You are resolved to finally do something about that transcript you know you need to create for your student.
This is your year to see this resolution to completion. But where to start?
Making a high school transcript can sometimes feel daunting, but the good news is, it doesn’t have to be complicated. You can do it!
Continue reading Creating An Excellent High School Transcript for Your Homeschool
Remember when you were in high school? You probably took science in this order: Biology, Chemistry, Physics.
What is the reason for this sequence? To keep the subjects in alphabetical order?
Far from it.
The study of each of these sciences requires a certain level of understanding in mathematics for each. This discourages lower grades from leaping right into physics.
Some educational institutions have attempted to circumvent this by offering something called conceptual physics in lower grades.
And while it may offer a basic grasp of physics concepts, conceptual physics does not lead to a deep understanding of the science behind the equations.
Math-based physics is a superior approach in order for students to have an appreciation for the operations they are performing to demonstrate a physical concept.
A statement attributed to prominent physicist Ernest Rutherford is,
“All science is either physics or stamp collecting.”
In other words, we must understand the processes of biology, chemistry, and the other sciences through the lens of physics, or we’re simply gathering disconnected facts.
Early scientists were all physicists. At the time, physics was called natural philosophy and focused on understanding the laws of the universe.
Speaking broadly, physics is the basis of everything, and to comprehend this broad natural philosophy, scientists needed to understand math.
Galileo stated it best when he said,
“Philosophy is written in that great book which ever lies before our eyes — I mean the universe — but we cannot understand it if we do not first learn the language and grasp the symbols, in which it is written.
This book is written in the mathematical language, and the symbols are triangles, circles and other geometrical figures, without whose help it is impossible to comprehend a single word of it; without which one wanders in vain through a dark labyrinth.”
And to comprehend physics, students must have a firm grasp of trigonometry.
So, we teach high school science “backwards”.
Alphabetical order, maybe, but for a very concrete reason.
If we were to begin with the hardest subject, even though it’s the basis for all science, we’d turn some students off, as they would struggle without strong math skills.
In short, no trig, no physics.
Even students who don’t naturally gravitate toward the sciences are more likely to stick with science courses if they start with the easier math-based subjects before they move on to physics.
And it turns out, students who have taken trig-based physics (versus conceptual physics) in high school do better at university with a calculus-based course.
As you’re looking through our course sequence, you’ll notice we have math prerequisites listed for each.
Once your student has mastered the specific math levels, you can confidently approach that science for the year.
But what if your student isn’t mathematically ready for the next subject?
You can fill in their science requirements with any one of the other basic courses we have available while you wait for their math skills to catch up.
Give your student the best chance at learning and appreciating science by following our course schedule to offer the appropriate subject based on the level of math they have mastered.
When planning out your homeschool year, you want to include engaging science information to help your student understand our amazing world.
But which course should you choose? And in which order should you use the available courses?
Let’s start with the elementary years.
The good news: you can pick any one for elementary grades!
Since elementary years are all about becoming proficient in reading, writing, and math, your student will spend a lot of time practicing these skills.
We want to make science fun while helping your student learn to observe, record, and marvel at the universe around them.
Which is why you can begin your elementary homeschool science adventure with any one of these engaging courses.
We even make it easy by letting you know what concepts your student should already know when beginning a course.
If they need to know a bit more about a topic than the course offers, a quick online search will fill in the gap.
Let’s examine the sequence of the science courses offered.
Although the courses explore scientific developments chronologically, you may choose to present them in any order depending on your other homeschool subjects or the time period that interests your student.
Science in the BeginningYou can start with this course to give your student a solid foundation of how our world was created.
Using the days of creation as an outline, the material covers basic concepts such as
This examination of how the world began helps students understand the beauty of the Creator and the wonder of His works.
Science in the Ancient WorldFollow the Beginning with a look at how ancient scientists explored God’s creation to learn more about the Creator.
Covering the years 600 BC to 1500 AD, this course covers the work of these naturalists and philosophers, both the concepts they got right and the mistakes they made.
Since this course examines early science as it was developed, your student will discover a wide range of new ideas including
As they are introduced to the science and the men who furthered fresh ideas, your student will also come to understand the later scientists for the devout Christians they were.
