Big History Project – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

Big History Project

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

Website

92%

WISE Score

A massive, free deep dive into 13.8 billion years that makes history feel like a science experiment instead of a list of names and dates.

Big History Project

Website

92%

WISE Score

A massive, free deep dive into 13.8 billion years that makes history feel like a science experiment instead of a list of names and dates.

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Screenwise Verdict

Big History Project is the antidote to the 'history is boring' problem. By starting with the Big Bang instead of 1776, it gives kids a frame for literally everything they learn in school. It’s one of the few educational websites that feels like it was built for the 21st century, combining high-end video with actual academic rigor.

For parents, the 'free' price tag is the real deal—no hidden subscriptions or aggressive upsells. It’s a heavy lift in terms of screen time, but unlike 'brain rot' YouTube loops, this is screen time that actually builds a brain.

Age Fit

Best for middle and early high schoolers (ages 11-16). The concepts are big, and the reading level is geared toward students who can handle nuanced non-fiction.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

It promotes a high-level, intellectually healthy view of the world. The pacing is academic and deliberate, avoiding the dopamine-loop chaos of typical educational apps.

Imaginative

By connecting physics, biology, and history, it forces kids to imagine the scale of the universe and their place in it. It's a massive exercise in conceptual curiosity.

Safe

The content is extremely safe. The lower score reflects minor data privacy trade-offs common in school-managed platforms, though it avoids ads for students.

Enriching

This is gold-standard interdisciplinary learning. It builds actual critical thinking and writing skills rather than just memorizing dates.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Interdisciplinary magic that bridges the gap between STEM and Humanities, showing how chemistry and biology actually drive human history.
High-production value videos that look more like a Netflix documentary than a stuffy classroom lecture.
Free and accessible for anyone, making it a favorite for homeschoolers who want a high-end curriculum without the $300 price tag.
Writing-heavy focus that pushes kids to actually argue a point and use evidence rather than just clicking through multiple-choice quizzes.

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What to Watch For

The secular approach to the Big Bang and evolution is central to the course; if your family prefers a faith-based curriculum, this won't be the fit.
It requires a significant time commitment if you're doing the full course; it's not a 'quick 10 minutes a day' type of app.
Teacher-side tracking exists for analytics and marketing, though student accounts are generally shielded from direct advertising.

Conversation Starters

"If you could travel back to any of the 'thresholds' we studied, which one would be the most dangerous to see in person?"
"Why do you think we usually teach science and history in different classrooms when they're so clearly connected?"
"Looking at how fast humans have changed things in the last 200 years, what do you think the next major threshold for humanity will be?"

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