l8-start
- Reviewed on Thursday, October 29, 2009
- Grades Used: 2nd
- Dates used: Aug-Oct 2009
After reading the reviews for this curriculum I was really expecting great things. It was not TOTALLY awful but it was far from my expectations. I have found from reading tons of online reviews that a pros and cons list has been the best indicator for me so I will review Patterns of Nature that way.
Pros:
1. Inexpensive - I got my student workbook and teachers guide for $8.60 new direct from Rod and Staff.
2. Easy to follow- The lesson is in story form that is rather long so I ended up reading that to my beginning reader but no big deal. The story is well written and on grade level.
3. Accurate information
4. Christian world view
Cons:
1. Black and white pictures- for the price not that big of a deal
2. The lesson is long and my DD thought it was too boring. I think because it talks about things she knows nothing about, like living and working on a farm and getting maple syrup from trees. Not that it is not interesting but it seemed to distract her from the actual science.
3. The questions are really plain and do not require much critical thinking.
4. The activities were not spectacular enough for my little adrenaline junkie.
We ended up dumping this curriculum and have started R.E.A.L. Science Odyssey Life Level one and so far that has been what we were looking for...even though it is secular I make sure to tell my DD how God did all of this.
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LoveMyFamily
- Reviewed on Wednesday, July 22, 2009
- Grades Used: 2nd
- Dates used: 2008-2009
We used "Patterns of Nature" for 2nd grade science and DD and I enjoyed it. It was a great overview of plant life, weather/seasons, animals, insects, and some astronomy. Very teacher-friendly. We would read the lesson together and then do the activity afterwards (fill-in the blank, crossword puzzle, drawing animal tracks, etc.) DD enjoyed reading the lesson together and she would underline the vocabulary words that were in italics. We're not doing R&S science next year mostly b/c I need to put together my own lesson plans for my highly kinesthetic DD. She's not a traditional textbook student. I would recommend this 2nd grade science curriculum to others esp for its ease of use.
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joreo
- Reviewed on Friday, October 24, 2008
- Grades Used: 5th
- Dates used: present
We use rod aand Staff Science. I absolutely love this book. I like the way that it totally puts God first. It teachesscience in a way that holds true to creationism and the Bible. It basically is structure like a school book. For example, lesson, pics, questions. Finally an small to medium experiement. My dd is excited to get to the experiement to see whats next. I highly reccomend this science book.
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infojunkie00
- Reviewed on Thursday, October 16, 2008
- Grades Used: 2nd
- Dates used: 2008
I purchased this science book on a whim and I am so pleased that I did! I am now using it as a spine for science with my first grader and a preschooler tagging along. I have 4 science texbooks by various big name publishers in my house and NONE of the others are as good as this science book. For example the first lesson is on seasons and the book actually explains why we have seasons, as opposed to the other science texbooks which discuss seasons but not why we have them. In our family we read the section and my 7 yo narrates back, we do the experiments but we don't do the tests. We add library books on the topic too, and usually I have him draw and narrate what he learned.
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