Curious about using a literature-based science curriculum in your homeschool? I’ve got good news for you! Today I’m sharing our experience using BookShark Science and how it turned out to be the missing link in our Charlotte Mason homeschool.
>>> There’s a BookShark Science giveaway at the end… Don’t miss it! <<<
*This is a sponsored post and I received a complimentary copy of BookShark Science C for review purposes. See my disclosure for further details.*
I’m not sure what I expected when I opened our box from BookShark, but I’ve been using BookShark Science C with my daughter for several months now and it’s been the best surprise of our homeschool year.
Now that we’ve got the hang of how it works, I’m excited to tell you more about this literature-based science curriculum and why it’s been exactly what we needed. But before we jump into why it works with our Charlotte Mason-inspired homeschool, here’s a quick overview of BookShark Science.
BookShark Science Overview
BookShark Science is an all-in-one curriculum package that uses a combination of books and activities to help kids learn. Each level contains 36 weeks of ready-to-go lesson plans designed to be completed over a 4-day homeschool week.
This 4-day schedule leaves an open day in your homeschool week for co-op, errands, catching up, or rest.
Since BookShark is a literature-based approach to teaching science, it includes all books used in the course along with the following items:
- an Instructor’s Guide with activity sheets, lesson plans, and teaching tips
- Discover and Do DVDs used in the lessons
- Science Supplies Kit
Also worth noting, BookShark Science reflects a faith-neutral worldview. To clarify, it’s not anti-Christian in any way. It simply doesn’t contain references to faith one way or the other.
That said, you can always take advantage of your homeschool freedom and insert those references into the lessons whenever you wish.
Why BookShark Science Works So Well in Our Charlotte Mason Homeschool
Now that you know a little about BookShark Science, it’s worth noting that we happily follow Charlotte Mason’s educational philosophy as the foundation of our homeschool.
If you’re familiar with her methods, you know that quality literature and nature study are key factors in her suggested science instruction for children. Because of that, Charlotte Mason experts who recommend a straight up curriculum –even one that’s literature-based — are few and far between.
All that to say, I’m not afraid to branch off and approach some subjects differently than most Charlotte Mason purists recommend. Science is one of those subjects.
Hear me out: I’ve always looked to Ambleside Online (a robust online Charlotte Mason resource) as a guide for my daughter’s homeschool plans, but that hasn’t always been enough to satisfy my science-loving kiddo.
While I greatly value the gentle nature that’s built into a Charlotte Mason education, my daughter simply wanted more than we had planned through AO. That’s why I didn’t mind taking a chance on BookShark Science.
That chance paid off.
We learned pretty quickly that BookShark Science’s literature-based approach was the missing link to our Charlotte Mason homeschool. Here’s why it works so well for us.
1. It’s to-the-point.
Don’t let the pile of books and binder of weekly activity sheets fool you. There’s no busywork involved with BookShark Science. Every lesson is to-the-point and allows us to spread the feast of learning quite nicely.
Since a typical day usually consists of reading a couple of pages from one of the books and answering one or two questions from the weekly activity sheet, we’re still able to keep our science lessons short and move on to other subjects in a timely manner.
Also worth noting, these short lessons are exactly why it’s possible to add the recommended experiments and hands-on elements without overwhelming our days.
2. It includes nature study.
I love that I don’t have to give up nature study in order to add BookShark Science to our homeschool. In fact, they can coexist quite nicely because BookShark’s spiral approach includes nature-related topics in every elementary level.
Granted, the approach can look different than you typically find recommended in Charlotte Mason circles, but I’ve experienced firsthand how easy it is to use BookShark Science to guide our nature walks and nature journaling.
See BookShark's Scope and Sequence to learn which science topics are covered within the levels.
3. It’s empowering.
We read lots of living books and, while we love every minute of our literature-based learning, most of what we read through Ambleside Online is challenging for my daughter.
She’s a good reader, but she feels defeated when she’s asked to read things that look difficult. Because of that, I read aloud to her or she listens to an audiobook for most readings. It’s not that way at all with BookShark Science.
What’s a living book? That term generally refers to an engaging narrative-style book written by someone who is passionate about the subject on which they are writing. If a book is boring, it’s safe to say it’s not a living book.
While I do think most BookShark selections can be classified as living books, I don’t lose sleep over the ones that aren’t because they aren’t far off the mark. Those books are still helping her learn and do a great job in making science accessible to her.
She LOVES not needing me in this area and enjoys completing these assignments on her own. There’s something to be said for tackling your favorite subject on your own terms; for her, it’s empowering.
4. It’s open-and-go.
I’m as Type A as they come and kind of enjoy planning, but perhaps my favorite thing about BookShark is that it makes science an open-and-go part of our days. Between the Instructor’s Guide and the Science Supplies Kit, the heavy lifting is handled for me.
And, while I love having everything planned, clearly explained, and ready to go every day, even the occasional days that require advance preparation from me aren’t bad. When that’s the case, it’s noted on the weekly schedule and I’m given two weeks to round up any supplies that aren’t included in the Science Supplies Kit (like ice cubes or an empty soda bottle, for example.)
Connect with BookShark Science
Ready to learn more? You can purchase BookShark Science or preview lessons through the button below.
Want to preview BookShark Science?
Use the button below to learn more about BookShark Science and see Instructor’s Guide samples for all levels.
But before you go, enter to win the BookShark Science program of your choice using this giveaway widget! ?
In closing, I wholeheartedly recommend BookShark Science for anyone looking for a non-textbook approach to science. With a combination of engaging books and plenty of hands-on experimentation, it lays a great foundation in science and keeps kids curious about learning more.
It’s been a wonderful science curriculum for our homeschool and I’m grateful to have found it.
