Last Updated on August 8, 2024 by Sarah McCubbin
As you plan your student’s middle and high school education you may wonder if teaching Earth Science to your young teen would be engaging and interesting.
Homeschooling offers a unique opportunity for personalized education, allowing parents and educators to tailor the curriculum to meet the individual needs and interests of students.
When students are in middle school, MANY parents have found that there is limited homeschool curriculum available that COULD count for high school credit without overwhelming young teens. You may know what I’m talking about. Curriculum often jumps from elementary science to HARD high school science. Sometimes those courses are almost too hard for the high school kids! But I digress. The choices are limited in this category. I know…I’ve had 7 middle school students so far!
Generally the choices for middle school science are something like “general science or physical science or unit studies.” There are more but mainline curriculum tends split most often between elementary and high school. If you are looking for a solid middle school curriculum that is also designed for early high school, look no further.
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Our homeschool group was planning to use Berean Builders Discovering Design With Earth Science by Dr. Jay Wile for our 7th-9th grade science class. While we were planning that class offer, I had the opportunity to actually review the book and ask other teachers to review it as well.
If you have used Berean Builders for elementary you will be familiar with the Science Through the Ages Series which explores scientific discoveries in five different time periods. Our co-op has used that one to align with different history time periods which is wonderful for elementary.
But for middle and high school, you want something that lays down a solid science foundation to build on through upper level sciences. Berean Builders Earth Science course does this and much more.
Important Qualities in Homeschool Science Curriculum
Whether you have a budding Einstein in your family or you are planning to teach to a science classroom filled with diverse student abilities, there are some important qualities that you should look for in any science curriculum for middle and high school. A quality curriculum can be modified to meet the needs of very academic students and those who want to learn the core concepts but not every little detail.
1. Science Course Should Include Inquiry-Based Learning
Inquiry-based learning is a way to teach science that encourages students to ask questions, explore scientific concepts, and develop their own understanding through hands-on experiences. Developing a sense of curiosity causes students to dive deeper and develop critical thinking skills.
Berean Builders science courses do this with tons of hands on experiments and labs…always my kids favorite part of any science course!
Here are Some Best Practices for Inquiry-Based Learning:
- Start with Open-Ended Questions: Pose questions that allow students to explore various outcomes and solutions, promoting creative thinking.
- Incorporate the Scientific Method: Guide students through the process of formulating hypotheses, conducting experiments, and analyzing results to build a solid foundation of scientific knowledge. The Berean Builders Earth Science course does this through a systematic process of answering questions and doing lab experiments.
- Use Real-World Examples: Relate lessons to students’ everyday lives by exploring local geography, weather patterns, or environmental changes.
2. Utilize Project-Based Learning
Project-based learning is an effective way to teach Earth Science, providing students with opportunities to apply scientific principles to real-world challenges. By engaging students in meaningful projects, educators can enhance student engagement and foster the development of skills needed for success in the STEM fields.
Ideas for Project-Based Learning:
- Design a Weather Station: Encourage students to build and maintain a weather station, gathering data and analyzing trends to understand climate and weather patterns.
- Explore Geology through Field Trips: Organize field trips to local parks, quarries, or natural landmarks to study rock formations and geological processes firsthand.
- Investigate Environmental Impact: Task students with researching and proposing solutions for environmental issues in their community, such as pollution or habitat destruction.
The best Earth Science curriculum should include project-based learning suggestions in the course. Inside the Berean Builders Earth Science there are so many projects. Each one is designed to replicate conditions exist on the earth but are not easily seen in our backyards. From simple water percolators to fossil examination, there are multiple experiments and projects in each chapter giving student’s hands on learning experience.
3. Leverage Technology and Digital Resources
In today’s digital age, technology plays a vital role in science education. Utilizing digital tools and resources can enhance the learning process and make complex science concepts more accessible to students of all grade levels.
Techniques for Incorporating Technology:
- PHET Simulations: Use online simulations to demonstrate abstract concepts and complex scientific processes, allowing students to visualize and interact with scientific ideas.
- Secure Websites for Research: Provide students with a list of secure, reputable websites for conducting research and exploring additional resources in fields of science.
- Online Collaborative Learning: Foster a sense of community and collaboration through online forums or virtual classrooms, enabling students to share their insights and learn from peers.
