Discover! Science, a brand under Edovate Learning Corp., is a complete science curriculum designed for "the home and school." The fact that it was designed with homeschoolers in mind was appealing to me. I was also interested in this program because when I viewed the Discover! Science website, it appeared that it presents science from a Biblical worldview.

Overview of Discover! Science Grade 5

Discover! Science is available for grades 1-6. I reviewed Discover! Science Grade 5. The full-year package includes the Semester A worktext, the Semester B worktext, and the complete instructor guide for $117.50. The materials are all paperback.
My first impression of the curriculum was that it was visually appealing. It is colorful, and the layout is very well organized. Most pages contain about a half page of text, with the rest of the page containing a mixture of pictures, review boxes, and space for the student to write. 
In the worktexts, spending two or three days on each lesson is recommended, allowing the course to be completed in approximately 150 days. The instructor guide contains enrichment activities that could lengthen the time needed. It would be helpful if scheduling recommendations, or even a full-year schedule, were provided in the instructor guide. We found that some lessons fit nicely in one 45-minute session, while others work better divided into two or three 20-30 minute sessions. 

The nine chapters, each containing between six and eleven lessons, are divided between the two semester worktexts. There are seventy-one lessons in total, including review lessons. Each lesson includes vocabulary, text to read, activities, and space for students to record their responses and results. I found that most of the questions and writing prompts can be done orally, which may be better for some students. At the beginning of each chapter, Pierre the Frog, a happy-looking cartoon frog, tells a part of his story. The review lesson at the end of each chapter includes an overview of the material covered in the chapter, vocabulary practice, visuals, and space for the student to write or draw their responses. Following completion of each chapter, the instructor guide contains two options for assessing the student's understanding. One is an assessment test, and the other is a project. I like how these options allow the parent to use the type of assessment that is best for their child.

Topics covered in the curriculum include:
Chapter 1: Matter, measurements, physical and chemical changes, states of matter, atoms, the periodic table of elements, mixtures, compounds, solutions, dissolution, and buoyancy
Chapter 2: Types of energy, conductors, insulators, and renewable and nonrenewable resources
Chapter 3: The solar system, stars, planets, constellations, and other objects in the solar system
Chapter 4: Atmosphere, weather, precipitation, clouds, and meteorology
Chapter 5: Biomes, including a lesson for each biome
Chapter 6: Ecosystems, predator and prey relationships, food webs, relationships between plants and animals, adaptations, origins of life, and animal behavior
Chapter 7: Cycles on earth, decomposers, and stresses on ecosystems
Chapter 8: Sound, pitch, volume, and sound waves
Chapter 9: Human immune system, nervous system, sensory organs, and skin

The activities in the lessons include experiments, projects, and further investigations. One project in the study of ecosystems is creating a diorama. When internet research or investigations are options, the instructor is encouraged to assist the student, ensuring supervision while using the internet. One extension activity in the lesson on renewable and nonrenewable resources is researching the advantages and disadvantages of solar power and windmills. An example of an experiment is included in the example lesson below. 

The instructor guide lists the lesson objectives, provides helpful tips, and includes an answer key. It also offers many optional activities to enhance learning for students with different learning styles- auditory, visual, and kinesthetic. The materials needed for activities and experiments are listed on the first page of each lesson in the worktext. So, the instructor must look ahead to ensure they have what is required. Most of the materials are everyday items, but including a master list of materials needed for each lesson in the instructor guide would help with planning the year. 

Is this curriculum written with a Biblical worldview?

According to the publisher's website, Discover! Science provides lessons that help students understand science "through the lens of a Biblical worldview." This is not obvious, and the curriculum could easily be used by those who want a more secular curriculum. There is no mention of God or quotes from the Bible in any of the materials. In areas of science that Christian and secular scientists tend to differ, such as the age of the earth and origins, the curriculum either does not address the issue or states the theories with vague terms without providing evidence for or against any of the theories. For example, in a discussion on the solar system, the text did not discuss the origin or age of the solar system. 

In Chapter 49, there is a brief discussion on the origin of life (half a page total). This is the only time origin theories are mentioned. Three main theories— evolution, intelligent design, and creation— are mentioned; the definitions of each do not fully define any of them. The words God, Christian, and Bible are notably left out; however, the book of Genesis is briefly mentioned.

