New Living Science Curriculum!

Giving my children a living education through living books and ideas is so important to me.  I'm constantly scouring my shelves for the best of the best on any topic to ignite my sons' imaginations and fill their minds with wonder.  I'm pretty comfortable in most subject areas making engaging choices.  But as my boys get older, I feel the stress and pressure of the looming high school years in the sciences.  I see this same anxiety in the moms who come into my library.  If we ourselves are not strong in the sciences, how can we possibly prepare our children for college science classes, especially in this STEM-driven world?  Must we give up living ideas in favor of dry textbooks in order to adequately equip them for university?

I am so excited and pleased to let you know about an incredibly well done living science curriculum!  My friend, Nicole Williams of Sabbath Mood Homeschool, has produced Living Science Study Guides:  A Charlotte Mason Resource for Exploring Science, a Vast and Joyous Realm.  Her first guide deals with Biology for middle school.  She also plans to release guides for the elementary and high school years.

Nicole has such a wealth of knowledge in the field of science and the philosophy of Charlotte Mason.  She has combined her passions to create a science guide which utilizes Charlotte's assertion that "where science does not teach a child to wonder and admire it has perhaps no educative value."  The guide includes readings from the fascinating spine, Men, Microscopes and Living Things, by Katharine Shippen as well as other living books, activities and experiments and exam questions.

In case you have doubts that students can be properly equipped for college, especially in science, with this type of education, I encourage you to listen to this Read Aloud  Revival podcast.   This Harvard PhD attributes her success in college to her liberal arts education.  It is very encouraging and enlightening!

I hope you will head over to Nicole's blog and get this excellent resource.  While you're there, explore her site and find many treasures to help you in creating this wonder and admiration in science with your children.  Also take time to listen to the podcast, A Delectable Education, especially the last few episodes where Nicole, Liz and Emily have focused on science in Charlotte Mason's schools.  

Thank you, Nicole, for your contributions to the Charlotte Mason community!