I Ranked Every Middle School Science Curriculum So You Don't Have To
If you’re trying to choose a Christian middle school science curriculum, I completely understand why it feels overwhelming. Science is one of those subjects that seems to stress homeschool mums out more than almost anything else—because most of us aren’t scientists! We just want something that actually teaches our kids properly without us needing to spend hours preparing experiments or re-learning chemistry ourselves.
Over the last 10+ years, I’ve spent a huge amount of time researching homeschool curriculum, testing programs, talking to other homeschool families, and using many of these science courses in our own homeschool.
Some of them have worked beautifully for us… and others honestly felt like a complete waste of money.
So I thought I’d put together this guide ranking the most popular middle school homeschool science curriculum options—from very affordable choices that are free or low cost all the way through to premium options costing a few hundred a year.
And because worldview matters a lot to our family, I’m also going to talk about which programs feel clearly gospel-centered, which ones lean more secular, and which ones sit somewhere awkwardly in the middle.
Let’s go!
💛 Some links below may be affiliate links, which helps support our homeschool at no extra cost to you — thanks so much! 😊
Easy Peasy
If you genuinely have almost no budget, Easy Peasy is probably the most obvious place to start.
It’s completely free, fully online, and very text-based. Basically, your child works through large PDF lessons covering topics like biology, physics, earth science, and chemistry. There are simple activities mixed in, but there aren’t polished video lessons or shipped books arriving at your door.
Now, I know a lot of Christian homeschool families are drawn to Easy Peasy because it’s marketed as Christian. But this is where I think families sometimes get caught off guard.
While the creator herself is personally a creationist, the curriculum often links out to outside resources and videos that lean heavily evolutionary—and sometimes even atheistic in worldview. And really, in some subjects there’s barely any Christian worldview woven through at all.
“Nothing about God in [Easy Peasy] math.”
So if having a consistently biblical worldview throughout your curriculum is really important to you, this is something you’d need to actively monitor yourself.
That said, I do understand why families use it. Sometimes you simply need something that works right now while you’re figuring homeschool out financially. And in that situation, Easy Peasy absolutely can serve a purpose.
But personally, I wouldn’t want it as the long-term foundation of our homeschool science.
Science Shepherd
Science shepherd is great middle school homeschool curriculum!
This is where things start feeling a lot more engaging.
Science Shepherd is one of my favourite affordable science options for busy homeschool mums because it manages to hit a really nice balance between being solid academically while still staying manageable.
It’s video-based, which instantly takes a huge amount of pressure off mums. Your child watches clear science lessons with lots of visuals and explanations, and then completes either PDFs or printed materials afterward.
We used their astronomy course in our homeschool, and honestly, even I kept getting distracted listening from the kitchen because it was genuinely interesting.
I also really appreciate that it’s clearly Christian and gospel-centered without feeling forced or awkward. The worldview feels natural and consistent.
Another huge plus is that it doesn’t feel overwhelming. Some science curriculums almost seem designed to make parents feel inadequate, but Science Shepherd feels approachable while still teaching real science well.
At around $66 per course, I honestly think this is one of the best values on this list—especially for mums who want something they can mostly “set and forget.”
MasterBooks (and Answers in Genesis)
Answers in Genesis is sold by Masterbooks.
When I first started researching MasterBooks and Answers in Genesis, I remember being slightly confused because they overlap so much.
Essentially, Answers in Genesis creates a lot of the content, while MasterBooks publishes it into homeschool curriculum form.
This curriculum has a much gentler feel than some of the others on this list. There’s a bit of a Charlotte Mason flavour to it, with shorter readings, colourful workbooks, story-based teaching, and simple experiments you can actually manage at home without wanting to cry halfway through. 😅
It also works really well for teaching multiple children together, which I know many homeschool families appreciate.
And honestly, if you’ve got a child who gets overwhelmed easily or tends to shut down under academic pressure, this can be a really lovely option.
There is a video option available through MasterBooks Academy too, although the videos are definitely more simple and low-key compared to some of the more polished video programs.
The main thing to know is that this curriculum sits on the gentler side academically. For some families, that’s exactly what they want. Other families might eventually feel like it moves a little too slowly.
Christian Light Education (CLE)
Christian Light Education
If you’re the type of homeschool mum who just wants something predictable and straightforward that quietly gets the job done, you may actually love Christian Light Education.
This curriculum uses small workbooks called LightUnits that students work through one at a time. There aren’t flashy graphics, exciting videos, or complicated projects. It’s very black-and-white, very structured, and very traditional.
Honestly, some children thrive with that simplicity.
There also aren’t many experiments, which for some mums is either a huge relief… or a huge downside depending on your personality. 😅
I think CLE works especially well for families who value routine and consistency and don’t necessarily need science to feel entertaining.
It’s not the most exciting curriculum on this list, but it’s dependable—and sometimes dependable is exactly what homeschool mums need.
Berean Builders
Berean Builders feels a bit more academic than many middle school science programs, but in a good way.