Science in the Scientific RevolutionExpand on the fresh scientific ideas from the ancients with the next book in the series.
The time covered in this course is less than 200 years, and the advances made in the basic areas of science were vast.
Also covering science as it was developed, the topics included echo those in Science in the Ancient World, but on a deeper level.
Your student will increase their understanding of
The scientists who investigated the world around them from 1543 to the end of the 1600s were pioneers and curious about the world around them. They were also men of God interested in learning more about the Creator and His creations.
Science in the Age of ReasonContinuing the tour through the history of scientific development, this next course explores natural philosophers from the early 1600s to the early 1800s as they built on previous discoveries to further their understanding of the world around them.
Topics include
Not only will your student see how new science discoveries begin with older ideas, but they will also understand how the worldview of the scientist can affect their conclusions.
Science in the Industrial AgeThe final book in the elementary science series covers discoveries made from the early 1800s to the early 1900s.
As scientists continued to explore the world, they made a multitude of new discoveries and advancements.
Your student can follow these discoveries in
They will also learn the beliefs of the scientists and how those worldviews directed their theories and conclusions.
These five courses follow science through history and demonstrate the growth of scientific discovery and understanding.
Each course includes many hours of hands-on activities to keep the lessons engaging for elementary students, plus three levels of review exercises so you can choose the depth of understanding you wish for your student.
An added benefit of these five courses is they are multi-level.
This means even if you are diving into homeschooling in the later elementary years, you can choose any course to begin your scientific journey.
In addition, you can teach several ages/grade levels using the same course by assisting younger children with the experiments or using the more thorough review exercises for older students.
When your student is headed into the middle grades, you may wonder which courses to choose next.
The most important factor in deciding on a course is your student’s level in mathematics.
Since the courses offer problems involving calculations, you’ll want to be sure your student comprehends that math level before you dive into a course to assure their success.
In addition to observing and recording their experiences, your student will be asked to learn and apply specific concepts, both in the abstract and in the concrete with hands-on experimentation.
Modern scientists have furthered our understanding of the world around us, and this course covers these discoveries.
From atoms to biomes, this course covers the organization of our world and God’s design in nature.
Because this is a laboratory-based course, your student will have plenty of hands-on experiments and activities to help them grasp the concepts presented.
The topics build on what the student has already learned in earlier science studies, and the experiments can be performed using common household items easily found in local shops or online.
Discovering Design with Earth ScienceThis course explores earth in great detail from the formation of rocks to the properties of water and the interaction of each on our earth’s crust.
Your student will need a firm grasp of 7th grade math to do the calculations presented.
Your student will be able to exercise critical thinking as they are presented with the opposing ideas of uniformitarianism and catastrophism.
Each of these concepts is presented in a fair and balanced examination with plenty of follow-up questions to generate thoughtful contemplation.
This course also includes 55 hours of laboratory instruction using hands-on activities and experiments.
A kit containing laboratory materials is available for purchase, and some of the experiments can only be performed with items from the kit.
As you can see, these seven courses cover science from creation to modern day exploration.
You and your student can decide which of the elementary topics to cover and in which order.
And your middle schooler can move confidently into more complicated science when they have the math proficiency to do so.
We hope this helps simplify your homeschool science curriculum choice!
We’re available to answer any questions and to help your student explore God’s world through hands-on science.
Berean Builders offers a variety of excellent courses for your high school level learner as well. We have all of your high school science needs covered with our comprehensive approach.
Discovering Design with Biology
Discovering Design with Chemistry
Choosing the ideal science curriculum for your homeschool can make the year exciting and fun for your students. But how do you know which curriculum will work best?
You homeschool because your child comes first. You know them better than anyone! Let’s take a look at some criteria you can use to make the best science curriculum choice.
How does your child learn best? We all learn in many ways including visual, auditory, and hands-on, but most people have a dominant learning style.
To explore this topic more, take a look at this post to see what learning style describes your student.
This dominant style will help you determine the best way to present your science curriculum. What will they enjoy most?
All of these items and activities will help your student recall and retain science concepts, even if you focus more on their particular learning style by using primarily one or two options.
