🖐️ Tree of Life poster. A Tree of Life wall poster is a great resource to refer to when you’re studying plants, animals, evolution, the history of life on Earth, and biological classification (taxonomy). The linked version is for a laminated 24” x 36” wall poster. Other good options are also available. – All

🖐️ Microscope. It is worth investing in a good microscope for your home school. Costs and quality vary widely, but AmScope is one very well-regarded manufacturer. If your family is serious about microscopy and you have the resources, consider the AmScope B120C-E1 Siedentopf Binocular Compound Microscope, a powerful instrument that can serve your family through high school and beyond. With magnification settings from 40X to 2500X, coarse and fine focusing, and LED illumination, this scope is powerful enough for use in professional laboratory settings. It also has a digital camera that captures images and can stream live videos on your computer screen. For a mid-range instrument, try AmScope’s 40X-1000X Dual Light All Metal Microscope, named the 2018 Best Students and Kids Microscope Kit. Or, for a truly cost-efficient option, consider AmScope’s 120X-1200X 52-pcs Kids Beginner Microscope STEM Kit. A set of prepared slides is a handy supplemental resource for any microscope you choose. – All

📖 Biology for Every Kid by Janice Van Cleave. This title in Van Cleave’s classic Every Kid series introduces kids to fundamental concepts in Biology through hands-on experimentation. Unit I covers Plants, Unit II explores Animals, and Unit III invites kids to experiment with the Human Body. The simple but illustrative experiments make a good supplement to an Elementary or early Middle School study. – Elementary • Middle

📖 CK-12 Life Science for Middle School. You don’t need a textbook to teach Life Science before High School. However, if you’re looking for a spine, consider CK-12 Life Science. This is a free, online modular textbook geared toward Middle School students. Topics covered include Cells & Genes, Evolution, Classifying Life, Plants, Animals, Human Body, and Conservation. Supplement with resources on these pages. – Middle

📖 Campbell Biology: Concepts and Connections. Here is an excellent, visually-appealing, comprehensive Biology textbook. Though technically written for college non-majors, the text is appropriate for motivated high school students. The seven modules cover cells, evolution, animals, plants, and ecology. Another option is Campbell Biology, which is an AP-aligned advanced high school text. Though the current versions of both textbooks are quite pricey, older editions can be purchased used on Amazon at a decent price. – High

💻 Citizen Science Projects. Citizen Science projects allow members of the public to contribute to ongoing scientific research. Some initiatives have a local focus, while others are conducted nationwide or online. Search the SciStarter database to find projects that align with your child’s age and interests. – All

💻 Steve Spangler Science. Steve Spangler is something of a science demo celebrity. On his website, you will find many scientific demonstrations, videos, and experiments, some more complex than others. As you browse the Life Science pages of Best Homeschool Resources, you will find recommendations for experiments that align with specific topics of study. – All

📖 Karl, Get Out of the Garden! Carolus Linnaeus and the Naming of Everything by Anita Sanchez. Here is a beautifully illustrated picture book biography of Karl Linnaeus that explains how he developed the taxonomic system of naming that is central to the Life Sciences. – Elementary

📖 Class of Their Own series from Crabtree Publishing. The six books in this series introduce the two prokaryotic domains, Archaea and Bacteria, as well as the four kingdoms of the eukaryote domain: Plants, Animals, Fungi, and Protists. These are decent resources that can be used to aid a middle grade study of taxonomy. – Middle