or a thirty-year-old with a secret passion for airplanes, these graphic novels are for you!

    Image for Stargazer's Guide to the Night Sky, The

    Stargazer's Guide to the Night Sky, The

    The Stargazers Guide to the Night Sky offers everything you need to explore the remarkable beauty of the stars, moon, and planets. Dr. Jason Lisle, a research scientist with a masters and Ph.D. in astrophysics provides a very thorough, practical and easy to read resource to fuel the curiosity of amateur astronomers ages 10 to 100.

    • Understand how the eye works to enhance your views of the night sky
    • Study the 150 stunning, full-color star charts to learn the names and placement of constellations
    • Discover how to observe the galaxies with the naked eye
    • Learn how to choose and use a telescope
    • Investigate the celestial motions and events
    • Learn best practices for astrophotography

    These simple tips and tricks from Dr. Lisle will make your stargazing sessions go from mediocre to spectacular. The Stargazers Guide to the Night Sky is the size of a hardcover textbook, boasting 240 glossy pages of education for the hobby astronomer or science student. This resource is excellent for the family, couples, or individuals who like to learn and explore

    Leave a CommentFiled Under: Middle School Homeschool Tagged With: books, hands-on, handsonhomeschooling, homeschool, middle school, middleschool, science

    Plains Indians Free Writing Prompts For Elementary, Middle and High School Homeschooled Kids

    July 15, 2025 | 8 Comments
    This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

    I have some Plains Indians free writing prompts for multiple ages. Too, look at my page Free Native Americans The Plains Indians Unit Study & Lapbook.

    Also, look at my pages Homeschool Middle School, How to Homeschool High School and How To Homeschool Elementary Students Like A Pro.for more fun tips.

    Plains Indians Free Writing Prompts For Elementary, Middle and High School Homeschooled Kids

    You know my passion for unit studies and some things like writing, I just taught on the spot and took topics from books or things we were learning about. Isn’t that the best way to teach writing anyway? 

    Then, writing has a meaningful purpose to either a budding writer or an advanced writer.

    So I have started working my way through creating writing prompts and topics for you on each of my unit studies here on my site.

    You can look over and grab the first set of ideas for my Ancient Civilization unit study here on 20 Ideas For Bringing Writing Alive Through Unit Studies.

    Also, I divided them out by grade level, not that I so believe in grade level, but because I know that like my kids, your kids too are at different levels for their writing ability.

    Plains Indians free writing prompts for elementary, middle school and high school homeschooled kids @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

    Plains Indians Free Writing Prompts

    This will give you choices for a range of difficulties. Too, I have topics that are both factual and creative depending on what skills you are looking to strengthen in your child’s writing.

    MIDDLE TO HIGH SCHOOL PLAINS INDIAN WRITING TOPICS

    (Remember, for some of these topics, you will need to look at my Plains Indians Unit Study and Lapbook Page.)

    ■When Ten Bears he said he was born on the prairie, do you think he was talking only about his birth?

    ■How would you feel if you were forbidden to speak in your native language?

    ■If you were a pioneer traveling West, what Native American tribe would you want to encounter and why?

    ■Use pictographs and write (draw) a Native American tale.

    ■Choose one of the tribes from the Plains and write about their life, the food they ate and why buffalo were so important to them. Look here at ledger drawings to understand how they felt about their life on The Plains.

    ■What are the elements of a myth? Read a myth that the Plain Indians believed in and write about why they believed in it.

    ■Sign language was invented out of necessity. Was sign language for the Plains Indians for the deaf? Write (and illustrate) about some of the sign language the Indians used.

    ■Indians used many different kind of wild plants for food. Acorns (shelled and ground into meal) and Sotol and Lechuguilla are plants of the agave family. The bulbs of these plants were cooked and eaten. Write about some of the food that the Plains Indians ate and how they made it. (Include a recipe too.)

    ■What are two ways that the flat area of the plains affected the Native Americans?

    ■What are 4 major contributions by the Plains Indians?

    ■(On my Plains Indian page). After reading the short story about the captivity of Lorinda Bewly with the Whitman group traveling to Oregon, write a brief essay about the meeting of two different cultures? Or were they that different after all? What do you think and why?

    ■What are two major differences between the Plains Indians and other Native Americans of that time?

    Free Writing Prompts

    ■How are Plains Indians making contributions today?

    ■What was the view of woman during the times of the Plains Indians and compare that to how people feel today?

    ■Describe the social structure of the Plains Indians.

    ■In your opinion, did the early American settlers try to help or hinder the progress of Native Americans?

    ■Describe the art, beading and leather working of the Plains Indians.

    ■Do you think the Indians should have been paid for their land? Why or why not?

    ELEMENTARY WRITING PROMPTS ABOUT THE PLAINS INDIANS

    ■Why was a dog and horse important to the Plains Indians?

    ■What did the Plains Indians live in? Describe how they decorated their tipis and draw your own design.

