We are nearly finished with 106 Days of Creation/ Considering God’s Creation. I have a 10, 8, 5 year olds (and 3, 1 year). Husband wants something from a Biblical perspective not something that is neutral on Science.
I have been considering God’s Design for Science from Answers in Genesis. I’m just not sure which level to start at. We have done tons of Nature things. All of my older children are boys and I’m not really as concerned about the 5 year old doing Science, but my oldest really loves Science stuff.
So I should start by saying that I have never used God’s Design…but I am very interested in it.
I just read through the text sample for the “Design for Life” and it looked very good. I like that it has a ‘beginner’ layered with a more advanced text.
My kids are 11,10,8,6,4 – and I thought it looked difficult enough for the 11 and 10 yo. I think, if I were you, I would start with one of the packages that is recommended for gr. 1-8 – either ‘Life’ or ‘Heaven and Earth’. Then you can warm up to it and get the more advanced packages as your kids get older. I would think those would lay a pretty firm foundation for the more advanced units.
I would also love to hear any opinions on this curriculum versus “A Reason for Science”. We are considering them both for their strong Biblical viewpoint and (obviously) strong science instruction.
Thats exactly what I was thinking about doing Serving with Joy, starting with the ‘Life’ set, and incorporate living books – Story book of Science, along side and nature study…
We tried the Design series from AIG and it was just too dry. Mine were 10 and 11.
I have a few to sell still, I think.
Mine have read the Christian Lib. Readers on their own, the other Creation books from AIG and MAsterbooks through the years, watched DVD’s and my son has gone through the Apologia and Wonders of Creation science series, one by one and my dd is using the study guide for the Wonders of Creation Astronomy on her own. She’s enjoyed reading Storybook of Science and Thornton Burgess books, as well listening to some on audio. Next is the older living science books for them.
I bought the God’s Design for Life set too, with the intention of using that as a spine and adding living books to it, but when I got it I just couldn’t see us using it that way – I agree that they are too dry. I think I’ve finally decided that living books + nature study is enough for now…we’ll revisit the textbook options when mine reach middle/high school age (oldest is currently age 7). That said, I’m keeping the Design books on our shelf – I do see them as a good reference resource that we may refer to if we want more detailed information about a certain topic that we come across in our nature study or other living science reading, and like that they have the creationist viewpoint to balance the evolutionary stuff we may come across in other material.
Serving with Joy, thank you for mentioning A Reason for Science. I didn’t think about looking at that one and will check it out also. If we go with AIG I was thinking maybe starting with Heaven and Earth.
Rachel, mine have done almost all of the things you mentioned except we haven’t done any Apologia.
I haven’t had a chance to actually read inside the God’s Design books so I am thankful for input. Will keep praying about it and reading some more reviews.
Regarding “A Reason for Science” – I know that it is very work-booky looking, but I am thinking of it as more of an add-in to 106 Days. My thought is that we will do our 106 days readings and nature journals/walks, etc… and then work in the experiments with A Reason for Science. I am not sure how much of the journaling my younger kids will do, but I think the process of recording observations will be good for my older two kids.
I just felt that as my 10yo and 11yo are approaching General Science (in Jr. High) they needed some science experiments and terminology so that they aren’t lost in all the science lingo at that level (and beyond). To me, it looks very ‘do-able’ for all the kids together, short lessons and easy experiments,clear explanations of what you are doing and why, and I like that they point every lesson back to the Lord.
We had to venture away from Apologia b/c it was so dry – so I am sad to hear that God’s Design may have the same problem :(. I know from experience that if it is too textbooky, reading it will become a chore and nobody will learn much.
I’m looking into Real Science for Kids, and Christian Kids Explore Science, but haven’t made a decision on them yet. I’m leaning toward Christian Kids Explore…. because it looks like I can teach it to my youngest three simultaneously and it looks like it includes everything in one volume. Just throwing that out there to further complicate your decision.
Mine are reading Christian Liberty Nature Readers, which I think are wonderful and probably enough science for the younger grades, but some of mine are asking for more and I need a break from Apologia.
Viewing 9 posts - 1 through 9 (of 9 total)
The topic ‘God's Design for Science’ is closed to new replies.