We are getting close to wrapping up our school year in science, Apologia Elementary Science. I am hooked. It’s a curriculum that combines something I love with something I wish I did more: reading aloud and hands on activities.
The curriculum is meant to be read aloud, so the writing is fun and engaging. Reading aloud has always been a part of our homeschool. Always. Even when we didn’t call it homeschool, just home.
We are finishing our second year with Apologia Elementary after ten years of a science textbook curriculum. I regret I didn’t find it sooner. Seriously.
Last year we used Exploring Creation with Zoology I: Flying Creatures of the Fifth Day (The first chapter of all the zoology books introduce the topic of zoology and classification, so no matter which Apologia Elementary you start using, you are not behind). This year we are using Exploring Creation with Human Anatomy and Physiology. The benefits of studying a topic in depth instead of cycling through the same general topics every year or so has proven to be a worthwhile way to study.
The curriculum has a wide range of hands on activities and experiments. Experiments have not always been a part of our homeschool, though I’ve always wanted them to be. It’s the prep work that kills me. I can barely remember to buy toilet paper, much less stuff for experiments.
Apologia Elementary projects are not huge and complicated affairs. They are simple and done with easy to find items- most of them require no materials, just stand up and go try something. I’m a big fan of simple, easy to find and no materials. 
model of a neuron
In our two years we have done some simple things that helped my kids retain information and understand concepts better.
model of blood
(Edited to add: While we have done many different little things this year with the anatomy and physiology book, I don’t remember doing as much during the Flying Creatures of the Fifth Day book. The benefits of this curriculum in information and style would have me buying it even if I never did the hands on activities. If you are not an experiment person this curriculum is still worth your money!)
We have also read together some fascinating and insightful facts, most of which I had never heard. We’ve seen the beauty in God’s design in bats, the human ear and more.
I have found in twelve years of homeschooling that children learn the basics of science topics (plant growth, life cycle, types of animals, the names of the planets, etc) without much book study. Kids are naturally interested in science topics, but text work kills that love of learning and natural curiosity. Engaging your children in natural learning situations teaches them the basics and encourages their love of learning. This curriculum taps into that and also utilizes narration, a wonderful way to reinforce.
Apologia Elementary is a homeschooling mom’s best friend for teaching the in depth knowledge related to science topics because it keeps a dialogue style running and takes children’s interest to a deeper level through the readings and activities. More than several times I have watched the kids share what we had talked about or tested in science that day with our neighbors.
Princess sharing about fluid surrounding the brain
I couldn’t recommend it more. Oh, wait. I can.
We decided to do the notebooking journals that are offered with each book because the cost of the journals is worth the contents, plus they combine worksheets, puzzles, and lapbooking into one fabulous year long project. While this journal has been excellent with my 4th, 6th and 9th graders, it is over the head of my kinder and 1st graders… but… Ms. Fulbright has done it again! There is now a junior journal! Brilliant! I hope the other studies will soon have junior journals since we share science as a family (HB will get to start her own high school studies next year, but I wanted her to do anatomy and physiology).
This curriculum is creationist in mindset and has Biblical thoughts throughout the book. We have had some wonderful conversations.
As a final endorsement for Apologia Elementary let me tell you that lesson plans are included in the notebooking journals (insert happy sigh). Jeannie Fulbright has done the work for me and makes our homeschooling science time a joy and as well as very educational.
As if all this wonderful information about a terrific curriculum wasn’t enough…. One of my readers gets to have one of the Apologia Elementary books delivered to his or her door! Compliments of Ms. Fulbright.
How to enter the giveaway (mandatory): Visit Jeannie Fulbright’s store and then leave a comment here sharing why you would like to use an Apologia Elementary book and which one you are interested in winning.
Other ways to enter (optional, please leave a comment for each way you participate): Like me on Facebook
Share this post on Facebook
Post about the giveaway on your blog
Follow me
Deadline for entries is eleven p.m. Sunday May 1st. Giveaway is open to U. S. residents only. Ms. Fulbright is providing the book, but the review was initiated by myself and all the comments are my own.
I’m glad I found Apologia Elementary science books and I bet you would be too if you gave them a try!
Linked to the Hip Homeschool Hop
{ 123 comments… read them below or add one }
← Previous Comments
I would love to receive “Exploring Creation with Botany” since it’s the next level of difficulty after the astronomy book (which we purchased this last year). Thanks for the giveaway!
We love Apologia! Unfortunately, I’m not sure we can squeeze it out of the budget this year. If we could get a book, it would be Swimming Creatures of the Fifth Day as my children have been drooling over it!
I’m a follower!
It’s funny that you decided to do this giveaway. The hubby and I just talked about switching to Aplogia Science. The one we would want to start with is Astronomy, my kids are totally into Space and all that goes with it. I also put a link up on facebook to your blog.
I also posted this to my own blog. =)
I posted on facebook
http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=581447038
I liked you on facebook too
I’ve been considering this curriculum but going back and forth on whether or not I would like it. After reading your blog about it, I’m convinced that maybe we should try it this year. I would like to do Zoology 3 Land Animals of the sixth day.
I liked you on facebook as well!
I like that the books are written to the student. I would like to try the Anatomy book.
I would like to try Apologia b/c my wonderful friend GfG has highly recommended it! I think I would go with the first Zoology book…or whatever GfG thinks would be best for my family
I like you on fb! and real life too
Posted on FB
I’m a follower….finally!!!!
We LOVE Apologia, we are finishing Botany this year for my younger ones and Biology with my 9th grader. Next year we would love to do the Astronomy!
“Exploring Creation with Astronomy” sounds like it would really draw my kiddos in.
I’m already a follower. Does that count?
And I’m off to post on FB.
I’d love the Anatomy book! Great series!
Question – do I HAVE to start with Flying Creatures or can I start with Swimming Creatures? My girls are begging me for Swimming Creatures and I want to do something they’re really interested in…and also, do I NEED the Notebooking Journal per child? Does it make your life much easier? Thanks!
You can start with any of them. The Zoology 1 has a first lesson on what zoology is and animal classifications. You could do that yourself if you like or skip it. I think doing one they are interested in is great!
The notebooks/journals save me tons of effort. We didn’t have them for Flying Creatures. We used the free online notebooking pages. We will always buy Jeannies from now on. They are chick full. We don’t do every page during the year. It’s worth the money to me.
Ah huh!! So your saying you like this science
I might now have to not get the one that comes with SL and do this instead. Thank you for posting this and sharing. Very very helpful!!!
← Previous Comments