Answers in Genesis: God’s Design for Science Curriculum Review

Gone are the days of buying separate science curriculum for various levels. Focusing on different topics in multiple grades. For me, as homeschool parent, I no longer have to set aside time to “do science” with each child. Everyone is learning together. A unit study approach for the whole family. So let’s take a look at Answers in Genesis: God’s Design for Science.

About Answers In Genesis Science Curriculum

“Answers in Genesis homeschool science curriculum stands apart from other publishers by presenting the study of science with God’s Word as the starting point. Each science discipline is uniquely focused to teach kids that science confirms the Bible 100% and that we can trust God’s Word from the very first verse. From the study of living things to ecology, astronomy, and human anatomy, you can be confident that your children will build a solid scientific foundation upon which to build their understanding of God’s creation.” ~ from their website

God’s Design for Science (grades 3-8)

God’s Design science curriculum is written to be used with multiple age levels and is available in four themes:

• Life – three units on Plants (botany), Human Body (anatomy), and Animals (zoology).
• Chemistry & Ecology – three units on Ecosystems, Atoms and Molecules, and Properties of Matter.
• Physical World – three units on Machines in Motion, Heat and Energy, Inventions and Technology.
• Heaven & Earth – three units on Our Weather and Water, Our Planet Earth, and Our Universe (astronomy).

The Wonders of the Human Body: Introduction to Anatomy and Physiology (Grades 6-9)

This is a newer series put out by Answers in Genesis for older kids!

Humans are made in the image of God, and the human body is the pinnacle of God’s creation. In this anatomy series, students will learn about God’s masterful design in every human body system. The complete series will include six books, and these four are currently available (as of January 2024):

• Volume 1: The Musculoskeletal System
• Volume 2: Cardiovascular & Respiratory Systems
• Volume 3: The Nervous System
• Volume 4: The Digestive System & Metabolism

How Answers in Genesis: God’s Design for Science Works

Presentation: Each chapter begins with a separate “Beginner” section.

(1^st-2^nd grade): Just a few paragraphs of the Beginner section, key words, the chance to join in on experiments and projects and worksheets, if directed by the teacher.

(3^rd-5^th grade): skip the beginner section and start right into the regular portion of the lesson. These students progress through the accompanying activities.

(6^th-8^th): in-depth studies, special features on scientists, historians or current events, learning “additional interesting information.”

Quizzes and final tests are also included in the curriculum.

Solid Biblical Foundation: Creation based – special icons alert the teacher and students to explain how “the information in the lessons fit into the Seven C’s of History: Creation, Corruption, Catastrophe, Confusion, Christ, Cross, Consummation.”

For the parent: Minimal preparation. An accompanying CD provides printable activities, accompanying questions for further study, graphs, questions to prompt review or specific work on a unit project.

For all students: reading some excerpts aloud reaches my auditory learners, the activities for further study reach my students that love hands on learning, while my older students like reading the special features for further study on their own.

Unit projects: For example in God’s Design for Life, the student keeps an animal notebook while studying that unit, adding a new animal “page” or two per chapter.  Some experiments could easily be a science project for a homeschool group’s science fair.

Our Experience with God’s Design

Our family owns God’s Design for Life and God’s Design for Heaven and Earth. In fact, last Christmas eldest boy asked for a book on space. Rather than spend the money on one book, we decided to go ahead and purchase the Heaven and Earth set for him because we knew that, eventually, the whole family would benefit and that it was Biblically based.

How it works for our family:

The joy for our family has been how we turn to these texts when studying nature. Honestly, our nature studies drive our science studies. This is how it works.

Rather than having a hard stop. “Time to do science!” I read the lesson during lunch. In the spring, we were studying weather:

We discussed the Christian view of weather:

•Who designed the weather patterns on earth?

•What is one way that rain and sunshine work together to help people?

•What major event in the Bible greatly changed the weather on earth?

…also how “God sends the rain, withholds the rain, controls storms, but most importantly, God created the earth and everything in it. He set up how the weather operates… if we recognize these things when we study weather, we will see God’s hand and understand Him more clearly.”

What about the older grades? Sometimes I put the assignments for further study into a workbox. This works well with my two middle schoolers. Or sometimes we read the basic lesson together, then the younger ones get down to go play. The older ones stay while we discuss the more in-depth topics.

Conclusion: Answers in Genesis is written by homeschool authors Richard and Debbie Lawrence. In addition it has received awards from The Old Schoolhouse Magazine and Practical Homeschooling. I often call the Answers God’s Design curriculum the Tapestry of science. That is simply because Tapestry of Grace works well for our large, multi-level family for history. The same principles apply for science with God’s Design. Everyone is learning together. Less work for mom, more fun together as a family. Plus, the learning is gentle and joy-filled.

More Biblically Based Resources

30 Bible and Character Training Homeschool Resources – As a homeschool mom, raising my kids for Christ is my most primary goal. It’s a sublime one that isn’t easy in the world we live in. After lots of love, being a good example and lots of prayer, great resources are next in line as an aid to accomplishing this sometimes daunting task. There are some fabulous materials out there that can help us in this major endeavor. Our team of review authors would like to take this opportunity to share with you our favorite bible, character training and parenting resources.

How to Plan an Awesome Home Bible Study for Kids –  Visuals are excellent teaching tools for children of all learning styles. It also doesn’t hurt to tie in hands-on experiences that will help them never to forget. We can help bring the Bible to life as they hear the retellings. Whether you are teaching Bible in your homeschool as a daily or weekly lesson, or perhaps you are creating a church-at-home experience for your family, you will love how effective it is to add art along with your Biblical teachings.

~ Originally posted October 2010. Tricia faces a daily dose of chaos homeschooling five children. She contributes a blend of writing at parenting and homeschool sites as well as her own daily Hodgepodge.