Science Units

We have close to a hundred science posts, if not more! So, I made this page to help you find some of the science resources, notebook pages, and hands-on activity ideas we have here on the blog. The table below organizes all of our science posts.  I hope it’s helpful! If you ever have any questions, feel free to drop me a line. Plus, if there’s a topic you need – feel free to reach out to me and I can try to add it to my to-do list!  liesl at homeschoolden dot com.   Don’t forget to subscribe to our Homeschool Den Newsletter! ~Liesl

Below the science unit chart, you’ll find a couple of quick videos including one about Homeschool Science in the Elementary and Middle School Years. It highlights some of the activities and experiments we’ve incorporated in our science units over the years.

Homeschool Science Curriculum - Science Units

How do we know what science units to cover from year to year? I created a Homeschool Science Unit Checklist for Elementary and Middle School that I think about as we move from unit to unit. I have a general goal of what I’d like for the kids to have covered K to 8, but we’re also flexible and go off on tangents when it’s warranted! It many of the units we hope to cover in elementary and middle school.

Science Homeschool ChecklistScience in the Elementary and Middle School Years – Free Homeschool Science Checklist

You can click on the link above to bring up the pdf. It is also located in Our Store (If you use this option, then you’ll be notified if there are any updates to this file).

$0.00 Free Science Unit Checklist for Elementary & Middle School – A list of science units our family hopes to cover in elementary and middle school

Below are some of the units we’ve covered in our homeschool.  Along the way, I’ve made lots of notebook pages for the kids and we’ve done tons of hands-on activities.

I hope you find some posts that help make science come alive for your family!! ~Liesl

PS-This page is always a work in progress!  You know how that goes! 🙂

Homeschool Science BUNDLESNotebook Pages: Many of our packets have fill-in-the-blank student pages. You will find the full-text/answer pages immediately after the student pages. The answers are not highlighted because some families use the full-text versions (rather than the fill-in-the-blank pages).

Latest update, 2023: There are now a number of different BUNDLE options available for even better savings.

Here are where you can check out the various science packets we have available. You can also visit our store.

Earth Science Bundles

Earth Science and Physical Science Units BUNDLEBig Animal Bundle, (for early elementary)

Big Animal BUNDLE - includes 8 pdfsBiology Bundle of 7 (for late elementary and/or middle school)

Biology BUNDLE of 7

the Nature Studies Bundle (for elementary)

Nature Studies BUNDLE of 2

Chemistry Bundle (for upper elementary, middle school, high school)

Human Body Bundle – Each year we go over one of the human body systems. We have covered topics such as the skeletal system, muscular system, digestive system, circulatory system, nervous system, endocrine system and more!

Human Body Systems BUNDLE

Scroll below or visit Our Store for more options.

Homeschool Den Store

Homeschool Science Supplies

A reader asked what types of supplies we used in our science units. These materials are listed in our packets (and there are photos and detailed explanations of what we did in the packets themselves), but if you’d like to see the kinds of supplies we used you can visit this Science Supply Page.

Homeschool Science SuppliesHere are our most recent science bundles and packets packets…

Earth Science BUNDLES!

Earth Science Bundle of 5There are two different Earth Science Bundles (units are also sold separately).Earth Science and Physical Science BUNDLE of 10

These packets can be purchased together or separately: Earth Science Packet (150+ pages), Layers of the Atmosphere Packet (50+ pages), Where I Live Activities: My galaxy, solar system, planet, continent, country, state, town and home!

Earth Science BUNDLE

We also have a Human Body BUNDLE

These can be purchased individually or in the Human Body BUNDLE that includes these packets:

  • Cell Packet
  • Human Body Systems
  • Skeletal System Packet
  • Digestive System Packet
  • Circulatory System Packet
  • Nervous System
  • Muscular System
  • Endocrine System

Human Body Systems BUNDLE

If you have younger kids, you might be interested in the Five Senses Unit. It includes a lot of fun hands-on activities about hearing, sight, taste, smell and touch.

Five Senses Unit - Worksheets Sorting Cards Interactive Notebook Activities and More

The various Animal Units have been put into a Big Animal BUNDLE

Big Animal BUNDLE - with 8 pdfs

One Mum from the UK said: We got the animal bundle a few weeks back. An AMAZING resource! Perfect for a combined geography project. Especially love how you can adapt these packs to suit your learning style.

