Nice article! I am surprised that you have found work through TeachersPayTeachers that you liked - I have not spent a ton of time there, but the things I have looked at seem very busy-work.
Have you see the critical thinking science books? They are not very flashy, but very good at basics, in my review. We'll be working our way through physical science in the fall - well see how it goes.
RE: Home-school Curriculum: How to Design Your Own!