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Unit study homeschool science curricula, compared

3 programs, listed alphabetically, each with its grades, method, format and cost a year as the publisher’s own site showed them on October 31, 2026. Open a card for the strengths, the watch-outs and who it fits.

What this list holds

Unit studies teach one topic at a time, such as ancient Egypt or birds, with reading, writing, science and art all tied to it. They suit teaching several ages together.

Science curricula range from read-and-narrate books for young children to high school courses with lab work. Many elementary programs cover one topic a year, such as plants or the human body, rather than a little of everything.

This list holds programs sold for science on their own. Full curricula that teach it along with every other subject are on homeschool all-in-one curricula.

Not sure this approach suits your family? The homeschool style quiz asks ten questions about your goals and time and gives a starter week for the closest match.

At a glance

  • 2 of the 3 show a price on the publisher's site. For one child and one year of the main package they run from $147.94 to $300.
  • How the child works: 3 books and workbooks.
  • 1 of the 3 has a placement test or level guide on the publisher's site, linked on each card.
  • Grades: 2 reach pre-K or kindergarten, all reach the elementary grades, 2 reach middle school and 2 reach high school.

Grades each program covers

The Good and the Beautiful
  1. PK
  2. K
  3. 1
  4. 2
  5. 3
  6. 4
  7. 5
  8. 6
  9. 7
  10. 8
  11. 9
  12. 10
  13. 11
  14. 12
Little Passports
  1. PK
  2. K
  3. 1
  4. 2
  5. 3
  6. 4
  7. 5
  8. 6
  9. 7
  10. 8
  11. 9
  12. 10
  13. 11
  14. 12
Alphabetical, as the table below. Each row lights the grades the publisher states.
Which grades are you shopping for?

2 of the 3 reach pre-K or kindergarten:

All 3 reach the elementary grades:

2 of the 3 reach middle school:

2 of the 3 reach high school:

Alphabetical. We never rank programs, and none pays to appear.
ProgramSubjectsGradesMethodFormatCost a yearFaith label
Ellen McHenry's Basement WorkshopEllen J. McHenryScience3–9Unit studiesBooks and workbooksNot shownNot labelled
The Good and the BeautifulThe Good and the BeautifulMath, Reading and phonics, Language arts, Science, History and geographyPre-K–12Traditional, Unit studiesBooks and workbooks$147.94Faith-based
Little PassportsLittle PassportsScience, History and geographyPre-K–5Unit studiesBooks and workbooks$300Secular

Each program in a line

  • Ellen McHenry's Basement Workshop: A family or co-op that likes hands-on games and models and wants a few weeks of deep, lively study on one science topic at a time.
  • The Good and the Beautiful: A family that wants low-cost, open-and-go printed lessons and likes teaching science and history to several children at once.
  • Little Passports: A family that wants a monthly hands-on treat on world geography or science that a child can open and start on their own.

Before you buy

Check how the program covers math and phonics, which usually need their own step-by-step program beside the units.

Look for what the experiments need: some programs sell a supply kit, others list household items. For high school, check whether a lab course counts toward the credits you plan to give.

Most publishers post samples and a placement test; each card links the placement test where the publisher has one.

Related lists

How we label

Every fact on a card was read on the publisher's own website on the date shown, and the page it came from is linked. A fact we could not confirm there is left out. Costs are for one child and one year of the main package, as the publisher's page showed them that day; prices and sales change. Method and format are the publisher's own description where it gives one. The only thing we say about religion is one label, secular or faith-based, given by the rule above; where the publisher's pages don't settle it, the card has no label.

No affiliate links, no sponsored places, no ranking. Something wrong or out of date? Send a correction; publishers can send corrections, never money.