Name: Thrive! NCHE Homeschool Conference
Start: 2025-05-22T00:00:00-05:00
End: 2025-05-24T23:59:59-05:00
Location: Winston-Salem, NC

Tagged: Answers in Genesis, god's design, God's Design for Science

This topic has 19 replies, 14 voices, and was last updated 11 years, 3 months ago by Karen.

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February 5, 2014 at 3:01 am
pangit
Participant
Do any of you use Answers in Genesis’ God’s Design for Science? What are your thoughts on it? Pros/Cons? Thanks I should add that my kids are 8 and 10 and will be in 3rd and 5th grade next school year.
February 5, 2014 at 3:04 am
LindseyD
Participant
Would also love some feedback on this. Especially after watching tonight’s debate, I’m intrigued about something other than Apologia. My children are the same ages, 8 and 10. Thanks!
February 5, 2014 at 3:22 am
missceegee
Participant
I own it and almost used it with ds10 this year. I have opted to wait til next year and include dd6. It has short lessons which are very cm in nature and I greatly prefer it to Apologia’s elementary series. Apologia is good stuff, but for some reason I loathed reading it aloud.
February 5, 2014 at 4:23 am
Polly
Participant
We have really liked it. My son prefers it over Apologia. My son is 12. We have used it since he was 9 or 10. My daughter, who is almost 9, just wasn’t ready for it. I really think it depends on the child. One thing I really like about AIG are the extra biography sketches.
February 5, 2014 at 6:51 am
srlord
Participant
We use it and really like it. My son is also 12. I like that the lessons are short, which leaves plenty of time to add in videos, experiments/observations, and extra books as interest dictates. Also, since we are somewhat new to narration, the shorter readings make it easier for my son to practice using narration in science, which I hope will make using narration in more advanced level science easier. We are in the God’s Design for Life series and the lessons with add-ins are short enough that we are doing about 4 lessons a week easily.
My son also likes that the lessons/readings are short. He would much rather spend time doing experiments and watching documentaries. My son came out of public school last year and so was in a general hate relationship with science. This has provided a good framework and allowed us to have time to add in topically as I thought necessary or, more often, as his interest has led.
February 5, 2014 at 12:42 pm
Kayla
Participant
AiG looks really good. Plus you can’t really beat $300(on sale now) for 8 years of science. I missed the debate but will definitely be watching it later. I’ve seen some of his videos, my parents taught a class with them at church when yeas in 9th grade I believe.
February 5, 2014 at 2:08 pm
Karen
Participant
We’re using AiG’s God’s Design for the Physical World, the Inventions & Technology book.
I thought (when we first started using it) that we’d cover all three books in the series in one year. WRONG! We’re doing about 1 lesson per week. Some of that is because I like to add in library books, a notebooking page or two, and whatnot.
I also thought my girls wouldn’t like it – because of it being about 3 pages of read-aloud (my girls are 9, 7, 6, and 3 years old). And I thought the “experiments” or activities seemd a little hokie. BUT, the girls like it! The 9yo can actually answer the questions (orally) at the end (in her age group, not the ones for older kids) and they all enjoy the experiments. Not every lesson has an activity or experiment, which disappoints them.
They have biographies scattered throughout. Since we’re using this along side Module 6, it’s actually quite a bit of dove-tailing that’s going on (which tickles me! I LOVE when things coordinate without me planning it). Now, that could be because we “got behind” in science for a little bit….and then “got behind” in history.
I’m not sure if I’ll stick with AiG for next year – I’d like to circle back and do Life science again. (I follow the WTM/classical four-year cycle of Ancients & Life Science then Ren&Ref & Astronomy,Earth Science then Module 5 & Chemistry then Module 6 & Physics.
I was really considering Apologia – because i think I’d enjoy it (and having the notebook already organized, all the frills that are all ready for me). But I really appreciate the down-to-earth-ness of AiG. So, I’m reading and looking for your opinions, too!
As for price, I got it on sale at CBD. And one thing I appreciate (but wonder at) is that when you order a book, it comes with a CD that has the worksheets for the whole kit&kaboodle. So, I ordered the three books in the God’s Design for the Physical World….and I got the three teacher guides and three discs. All three discs were exactly the same! And include the worksheets for God’s Design for Life, G’sD for Heaven & Earth, G’sD for Chemistry & Ecology, G’sD for Life.
Now, you “need” the teacher’s guide for the answers (if you’re like me and read aloud without always paying attention! sometimes my mind wanders while reading aloud). But the CDs indlude the worksheets. The teacher’s guides are just answers to the questions at the end of each lesson and the answers to the quizzes and tests.
So, I like it. I wonder if I’d like Apologia better. But I like it and might use it next year. Can you tell that I’m on the fence?!?!!?
Hope that helps.

February 5, 2014 at 2:44 pm
TailorMade
Participant
So, for those of you that will continue with AiG, what do you forsee using for highschool science?
February 5, 2014 at 3:03 pm
Bookworm
Participant
I used this with all three of my kids, all the way through. We ended it up for them in7th or 8th grade and then went straight to Apologia high school science. IMO there are no AiG products that adequately prepare for college science.
February 5, 2014 at 3:37 pm
Polly
Participant
AIG does have at least one high school coarse. Shepherd Science looks very good. I love what Heart of Dakota is doing for high school science.
February 5, 2014 at 8:17 pm
srlord
Participant
I plan on using Apologia in high school.
I am still in the planning/research phase for 8th grade so I am not completely sure what we are doing. My intention was to do an 18-week Human A&P course, loosely based on the Guest Hollow plan, and then Chemistry/Physics for the remaining 18-weeks. My son has requested an in-depth study on Navigation/Mapping that I am trying to figure out so we may add-in some weather, geology, technology and engineering with that (somehow!).
February 5, 2014 at 10:17 pm
MariePowell
Participant
We love the AiG series ( just completed God’s Design for Liife). I like that they can be used for multiple grades all at the same time. The books have color-coded sections for different age groups, and extra-difficult “challenge” readings and questions for older students. Loved the debate!!! Also love the museum; if you ever get the chance, it’s worth the trip!!!
February 5, 2014 at 11:18 pm
pangit
Participant
Thank you for responding and all the info. I am really leaning towards using this next year. The samples look great. They look like they are kept short, written well and give good information. I am thinking of using it during the next 4 years (grades 5-8 for my oldest) and then having to decide where to go from there. I really like that there isn’t a lesson for every day of the week. That way if we miss a day it is okay and if we want to spend more time on something we can.
I really wish that there was somewhere I could go and get my hands on the different curriculums I am interested in and really look them over. Internet samples are great, but they aren’t the real book.

February 6, 2014 at 12:13 am
Rachel White
Participant
I think I have some of them I could sell to you at a lower price than new. I’ll take a look to see which ones I have and get back with you if you like.
February 6, 2014 at 12:35 am
pangit
Participant
That would be great, Rachel. You can PM me any details. Thanks