Science Chunks versus Classical Science - which is better? It's a question we get often here at Elemental Science. Along with it's cousin - Should you use Classical Science or Sassafras Science?

And so today, we wanted to help you sort out the answer to this common question.

Should you use Science Chunks or Classical Science in your homeschool next year?

The short answer...

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The main difference is that the Science Chunks series touches on multiple disciplines in a year, while the Classical Science series spends the whole year exploring the topics within one main disciple. Both programs feature weekly hands-on science activities, reading from children's non-fiction books, and notebooking.

In other words - both are good options, but they approach teaching science in a different way. So, it really depends upon which approach fits your unique homeschooling style better.

The longer answer...

We believe that every science program needs to have three keys...

1. Some kind of hands-on science
2. A way to gather scientific information
3. An opportunity to keep a student record with what they learned

There are many different ways that you can put these three keys together to teach science at home. We shared more about how this works in the free conference session - The Three Keys to Teaching Science.

Here at Elemental Science, our different series plan out these three keys in different ways. Here's how this works...

A Look at the Science Chunks series

The programs in the Science Chunks series are 4 to 12 week long units. However, we also have year bundles with 36 weeks of plans for you to use. The idea is that you will cover multiple discipline through several units each year. In other words, you'll do a bit biology, a bit of earth science or astronomy, a bit of chemistry, and a bit of physics each year.

Here are how the three keys work in these units...

1. Hands-on Science: Weekly demonstrations or hands-on science activities included in the guide.
2. Scientific Information: Readings come from full-color, visually appealing children's non-fiction books by publishers such as DK, Kingfisher, or Usborne.
3. Student Records: Custom lapbook templates and notebooking pages with plenty of pictures and space to write down what they have learned.

The programs in this series also include...

• Additional STEAM activities, vocabulary, and review sheets.

Our Science Chunks units range in age from kindergarten through sixth grade. You can combine all your students into one group, adjusting the writing and reading expectations based on the age of the student.

This series is designed for you to pick and choose what you want to study, which is why there are single units. However, if you choose to use the year bundles, here is the typical progression through this series...

• Year K (Colors Unit)
• Year A (eBook Bundle or Printed Bundle - Includes Plants, Biomes, Solar System, Atoms, Light, and Sound, plus a unit on Gregor Mendel)
• Year B (eBook Bundle or Printed Bundle - Includes Human Body, Weather, Stars, Matter, Acids and Bases, and Energy, plus a unit on Louis Pasteur)
• Year C (Coming Soon - will include Living World, Invertebrates, Planet Earth, Periodic Table, Force, Motion, plus a unit on Marie Curie)
• More year bundles are in the works!

You can pick up the Science Chunks Series at any point and with any unit, so choose what you would like to learn about and start there.

This series is best for...

• Those who want to learn a bit about every area of science each year.
• Those who would prefer to pick and choose what they learn about for science.
• Those who want to use the same program with multiple children.

If you want to dig more into the philosophy behind this series and what it looks like, check out the following video: 

• How to Teach Science to Elementary Students

A Look at the Classical Science series

The programs in the Classical Science series are full-year long programs, meaning they contain 36 weeks of plans for you to use. They cover a single broad discipline per year - biology, earth science and astronomy, chemistry, or physics.

Here are how the three keys work in these programs...

1. Hands-on Science: Weekly demonstrations or experiments found in the teacher guides
2. Scientific Information: Readings come from full-color, visually appealing children's non-fiction books by publishers such as DK, Kingfisher, or Usborne.
3. Student Records: Custom notebook with plenty of pictures and space to write down what they have learned. (There are also optional lapbooks and coloring pages with the grammar stage programs.)

The programs in this series also include...

• Memory work, vocabulary, and additional STEAM activities
• Plus, review sheets for the grammar stage and tests for the logic stage 

Our Classical Science programs range in age from kindergarten through eighth grade, but you can combine 1st- to 4th-grade students, 5th- to 8th-grade students in groups.

Here is the typical progression through this series...

• K: Intro to Science
• 1st: Biology for the Grammar Stage
• 2nd: Earth Science & Astronomy for the Grammar Stage
• 3rd: Chemistry for the Grammar Stage
• 4th: Physics for the Grammar Stage
• 5th: Biology for the Logic Stage
• 6th: Earth Science & Astronomy for the Logic Stage
• 7th: Chemistry for the Logic Stage
• 8th: Physics for the Logic Stage

You can pick up the Classical Science Series at any point, so find what would be best for your student and start there.

This series is best for...

• Those who want to dive deep into a discipline of science.
• Those who subscribe to the classical method of education.
• Those who don't mind using more than one program with multiple children.

If you want to dig more into the philosophy behind this series and what it looks like, check out the following posts: 

• Classical Science for the grammar stage student
• Classical Science for the logic stage student

Wrapping it Up

The Science Chunks series and the Classical Science series cover similar broad topics over the years, but the specifics are different.

In other words, you won't miss out on anything important by choosing one series over the other. But the specific topics and types of the methods you use to learn the basics will be different.

If you have any more questions, please don't hesitate to drop us an email using the envelope icon at the top left or bottom right of our website.