Elemental Science is a comprehensive K-12 homeschool science curriculum that combines classical education methods with Charlotte Mason principles, featuring hands-on experiments, living books, and step-by-step lesson plans for parents.
What is Elemental Science?
Elemental Science is a homeschool science curriculum created by Paige Hudson, a biochemistry graduate and homeschooling mother who wanted something better than what she found on the market. The curriculum explores biology, earth science, physics, and chemistry through a classical education lens with Charlotte Mason elements. It uses colorful reference books from publishers like Usborne, DK, and Kingfisher as spine texts, paired with weekly hands-on experiments using common household items. Over 10,000 homeschoolers, co-ops, and schools now use Elemental Science, and it earned a spot as one of Cathy Duffy's Top Picks.
Key Takeaways
- Covers preschool through high school (ages 3-18) with three distinct series
- Uses "Three-Key" methodology: doing science, reading about science, and writing it down
- Experiments use household items—no expensive lab equipment required
- Religiously neutral approach that works for secular and faith-based families
- Step-by-step lesson plans make it accessible for parents without science backgrounds
The Three Series Options
Elemental Science offers three different approaches to fit various learning styles. The Classical Science Series provides 36-week programs diving deep into one discipline per year—perfect for families following a classical education model. The Sassafras Science Series uses engaging novels to teach zoology, anatomy, botany, and more, ideal for younger students who love story-based learning. Science Chunks offers shorter digital unit studies touching multiple disciplines, giving eclectic families the variety they crave. You can mix and match across years and even between children.
Grade Levels and Progression
What Parents Should Know About Cost
Elemental Science keeps pricing accessible, with programs starting around $20 for ebooks and going up to about $50-60 for printed teacher guides with student materials. The catch is that you'll need to purchase spine books separately—typically 2-3 encyclopedias or reference books per course. These run $15-30 each but can often be found used in homeschool communities or borrowed from the library. The good news: spine books can be reused across multiple children, and PDF versions offer significant savings if you don't mind printing.
Secular But Flexible
Elemental Science takes a religiously neutral approach—it doesn't teach young-earth creationism, but it's not explicitly secular either. The curriculum itself avoids these topics, though the recommended spine books may reference evolution, the Big Bang, or geological timescales. Christian families who want to add a creation science perspective can supplement easily. Secular families appreciate that it focuses on natural science without religious overtones.
The Bottom Line
Elemental Science stands out for being written by an actual scientist who understands both the content and the reality of homeschooling. The "open-and-go" design means you can spend your energy on teaching rather than lesson planning, and the living books approach keeps science engaging rather than textbook-dry. For families wanting a rigorous but flexible science curriculum that grows with their children from preschool through high school, this is one of the stronger options on the market.
