Science is my son’s favorite subject. I love to research science curriculum, but I hate to pay for it. I am not implying it isn’t worth the money, but I definitely feel some curriculum is overpriced. I have found a few ways to save homeschool science dollars and I do not have to donate an organ in return.
Magazines
We have a National Geography Kids subscription and Zoobooks Magazine. These are full of great science and geography lessons. My son loves receiving his own mail, heads to his room to read the articles, we discuss and create mini unit studies, and I count it as reading as well. Magazine subscriptions are less than $25/year!
Magic School Bus
We check out books and dvds weekly from the library. Also the website offers games, experiments, and more information based on each episodes.
Topical Books
Our favorite science books are DK Eye Wonder
Experiments
Invest in a science experiments books and a microscope. Books are $10 and microscopes anywhere from $24-$100. Most books have enough experiments to do one each week for the entire school year! Science lovers would rather do hands on experiments than book reading. I would suggest cheaper microscopes for younger children – and start small. Gather some objects around the house to look at (hair, dirt, leaves, bugs, etc. before ordering specimens)
Field Trips
An annual membership to a Science Center is far more interactive and entertaining (as they are always changing exhibits) than curriculum. If you do not have a Science Center within 1 hour from your home – I would suggest looking into a zoo membership. Many zoos offer field trips to the animal clinic or tours “behind the scenes”. Call and get a group rate! Don’t forget to call the local parks and libraries. In my town the library offers Saturday science classes for students 6-12yrs. For FREE! One park facility staffs a ranger on-site and for $2 per student offers classes and nature walks.
Science Co-Ops
Scared to do science alone? Start a science co-op with your homeschool friends. Pull your resources together, plan a lesson, and enjoy time learning science together. This interests a lot of moms because they buy curriculum for every subject except science! Still not comfortable teaching? Look into Scouting or 4H !
Save those curriculum dollars and combine a few of these tips together to pull off an inexpensive yet informative and fun year of Science!
Stef is the wife of Thad and mom to two energetic superheroes! Stef is the author of Layton Family Joy and founder of The Homeschool Village.
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Wonderful ideas. I do many of these as well. I have some real science bugs. I was just thinking about magazine subscriptions. Maybe, I will invest in one or two.
Blessings,
Dawn
I don’t know if you guys are planning this, but I think it would be wonderful if you compiled all of these posts into an ebook when the series is over. There’s a LOT of great posts and I don’t want to miss them!
When I was growing up, my local schools had “Saturday Morning Science” for about 4th and 5th graders. I remember doing things like dissecting and figuring out how much sugar was in gum. It was FREE and FUN. No idea if anybody still does it, though.
My boys love science, too, and can get more learning out of an hour at the library finding science books than any amount of planned curriculum… though I do use themes and try to cover some topics they haven’t explored on their own.
Wow, I have so much I want to say about this! I’m a scientist, and although I don’t have kids yet, my husband and I have been building a homeschool library since day one. I have to disagree about microscopes- a good magnifying glass will take you a long way, and for all the time I’ve spent peering into a microscope, I’ve gotten more out of Youtube videos and images taken by scanning electron microscopes. Chemistry sets, on the other hand… are so much fun!
I should really start working with homeschoolers in my area. I realize many people don’t care for science, or don’t have the background necessary to teach confidently- I’d love to help a co-op out!
We do not have an library programs or items like that in our town but the Magic School Bus does come on Cable once a day so our kids get to watch 5 episodes a week!
wow – that writer sure is smart. (giggle) THANKS!!
Yes, she is.
That sounds a lot like our science. We use pretty much all of the above. Lots of hands on and lots of rabbit trailing to whatever the kids find fascinating next.
I love those ideas for frugal science homeschooling! I have children who love science too! I’ll have to look into some of that for next year’s science “program.” I’m still trying to make decisions….
~Jennifer
Great ideas!! Thanks for sharing them all!
I really want to do science on my own next year with my 7yo, not using a curriculum. Thanks for the ideas!
I love the idea of a doing a more hands-on science program like this. Great tip on the magazines – that’s an area I’ve looked at investing in, but haven’t been sure of yet.
Super ideas! I love science too (says the former biology teacher)!