Quick Previews (These can be purchased separately or in the Big Animal Bundle.)

  • Animal Packet
  • World Animal Packet
  • Rainforest Packet
  • Life Cycle Packet
  • Winter Packet and Hibernation Unit
  • Plus, there are mini-units on Wolves, Cicadas and Chameleons

More details (and to purchase these packets individually or in the bundle) visit this Animal BUNDLE post:

Big Animal Bundle

Animal-Unit-100-pages-worksheets-feathers-fur-scales-skin-vertebrates-invertebrates-insects-spiders

World Animals Unit - Montessori Cards Games Activities and morehttps://homeschoolden.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Rainforest-Unit-Animals-of-the-Rainforest-Layers-of-the-Rainforest.jpg

Polar Animals - Winter Unit Worksheets and ActivitiesHibernation Worksheets - Winter Unit

Cicadas Worksheet PacketWolves UnitChameleons Packet

There is a Biology BUNDLE of 5. Again, these units can be sold together or separately.

Biology BUNDLE of 5: 1) Biology Unit (Biomes, habitats, food chains/webs, feeding relationships) 2)  Scientific Classification & Taxonomy Packet 3) Ocean Unit & Layers of the Ocean/Ocean Zone Activities 4) Botany Unit 5) Scientific Classification & Taxonomy

Biology BUNDLE of 5 Units

Biology Packet Ecosystems Biomes Habitats Food Chains Food Webs Symbiosis Population WorksheetsCell Unit - Plant and Animal Cell Worksheets and ActivitiesScientific Classification and Taxonomy Unit for Middle School and early High School Ocean Unit - Marine Habitats Coral Reefs Tide Pools Tides Features of the Ocean Floor Fish Shapes and more worksheetsBiology Packet - Ecosystems Biomes Food Chains Food Web Trophic Levels Populations Biology Unit Ecology - Biomes-Ecosystem-Habitats- relationships between living organisms and their physical environmentBiology Packet - Feeding Relationships

Cell Unit Worksheets

Plant Cell and Photosynthesis WorksheetsBotany Unit - Parts of a Flower Parts of a Seed Carnivorous PlantsBotany Unit - Worksheets and Notebook Pages - Plant Kingdom Moss Ferns conifers angiosperms

Ocean Unit - Marine Habitats Coral Reefs Tide Pools Tides Currents Ocean Zones Bioluminescence Worksheets and moreCorals and Coral Reefs Worksheets - Notebook Pages and Lapbook Activity

And we also have a Chemistry BUNDLE:

Chemistry BUNDLEThere are a lot of fun, hands-on activities in the Electricity and Circuits Unit!

Conductors and Insulators Squishy Circuits ActivityIf your kids are in middle school or early high school, you may want to do some Physics with them.  We spent time (over the course of a couple of years) doing this Energy Unit. The kids learned about Energy, the Carbon Cycle, Renewable & Non-renewable Energy, Fossil Fuels and more:

Energy Unit - Kinetic vs Potential Energy Types and Sources of Energy Fossil Fuels the Carbon CycleTypes of Energy Worksheets

Types of Energy Worksheets and Activities

Waves the Electromagnetic Spectrum and Light Worksheets

Fossil Fuel Worksheets - How Coal Oil and Natural Gas Form

The Carbon Cycle Worksheets

Energy Packet - Fossil Fuels and the Carbon Cycle

Here are just a few more pictures of some of our Science Units:

Earth Science Packet

Earth Science Unit Earth Science Unit - Layers of the Earth Activities Types of Volcanoes Worksheets - Interactive Notebook Pages Earth Science - Earthquake VibrationsVolcano-Lapbook-Interactive-Notebook-Pieces

Layers of the Atmosphere Packet

Layers of the Atmosphere Packet - Worksheets Hands-On Activities Notebook PagesRocks and Mineral Unit

Rocks and Minerals Packet - worksheets activities and more Rocks and Minerals Unit - Worksheets Notebook Pages and More!

Magnetism Unit on Magnetic Fields, the Magnetosphere and Animal Migration

This unit can be bundled with the Earth Science materials for even better value! See Our Store for the bundle options!

Magnetism Unit - Magnets Magnetic Fields Magnetosphere MigrationHibernation Unit My daughter did a unit on hibernation this past January.  (This mini-unit was added to the Winter Packet.)