As the saying goes, you can’t get to your destination if you’re not sure what it is. What are your homeschool goals for science?
Is your student just entering middle school? The world is your classroom, and science learning can be broad and inclusive. Introducing your student to a wide variety of science concepts can lay a strong foundation for more focused courses in high school.
Do you want to stick with a specific grade science course? Or do you prefer to let your student’s interest determine the lessons?
How about high school science? The subjects get narrower and deeper in high school. The best gauge for which curriculum to choose depends on your student’s path after graduation.
Will they be going to college? Choose a curriculum that prepares them for higher education using university-style lessons.
Are they interested in following a trade instead? A more relaxed approach to science can be both fun and educational while preparing them for the world.
Speaking of the world, your science curriculum choice will hinge on the worldview your family embraces. Do you want lessons that are faith-based? Secular? Or somewhere in between?
As you research, the science programs you encounter will define themselves by one of these three criteria. Choose the best fit for your homeschool and your family.
Let’s face it, science isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. And having a productive homeschool year is important to you.
Your curriculum choice can help! Perhaps you enjoy working with textbooks and planning out lessons for the year.
Or maybe you’d rather have the lessons planned for you including appropriate experiments to help your child learn the concept.
You could even prefer to have someone else help out by offering audio lessons or video lectures.
Your desired level of involvement can help you determine which curriculum will work best for your homeschool.
Some of the available science courses will provide you with ongoing assessments so you know exactly what your student is learning.
Others will require you to create your own tests and assessments for your records.
Determine what assessments you need for your state and local, as well as personal requirements, then let those help you choose the curriculum that offers the most direct path to their fulfilment.
Maybe science is your favorite subject, and you can’t wait to share the wonderful world of knowledge with your students.
But maybe you or your student will need some extra support to make sure the course goes smoothly.
When choosing a science curriculum, look for the level of support included. If your student is stuck on a concept, is there a question-and-answer service? How about a help line if they’re stuck on an experiment?
Additional science resources will help expand your student’s learning. Genuine support when needed can make your science year more enjoyable for all.
Do you want to stick to the curriculum as is, or will you need to adapt it to your student’s interests and learning pace? Your student may learn slower or faster than a rigid curriculum. A flexible and customizable approach may help take any stress out of your homeschool science.
With every homeschool science curriculum comes various purchasing options. Evaluate your budget then seek those courses that fit within your family’s spending plan.
Does the curriculum include everything you need for the year’s science? Will you need to purchase additional materials, books, or access to digital resources or online support?
Can you do the science experiments with what you have on hand at home, or will you need to include instruments and harder-to-find materials?
Do you have the option to pass on some of the pricier additions or does the course require their inclusion?
Have your budget in mind when you’re researching available science curriculum and don’t forget any extras you may need.
Are your students close enough in grade level to learn together? Or will you need to teach them independently?
Is the curriculum designed to be used with multiple students by offering additional resources and materials in a customizable package?
Can you reuse the curriculum again and again as your other students reach that particular level?
Consider your students’ grade levels and abilities to determine the best multi-student science curriculum available.
Probably the most utilized methods of choosing a curriculum are getting recommendations and reading reviews.
Just remember, a glowing recommendation or a great review on an awesome science curriculum doesn’t mean that particular curriculum will work for your family.
Evaluate your science needs with all these questions to help you narrow down a science curriculum that fits your homeschool the best.
We at Berean Builders can help you decide if one of our courses is exactly what you’ve been seeking. Contact us! We’re always excited to help.
Homeschool parents are gifted with a unique perspective about their children. By watching them grow and learn, home educators have direct access to how their students process new information.
Knowing and understanding this learning process, labeled “learning style”, is beneficial to creating a homeschool environment suited to both parent and student. Working with your child’s learning style aids in their understanding and retention of the information you explore in your homeschool.
“A learning style is the way in which a person sees or perceives things best and then processes or uses what has been seen. Each person’s individual learning style is as unique as a signature. When a person has something difficult to learn, that student learns faster and enjoys learning more if his or her unique learning style is affirmed by the way the teacher teaches.” Marlene D. LeFever from her book Learning Styles
If you’ve asked the question, “What is my child’s learning style?”, we’ve got your answer.