    ■What was winter like on the Plains compared to other Native Americans living at that time?

    ■What is pemmican and why was it important to the Plains Indians?

    ■Explain the many uses of the buffalo.

    ■Do you think the Plains Indians had pets? If so, what kind? How would you take care of a pet when living on the wide open plains?

    ■What do you think life would have been like in a tipi?

    ■Describe the life of a hunter and why hunting was important to the Plains Indians

    ■Why was corn important to the Plains Indians? Look here at my Fall Unit Study page to read about corn.

    ■Do you think the kids of the Plains Indians did school? How did they learn?

    Hope you enjoyed these brainstorming ideas as well as some of the topics we wrote about. I have more free writing prompts coming on my other unit studies soon.

    You may also love these other resources:

    • 3 Ways to Choose the BEST Writing Curriculum (for a Growing Homeschool Family)
    • The Trail of Tears 1820 – 1845 Unit Study & Lapbook
    • 3 Unexpected Benefits of Homeschool Narration
    • Free Middle and High School Homeschool Language Arts

    Hugs and love ya,

    8 CommentsFiled Under: History Resources, Middle School Homeschool, My Unit Studies {Free Printables & Hands-on Ideas} Tagged With: history, homeschoolhistory, Plains Indians, unit studies, writing prompts

    Free Moon Journal For Homeschool Science

    April 29, 2025 | 2 Comments
    This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

    Today, I am sharing this fun free moon journal for homeschool science. Also, look at my page Exploring Space and Astronomy Free Unit Study for Multiple Ages for more ideas.

    The Moon is a big, rocky ball that orbits around Earth.

    And it is about 1/4 the size of our planet. Too, tt takes the Moon about 27.3 days to go all the way around Earth.

    Your kids will love this journal if you want some easy hands-on science.

    Besides the fact that we’re loving being back in Texas, I was looking for something that would spur Tiny on to a few more hands-on activities for science.

    Hands-on Homeschool Science

    So he has been reading through the book Air Is Not Oxygen: Essential Science You Should Have Learned … But Probably Didn’t!.

    It has really been a super fun and quick way to learn the essentials of science. Each concept has two or more ideas for hands-on activities to go along with the fact that is being taught.

    We just started through it because we needed something more to add to what he is doing right now, which is chemistry.

    Too, I like the fact that it is covering basic essentials in a fun and easy way without laboring complicated science facts.

    Homeschool Science

    He skipped ahead to a few chapters he wanted to read first and though he has read about the moon phases, I thought it would be a fun and uncomplicated activity to keep a moon journal, which is one of the many activities suggested in the book.

    I will share a few other activities suggested in the book too.

    Free Moon Journal For Homeschool Science
    Free Moon Journal For Homeschool Science

    So I prepared this quick moon journal.

    The first page has the eight phases of the moon and has a place for your child to write his name.

    It also has a place for him to record how long he watched the moon.

    The second page is an undated page with 31 boxes on it for 31 days to record or one month.

    The top blue box above the gray moon is for your child to write the day, like 1, 2, 3,etc.

    The middle box which has the moon is a place for him to lightly mark or color the moon and the double dotted line under the box is for him to label or write the name of it too.

    I made this so you can use it with both an older and younger child.

    Free Moon Journal - Hands on homeschool science.

    The younger child can simple shade or color the moon and an older child can write the name of the moon and add other things he may have observed that night or during the month.

    Too, look at these books about the moon.

    BOOKS ABOUT THE MOON FOR KIDS

    12 Resources and Books For Studying About the Moon and Galileo

    If you want to focus on the moon in your astronomy and space unit study, add one of these fun resources to your day.

    Image for 1. Who Was Galileo?

    1. Who Was Galileo?

    Like Michelangelo, Galileo is another Renaissance great known just by his first name--a name that is synonymous with scientific achievement. Born in Pisa, Italy, in the sixteenth century, Galileo contributed to the era's great rebirth of knowledge. He invented a telescope to observe the heavens. From there, not even the sky was the limit!

    Image for 2. The Moon Book (New & Updated Edition)

    2. The Moon Book (New & Updated Edition)

    This newly revised edition, available in time for the 50th anniversary of the moon landing, incorporates new, up-to-date information based on recent discoveries, and includes an updated map of the moon's surface. Thoroughly vetted by an astrophysics expert, The Moon Book is a perfect introduction to lunar phases, orbit, the history of space exploration, and more.

    Image for 3. Galileo and the Magic Numbers

    3. Galileo and the Magic Numbers

    Sixteenth century Italy produced a genius who marked the world with his studies and hypotheses about mathematical, physical and astronomical truths. His father, musician Vincenzio Galilei said, “Truth is not found behind a man’s reputation. Truth appears only when the answers to questions are searched out by a free mind. This is not the easy path in life but it is the most rewarding.” Galileo challenged divine law and the physics of Aristotle, and questioned everything in search of truths. And it was through this quest for truth that he was able to establish a structure for modern science.

