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Mystery Science
What Mystery Science is
Mystery Science is a web service offering open-and-go video science lessons for children in Kindergarten through fifth grade. Lessons are described as standards-aligned and built around phenomena, investigations, writing, discussion and exploration. Teachers, administrators and parents can share anonymous student links without student accounts. The service says it is FERPA- and COPPA-compliant, does not collect personal information from students and does not sell user data. Most activities are online, though some work offline and cached videos can be viewed temporarily offline on the same device. School or district memberships provide teacher access without student rostering. Pricing starts at $199, and mobile viewing is supported through listed desktop browsers and other devices.
Who it suits
Mystery Science suits schools, districts, teachers and homeschooling families seeking guided elementary science lessons. It is designed for Kindergarten through fifth grade and supports browser-based and mobile viewing.
What it does well
- Covers Kindergarten through fifth grade
- Anonymous student links need no accounts
- FERPA- and COPPA-compliant
- Some activities work offline
What to know first
- No free plan
- Individual classroom memberships are not offered
- Most activities require online access
- School pricing requires a quote
Limits
Mystery Science has no free plan. Access depends on a paid homeschool or school membership, and individual classroom memberships are unavailable; cached videos are only temporarily available offline on the same device.
Plans
| Plan | Billed and limits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| School membership — Writing Only | School pricing shown as $1799 · school-specific price available by quote | $1,799 |
| Science homeschool membership | Access through June 30, 2027 · Mystery Science lessons and resources · homeschool membership | $199, paid once |
| School membership — Science Only | School pricing shown as $2199 · school-specific price available by quote | $2,199 |
| Science + Writing homeschool bundle | Access through June 30, 2027 · Mystery Science and Mystery Writing lessons and resources · homeschool membership | $259, paid once |
| School membership — Science + Writing Bundle | School pricing shown as $2999 · bundle page shows ~~$3,998~~ Save 24% · school-specific price available by quote | $2,999 |
As mysteryscience.com lists them, read 9 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.
Getting started
- Open Mystery Science in a supported web browser
- Choose a homeschool membership or request school pricing
- Use Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Microsoft Edge on a Mac or PC
- Log in with Clever if applicable
- Share anonymous student links or lessons through supported classroom platforms
- Cache lesson videos for temporary offline viewing on the same device
Verdict
Mystery Science combines structured elementary science lessons with anonymous student access and stated privacy protections. Buyers should account for its paid-only model and school-oriented membership options.
Questions
What does Mystery Science cost?
Homeschool memberships start at $199. School plans listed include $1,799 for Writing Only, $2,199 for Science Only, and $2,999 for the Science + Writing Bundle.
Is there a free plan?
No. Mystery Science is a paid service, though a free trial is available.
Which grades are covered?
Its NGSS-aligned lessons cover Kindergarten through 5th grade.
Do students need accounts?
No. Teachers, administrators, and parents can share anonymous student links without student logins or accounts.
Which platforms and browsers work?
Mystery Science runs on the web, with Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Microsoft Edge on Mac or PC. Mobile viewing is supported.
Can lessons be used offline?
Some activities work offline, and cached lesson videos can be watched temporarily offline on the same device.
Facts from Mystery Science's own pages
- Curriculum
- The maker describes the curriculum as standards-aligned, phenomena-driven, and built around investigations, writing, discussion, and exploration. · mysteryscience.com, 9 Oct 2026
- Founded
- 2014 · mysteryscience.com, 28 Sept 2026
- Grade range
- Its NGSS-aligned lessons cover Kindergarten through 5th grade and include five-minute mini-lessons and hour-long hands-on lessons. · support.mysteryscience.com, 9 Oct 2026
- Integrations
- Teachers can log in with Clever and share lessons through Google Classroom; the Clever Saved Passwords application is not supported. · support.mysteryscience.com, 9 Oct 2026
- Lesson design
- Lessons use narrated videos, storytelling, visuals, timers, step-by-step activity guides, and student pairing support. · support.mysteryscience.com, 9 Oct 2026
- Maker
- The Mystery Science team operates within Discovery Education, which the maker says became its parent in 2020. · about.mystery.org, 9 Oct 2026
- Offline access
- Mystery Science is largely online, but some activities work offline and cached lesson videos can be temporarily watched offline on the same device. · support.mysteryscience.com, 9 Oct 2026
- Other classroom platforms
- The maker describes sharing lesson videos through Microsoft Teams and lists guidance for Seesaw, Schoology, Canvas, and Google Meet. · support.mysteryscience.com, 9 Oct 2026
- Product
- Mystery Science offers open-and-go online video science lessons for children. · support.mysteryscience.com, 9 Oct 2026
- Purchase options
- School quotes can be paid by credit card or purchase order, while individual classroom memberships are not offered. · mysteryscience.com, 9 Oct 2026
- School access
- A school or district membership gives all teachers there access to the selected products, and the maker says no student rostering or lengthy setup is needed. · mysteryscience.com, 9 Oct 2026
- Student access
- Teachers, administrators, and parents can share anonymous student links that do not require a student login or account. · support.mysteryscience.com, 9 Oct 2026
- Student privacy
- The maker says the service is FERPA- and COPPA-compliant, does not allow student accounts, does not gather personal information from students, and does not sell user data. · support.mysteryscience.com, 9 Oct 2026
- Support
- The help center provides FAQ, teaching, account and payment, troubleshooting, and supply pack categories, plus a customer support contact. · support.mysteryscience.com, 9 Oct 2026
Where Mystery Science stands on Freedom251
- Science Learning Software#20 of 25