Richard and Debbie Lawrence, not finding a solid Creationist science curriculum to their liking, decided to write one themselves. The God's Design series was initially self-published, until the folks at Answers in Genesis discovered and decided to publish it. Parents appreciate the simple lesson format and strong Christian presuppositions; kids like the activities and simple text.

The series was originally written as twelve separate books, which allowed for extraordinary flexibility. As each book was independent and appropriate for a broad range of ages (it was written with 3rd-8th graders in mind), parents could start wherever they wanted; there was no imposed order. The four main subject headings included Heaven & Earth (earth science, astronomy), Life (biology, botany, zoology), The Physical World (physics, technology), and Chemistry & Ecology, and each group included three texts and three teacher books. 

With the latest iteration from Master Books, the twelve book format is no more. Each of the main headings has become an individual book, rather than three separate volumes, so students are encouraged to study a particular theme for a year, rather than jumping from topic to topic at whim.

How Do These Work?

For the main four courses, each comes in two parts—the student text and the teacher volume/worksheets. Gone are the past CD-ROMs and digital downloads; everything you need is printed in the two books. In the texts, you'll find the contents of three different books, each with about 34-35 lessons; doing three lessons a week allows students to finish a volume per year, though parents can move slower or quicker depending on their kids's needs. The teacher guides include a suggested weekly schedule, student worksheets, quizzes and tests, and an answer key. Teacher involvement is also highly flexible—parents can adjust their involvement to fit their own schedule and their children's abilities. 

Each lesson includes text read by the parent or student and three sets of exercises. The first, denoted by a blue box, typically includes an experiment or activity designed for a range of age groups. The second exercise tests student comprehension ("What Did We Learn?" and "Taking it Further"). The third, highlighted in green, contains more challenging material: this usually means additional reading, but sometimes more difficult projects. The text is succinct and clear, but not terribly engaging; apparently little attempt was made enliven the facts. If teachers want to add more, they can pull in the additional worksheets (which include a variety of activities and projects), quizzes, and tests (a mix of true/false, multiple choice, and other types of questions). You'll already have most supplies needed for the experiments.

There are also now two volumes "for Beginners," one for Life and one for Heaven and Earth.

The authors have made this a creationist, Christian curriculum. They balance biblical worldview with science fact and theory so Christian students can contextualize what they learn. These books provide a good overview of science; they aren't exhaustive, but do prepare students for more thorough study in high school.

Our Honest Opinion:

The emphasis on creationism/Christianity is good. Youngsters still formulating a consistent worldview shouldn't have to deal with unchristian dogmas like evolution with no in-text criticism. God is consistently given glory for His creation and kids are encouraged to be awed by scientific study. We really appreciate the breadth of the subjects covered (unlike Apologia's Young Explorer Series, this one has twelve topics to choose from, rather than eight).

Although certainly not universal, the most common complaint we've heard has been that some parents find this curriculum on the dry side, unable to spark their kids' interest. A few of the activities seem purposeless (making construction paper flowers), at least on an educational level, but this is not usually the case. The text is fact-oriented, more like a lecture than a conversation; this will appeal to some students more than others. The color of the books make the series more appealing to most kids.

Overall, this curriculum is well-balanced, a good blend of Christian creationism and solid science fact. A little extra parent involvement could conceivably make the lessons more interesting, and the recommended supplementary reading lists included in the Teacher's Supplements have some fun materials in them. You would be hard pressed to find a more thorough yet Bible-oriented science curriculum for elementary students than the God's Design series.

Review by C. Hollis Crossman
C. Hollis Crossman used to be a child. Now he's a husband and father who loves church, good food, and weird stuff. He might be a mythical creature, but he's definitely not a centaur. Read more of his reviews here.