Science Curriculum Reviews

I

n this post, I will be reviewing 7 different programs that teach Science from a Biblical worldview. I chose each option because I was already familiar with the program (either because I have used all or part of the program or I have considered it myself). I intentionally did not include a few popular curricula options because I am not very familiar with their approach to Science.

Even though I am including a lot of options, there are still countless curricula out there. For more curriculum reviews, I recommend checking out Cathy Duffy Reviews for professional reviews or The Homeschool Mom for parent reviews.

Answers in Genesis: God’s Design Series

The God’s Design Series was developed by Ken Ham’s organization, Answers in Genesis. It is a young-earth creationist group that places a strong emphasis on creation vs. evolution in it’s science courses.

The 4th edition God’s Design series is broken down into four branches of science and subdivided into twelve full-color textbooks. Each textbook contains 35 open and go lessons that include worksheets, hands-on activities, quizzes, and tests. Many of the activities, tests, and quizzes are found on a CD within the teacher’s manual.

The 3rd edition of the God’s Design Series includes a “Beginner’s” section that could be used with K-2.

The 1st and 2nd editions do not contain a separate teacher’s guide.

The God’s Design Series has undergone many changes in recent years.

Courses include:

God’s Design for Life

• The Human Body

• The World of Plants

• The World of Animals

God’s Design for the Physical World

• Machines and Motion

• Heat and Energy

• Inventions and Technology

God’s Design for Heaven and Earth

• Our Weather and Water

• Our Planet Earth

• Our Universe

God’s Design for Chemistry and Ecology

• Properties of Ecosystems

• Atoms and Molecules

• Properties of Matter

Masterbooks has published a beginners set of the God’s Design for Life series for K-2. It is organized into the same three topics as the original God’s Design for Life set. Everything is included in the three consumable workbooks, meaning there is no teacher's guide. There are more coloring sheets than the original series and there is a simpler text for young learners.

Complete Curriculum (12 textbooks, 12 teacher’s manuals): $269

Each Complete Set (3 textbooks, 3 teacher’s manuals): $79

Individual textbooks: $24.99

Individual teacher’s manuals: $9.99

God’s Design for Science for Beginners Set: $26.99

You may purchase books from Answers in Genesis.

AOP

Alpha Omega Publications has created grade-leveled science programs that are great for a parent that does not have a lot of time to spend directly teaching.

Lifepacs come in subject sets that contain ten workbooks and a teacher’s guide with an answer key and suggestions for discussion and extra projects. Workbooks are written in an easy to read text. Students will read the materials, work through a few workbook pages, and take a test. There are some hands-on experiments, but not as many as a lot of other courses.

Students will work through the books at their own pace. Ten workbooks are included in the set, which means they should average one per month in order to finish in one school year. Lifepacs can also be used by students that need remedial work because they can move through workbooks quickly to catch up.

Science Sets (Each): $71.96

You can purchase materials through the AOP website. You may purchase lab kits that coordinate with the series at Nature's Workshop Plus.

BJU Science

BJU Press has been publishing Christian textbooks for over thirty years. They publish textbooks for many Christian schools and have adapted those materials for use homeschool settings. These books are very traditional in approach and look a lot like school at home with a lot of reading from a textbook, filling out workbooks, and taking quizzes and tests. There are some hands-on science experiments found throughout the texts

BJU science requires a lot of parent-led instruction and a lot of the material to be taught is found in the instructor’s guide. Textbooks are printed in full color and are well-written and engaging.

Grades 1-6 cover a wide array of general science topics, while grades 7-8 cover more specific branches of science. Courses for the upper grade levels are as follows:

Life Science (Grade 7)

Earth Science (Grade 8)

Physical Science (Grade 9)

Biology (Grade 10)

Chemistry (Grade 11)

Physics (Grade 12)

Each subject kit includes a teacher’s manual, student activity manual, textbook, tests, and an answer key. Materials for experiments are not available through BJU, but you may find them through third parties. BJU also offers distance learning courses for each subject.

Science 1-6 Subject Kit (Each): $144.10

Grades 7-12 Subject Kit (Each): $186.50

You may purchase materials through the BJU website. Lab kits for some levels are available at Rainbow Resources.

Berean Builders

Jay Wile, author of many science textbooks published by Apologia Press, has launched a new book series that teaches science chronologically in context of history called Science Through History. This shows children how the study of science has progressed over time. The series is written in a way that is fun and understandable, yet academically sound. Books are written for ages K-6 and contain separate review questions for each age range so that you may combine multiple children. (his Apologia books for 7th-12th grade are available as well through Berean Builders).

Each of the five books contain 90 lessons that are divided into fifteen section. Each section contains twelve standard lessons and three challenge lessons. Parents can choose to skip the challenge lessons as no standard lesson builds upon material taught in them. This allows students to work at a pace of two lessons per week to finish the book in one year (three per week if completing the additional challenge lessons).

The series is very open and go. The parent and child will walk through an experiment, read the lesson, and answer a few review questions. An inexpensive Helps and Hits guide is included in each book set with tests, teaching tips, and answers to review questions and tests. For each level, there are free printable notebook pages on the Berean Builder’s website.

There are supply lists by section and on each daily lesson. Most of the supplies are common items that you will find around your home.

