Saturday, May 28, 2011

Our Year in Review: Science Curriculum

Grades 3 & 6:  Apologia Science --Young Explorer Series: Exploring Creation with Zoology 1: Swimming Creatures of the Fifth Day
Thumbs up! This fantastic curriculum is the second book in the "Young Explorer Series" that we have used.  We did Flying Creatures of the Fifth Day last year.  Instead of a shallow coverage of several science topics, this series chooses one topic a year to study in an in depth manner (16 modules lasting approximately 2 weeks).  There are no tests in this curriculum, but in Charlotte Mason style, there are narrative questions at the end of each section and Module.  I am amazed by how much knowledge my girls have retained about the subjects we have studied.  We studied insects over a year ago, yet they currently remember details about that part of the curriculum that had been lost to my aging memory.

Pros:  There are many fun, hands on experiments and activities, notebook activities and field trips in this volume.  One activity my girls have enjoyed is making an "ocean box".  This is a shadow box in which they place ocean creatures they  formed out of modeling clay.  This has become my girls' favorite subject and they daily BEG me to teach it.

Cons: Those wanting a more comprehensive science curriculum that covers many subjects, may wish to choose something else.  Also, those wanting a curriculum with tests and workbooks will probably be dissatisfied with books in this series.

You can read Cathy Duffy's review here.



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