Teaching science has never been my strong suit.
I’m the homeschool mom who somehow managed to botch nearly every science experiment we attempted. Vinegar volcanoes? Disasters. Hands-on projects? More stress than learning.
Eventually, I stopped trying to force myself to become the science teacher I’m not. Instead, I started looking for an online homeschool science curriculum that could do what I can’t. My wish list wasn’t complicated.
I wanted a Christian homeschool science program that:
worked for multiple ages
didn’t require lesson planning
didn’t leave me grading quizzes every Friday
actually kept my kids interested
And after trying different resources over the years... I found it.
Our family has now used Journey Homeschool Academy long enough that I can confidently say I’d purchase it again without hesitation. If you’re searching for honest online homeschool science reviews, here’s exactly what has worked (and why) for our family.
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Online Homeschool Science for Kindergarten Through High School
Why We Think It’s One of the Best Christian Homeschool Science Curriculums
Why I Trust Journey Homeschool Academy
I’ve been homeschooling my kids ever since Noah built the Ark. (Or maybe it just feels that way.)
Years ago I discovered Luke and Trisha Gilkerson—a husband-and-wife team, parents of six, passionate educators, and creators of one of my all-time favorite Bible resources, Write Through the Bible.
When the Gilkersons launched Journey Homeschool Academy, my curiosity was immediately piqued. If their science courses were anything like their previous work, I knew they would be thoughtful, academically solid, and firmly rooted in a biblical worldview.
I previewed the courses, then enrolled all five of my kids. I honestly had no idea how much it would change the way we approached science!
Online Homeschool Science for Kindergarten Through High School
At the time I’m updating this review, our family has completed multiple science courses at the elementary, middle school, and high school levels.
That means I’ve had the chance to see how Journey Homeschool Academy works with very different learners.
A theater-loving high schooler.
A curious middle school boy who learns best by listening.
Two younger brothers who would much rather pretend to be cowboys than sit through a long textbook lesson.
Somehow... every single one of them looked forward to science. Honestly, that alone felt like a homeschool miracle!
Before I walk through each grade level, let me explain why this online homeschool science curriculum has become one of my favorite homeschool purchases.
One of my favorite things about Journey Homeschool Academy is that parents don’t have to be science experts. Luke and Trisha teach the lessons, not me.
That alone is worth celebrating!
Journey currently offers:
Elementary Online Homeschool Science
Astronomy
Biology
Earth Science
These self-paced courses are ideal for younger learners—even kindergarteners who enjoy learning alongside older siblings.
Middle School Online Homeschool Science
Astronomy
Earth Science
Physical Science
Marine Biology
World of Birds
High School Online Homeschool Science
Astronomy
Biology
Chemistry
Physics
Physical Science
New Testament Survey
Whether you’re homeschooling one child or several, Journey makes it surprisingly simple to provide a quality Christian science education without creating separate lesson plans for every grade.
If you’d like to browse the available courses, you can preview them here.
How Journey Homeschool Academy Works
One of the things I appreciate most about Journey Homeschool Academy is how simple it is to use.
As homeschool moms, we’re already juggling lesson plans, meal planning, laundry, appointments, and about a hundred other responsibilities. The last thing most of us need is another complicated curriculum to manage.
Journey keeps everything organized for you.
After you enroll, each student receives their own login with a personalized dashboard. From there, they can access their weekly video lessons, worksheets, quizzes, exams, and any supplemental materials for the course.
Parents have their own dashboard, too, where it’s easy to monitor progress, view grades, and keep track of completed assignments.
It’s all very intuitive, which means less time figuring out technology and more time actually learning.
One helpful tip: if you’re enrolling multiple children, don’t forget to take advantage of Journey’s sibling discount.
What the School Year Looks Like
Middle school and high school science courses follow a traditional school-year schedule.
Before classes begin, Journey sends helpful emails explaining exactly what you’ll need for the upcoming year, including recommended textbooks, workbooks, memory cards, and downloadable resources.
I appreciated having everything laid out ahead of time instead of scrambling during the first week of school.
Once classes begin, students receive one new lesson each week.
Rather than unlocking the entire course at once, lessons are released gradually throughout the school year. That built-in accountability helped keep our family on track without me constantly reminding everyone what to do next.
Each week’s assignments typically include:
A video lesson taught by Luke or Trisha
Assigned reading
Worksheet activities
An online quiz
Optional enrichment activities
Semester exams and a final exam are also included for middle school and high school students.
