I was leaning toward Abeka for science, but I think I like Apologia best. What do you use?

(dd will be starting 5th grade in the fall and I plan to HS her then. She loves science and so do I. I don't know who is more excited - me or her - LOL)

Welcome to homeschooling! We are in our 5th year. I tried making my own unit studies, we've used Abeka, but we have settled on Elementary Apologia by Jeannie Fulbright. The children and I love them. My 10 year old has asked when they are all grown up if he can keep the books! My 7th grader is in Apologia's General Science using Live and Learn's lapbook that goes along with it.

We're using Answers in Genesis's God's Design series. We tried the elementary Apologia, but it didn't work for our family. We are finishing the Weather book from AIG and will begin their chemistry series after that. AIG's books are for 3-8 I believe.

Our older students use the high school Apologia series. They are finishing Biology and will be beginning Chemistry. I'm working on coordinating a little between the two (elem and high school).

It's fabulous that we have so many options available to us.

we also used God's Design Science. THey recommend 3 books a year, but w/ my 1st and 5th grader we've done 2 each year, and I add Hands of a Child Lapbooks, and many other handson resources.
kim
Here is the link to the curriculum
God's Design Science

We use God's Design Science, too. We really enjoy it.

I am also shopping for a creation science curriculum. I'm wondering if anyone knows the difference between Apologia and God's Design Science.

Is one better for the lower elementry?
Is one more thorough?
Is one more Bible based?
Has anyone noticed any errors in either one?
Which is a better buy? (Not cheaper, but a wiser use of our money and children's/parent's time).

Thank you!!

Linda

We started using Apologia at the hs level for my dd. She had never liked any other sci. curr., but said she could understand Apologia the best. We're now using the elem. by Jeannie Fulbright w/ our dss. They love the notebooking and the exper.

We switched from Abeka to Apologia this year. My 4th grader loves the Apologia, but its "over the head" of my 1st grader. So with a 5th grader, the Apologia is perfect.

AnnM in Texas

quote:

Originally posted by MrsMurphy:
I am also shopping for a creation science curriculum. I'm wondering if anyone knows the difference between Apologia and God's Design Science.

Is one better for the lower elementry?
Is one more thorough?
Is one more Bible based?
Has anyone noticed any errors in either one?
Which is a better buy? (Not cheaper, but a wiser use of our money and children's/parent's time).

Thank you!!

Linda

I think that both of these curriculum honor God as the creator. The information contained is excellent. While the Apologia didn't work for us, the colored pictures are outstanding.

Personally, I prefer the AIG because the readings are shorter, yet engaging. They are remembering the material better. I like the experiments in AIG. They are very easy to do and understand.

Costwise, there isn't an incredible difference in prices. Both are curriculum that you can prepare as much as you need to. You can go on bunny trails and add extra activities if you want to.

I think that both are thorough for the elementary years. You can build on the information later pretty easily.

We used A Beka from 1st grade all the way through 9th grade. We did the DVD's with them from 6th through 9th. It was good, however, we are now doing Apologia Biology and our dd loves it. That is not to say that she didn't enjoy A Beka, but Apologia is so much more user friendly and the experiments are easier to tackle and well written out for you. I think in high school, you may want to at least look into this curriculum a bit more. I can't say for the younger years (other than A Beka).

Good luck. There are so many wonderful choices out there!

Tammy

We like

• A Beka for 3rd and 4th grade
  
• 106 Days of Creation Studies w/ Considering God's Creation for 5th and 6th grade
  
• Apologia for 7th and up (so far).

My 4th grader is also using God's Design. I like that it has short readings and activities she can so with minimal help. The activities vary from actual experiments to cross word puzzles and scavenger hunts. They are young earth, creationist based. They don't claim to be complete, and at times won't pursue a whole argument to its end. For example when discussing the Ice Age they will discuss how the slow change over years is not possible and why but won't even mention the evolutionary comet theory that is thought responsible for the last ice age (the one they attribute to the flood). Given this isn't the last time she will study this material I really don't see it as being a big deal.

At the same time I have my younger children doing Apologia Zoo 1. My oldest also sits in and listens to this one. She wants to be a Zoologist. These are also good resources, more difficult to schedule because readings vary in length and the experiments are grouped at the end of the chapters, well most of them. There are some "try it" activities through out the chapters, but it isn't the uniform lesson, activity, lesson activity of GD. Apologia is also from a young earth creationist point of view. For the topics they cover they have more information than GD, but they are heavy on Biology topics, with only one Earth Science and a Chemistry coming out.

Real Science 4 Kids I used a while back and enjoyed. The author is a creationist, be believes in presenting facts and allowing the student to make their own conclusions, so you won't find a young earth, creationists point of view. Neither will you find evolution. The texts are full color, easy reading and the experiments were fun and easy. My biggest complaint here was that it tends to be expensive, if you buy the text, teacher book and lab book and we raced through it so fast it didn't even last the 10 weeks it is supposed to. I haven't kept up on things since I used the Chemistry Pre 1 level a couple years ago, but my impression then was that the age range on the books is a little high, that they actually work with children younger then they state.

I also did Sonlight science C, 1 and 2. Those didn't click with me because the experiments don't relate to the science being studied and the topics jump around too much. I like how Apologia and GD stay on one topic. Because Usborne books are the texts used they do include old earth and revolutionary references...as well as a them occasionally being really out of date. Like the phone section of one of the books only has a rotary phone, no push button, cordless, or cell phones. That said I love the Discover and Do DVD's. I have taken to purchasing them, the experiment kit and the Usborne experiment book and letting my children watch the experiments and do them at the same time. If you are looking for a source of just experiments, I would recommend them. I do think SL is going to be revising their science program soon, so this may be out of date in as little as a month, but they usually take a couple of years to re-do things.

We just finished and really loved Winter Promise (WP) Animals and Their Worlds (AW). My kids adore hands on, and while most of the activities are crafts, not learning based it held my children's attention and they even started watching the backyard. We now bird and squirrel watch. To date this is one of our absolute favorites.

Blessings,

Heather

We are using Noeo Science. They are a classically based Science curriculum which comes in 3 subjects: Biology, Chemistry and Physics, and 2 levels. Level one is designed for grades 1-3 (but I use it with my Kinder student and he does great) and Level 2 is for grades 4-6. All of them can be done either 2 or 4 days a week. If you like experiments and hands on these are great. If you buy the kits the experiments come too...check them out online at www.noeoscience.com

I forgot to mention that the authors of Noeo Science are Christian and also host a yahoo group to answer questions and provide assisitance. To join the yahoogroup email them at noeo_homeschool_science_forum-subscribe@yahoogroups.com it is a good place to ask questions before you buy.

Hope this helps someone
Dawn

We use Noeo Science. We found it by accident and we got our Physics 1 kit a couple of weeks ago. My kids are starting it next week, but they have been looking over the books and drooling over the experiments and can't wait!! Everything is laid out for you, what to do which day. It runs on a 2 or 4 day schedule. Has all the experiments stuff included in the kit. If you would like to look at it go to www.noeoscience.com They have 2 different levels for Biology, Chemistry, and Physics.