Investigate the Possibilities is a hands-on science course for elementary/middle school students to give them both a foundation in science and in Creation apologetics. The series is short—just three volumes—and not meant as a full science curriculum, but it works well as a starting point to get kids interested in science study.

How Do These Work?

Three main texts cover energy, forces and motion, and matter. Each student book is full-color with plenty of photographs and engaging text, and is based on 20 experiments/science activities. Most of the requisite materials are household items, and those that aren't are easily obtainable. Students complete the activity, and then learn more about the concept it illustrates.

According to the authors, this order—experiment first and exposition after—is the preferred method for science instruction. It cements the information more firmly in students' minds since it provides context for the facts. After the activity and reading assignment there are quizzes and text questions for students to complete, answers to which are included in the teacher's guide.

For each student text there is a teacher's guide and a student journal. The teacher's guide includes reduced student pages in black-and-white, answers to written questions, and notes on lesson objectives. There isn't a lot of teacher support because the coursework is pretty basic. The student journal is used to record observations during the activities as well as all other written work.

A variety of extra questions and suggestions for discussion help students make connections between various concepts and between scientific and non-scientific concerns. There is a constant emphasis on Creationism that makes this a very Bible-centric course; those looking for a more objective program should look elsewhere.

OurHonest Opinion:

This shouldn't be used alone. While there is a lot of good information and interesting activities, the nature of the books is more supplemental than primary. If you don't want to balance these texts with another course, they could act as good introductions to facilitate further study; we recommend using them before the God's Design series. They do accomplish one thing many science curricula do not—they make studying science fun and still manage to remain educational.

Review by C. Hollis Crossman C. Hollis Crossman used to be a child. Now he is a husband and father, teaches adult Sunday school in his Presbyterian congregation, and likes weird stuff. He might be a mythical creature, but he's definitely not a centaur. Read more of his reviews here.