And that brings me to one of my favorite parts of these science courses….
No Lesson Planning. No Teaching. Very Little Grading.
This is where Journey Homeschool Academy completely won me over.
No Lesson Planning
Every lesson is already planned. There are no weekly schedules to create, no science experiments to organize, and no wondering whether you’ve covered enough material.
You simply open the lesson for the week and begin. That alone removes a tremendous amount of mental load from homeschooling.
No Teaching Required
Unless you want to. Luke and Trisha do an excellent job presenting each lesson in a way that’s engaging, organized, and easy for students to follow.
Instead of trying to teach concepts I barely remembered from high school, I got to learn alongside my kids. That made science much more enjoyable for all of us.
Almost No Grading
Quizzes and exams are graded automatically. Worksheets include answer keys.
Instead of spending evenings grading papers, I simply check completed work and move on with our day. As a busy homeschool mom, that’s a huge win.
Manageable Reading
One thing I especially appreciate is that Journey doesn’t rely on endless textbook reading.
Yes, students read, but the reading supports the lessons instead of replacing them. Most of the teaching happens through engaging video instruction, making this an excellent fit for visual learners, reluctant readers, and many dyslexic students.
If you’ve ever had a child shut down after seeing pages and pages of dense science text, you’ll understand why this mattered so much in our homeschool.
Elementary Science Works a Little Differently
Elementary courses are even more flexible. Instead of following a weekly release schedule, every lesson is available as soon as you enroll.
That means you can move at your own pace. Some weeks we’d complete one lesson. Other weeks we’d watch two.
If life got busy, we simply picked up where we left off. That flexibility was especially helpful while homeschooling multiple children at different grade levels.
Our Experience with Journey Homeschool Academy’s Experience Astronomy
Our first school year with Journey, all five of my kids studied Experience Astronomy, each at their own grade level.
Although the curriculum looked a little different for each child, one thing surprised me most: Every single one of them enjoyed science.
As a homeschool mom who dreaded teaching this subject, that’s something I never expected to say!
Here’s what the year looked like in our home.
High School Online Homeschool Science Review
My second daughter, Emily, isn’t what you’d call a “science kid.”
Give her Broadway musicals, theatre, or a cast recording any day of the week, and she’s perfectly happy. But science? Not at the top of her list.
That’s one reason I was pleasantly surprised by how much she enjoyed Journey’s high school astronomy course.
Each week, Emily watched one of Luke Gilkerson’s video lectures (usually around 20 minutes), completed her assigned reading, finished a worksheet, and took an online quiz. Throughout the year, she also completed semester exams and a final exam, earning a full high school science credit.
The workload felt appropriately challenging without taking over her entire schedule.
I especially appreciated that she could complete a solid, college-prep science course while still having plenty of time for the activities she truly loves.
If your high school student isn’t planning to major in science someday, I think that’s a tremendous advantage.
Students who love digging deeper can complete the optional Field Guide activities, which include star-gazing exercises, charts, and additional hands-on learning.
Take a look at “Experience Astronomy” for high schoolers
Middle School Online Homeschool Science Review
My son Keith, on the other hand, is naturally curious. He’s also a very social learner.
Whenever possible, I’d sit beside him and watch the weekly science lectures together. (The middle school and high school students watch the same lecture videos.)
On weeks I couldn’t join him, something interesting happened. He’d come find me afterward and start telling me everything he’d learned.
To me, that’s one of the best indicators that a curriculum is working! Kids talk about the things that genuinely interest them.
Keith’s weekly assignments included the lecture, textbook reading, worksheets, an online quiz, and optional Field Guide activities. Since the middle school level includes fewer assignments than the high school course, it doesn’t count as a high school science credit—but it does provide an excellent foundation.
As the mom of a dyslexic learner, I especially appreciated that most of the instruction came through video rather than endless reading. That format played to his strengths instead of constantly highlighting his challenges.
If you’re looking for an online homeschool science curriculum for a visual or auditory learner—especially a reluctant reader—I think Journey does an exceptional job.
Take a look at “Experience Astronomy” for middle schoolers
Elementary Online Homeschool Science Review
My younger boys, Colton and Caleb, completed the elementary Experience Astronomy course together. This may have been my favorite part of the entire year.
The elementary lessons are shorter than the middle school and high school videos, making them a perfect fit for younger attention spans.
Most weeks we’d watch one or two lessons together, complete Colton’s workbook assignments, and then spend the rest of the week talking about planets, stars, and whatever fascinating fact we’d just learned.
