Exploring Creation: Land Animals

We are into our third year of studying the Exploring Creation series for elementary level Science.  Within this series are three Zoology courses and that we are working through.  Two years ago, we studied Flying Creatures.  Last year, Swimming Creatures.  This year, it's Land Animals and we continue to be impressed by this curriculum.

The textbooks can be used alone, but for the first two years we studied them, I printed out the FREE workbook pages that can be downloaded easily from their website (click on "Course Notebook").  But last year, I noticed that they began making up their own notebooks and selling them as another option.  Not only that, but they offer a junior notebook as well.  I am planning on getting a junior version for Sadie next year.  The printable notebook pages follow the pre-made notebook closely, but there are a couple things that are left out.

The pre-made notebook is very well-made and designed.  Each chapter starts out with pages your student can work on while you read aloud the text.  There is ample space for them to write down some fun facts as well as places for them to draw pictures while they listen.  Following those pages are activity pages that include all sorts of things, some unique to each chapter, but all include scripture copywork (both in manuscript and cursive), a crossword puzzle, experiment speculation page, review questions, a page for their "lapbook" type booklet, etc.

As you can tell, we hadn't corrected spelling yet.

 

At the back of the notebook for Land Animals are the extras- the pages (in color) for the "lapbook" booklets, the pages they use to make their tracking booklet (so they can recognize different animal tracks), and, Sam's favorite, the stickers.  After we finish a chapter, Sam places the stickers of the animals we studied in that chapter onto our large world map (not included).

There are lesson plans put together for me in a neat chart that shows me which pages to read and which activities to have him do each time we do science.  It's laid out expecting that you'll choose to do Science two days a week for 28 weeks which means we'll finish Science before everything else (Sonlight goes 36 weeks).  This also allows for breaks during especially busy weeks.

I love the way these books read in such a conversational way and regularly address the views of evolution and present the reasons why creationists disagree with their claims.  I feel it is preparing Sam (and the rest of us) to think more critically when we hear secular scientists views on things that would otherwise intimidate me.

Now the big decision.   Do we study Botany next year or Anatomy?  So many choices:-).

I wrote this review because we love this curriculum.  I was not asked to do this nor was I given anything by the fine Apologia folks.

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