Hibernation Unit for KidsWith the new hibernation unit, the Winter Packet is now about 100 pages. Winter Packet for Early Elementary

Scientific Classification and Taxonomy: This past fall, we did an in-depth study of scientific classification and taxonomy  (You know, kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, etc!)

Scientific Classification and Taxonomy Unit for Middle School and early High SchoolTaxonomy-Scientific Classification-ActivitiesAnimal Classification Cards

Arthropods - Lapbook - Interactive NotebookInsect Worksheets - Scientific Classification and Taxonomy

We spent a lot of time really learning about difference in structure and form among the phyla… what is the difference between platyhelminthes and annelids, for example! My kids can tell you! We also did some simple dissection at the end of the unit.  (If you have younger kids, you would probably be better off to start with the Animal Unit which touches on classification, but goes over broader differences between vertebrates and invertebrates, which animals have feather/fur/skin; insects vs. spiders; domesticated vs. wild animals; animal tongues; animal homes, etc. )

I suggest that you use this Scientific Classification packet with middle school+. The Animal Unit is better with younger (elementary) students and we did that unit a few years before we did this one, although this unit does have a simplified Animal Classification Activity included. 🙂

Scientific Classification and Taxonomy Unit - Packet 60+pages Scientific Classification- Dichotomous Key Activities For younger kids, I suggest the Animal Unit: vertebrates and invertebrates, which animals have feather/fur/skin; insects vs. spiders; basic animal classification, herbivores vs. carnivores, domesticated vs. wild animals; animal tongues; animal homes, and a fun mini-unit on nocturnal animals.

Animal-Unit-100-pages-worksheets-feathers-fur-scales-skin-vertebrates-invertebrates-insects-spiders  5-Animal-Groups-WorksheetsInvertebrate-Groups-ActivitiesClassification of Animals Activity and Worksheets - Vertebrates-InvertebratesNocturnal Animal Quick Study - Opossums Raccoons Skunks Beavers

We did a unit on Chemistry, going into more detail about the Periodic Table, ionic & covalent bonds, Bohr Diagrams, Lewis Diagrams and more!

Chemistry Unit The Periodic Table Ions Isotopes Bohr Diagrams and more

The kids really liked working with the chemistry cards and said those really helped them understand electron structure! The cards are included in the packet as is the interactive notebook activity, worksheets, and pictures/instructions with the hands-on activities we did. (Suggested ages: middle school+  — My kids were 10, 12 & 14 when we did this unit).

Chemistry Packet Hands-On Chemistry CardsIf your kids are a bit younger, then they might enjoy these chemistry units:

States of Matter Unit

States of Matter Packet

The Electricity and Circuits Unit is really fun and includes a lot of  hands-on activities!Electricity Unit

Squishy Circuit Flower

Electricity and Circuits Worksheets and ActivitiesConductors and Insulators Squishy Circuits Activitystem-how-to-make-an-art-bot-hands-on-activityand our Physical & Chemical Properties of Matter Packet:

Properties of Matter - Elements Compounds Mixtures - viscosity density and more

Physical and Chemical Properties of Matter Worksheets

Physical and Chemical Properties of Matter Worksheets and Activities

This year, we also studied the Digestive System again, so that packet also got a huge update (last year we studied the Circulatory System). We spent a lot of time talking about the parts of the small and large intestine as well as the organs such as the liver, gall bladder, pancreas and their role in the digestive process. Not only did I add new notebook pages and interactive notebook pages… but I also added in an entire section on Nutrition – we spent time learning about the role fiber plays in your diet and also learned about some of the important vitamins we need.

Digestive System Worksheets and Activities Digestive System WorksheetFiber and our Digestive System worksheet and activity

Circulatory System Worksheets and Activities Recently, my girls did a units on the skeletal system (AGAIN!!) and on the muscular system:

Skeletal System Unit Skeletal System Activities Bones Joints Cartilage Skeletal System Worksheets Muscular System Unit Notebook Pages or BookletMuscular System Unit - Worksheets and Notebook PagesA couple of years ago, we did a pretty in-depth study of the Rainforest – Rainforest Unit (I added new material to this packet, so it’s now about 75 pages.)

