This Planning Guide will take your child through every science topic that is covered from Grade 1 - 6. The "Year" suggestions are just that, suggestions. I put some easier topics early and covered each subject area (anatomy, geology, etc.) at least two times throughout the six years using different topics.

You can do any of these topics any year. I recommend doing science two days per week for 1 to 1-1/2 hours or more per day. See Sample Curriculum Plan for a sample schedule. Use my History & Science Unit Planning Form (pdf document) to help you plan your year.

For suggestions of activities to do while teaching these topics, check out the Unit Study Resource page for Science Units and Project Ideas for Unit Studies.

The goal in elementary school is to give your child a simple introduction to each topic. Have fun and don't require your child to memorize a lot of details and facts. (You'll be surprised at how much they do learn just from listening to books read out loud, doing hands-on projects, and going on field trips related to the topic.) Your child will study all these topics again in much more detail during his secondary school years.

For recordkeeping, check off each topic as your child completes it in the The Checklist.

For suggestions of science curriculum to use, check my Science Curriculum Recommendations.

Science-Year 1
Anatomy: Five Senses, Safety (9 wks)
Geology: Rocks & Minerals (9 wks)
Botany: Plants, Plant Identification, Parts of a Plant, Life Cycle (9 wks)
Physics: Sound, Hearing, Doppler Effect, Speed of Sound (9 wks)

Science-Year 2
Zoology: Insects, Bugs, Spiders (9 wks)
Astronomy: Time, Calendars, Seasons (9 wks)
Oceanography: Oceans, Lakes, Ponds, Rivers, Water Pollution (9 wks)
Physics: Light, Rainbows, Colors, Speed of Light, Reflection (9 wks)

Science-Year 3
Zoology: Mammals, Animal Habitats, Amphibians, Reptiles, Dinosaurs, Birds, Worms (9 wks)
Meteorology: Weather Forecasting, Climate, Tornadoes, Hurricanes, Tsunamis, & Other weather disasters (9 wks)
Oceanography: Ocean Life (Fish, Sponges, Crustaceans, Mollusks, Plant life) (9 wks)
Physics: Simple Machines, Technology, Invention (9 wks)

Science-Year 4
Anatomy: Health, Medicine, Nutrition, Genetics (9 wks)
Astronomy: Planets, Sun, Moon, Moon Phases, Tides, Constellations, Asteroids, Milky Way, Comets, Meteors (9 wks)
Botany: Biomes, Unusual Plants, Uses of Plants, Gardening (9 wks)
Physics: Electricity, Magnetism, Gravity (9 wks)

Science-Year 5
Zoology: Animal Classification, Camouflage, Migration, Hibernation, Conservation, Food Chains, Life Cycles, Microscopic Creatures (9 wks)
Geology: Earth’s Composition, Landforms, Soil, Volcanoes, Earthquakes, Erosion (9 wks)
Oceanography: Ocean Exploration, Ocean Resources (9 wks)
Physics: Sources of Energy, Laws of Motion (9 wks)

Science-Year 6
Anatomy: Body Systems (18 wks)
Astronomy: Space Exploration, Astronauts, Flight (12 wks)
Scientific Method (3 wks)
Chemistry: Matter, Compounds, Elements, Chemical Changes, Temperature, Uses of Chemistry
(3 wks)

Here's how I would document this work: (1 unit = 1 year of work, If you do 1/2 year, then call it .5 unit)

• 1 unit Biology
• 1/2 - 1 unit Zoology
• 1/2 - 1 unit Anatomy
• 1/2 - 1 unit Botany
• 1 unit Geology
• 1/2 - 1 unit Meteorology
• 1/2 - 1 unit Oceanography
• 1/2 - 1 unit Astronomy
• 1 unit Chemistry
• 1 unit Physics

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