In this guide, we explore different styles of learning and discuss complimentary teaching strategies to help you and your child get the most from each modality.
Continue reading Homeschooling Based On My Child’s Learning Style
If you are a beginner who is starting out in your homeschooling journey, these tips will help you get started and navigate many nuances of homeschooling.
There are more than 2 million homeschoolers in the US today, with the numbers rising significantly in 2020 because to the school closures due to the pandemic. Despite the many benefits provided by homeschooling, it can turn out to be an overwhelming experience for both the parents and the students.
There is a constant need to create structure in the learning environment, which can often be a source of frustration for everyone. Students become more prone to missing out on deadlines or falling behind on their assignments. Additionally, there are the mental and emotional challenges of at-home learning.
Continue reading 4 Important Beginner Homeschooling Tips For Parents
Taking a historical approach to science in your homeschool helps make the learning come alive! In this approach, students learn science in the order it was discovered by the great scientists of history.
If you have multiple children in elementary level studies, good news! Dr. Wile’s elementary science series contains multi-level books you can use for any grade K-6. And the unique feature of this wonderful course is it uses history as its guide. Science Through HiStory is elementary science simplified! Science concepts are presented in the order they were discovered while constantly reminding students of the Creator who fashioned the marvels they are studying.
Most elementary science programs are built around a topical approach to science where students work through a unit focused on one area of science (i.e., weather) before moving to a different topic.
But Berean Builders’ five-volume Science Through HiStory series takes a completely different approach, exploring science through a chronological journey through science.
Students learn science in the order it was discovered by the great scientists of history. As a result, the topics change frequently.
For example, in the first 15 lessons of Science in the Ancient World, students learn about measuring tall things, fire, music, atoms, and medicine. The topics are unified by the people who studied them and the way science was developing at the time.
You may be asking, “Why chronological science?”
Many unsuspecting students are taught that Christianity has opposed science throughout history. In fact, if it weren’t for Christianity, we wouldn’t have the science we have today. When a
student sees how science developed, this truth becomes obvious.
Science is mostly about making mistakes and then learning from those mistakes. For example, in other curricula, students could be taught a brief synopsis of how the scientific view of the solar system changed over time. In our course, they learn in detail what scientists initially thought and see each major step that produced the modern view of the solar system.
In a historical approach, students continually revisit science topics but in the context of a new person and how he refined an old idea. This narrative method makes science more interesting than a topical approach so children remember the material longer.
For more information about our historical approach to science, see p. 4 of the catalog.
Science in the Beginning uses the Biblical days of creation to introduce a wide range of scientific topics including the nature of light, energy conservation, the properties of air and water, introductory botany, our solar system, basic zoology, and some aspects of human anatomy and physiology.
Science in the Ancient World covers the work of the natural philosophers who lived from about 600 BC to the early 1500s AD and presents science as it was developed. The ancient scientists, some who were devout Christians, got a lot right but also missed the mark on certain ideas. We explore these mistakes to advance our understanding of the natural world.
Science in the Scientific Revolution spends time with natural philosophers from 1543 to the end of the 1600s covering new science concepts as they were discovered. From human anatomy to electricity and the laws of motion, this book shows the scientific thinking of the philosophers who embraced the Christian faith.
Science in the Age of Reason sheds light on the discoveries of scientists from the 1600s to the early 1800s. The book covers a wide range of topics being discovered at the time and allows students a peek into the worldview of these pioneers and how that worldview shaped their scientific conclusions.
Science in the Industrial Age encompasses the multitude of scientific discoveries that took place during the 1800s and early 1900s. The variety of topics covered includes biology, chemistry, geology, medicine, cell biology, and radiation, and brings to light how the worldview of the scientists affected the conclusions they drew.
Each of these books can be used as a stand-alone science text and presents plenty of hands-on activities to keep elementary students engaged and curious.
Plus, with three levels of review for the lessons, you can adjust the level of challenge for each individual child. Older students can work with their younger siblings to enrich their science learning experience.
What’s this special approach that no other science program takes? It’s a chronological one.