Rainforest Unit Worksheets and ActivitiesRainforest Animals Montessori 3-Part CardsRainforest Booklet Worksheets Rainforest Notebook Pages - Worksheets Rainforest Unit - Animals and Insects of the Rainforest Layers of the Rainforest and more

A couple of years ago, my youngest spent time learning about Life Cycles again.  I also made a new Life Cycle Packet — which helps kids become familiar with the different stages in the life cycles of the chicken, sea turtle, frog, mosquito, butterfly, dragonfly, bee, mouse, and ladybug. There are cut-and-paste activities, writing paper, a game, make-a-spinner activities and more.

Life Cycle Worksheets - Activities - Montessori Cards Life Cycle Game Life Cycle Writing Pages

Five Senses Packet – I finally updated and added to the Five Senses Packet! It is now nearly 100 pages and includes all kinds of hands-on activity ideas, a lapbook, booklest, sorting cards, worksheets and more.

Five Senses Unit - Worksheets Sorting Cards Interactive Notebook Activities and More

5 Senses Packet and Hands-On Activities

Five Senses - Interactive Notebook - Lapbook

Water Cycle Packet

Water Cycle UnitThen you could go on to talk about Clouds, Winds & Weather and/or Natural Disasters

Clouds Winds Weather Worksheets - Packet

Simple Machines Unit

Simple Machines Unit Simple Machines Booklet - Simple Machines Hands-On Activities Simple Machines Booklet - Simple Machines Unit Simple Machines Interactive Notebook Activity - levers wedge pulley screw wheel and axle inclined plane simple machines at a construction site worksheetsTrash & Recycling Unit

One spring around Earth Day, we did an environomental studies unit on trash and recycling. We talked about landfills, what can be recycled (and what the numbers mean on plastic), plastic and the environment and more!

Trash and Recycling ActivityTrash and Recycling Booklet

Botany Unit: Parts of a Seed, Parts of a Plant, Plant Kingdom Packet

Parts of a Seed - Parts of a Flower Worksheets Parts of a Flower Parts of a Seed Worksheets and Notebook PagesPlant Kingdom Worksheets - Life Cycle of Moss Ferns Conifers AngiospermsBotany Unit - Worksheets and Notebook Pages - Plant Kingdom Moss Ferns conifers angiosperms Plant Classification Worksheets - Plant KingdomCarnivorous Plants Worksheets Notebook Pages Lapbook and More!

Note: The links on this page take you directly to the blog posts, so you can read more about our hands-on activities and see more pictures of the what is included in the packets.  If you are interested in purchasing our packets you can also visit Our Store as well. :)  Feel free to contact me if you have any questions! ~Liesl

Homeschool Den StoreHomeschool Unit Studies - Science

P.S. Someone asked me for a printable list of our Science Packets and Bundles. It also includes a list of some of the free resources we have here on the blog. Here’s a pdf you can download and print out. It’s now a bit out of date (it’s on my to-do list again!!), but here’s what I had shared with her:

FREE pdf: Science Resources on the Homeschool Den

I’ve updated this post (above) quite a bit, but below there are some links that I didn’t mention above so I’ll leave this section in! 🙂

Remember, you can see a list of all our science, history, geography, spelling, writing packets, and other units at Our Store.

~Liesl

Our Homeschool Science Units

Earth Science Activities

 

Earth Science Activities

Earth-Science-Packet 150 page - worksheets hands-on activities and moreEarth Science Unit - Layers of the Earth Activities Types of Volcanoes Worksheets - Interactive Notebook PagesEarth Science - Earthquake VibrationsVolcano Worksheets and Notebook Pages

Layers-of-the-Earth-Activity1

Simple Machines

Simple Machines

Simple Machines Unit - Worksheets Lapbook Activities simple machines at a construction site worksheets Simple Machines Interactive Notebook Activity - levers wedge pulley screw wheel and axle inclined plane Simple Machines - Levers Inclined plane wedge pulley screw wheel and axle

Physics Unit

 

Physics Unit:

We did a Physics Unit a number of years ago (when the kids were 8, 6, 4). This post has some of our hands-on physics activities after we had learned about Newton and read through our physics textbooks.

white-light

Rocks and Minerals Unit

Rocks and Minerals Unit

Rocks-and-Minerals-Unit-Packet

Types-of-Rocks-Worksheets

    • Metamorphic Rock Activity (another older post, where we took “core samples,” excavated and examined this baked rock — a cupcake!)