There are no consumable parts, so this set is affordable to use in a large family.

Books available in the Science Through History series include:

Science in the Beginning

Science in the Ancient World

Science in the Scientific Revolution

Science int the Age of Reason

Science in the Industrial Age

Each Book Set: $44

You may purchase books from Berean Builders. Although most science materials can be found easily, you can order lab kits from Nature’s Workshop Plus with some of the harder to find materials.

Christian Liberty Press Science

The Science offerings from Christian Liberty Press seem to be a little sporadic. They have a series for Grades K-3, a set of Nature Readers, and a couple of High School texts. I have used the elementary books and nature readers and will only be reviewing them here.

The CLP Nature readers are available for Grades K-5. Each book is written from a Christian perspective and highlights a host of God’s creatures. The stories are short and engaging, and ultimately point back to God as Creator. The kindergarten book includes a story on one animal for each of the 26 letters of the alphabet. These books would be great add-ons to any science program.

The God’s Creation Series are full color texts that each present science through the first six days of creation. Each section contains engaging text, a few hands-on experiments, and discussion questions for review. They do not use a lot of academic terminology and are a great gentle introduction to Science. These books have never taken our family a full school year to complete, but you could extend your studies with additional reading.

The World God Made

Our Father’s World

God’s Wonderful Works

Exploring God’s Creation

Teacher’s Manuals and test packets are also available for the God’s Creation Series.

God’s Creation Series (Each Book): $8.95

Teacher’s Manual: $6.50

Test Packet: $2.88

Nature Readers (K-5 Set): $43.50

You can purchase the God's Creation Series and the Nature Readers through various online retailers. I like Rainbow Resources.

Reason 4 Science

A Reason for Science is a standards-based science program for grades 1-8 with a Christian perspective. The program was originally written for a classroom setting and then modified for homeschools. Many of the discussion activities would work well in a co-op setting or in a home with multiple children. Although these are grade-leveled, you could easily combine children within about three years of age.

Books are available in levels A through H and your child will typically work through one per year. Each level covers a variety of science topics. There are 36 lessons per level that can be completed in one or two 30-minute sessions throughout the week.

An activity kit comes with each set of books with almost everything needed for your experiments. Each kit has enough materials for a small group of children to participate (three to four). Parents will need to add some common household items.

The teacher’s manuals are easy to use and contained detailed lesson plans. Lessons are designed to be parent led. Children will complete a hands-on activity or experiment and then follow it up with a discussion and written activity.

Level Homeschool Kits (Include Lab Kit): $219.85

You can purchase the science sets at the ReasonFor website.

Sonlight

Sonlight is a curriculum for people who LOVE books! All of their programs are literature based. Science is not an exception. Each set K-F includes longer books that children will read over the course of several weeks, shorter books on different topics, and one biography on a famous scientist. You can combine children who are close in age (within about three years of each other).

Instructor’s guides include a full schedule for the year, including notes to guide the teacher in discussion. The guide contains a list of supplies and even notifies you a week in advance if you need to save a certain item for the following week (milk cartons, soda bottles, etc.)

Guides K-G also include student activity sheets. The newer editions are full color and are bright and engaging.

The science program offers hands-on science experiments and a kit of materials comes with each science set. This kit will include objects that are not common household materials. Parents will have to supply some additional supplies. There is also a Discover & Do DVD with all of the science experiments performed. Families may watch the DVD in addition to or in place of doing the experiment at home.

Science K: Ecosystems, Meteorology, Physics, Engineering, Technology (Grades K-1)

Science A: Biology, Botany, and Physics (Grades 1-3)

Science B: Animals, Astronomy, and Physics (Grades 2-4)

Science C: Geology, Meteorology, and Mechanical Technology (Grades 3-5)

Science D: Biology, Taxonomy, and Anatomy (Grades 4-7)

Science E: Electricity, Magnetism, and Astronomy (Grades 4-7)

Science F: Health, Medicine, and Human Anatomy (Grades 6-9)

Science G: Geology, Physics, and Origins (Grades 12-14)

Science H: Technology (Grades 8-10)

Science J: Physics, Electromagnetism, and Waves (Grades 8-10)

Science 150: Physical Science (Grades 8-10)

Science 250: Highschool Biology (Grades 9-11)

Science 355: Berean Chemistry (Grades 10-12)

Science 450: High School Physics (Grades 11-12)

Science 550: Advanced Biology (Grades 11-12)

Science 551: Advanced Chemistry (Grades 11-12)

Science K-G offer both a 5 day and a 4 day option. The 5 day option includes 20% more books for around $30 more. Science H is only available as a 4 day program. Science J is an add-on for Core J and is not designed to be used as a stand-alone curriculum.

Because so many books and lab kits are included, you will not have to purchase many additional resources.

Science K: $212.81

Science A: $150.00

Science B: $216.88

Science C: $205.90

Science D: $265.76

Science E: $237.81

Science F: $173.81

Science G: $239.84

Science H: $265.67

Science J: $151.98

Science 150: $176.99

Science 250: $589.96

Science 355: $175.98

Science 450: $110.98

Science 550: $318.96

Science 551: $194

Sonlight Science can be purchased through the Sonlight website.