With this linear approach, it seems a natural fit to synchronize your Berean science to whatever history program you’re using. We have a guide here where you can find detailed notes for meshing these popular history programs with the Science Through HiStory series:
Yes, aligning your history and science programs may make sense on the surface, but please be forewarned: The process is a bit difficult and not all that beneficial.
First of all, history progressed at a steady pace, but science did not. Science started out slowly and then gained a lot of momentum as the Christian worldview developed. It gained even more momentum as technology developed.
For example, Science in the Ancient World covers about 2,100 years of history. The next book, Science in the Scientific Revolution, covers only 200 years. And the remaining two books, Science in the Age of Reason and Science in the Industrial Age, cover only 100 years each. Science in the Atomic Age (for junior high) also covers only about 100 years.
Your history program’s pace may not match at all!
We think the best thing you can do is cover history and science separately without worrying about matching them up perfectly. When you encounter the same ideas, scientists, or events in a different course, you get a chance to review what was already covered!
Your homeschool is a reflection of you and your family’s needs and goals.
We are delighted to offer this flexible, chronological approach to elementary science you can use in the way that works best for you!
And, as always, we are available to answer your questions about how to get the most out of our courses for your unique homeschool experience.
When you homeschool your child, you watch them learn and grow. You know how your child processes new information. You develop an understanding of your child’s learning style. And it is pure bliss to see your child expand their pool of knowledge. But, at-home schooling comes with a few challenges that parents have to navigate.
Does your child spend more time in front of the television than with their books? Are they lagging in their high school science course sequence? Whatever may be the problem responsible for those unproductive days, lack of motivation is usually at the core of most of them.
Continue reading 4 Best Tips For Motivating Your Homeschooled Child
Fall, winter, spring…ahhhh summer. Should your student take a long break from schoolwork or keep learning year-round?
No matter the season, learning never stops.
But some studies have shown that an extended time away from active learning can cause knowledge to wane, especially in math and reading.
To keep these skills sharp, we recommend some fun summer science activities, so your student retains what you’ve taught them and is ready for the next Berean Builders course.
You can find many lists of summer science activities for your students of all ages with a quick online search.
Look for fun projects, natural observations, seasonal crafts, and kitchen chemistry (cooking) that include plenty of reading and math.
Project based learning can be a great summer focus.
Your student’s interests should lead the list of summer learning. Find what they love, then have a blast incorporating stealth lessons throughout the season.
Why stealth? Because some students balk when it comes to using “vacation” time for learning. Use your best judgement for your particular situation and find the quiet lessons in everyday science.
Most of all, give your student opportunities for critical thinking.
Let them decide what activities will be most effective. Let them do the research and planning.
Once they’re excited about a topic, let it run its course as long as they’re interested. Every moment spent enjoying a project is a moment dedicated to keeping their skills sharp all summer.
Whether you take a break from lessons or school year-round, summer is a great time to do science experiments in the great outdoors.
Biology, chemistry, physics, and earth science experiments abound, and summer is ideal for observing and interacting with nature and the world around us.
Summer is also a great time to complete any experiments you may have missed during the year.
Berean Builders science courses contain hundreds of hands-on experiments to help students comprehend abstract concepts with concrete actions and observations.
Of course, we know you and your student need time off from teaching and learning to reboot, relax, and refresh. Summer learning doesn’t have to be every day! A couple of activities per week is plenty to make sure math and reading stay at level and learned science concepts stay in your student’s knowledge base.
Your future self will thank you for encouraging your student to practice what they’ve learned so you don’t have to reteach concepts or rehash last year’s lessons.
Make this summer one to remember with plenty of interesting science experiences. Then get ready to start a whole new science adventure in the fall!
It is quite surprising to know that many parents, who homeschool their kids, are of the view that audiobooks or listening to a book isn’t really beneficial for their kids, especially in comparison to silent reading. There is no evidence in support of this argument. As a matter of fact, audiobooks are considered beneficial for all listeners, especially for those kids who struggle with reading books. In this blog, our aim is to help parents understand that there is no harm in using audiobooks. They will only help your kid learn better. We have listed some benefits of audiobooks. Let’s take a look at them.
Continue reading The Value Of Using Audiobooks In Your Homeschool