Cell Unit

Cell Unit

Cell Packet - Cell Unit Homeschool CurriculumPlant Cells WorksheetsAnimal Cell Organelle Review SheetCell-PlaydoughPlant Cells Worksheets

 

Human Body Systems

Human Body Systems

Digestive System

 

Digestive System

Digestive System Unit: We had such fun with this unit. We did hands on activities to see how the digestive tract works (how nutrients pass through), made “fake”vomit, measured out the length of the digestive system and more! We broke this unit into three sections:

Epiglottis-Activity-Choking

igestive-System-WorksheetsDigestive System Worksheet Digestive System Flap Book

Skeletal System

 

Skeletal System

  • We did a unit on the Skeletal System – We studied the bones of the body when the kids were younger (see our preschool science posts), but this time we talked not only about the different bones of the body, but also their function, how they grow and repair themselves, how the skeletal system is divided (axial, appendicular), joints and more.Skeletal-System-Worksheets-Skeleton-Lapbook

Circulatory System

 

Circulatory System

Circulatory System Worksheets and Activities Circulatory System Unit Lapbook Circulatory System Worksheets

Chemistry Unit

Chemistry Unit

States of Matter Unit

states-of-matter-changing-states-of-matter-unit

Physical Properties of Matter – Chemical Properties of Matter 45+ Page Packet (Middle School Chemistry Unit)

We followed up our States of Matter Unit, with a study of the physical and chemical properties of matter which was geared more for my 11 and 13 year olds.  In this unit, we went into a lot detail about density and did a number of hands-on activities to determine the density of different materials.

physical-chemical-properties-of-matter-density

My older kids did a study of the periodic table:

While my younger daughter used Real Science-4-Kids Chemistry pre-Level I (affiliate link) and did a lot of science experiments to go along with that.

Here are some of our other chemistry posts (from when we studied chemistry a couple of years ago):

ColorExplosion-in-Milk

Science Experiment Packet

3FunScienceExperimentsChemistry Unit – A Study of the Periodic Table Topics include electrons/protons/neutrons, covalent & ionic bonds, metals/non-metals, ions & isotopes, and more.

Chemistry Unit - Worksheets Chemistry Cards Interactive Notebook Piece - Periodic Table Valence Electrons and More

Chemistry Unit - Building the Periodic Table Activity Chemistry Interactive Notebook PIece - Groups of the Periodic Table

Biosphere (Biology) Unit

Vertebrates and Invertebrates

Biomes

Animal Habitats

Feeding Relationships

Biological Interactions

Biosphere (Biology) Unit

Animal-Unit-100-pages-worksheets-feathers-fur-scales-skin-vertebrates-invertebrates-insects-spidersVertebrate - Invertebrate Worksheets5-Animal-Groups-WorksheetsInvertebrate-Groups-Activities

Classification of Animals Activity and Worksheets - Vertebrates-Invertebrates Herbivores Carnivores Omnivores Worksheets Activities Sorting Cards

Nocturnal Animal Quick Study - Opossums Raccoons Skunks Beavers

Biology Packet - Ecosystems, Biomes, Food Chains, PopulationsBiomes Worksheets and PicturesFood Chain Food Web Food Pyramid Activties - Interactive Notebook Pagessymbiosis commensalism mutualism worksheets and activities

Biology Posts from when the kids were younger (4-6)

  • Working with Mealworms — This was a series of activities we did when the kids were little! There’s a free Mealworm Activity Sheet.

Mealworm-Activity-Wet-Dry mealworms-activity-worksheet

And Planaria (a type of flatworm): Hands-On Invertebrate Fun! Part II – Planarian – which you can order to study at home.  They are easy to care for and are fascinating to study because they regenerate.PlanarianLife Cycles Unit

Life Cycles Worksheets and Activities Life Cycles WorksheetsLife Cycle Game Life Cycle Worksheets - Activities - Montessori Cards Life Cycle Writing Pages

Earth’s 4 Systems

Layers of the Atmosphere

Earth’s 4 Systems

Layers of the Atmosphere

Layers of the Atmosphere Printable Activity Layers of the Atmosphere Packet - Worksheets Hands-On Activities Notebook Pages

