BJU Press Science

BJU Press Grades K-12 Updated July 2026

Who it fits

Rigorous, structured, openly Christian textbook science, with a parent ready to teach or willing to use the video option. Secular families and those wanting an open-and-go or student-directed program should skip it.

How it scores

Rigor
?

How demanding the material is versus grade level. Where a program lands on the 1 to 5 scale:

  1. 1gentle, below grade
  2. 2relaxed
  3. 3on grade
  4. 4demanding
  5. 5advanced
Read the rigor guide
Parent involvement
?

How much the parent is present and teaching. Where a program lands on the 1 to 5 scale:

  1. 1hands-off
  2. 2light
  3. 3shared
  4. 4leading
  5. 5parent-taught
Read the parent involvement guide
Prep load
?

How much the parent prepares before a lesson. Where a program lands on the 1 to 5 scale:

  1. 1open-and-go
  2. 2minimal
  3. 3moderate
  4. 4involved
  5. 5heavy
Read the prep load guide
Screen time
?

How much daily work is on a device. Where a program lands on the 1 to 5 scale:

  1. 1fully offline
  2. 2mostly offline
  3. 3blended
  4. 4mostly digital
  5. 5fully digital
Read the screen time guide
Independence
?

How much the child can do alone. Where a program lands on the 1 to 5 scale:

  1. 1adult-led
  2. 2guided
  3. 3semi-independent
  4. 4mostly independent
  5. 5fully independent
Read the independence guide
Time commitment
?

How long a daily lesson takes the child. Where a program lands on the 1 to 5 scale:

  1. 1under 15 min
  2. 215 to 25 min
  3. 325 to 40 min
  4. 440 to 60 min
  5. 560+ min
Read the time commitment guide

At a glance

Faith content Integrated
Creation stance Young-earth
Approach Spiral
Format Textbook A full-color textbook plus an activity manual, with hands-on activities and labs central to many lessons, especially the early grades. Chapter supply lists are long and BJU sells lab kits. The same editions are sold to schools, so some group activities need adapting. Optional Distance Learning video courses exist; the print core is scored here.
Used as Spine
Philosophy Traditional
Best for Independent workers

What parents consistently praise

  • Vibrant full-color pages keep kids engaged
  • Strong vocabulary and critical thinking
  • Projects and labs they remember
  • Well-organized, easy-to-follow teacher editions
  • Video course rescues you on upper-level subjects

What parents report as challenges

  • You have to teach it, not hand it off
  • Long supply lists to gather ahead
  • Teacher editions can be verbose
  • Written for classrooms, so you adapt for one kid

How it shifts by grade

Elementary (1-6) is heavily activity-driven and teacher-led. Junior high and high school (Life, Earth, Physical Science, Biology, Chemistry, Physics) get more independent, and the video Distance Learning courses shift the teaching load off the parent.

Additional notes

The free Homeschool Hub gives planning and record-keeping tools and helps schedule labs. Every grade revisits life, earth and space, and physical science with more detail at higher levels.

Cost

Price~$65-180/subject
ConsumablePartial
Per child / year~$160-260 (subject kit plus lab and supply kit), more with the video course
Check price BJU Press

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Compare head to head

Descriptions aggregate what homeschool parents consistently report across public community sources (forums, Facebook groups, Reddit, and long-form reviews) together with the publisher's own materials. Prices and editions change over time.

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