Probably the MOST IMPORTANT pages of the Berean Builder’s Earth Science course are the introduction pages. They are the most important and also the most likely to be overlooked! That section has a link to a course web page with all kinds of links to outside resources, tutorials and videos. There is also a website link to get help if a student is confused and needs direct help with a question. Don’t miss these pages!
4. Customize the Science Curriculum
In my experience, customizing the science curriculum is probably the number one thing parents can and should do to make any science course a success. If you have a child who LOVES science, go all in. Do all the experiments, field trips and extra learning. But if you have a child that doesn’t, cover the content but don’t bury them in the extras.
In middle and high school, if you have a teen who is strong in science and math, have them do as much of the course as possible…study questions, test, and labs without support. But if you have a child who struggles, modify it. Maybe they do open book tests or maybe they have a sheet of notes. My favorite strategy is to let them correct their mistakes on tests and quizzes to get partial or full credit. We learn from our mistakes!
Strategies for Curriculum Customization:
- Assess Prior Knowledge: Begin with a pre-assessment to gauge students’ existing understanding of science topics and tailor lessons accordingly.
- Incorporate Student Interests: Integrate topics that align with students’ passions, whether it’s space sciences, life science, or environmental sciences.
- Adjust Lesson Plans: Modify lesson plans to accommodate different learning paces and preferences, allowing for a more personalized educational experience.
5. Foster Communication and Collaboration
In my opinion, science at the middle and high school level is usually better when its done in a group than when everything is solo. Of course that is not always possible. But if a course is going to be outsourced to a co-op or private teacher, science is often a good choice. In a group setting, students have the benefit of developing communication and problem solving skills as they navigate challenges.
When students can enjoy the process of discovery, they develop curiosity which overflows onto so many areas of life!
Tips for Fostering Communication:
- Small Group Activities: Organize activities in small groups to encourage teamwork and discussion, fostering a supportive learning environment.
- Science Notebooks: Encourage students to maintain a science notebook to record observations, reflections, and new scientific ideas.
- Class Discussions: Facilitate class discussions to allow students to share their insights, ask questions, and engage with diverse perspectives.
Tips for Teaching Science in a Homeschool Co-op
As I mentioned earlier, the Berean Builder’s Earth Science course is what we are using for 7th to 9th grade students in our co-op this year. We have used their elementary curriculum in the past and it has worked well. There are definite strategies that work best for teaching science for middle and high school in a co-op setting
Offer Science Courses With Broad Interest
Depending on the size of your co-op you may have several science classes for older students or one. Before you add niche or specialty science classes, offer more basic foundational ones that will have wider interest. The class sizes tend to be a bit bigger which promotes a lot of student socialization and opportunities to work together.
Do The Labs In Class
Years ago, our co-op went through a season where we had to decide how we would narrow our focus. We decided that one priority would be to do the things in class that were hard to do at home. For middle and high school science, the most difficult part is usually the experiments.
Doing those in a co-op setting lets many families benefit while the supplies only need to be gathered one time. Plus the hands on labs are fun to do in a group!
Choose Curriculum That Aligns With The Number of Weeks You Meet
If your co-op meets for 10 weeks, choose a unit study type curriculum. If it meets for 24-30, a traditional textbook will probably work. Of course any variation in between needs attention. Essentially, it is better for the students if you pick curriculum whose workload is mapped out for the number of weeks you meet.
This will prevent students and teachers from getting overwhelmed by the workload!
Berean Builders Earth Science, Chemistry, Biology and Physics are perfect for classes that last around 30 weeks.
Follow A Syllabus
To help students stay organized, create a syllabus mapping out the work they are expected to complete every week.
Grade the Labs, Tests & Student Work
At the middle and high school level, it is extremely helpful if the teacher grades the students work. Of course homeschool parents can give whatever grades they want, but it is very difficult as the parent (non-teacher) to grade assignments for subjects they have not prepared for. Having graded assignments helps parents choose how they want to enter courses on a transcript.
Teaching science to homeschoolers offers a unique opportunity to inspire a love for learning and exploration. By emphasizing inquiry-based learning, leveraging technology, customizing the curriculum, and fostering communication and collaboration, educators can create a rich and engaging educational experience that nurtures students’ understanding of the natural world. With these strategies and tips for homeschool co-ops, educators can cultivate a passion for science that will last a lifetime.
Sarah McCubbin and her husband and 9 kids live in Ohio. She loves talking about all kinds of education topics and is passionate about helping families find the best education options in each season! Socially awkward growing up, she loves to help families teach life skills, social skills and leadership.
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