Homeschool Highschool Podcast Ep 103: Science Credits for Non-Science Majors

This week on the Homeschool Highschool Podcast: Science Credits for Non-Science Majors! This post is running concurrently on the Ultimate Homeschool Radio Network.

Science Credits for Non-Science Majors

Note: We are not affiliates with any curriculum mentioned in this episode.

What if your homeschool high schooler is NOT going to be a science major in college, or might not even be going to college. Must they do a

Biology
Chemistry
2 Other Sciences:
- General Science, Physical Science, Earth Science, Astronomy, Physics, Marine Science, Geology, etc.
- Health (Some states list Health as a Science, some create a special category for Health)

Is your student interested in Astronomy? Check out this interview with Luke Gilkerson.

When creating a Science credit for your homeschool high schooler you will need:

Curriculum
30 hours lab for Biology, Chemistry and one other science (at least 3 courses should include lab)

If you have a homeschool high schoolers who are not headed for college OR will not be a Science major (and will start at a community college or less competitive college), Average-level Science courses are a great choice.

What are levels in homeschool high school?

Level 1: Remedial

Level 1 is a remedial level. This level is for students who have learning disabilities that prevent them from doing higher-level work. They need curriculum with short lessons, short assignments, simple vocabulary in the text for easy reading, modified tests experiences.

One popular curriculum for Level 1 Science is Pearson Education Pacemaker Series.

Level 2: Average

Average-level courses are for non-college-bound highschoolers or teens who will not be Science majors in college and will be attending a community college or less-competitive college. (College-bound teens should restrict their Average-level courses to around 2 credits.)

Westfield Studios 101. Make sure you follow their syllabus in order to earn a full Average-level credit.
Some online courses may be Average-level. Be sure to read course descriptions and/or talk to the teacher.
Many local homeschool hybrid schools or co-ops will give this option. Co-ops are awesome because the contagious enjoyment of a teacher who loves science can help teens get the most out of these core courses. (And someone else is teaching a subject you may not like!)
Try group labs.