It’s written by a Christian scientist, and I really appreciate how thoughtfully the biblical worldview is woven into the science without it feeling cheesy or forced.
The lessons themselves are quite manageable—usually around 20 minutes a day—but there is a LOT of text in these books.
And I do mean a lot. 😅
For strong readers, that’s often completely fine. But for kids who struggle with reading-heavy learning, it can start to feel a little dry unless you add the optional Vimeo video lessons.
The videos definitely help make the curriculum more engaging, although they also significantly increase the price.
This is one of those programs where you can really see why families love it. It feels carefully thought through, academically solid, and deeply Christian without being overwhelming.
Schoolhouse Teachers
This one is honestly kind of hard to describe because it’s not really just a science curriculum.
Schoolhouse Teachers is more like a giant homeschool subscription platform with hundreds of courses across every subject imaginable.
So yes, you get science—but you also get history, electives, PDFs, worksheets, videos, and basically enough material to homeschool your entire family.
This is especially appealing for larger families because you’re paying one subscription price instead of buying separate curriculum for every child.
The downside, though, is that it can feel a little chaotic.
Because there are so many different teachers and teaching styles, it doesn’t always feel cohesive or streamlined in the way something like BJU Press does.
But if you’re a homeschool mum who likes flexibility and options, the value here is honestly incredible.
Compass Classroom
Compass Classroom does lots of Science courses that are great for middle school as well as many other subjects!
This is one of my personal favourites on the list.
Compass Classroom has a very thoughtful feel to it. It blends classical education with a slight Charlotte Mason influence, and the video lessons feel like they were genuinely designed by homeschoolers who understand homeschool life.
The teachers don’t talk down to students, which I really appreciate, and there’s even a bit of humour woven into the lessons.
It’s rigorous without feeling painfully dry.
And worldview-wise, it’s strongly biblical and very gospel-centered, which was a huge plus for us.
I also love that the family subscription covers multiple children, which makes it much more affordable than some of the premium science options out there.
If your family leans more classical and you want something structured but still engaging, this is a really strong choice.
Apologia
Apologia is very well known for homeschooling science!
If your family loves experiments and hands-on science, this is probably where Apologia shines the most.
The books are beautiful, colourful, and packed with pictures and notebooking activities. It genuinely feels like “real science” rather than just workbook pages.
But I do think it’s important to go into Apologia knowing that it can become very parent-involved depending on how you use it.
There are lots of experiments and deeper discussions, which many families absolutely love—but if you’re already stretched thin, it can start to feel like another thing you personally have to manage.
The costs can also vary wildly depending on whether you add self-paced lessons or live classes.
For some families, it’s completely worth it. For others, it eventually becomes more support than they realistically need.
Sonlight
Sonlight is probably the most unique science option on this list because it approaches science primarily through literature and story-based learning.
And honestly? The books are beautiful.
A lot of families absolutely love Sonlight because it creates such a rich home library, especially if you’ve got multiple children coming through later.
But it’s definitely more parent-involved, especially in the younger years, and there’s a lot of reading involved.
Now, worldview-wise, this is where Sonlight becomes more complicated for some Christian families.
Sonlight presents multiple perspectives on origins, including young earth, old earth, and theistic evolution. Some families appreciate having those conversations with their kids and discussing different viewpoints.
Personally, though, I prefer a curriculum that’s very clear and consistent in what it teaches.
We actually do use Sonlight for reading in our homeschool because the literature side is excellent—but I personally wouldn’t use it as the spine for all subjects.
BJU Press
We love BJU Press as it's teacher-led with video lessons and workbooks.
And finally, there’s BJU Press, which is one of the most complete and easiest-to-run programs on this list.
This is what we personally use in our homeschool, and honestly, one of the biggest reasons is simply independence.
Your child watches a teacher explain the lesson through video instruction, then completes the workbook independently afterward. Which means YOU are not standing there teaching science for hours every day.
For busy homeschool mums, that’s huge.
Especially if you’re juggling multiple children, working from home, or just trying to survive a busy season of life.
It’s structured, thorough, strongly biblical, and academically solid.
Yes, it’s one of the more expensive programs on this list—but it’s also one of the most complete.
And for our family, it’s been one of those curriculums we keep coming back to because it consistently works in real life.
Final Thoughts
The truth is, there isn’t one perfect middle school science curriculum for every homeschool family.
Some families want:
hands-on experiments
lots of literature
strong academics
video lessons
independent learning
a very explicit biblical worldview
or something affordable and simple
And honestly, that’s why choosing curriculum can feel so overwhelming sometimes.
Hopefully this breakdown helps narrow things down a little and saves you from spending hundreds of dollars on a science curriculum that just doesn’t fit your family well.
And once science is sorted… the next thing that can completely derail homeschool is history. 😅
Because the wrong history curriculum is either painfully boring… or so overwhelming you never finish it.
So definitely go check out my breakdown of the best Christian homeschool history curriculum options next!
