A Living Books Approach to High School Chemistry
When you choose to use a Charlotte Mason-inspired science curriculum, you’re not just choosing different content—you’re choosing a different philosophy. That means it won’t always look like what we remember from our own education. One of the questions I sometimes receive, especially from parents with a strong background in science, is this:
“Why isn’t there more direct instruction on molecular chemistry, stoichiometry, or topics like molarity, solution chemistry, and rates of reaction?”
It’s a fair question. These are classic high school chemistry topics. But the answer goes beyond simply checking boxes on a list.
A Living Books Curriculum Follows the Book
This curriculum is rooted in the living book it uses. That means I don’t start with a traditional scope and sequence and then look for a book to match. Instead, I begin with a book that inspires curiosity and invites connection. Then, I build out the guide—adding experiments, current events, and commentary—based on the content the author presents.
With most of my high school science courses, I was able to find a relatively modern book that was both scientifically sound and truly living. For chemistry, however, I couldn’t find a modern book that met both criteria. The newer options lacked life—even I couldn’t get through them without losing interest—while the book I ultimately chose is both scientifically sound and truly living, though not modern.
So, I went back to a book I loved.
Why an Older Book?
When I first started developing the high school chemistry guide, I intended to use a modern book. But a few weeks into writing, I dreaded it. The book was dry, tedious, and lifeless. It simply wasn’t working.
So I called a friend. She’s an adjunct college chemistry professor, teaches another popular chemistry curriculum in a homeschool co-op, and uses my guides to teach her own kids. She knows both worlds well.
She told me she had also tried reading the modern book I was using—and couldn’t finish it. Then she asked the most important question: “Why aren’t you using the book you love?”
I explained that it was quite old, and I worried that without a chemistry degree, I might not catch outdated information. She reviewed it and assured me: everything a high school student needs is there. And where terminology has changed? In many cases, if you go to a hardware store, the old name is still what you’ll find printed on the bottle.
That gave me the confidence I needed. I switched back to the living book, and I’ve never regretted it.
What About the Missing Topics?
It’s true: you won’t find detailed instruction on stoichiometry, solution chemistry, or molarity in this course. Some of those topics are actually introduced earlier in the Form 3–4 Chemistry course, which isn’t absolutely required before high school chemistry, but it does enrich the overall picture.
But here’s the deeper answer: Not everything has to be covered at this stage.
Years ago, I taught a full-day workshop on science and was joined by a physics professor from the U.S. Air Force Academy. I asked him what he wished his incoming cadets had truly mastered in high school. Without hesitation, he said: “Algebra.”
He explained that many students come in having completed calculus or higher-level math courses, but they don’t have a strong grasp of Algebra. It gives them a false sense of knowledge that doesn’t serve them well in college-level work. What he wanted was a solid foundation.
That stuck with me.
Foundation Over Exhaustion
My goal isn’t to exhaust the subject. It’s to build a foundation of wonder, curiosity, and understanding. I want students to walk away from this course not just having memorized equations, but having really thought about chemistry—its patterns, its relevance, its connection to the created world.
Would I love to use a newer book? Absolutely. But I’d much rather use a book that is better: one that draws students in, encourages them to think deeply, and helps them love science.
That’s the gift of a Charlotte Mason education.
And as it turns out, it’s also great science education.
Further Reading:
- Will a Living Education Prepare My Child, Technically? by Don Rhymer
- My Thoughts on the Science Standards
- Science Textbooks – Why Not?
- Form 3–4 Chemistry Guide (link to product or description page)