In a green "Online Connection" box on the next page, teachers are encouraged to help students find videos or articles to learn more and "see which one makes more sense and which they think seems to be a better explanation." 

It appears that the curriculum is making an effort to remain neutral rather than helping students understand science "through the lens of a Biblical worldview." Parents will want to discuss these topics further using the Bible, including the actual account of creation. I would also encourage parents to supplement this curriculum with good apologetics resources, especially when covering lesson 49. The product website mentioned that "Faith Connections" are available upon request for those who use the blended online curriculum. I did not use the online curriculum and am curious whether it presents a Biblical worldview. 

An example of a lesson from Worktext A

Lesson 10 is about buoyancy. This lesson builds on material from the previous lessons. The first page of the lesson lists the lesson objectives, four vocabulary words that will be introduced in the lesson, and the materials needed for the lesson activity. The materials required for this lesson include aluminum foil, a tub with water, and pennies. There is a colorful picture of children watching ducks swim on the water with questions to encourage students to think about how ducks stay afloat.

The lesson continues with a picture of a large cargo ship. The ship's weight is given, and the student is to think about and write down their thoughts on how such a large ship can float on the water. Space is provided for the students to write their responses to this and three other questions about heavy objects floating.

On the third page of the lesson, density is reviewed. Density was first introduced in lesson one. Relative density is then discussed, using the example of oil (less dense) floating on water (more dense). The student has space to answer two short questions that check for comprehension. 

The fourth page of the lesson begins by stating that the cargo ship shown earlier is made of steel, which has a greater density than water. Based on density alone, the ship should sink. It continues with a discussion on forces present when an object is placed in water. Water displacement and buoyancy are defined and discussed, and a picture is presented to help the student visualize the concepts. The text also mentions that the student may have felt the force of buoyancy if they had worn a life jacket in water. Space is provided for the student to write a response to the question, "What is buoyancy?" at the bottom of this page.

The fifth page contains an explanation of Archimedes' principle both in the text and with a colorful picture. The student has space to write what they learned about this principle and how buoyancy determines if an object sinks or floats.

The next page includes an activity. The student builds three foil boats and tests to see which boat can hold the most pennies before it sinks. There is space for the students to make predictions, draw their boats, record their results, and discuss what they observed. Also, on this page, a green review box provides bullet points of what was in the lesson. A question prompts the student to consider how an object's surface area affects its buoyancy. This question directly relates to the activity they just performed, and it may prompt the student to experiment with making more boats to test.

The final page of this lesson has review questions. Three are fill-in-the-blank vocabulary questions, two are true and false, and one asks for a written explanation. A green box on this page encourages the student to experiment with making boats out of other materials and with different designs.

The instructor guide pages for this lesson contain the answer key. They also list the lesson objectives and include suggestions to aid the student's learning. One suggestion given is to search online for a buoyancy simulation. Two extension activities are offered for those who wish to expand on this lesson. One is to investigate deep sea exploration engineering challenges, and the other is to do a cardboard boat challenge. 

Most lessons can be completed in 1-2 days, spending 20-45 minutes on the lesson each day. This lesson, especially if extension activities are added, may take longer. Some children will want to experiment more with boat designs and surface area, and some families may choose to incorporate a field trip to a pool, marina, or local cardboard boat competition.

Concluding thoughts on Discover! Science Grade 5

This science curriculum is user-friendly, visually appealing, interactive, and educational. We have enjoyed using it and plan to complete it this school year. I would like to see the publisher incorporate a Biblical worldview as stated on the product website. We will be using the Bible and apologetics resources with this curriculum. 

I would like to see the publisher offer separate student worksheets for homeschool families who plan to use the curriculum for more than one child. I also noticed a few minor errors, such as missing or repeated words, in the worktexts and instructor guide. One typo in the green review box on page 58 that may add confusion is when "solvent" is used when "solute" should have been. 

Discover! Science Grade 5 curriculum could be an excellent fit for a family looking for a well laid out, visually appealing science curriculum with many fun and educational hands-on activities. It provides a good overview of many areas in science that students will continue to build on. However, families who want to teach science from a Biblical worldview may wish to use the Bible and good apologetics resources alongside Discover! Science.

-Product review by Sarah Roth, The Old Schoolhouse®, September 2023