Guest Hollow is a homeschool curriculum company offering literature-rich, living books science courses including a completely free high school biology curriculum, plus anatomy, chemistry, physics, and botany.
What is Guest Hollow Science?
Guest Hollow is a homeschool curriculum company created by a husband-and-wife team with 20+ years of homeschooling experience. Their science curricula combine literature-rich, living books approaches with Charlotte Mason and classical education elements. Rather than traditional textbook monotony, Guest Hollow courses incorporate real books, videos, activities, recipes, and hands-on projects. The company has won numerous Practical Homeschooling Reader's Choice Awards and has been selected as one of Cathy Duffy's Top 103 picks. Most notably, their high school biology curriculum is completely free online.
Key Takeaways
- Free high school biology curriculum available online at no cost
- Living books approach combines real literature with hands-on activities
- Covers preschool through high school across multiple science subjects
- Buffet-style curriculum allows families to pick and choose from curated selections
- Multi-age friendly for teaching siblings together
Courses Offered
Biology (High School): Completely FREE curriculum based on CK-12 textbook, edited for creationist perspective, with embedded videos, labs, living books, and Greek/Latin root vocabulary. Anatomy & Physiology: Three levels from preschool through high school, including "Otter's Anatomy" for young learners. Chemistry in the Kitchen (High School): First-place Practical Homeschooling winner using practical, conceptual approach for math-averse students. Conceptual Physics: Math-lite physics focusing on concepts over calculations. Botany: Standalone course for nature lovers or as pre-biology preparation.
Teaching Approach
Guest Hollow uses a flexible, "buffet-style" approach where parents and students choose from extensive curated options. Each week includes real books, videos, activities, and projects spanning multiple learning styles. Greek and Latin root vocabulary lessons are integrated throughout. The curriculum is designed for multi-age learning, allowing families to teach multiple children together using the same topic at different levels. Schedule-based format supports both guided instruction and independent study. Materials are digital downloads viewable online or printable at home.
What Parents Say
Parents praise the engagement level, book selections, and variety of resources. The buffet approach allows customization to student interests. Some parents note that extensive options can cause decision fatigue and require more planning than traditional curricula. Best suited for families seeking literature-rich, Charlotte Mason approaches, those with multiple children who want to teach together, and budget-conscious homeschoolers (especially for the free biology). May require more parent involvement than traditional textbook curricula.
The Bottom Line
Guest Hollow offers something unique: rigorous science content delivered through living books and hands-on learning rather than dry textbooks. The completely free biology curriculum alone makes this worth exploring for any homeschool family. If your student struggles with traditional science textbooks or you want a more engaging approach, Guest Hollow provides quality alternatives. The buffet-style format requires more planning but allows genuine customization. Check the free biology first to see if the approach fits your family's learning style.