Science stopped feeling like another homeschool subject and became part of everyday conversation.
One of my favorite memories? Caleb asked if he could watch two of Mr. Luke’s science videos for his birthday. I don’t think I could give a stronger recommendation than that!
The boys also spent months pretending to be astronauts, wearing their science T-shirts, and quizzing each other with the astronomy memory cards. When learning naturally spills over into play, I know we’ve found something special.
Preview “Experience Astronomy” for elementary kids
Teaching Younger Siblings Alongside Older Students
One question I hear often is whether younger siblings can participate. Absolutely.
Here’s what worked beautifully for our family.
Let each child participate at his or her own level.
Colton completed the workbook assignments each week.
Caleb simply watched the lessons.
Because he wasn’t yet a confident reader and writer, I chose not to purchase a workbook for him. He still learned an incredible amount just by watching and listening.
Don’t skip the memory cards.
If I were recommending one optional add-on, this would be it.
The memory cards became one of our favorite ways to review each lesson, and all of the kids could participate together.
Borrow the recommended picture books.
Journey includes wonderful book recommendations that correspond with the weekly lessons.
We borrowed many of ours from the library, then purchased a few favorites to keep on our shelves. Those extra read-alouds helped reinforce what the boys were learning without adding much work for me.
Who I Think This Curriculum Is Best For
After using Journey Homeschool Academy with all five of my kids, here’s who I think will benefit most.
This curriculum is an excellent fit if you:
homeschool multiple children
want an online homeschool science curriculum that teaches for you
prefer a Christian worldview
have visual or auditory learners
want very little lesson planning
appreciate automatic grading
It may not be the best fit if your ideal science curriculum revolves around daily hands-on experiments or discussion-based learning with very little screen time.
For our family, however, it has been one of the easiest—and most enjoyable—curriculum decisions we’ve made.
Final Thoughts
When I first started looking for an online homeschool science curriculum, I wasn’t searching for perfection. I was simply looking for help.
I wanted a science curriculum my kids would actually enjoy, and one that wouldn’t leave me overwhelmed every week.
Journey Homeschool Academy has done exactly that.
If you’re researching online homeschool science options and wondering whether Journey Homeschool Academy is worth considering, I hope our family’s experience has helped you make an informed decision.
If you’d like to preview the courses for yourself, you can explore them here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Journey Homeschool Academy a Christian homeschool science curriculum?
Yes. Journey Homeschool Academy teaches science from a biblical worldview while maintaining strong academic standards. If you’re looking for a faith-based online homeschool science curriculum, it’s an excellent option.
What grades does Journey Homeschool Academy serve?
Journey offers online homeschool science courses for elementary, middle school, and high school students, including Astronomy, Biology, Chemistry, Earth Science, Physical Science, Marine Biology, and Physics.
Does Journey Homeschool Academy work well for homeschooling multiple ages?
Absolutely. This is one of my favorite features. Several subjects are available at elementary, middle school, and high school levels, allowing siblings to study the same topic while completing age-appropriate assignments.
Is this online homeschool science curriculum good for dyslexic learners?
In our experience, yes. Because so much of the instruction happens through engaging video lessons instead of lengthy textbook reading, Journey worked especially well for my son, who learns best through listening and discussion.
Do parents have to teach the lessons?
No. That’s one of the biggest reasons I recommend Journey. Luke Gilkerson teaches the lessons, quizzes and exams are graded automatically, and parents simply oversee progress rather than creating lesson plans or teaching every concept themselves.
Is Journey Homeschool Academy worth the cost?
For our family, absolutely. Between the quality of instruction, the time it saves me, and the fact that all four of my children genuinely enjoyed science, it’s been one of the best curriculum investments we’ve made.
This is such a practical and encouraging look at online homeschool science resources. I especially liked how you highlighted the flexibility and real-world application possibilities. It makes the subject feel far less intimidating for parents who are not science specialists.
We homeschool our children too, and I have written quite a bit about our own journey on my Substack. Incorporating good online tools has been a game changer for keeping science engaging without needing a full lab setup at home.
Here is a good resource for you: I originally wrote my book The Hidden Hand for my own children, but I now believe it can benefit all homeschool libraries. It opens readers to the hidden power structures that have shaped society for over 5000 years.
https://www.ericbuesing.com/the-hidden-hand-wealth-power-and-control-from-pharaohs-to-corporations/
Thanks for putting this together. It is a helpful addition for any homeschool parent looking to strengthen the science side of things.