In our homeschool, I am very picky about the science curriculum that I choose – especially for the upper grades. So I was thrilled to get my hands on Discovering Design with Earth Science through Berean Builders for a review. I have used other textbooks written by Dr. Jay L. Wile as this one is, so I knew this would be good for our Christian-based homeschool.
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. I was given a free product and compensated for my time writing this article. All opinions are my own.
Discovering Design with Earth Science by Dr. Jay L. Wile
I have been working on a product review with my 8th grade daughter, Miranda. I really like this flexible science curriculum. It's called, Discovering Design With Earth Science from Berean Builders. This course could be used for 8th or 9th grade. As you look through the large heavy book we found in our big mailbox, there are lots of experiments to try as well as text to read and questions to answer.
Flexible Science Curriculum For Your Homeschool Style
I have been homeschooling my kids since 2005. You will be shocked to hear this, but I really hate doing science experiments! Mostly because we do this at home and I don't want to deal with big chemical reactions in my home kitchen, for example.
In this physical, hard copy Earth Science textbook, you can read about the experiments, rather than do them and it does describe in the book what happens and why so your family can visualize in your mind what will/would happen.
That's why I say it's flexible. You can add on a Lab Kit (if you want to) and a book that has the Answer Key & Tests (if you want to). Another possible add on is the audiobook version to go along with your textbook, which is a USB flash drive that contains .mp3 files which will work in any computer or portable player which accommodates this format.
I know some homeschool families who don't like to give tests to their kids. I do very minimal testing in my homeschool. If you prefer to just use the textbook and read it with your child, or have them read it – you can!
I do recommend getting the Lab Kit for Discovering Design With Earth Science curriculum because it's basically a rocks and minerals testing kit, it's not too messy, and would be a great item to keep around for your kids or adults to use to help you figure out what you picked up on your latest nature hike for many years to come. The book teaches you how to test what the rock is made of and how to test for it's hardness level with the Lab Kit. By using these experiments, you can build your child’s understanding of God’s creation through engaging, hands-on experiments and lessons.
Another way that this curriculum is flexible… there is an online class available for this! You register now and it starts in September. At this time, you can choose to have your student join the Monday or Tuesday online class.
Homeschool Science Curriculum Topics Covered
The following general properties of the earth are covered in this curriculum.
Geosphere
In this section, the core, mantle and crust are discussed. There is a large emphasis on rocks, minerals and the rock cycle.
Rock Section Tidbit That I Loved
I want to mention a part we loved in the Metamorphic Rock section on page 104. I love how it mentions greek words, like “metamorphoo” and how it is compared to the Bible verse “2 Corinthians 3:18 to describe what happens when someone understands who Christ is and follows Him” and how “the power of Christ takes a person who already exists and changes him or her into a new and better person.”
This is one of the biggest reasons why I teach homeschool – I want my kids to learn more about their Creator, the Creator of earth and how He transforms them. So, I love seeing these tidbits sprinkled into the curriculum.
The Lithosphere
Oceanic and Continental Crust are discussed. Magnetic fields, plate tectonics with seismic waves, volcanoes and earthquakes are covered.
Fossils In Rocks
In this section, we learned how to examine fossils, molds and casts, petrification and patterns found. We especially enjoyed the “Surprising Fossils” part that talked about animal feces that had been petrified and became fossils and a petrified hat that proves fossils can be of rather recent origin.
Interpreting The Geological Record
In this section, experiments are thoroughly discussed as well as atoms and radioactivity. We learned about the speed at which radioactive decay occurs and half-lifes as well as using radioactive decay to determine the age of rocks. There are examples of radiometric dating and the geological column.
Young-Earth Creationists Tidbit That I Loved
On page 233, the author talks in detail about the Flood and how Young-Earth Creationists (YECs) “typically split the geological record into three sections: rocks formed before the Flood, rocks formed during the Flood, and rocks formed after the Flood.” I like how he mentioned local catastrophes, where he states, “There were probably also floods that affected individual regions of the earth, and they could lay down new sediment that could undergo lithification.”
To me, the way he wrote it just gives me a better understanding and visual of how this all happened with around the Flood. I think it really helped Miranda to have a deeper understanding of it as well.
Uniformitarianism Versus Catastrophism
In the Different Scientific Perspectives of the Rock Cycle section, on page 109, it tells how geologists have different opinions. Some have a uniformitarian viewpoint. “As a result, they think the rocks are best explained by the rock cycle happening on earth over billions of years.” Yet there are some geologists who “think that the rock cycle was much more active during specific times in the earth's past and less active at other times. Of course, they are the geologists who think catastrophism is a better explanation for the earth's geological features.”
In this section, the author gives some concrete examples of how uniformitarians may form their viewpoint based on time and math with a specific situation. Yet, later on page 117, the author shows how a spark plug from the 1920s was found in the center of a concretion rock (after undergoing lithification, where rust sped up the lithification process) in 1961. So rocks can form quickly, in just 41 years, rather than millions or billions of years. Much later in the book, Chapters 8 and 9 really gets into more detail about Uniformitarianism versus Catastrophism with several examples and photos.
I absolutely love that kind of comparative science and that's how I want my kids to think. Look at all the angles, not just the “big bang theory” which is also mentioned in this book!
Water And The Hydrosphere
In this section, several water experiments are done. There are comparisons of freshwater versus saltwater and purifying water, the water cycle, and residence time in a specific reservoir along with a nice table on page 304 that gives a common table of reservoirs and residence time with a great explanation of why Antarctica's time is so long.
The Atmosphere
Air pressure, temperature gradients, gases and composition of air, pollutants, the sections of the atmosphere, clouds and weather are taught.
On pages 427 to 428, there is a discussion of weather and if severe weather is getting worse. This is the only part in the book that I would love to get the author's current opinion to see if it has changed. The book was published in 2021, so I am thinking Dr. Wile could have written this part in 2020 maybe? I agree with him that I don't think there is “global warming,” but I do think that weather is now getting worse and doing more damage since at least 2024. But I feel like it is part of the last days, like things are “revving up” before Jesus returns.
Earth's Solar System And The Universe
Lastly, the solar system is talked about including gravity, orbit, hydrostatic equilibrium, the moon, parallax, stars, the sun, nebulae, light pollution, novas, supernovas, and more.
Miranda's Opinion
“The part that I really found fascinating was when I learned of the great number of different kinds of rocks and all the pressure that can happen in forming them.”
Conclusion
I really enjoyed teaching Discovering Design With Earth Science as it really lines up with what I believe and want to teach my children. The photographs, tables and visuals in the book are really great to help us learn and understand what is being taught. The flexibility is amazing! It makes me curious to check out what else Berean Builders has to offer.
How To Find Berean Builders
Berean Builders has options for all grade levels, including college prep high school science. Check out this earth science curriculum for your 8th or 9th grader before it sells out or before the online classes fill up!
See all that Berean Builders has to offer here.
Here is their About Page.
Here are their Curriculum Samples.
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