Layers-of-the-Atmosphere

Ocean Unit

Ocean Unit (ie. the hydrosphere)Ocean-Unit-Packet-Marine-Habitats-Ocean-Currents-Tides-BioluminescenceMarine Habitats Worksheets   Ocean Zones - Layers of the Ocean Activity
Ocean Zones — Layers of the OceanLayers-of-the-Ocean-ActivitiesOcean and Whale Unit (the kids were in PreK and early elementary for this unit):

Weather and Water

Weather and Water

WaterDailyUseWorksheet-231x300

WaterCycleForKids-USGS

Water-Cycle-Divides-Watershed-Aquifer-WaterTable-Notebook-Pages

Clouds Winds Weather Worksheets - Packet

Hands-On FunNatural Disasters

Natural Disasters Worksheets

Plants Unit

 

Plants Unit

Botany Packet (This is a growing packet… we’ll be going into more detail about ferns, moss, and so forth next year).

Parts of a Flower Parts of a Seed Worksheets and Notebook Pages Parts of a Flower, Seed and Fruit - Notebook PagesCarnivorous Plants Worksheets Notebook Pages Lapbook and More! Botany Unit - Parts of a Flower Parts of a Seed Carnivorous Plants

Photosynthesis Worksheets

Rainforest-Plant-Activity-CardsRainforest Unit

Rainforest Unit Worksheets and ActivitiesRainforest Animals Montessori 3-Part Cards

Rainforest Insect Worksheets Rainforest Worksheets AmazonRainforest Booklet Worksheets

hamburger-to-plant-activity

Astronomy Unit

Astronomy Unit

We talked about the solar system and geologic time recently, but many of our activities were from when the kids were younger (ie. PreK and early elementary)

Here is an astronomy packet I shared on the blog for younger kids: Planets of the Solar System

Free Planet Worksheets - Solar System Unit

And here are some for Middle School Students: Astronomy Worksheets for Middle School

Astronomy worksheets for middle school

SolarSystemKit-675x761

FreePlanetWorksheets

GeologicTimeline

inner-outer-planets

Phases-of-the-Moon-With-oreos

STEM

Electricity and Circuits

Engineering Activities

Engineering Activities

Electricity and Circuits Unit

electricity-and-circuits-stem-packetelectricity-and-circuits-unit-hands-on-activities-conductors-insulators

stem-paper-circuit-hands-on-projects

We made an art bot as the final project in our Electricity and Circuits Unit!

stem_-how-to-make-an-art-bot

More Engineering and STEM posts:

flashlight-project

Dinosaurs

 

Dinosaurs

Dinosaur-structure

Dinosaur-trashosaurus-hsd

We did do a Physics Unit early on (the post there has some of our hands-on activities!). Update: in the middle school/early high school years we went on to do units on Energy, the Carbon Cycle, Fossil Fuels and so forth.

Types of Energy Worksheets and Activities

Energy Packet - Fossil Fuels and the Carbon Cycle

Waves the Electromagnetic Spectrum and Light Worksheets

Homeschool Den Video Post: Science in the Elementary and Middle School Years

This is a video post about Homeschool Science in the Elementary and Middle School Years. It highlights some of the activities and experiments we’ve incorporated in our science units over the years.


Homeschool Den Video Post: Science in Early Elementary

How do I start teaching science to my kids?  This is a very different answer if your kids are K-2 than if they are a bit older.  Here are some of the science topics you might want to consider if your kids are in early elementary. I put together a video of some of the activities we did when the kids were in early elementary.

Homeschool Science in Early Elementary

Early-Elementary-Science-Curriculum-TopicsOne last video for you: Simple Machines


Visit Our Store to see what we have available:

Homeschool Den Store

Again, if you are interested in joining our Homeschool Den Newsletter, feel free to subscribe here. The Welcome Series includes 5 packed emails… with tips on homeschooling, keeping motivated, finding various resources and freebies tucked away on the blog and more!

Plus, you’ll be the first to hear about new packets (generally offered at a discount when they are first released), seasonal resources and more!

SubscribeIt’s a great way to hear about our latest packets and to learn about many of the hundreds of printables & other materials we have tucked away on the blog!

Happy Homeschooling!

~Liesl

Disclosure: Please note that some of the links in this blog are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase. If you do click over, thanks for supporting our blog!