It’s the Tapestry of Science. For me, this science curriculum presents a lovely smorgasbord of learning to choose from. Answers in Genesis offers this unit study approach for grade 1-8. Titles include:
- God’s Design for Science Curriculum – – the full set
- God’s Design for Chemistry and Ecology
- God’s Design for the Physical World
- God’s Design for Heaven and Earth (we have this set and love it!)
- God’s Design for Life (we have this set and love it!)
Into our second year of this study now, we’ve really only finished, at most, two chapters a week. Mainly in World of Plants and the Animals books – both from the Design for Life series. And, after a year, I feel we’ve gotten into a nice routine of learning. Partly because of Handbook of Nature Study Outdoor Hour Challenges, we’ve found we can “do” these studies as part of our day. Rather than having a hard stop. “Time to do science!” I read the lesson during lunch. Then, if, and only if we are interested in the further studies, we do them.
—-> And, like Tapestry, we can do our studies all together. All age levels. I really love this. Less work for mom, more learning!
You can click over to the Answers in Genesis website to read all about the four years worth of studies. Each with three units. Each with special unit or notebook projects. You can even view sample pdf files of each year.
But let me give you just an example of a study we did this week. I opened our Plants book to Seeds – Where Are They? I skimmed the chapter while I was fixing lunch. In between beeps of the microwave. I saw that this study would very much compliment our Outdoor Hour Challenge on flowering trees just a couple of days before. It worked out nicely that I was slicing up apples to go with lunch. Because right there it suggested slicing an apple to look at its seeds.
I saw that we were going to find the seeds in a pinecone, so I asked seven-year-old to collect a few for us. Cooking the pinecones in the oven at 200 degrees to simulate the Yellowstone fire really appealed to eldest boy.
During lunch we read the chapter. The information on seed location and dispersal really interested the children. We read the fun fact:
“The nut of the coco de mer is the largest seed produced by any plant. It can weigh up to 44 pounds.”
The younger two scooted down and ran outside to play. I asked the older three to stay while I read the Special Feature about George Washington Carver. “He was once offered a position with a salary of over $100,00 per year. (That is about the same as a million dollars per year today). He turned the offer down so he could continue his research on behalf of his countrymen and the South.”
The eldest said, “he was doing Hard Things for God!” I asked if they were interested in the seed collection activity. They said yes as they went out the back to play. So I pulled the disk from the teacher edition and printed the activity. We haven’t gotten to it yet but likely will when we are out weeding the garden.
It’s my plan to continue to post on our AiG Science studies. I hope you’ll join us. In summary. It’s rich. Has a strong Biblical world view (not billions of years). Multi-level. Unit study. And easy. Fits all my criteria!
Upon further research I was pleased to find several new studies out by AiG for ages 12 and up. Check them out Building Blocks of Life Science, Biology 101 DVD set, and many more! Just scroll down to Homeschool Curricula.
More examples of our AiG Science studies:
- A simple lesson from the Plants book: Examining Grass
- AiG Science: Our Universe
- Using AiG God’s Design for Life: Animals for our Outdoor Hour Challenge: Snakes
- Studying spring weather with God’s Design for Heaven and Earth
A full list of our Hodgepodge Curricula 2010-2011.
A repost from the May 2010 Hodgepodge archives
Your turn! What is your favorite science and/or nature study curriculum and why?
I love it, I want the books!!!! =)