    Image for 4. Moon: A Peek-Through Picture Book

    4. Moon: A Peek-Through Picture Book

    It’s the perfect light nonfiction book for young stargazers—and an ideal bedtime book, ending with a giant moon hovering over a sleepy town hunkered down for bed.

    Image for 5. Moon Lamp

    5. Moon Lamp

    Novelty Moon Lighting: Realistic Colorful Star Galaxy printed 🌌 Moon Lamp with advanced 3D technology. Now decorate your bedroom, hall, office or desk with our Space Theme gorgeous Galaxy Lamp. Your guests will definitely admire the beauty of this lively moon light.

    Image for 6. Refracting Telescope for Kids Beginners

    6. Refracting Telescope for Kids Beginners

    Quality Optics: 400mm(f/5.7) focal length and 70mm aperture, fully coated optics glass lens with high transmission coatings creates stunning images and protect your eyes. Perfect telescope for astronomers to explore stars and moon.

    Image for 7. Jupiter (Planets in Our Solar System)

    7. Jupiter (Planets in Our Solar System)

    Everything about Jupiter is big! Its size is big. Even its storms are big! Get the big and small facts about this gas giant that can be seen glowing in the night sky.

    Image for 8. Galileo Galilei (Genius Series)

    8. Galileo Galilei (Genius Series)

    Astronomer, physicist, and philosopher Galileo Galilei was referred to as "The Father of Modern Science," because of his groundbreaking research. Making observations about nature, and using mathematics to back them up, he proved the Copernican Theory true: the Sun, not the Earth, is the center of the universe. Join Galileo on his pioneering journey to see why his work had such long-lasting implications, and why the Catholic Church even condemned him for heresy.

    Image for 9. What the Moon is Like

    9. What the Moon is Like

    Imagine that you're walking on the moon. What is it like? For thousands of years people looked up at the moon and wondered about it. Now we know what the moon is like. There is no air on the moon and nothing grows, but there are towering mountains and deep craters—and much more.

    Colder than the desert, the hotter than the desert, the moon is an amazing place to explore.

    Image for 10. A Kite for Moon

    10. A Kite for Moon

    What would it be like if the moon was your friend? Find out as you walk alongside a little boy who journeys through life to achieve his dream of becoming an astronaut. And then blast off with your little one as you zoom to the moon together!

    The story begins when a little boy, who is flying his kite, notices a sad Moon. He sends up kites to her, writing notes promising he will come see her someday. This promise propels him through years of studying, learning, and training to become an astronaut. Until … he finally goes up, up, up in a big rocket ship with a fiery tail.

    A Kite for Moon:

    • Features over 20 gorgeous illustrations by award-winning artist Matt Phelan
    • Is the perfect storybook for children ages 4 to 8
    • Celebrates every child’s fascination with space
    Image for 11. Large Massive Meteorite Specimen

    11. Large Massive Meteorite Specimen

    You could also grab these meteorite specimens (artificial) to let your child use for impact craters!

    Image for Moon! Earth's Best Friend (Our Universe, 3)

    Moon! Earth's Best Friend (Our Universe, 3)

    Meet Moon! She's more than just a rock―she’s Earth’s rock, her best friend she can always count on. Moon never turns her back on her friend (literally: she's always facing Earth with the same side!). These two will stick together forever. With characteristic humor and charm, Stacy McAnulty channels the voice of Moon in this next celestial "autobiography" in the Our Universe series. Rich with kid-friendly facts and beautifully brought to life by Stevie Lewis, this is an equally charming and irresistible companion to Earth! My First 4.54 Billion Years and Sun! One in a Billion.

    MORE LEARNING ABOUT THE MOON ACTIVITIES

    • 5 Facts About The Moon Landing and Make Fun Astronaut Ice Cream
    • Free Moon Journal For Homeschool Science
    • Galileo Discovery of Jupiter Moons and Fun Hands-On Moon Crater Experiment
    • Geronimo Stilton Theme Mouse in Space Fun Puffy Moon Craft (Glow in the Dark)
    • 10 Moon Craft Ideas and Wrapped Crescent Moon Craft For Kids

    HOW TO GET THE FREE MOON JOURNAL

    Now, how to grab the freebie.  It’s a subscriber freebie.

    That means when you sign up to follow me, you get my emails in your inbox and you get this freebie.

    1) CLICK HERE ON THIS LINK TO SIGN UP ON MY EMAIL LIST & TO GET THIS FREEBIE.

    2) Grab the freebie instantly.

    3) Last, look for all my emails in your inbox. Glad to have you following me!

    Save

    2 CommentsFiled Under: 1. My FREE Learning Printables {Any Topic}, Hands-On Activities, Middle School Homeschool, Science, Subscriber Freebies Tagged With: hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, homeschool, science, sciencecurriculum

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