Foundations of Science 1

What Is Foundations of Inquiry Science?

Science builds on itself. When you understand the foundational concepts, you have something to connect new ideas to. If you miss one of those foundations, later concepts can be much harder to understand.

That's what this course is designed to help with. We start at the beginning and work through real science in bite-sized pieces, giving learners time to understand each idea before building on it.

We explore chemistry, physics, life science, and earth science together because these subjects are connected. What we learn about matter helps us understand air and water. What we learn about energy helps us understand everything from moving objects to food chains. We keep coming back to earlier ideas, using them in new ways and building a deeper understanding as we go.

I recommend beginning with Lesson 1, regardless of your learner's age. Older learners may move through the early lessons quickly, and younger learners may need more time. Either is fine. Something seeming simple doesn't mean it isn't an important foundation for what comes next.

Making It Work for Your Learner

The self-paced curriculum is completely free. There are slideshows, videos, activities, games, and printables available to help you explore the concepts together.

Please don't feel like you need to use every resource! Choose what works for your learner. You might watch a slideshow together and talk about it, try an activity, play a game, or use a workbook page to revisit an idea. You don't need to complete everything before moving on. What matters is whether your learner understands the concept, not how many resources you've used.

This is inquiry science, so the discussions and rabbit holes are an important part of the learning! Ask questions, give learners time to explain their thinking, and follow their curiosity. If something makes them wonder, take time to explore it together. You don't need to have every answer. Figuring things out together is part of the process.

The goal is to build understanding, and sometimes the best conversation comes from a question you weren't planning to ask.