At the preschool level, science is all about exposure, not memorization of facts. It’s helping the youngest explorers understand that their world is discoverable. Through guided exploration of their world, young children learn how to naturally incorporate all aspects of language (expanding vocabulary), math (counting and recording), science (observing and experimenting), and art (drawing out ideas) into their understanding of how their world works. Most importantly, children will come to understand that their world is wonder-full, peace-full, and beauty-full because God created it full of His love and wisdom. Preschool Science Curriculum Overview Preschool Science: Exploring Creation Together is a spiral-bound curriculum with 2 distinct sections included. The first half is written in a story format that parents can read with their child. Activities are not inserted into the flow of the story, but icons will alert parents to corresponding activities found in the 2nd half of the book, which serves as the parent guide. It’s up to the parent whether the moment dictates more reading or an activity break. Since this is about exposure, if a student wants to keep reading, that’s fantastic. It is our hope that students will want to read this book over and over again. There will be plenty of opportunities to choose when and where activities fit into a family’s busy schedule. The second half of this curriculum is written directly to the parent as the parent guide. It reviews the science topics being learned in the story and contains many age-appropriate activities that demonstrate the science concepts discussed in the story. These activities can help a child better understand the ideas presented in the text. It also has lots of fun activity sheets and games. Preschool Science: Exploring Creation Together is an Apologia science title recommended for students ages 3-5. The goal of the course is exposure to topics, not science mastery. It is meant to be a fun course that parents read to their youngest explorers. The separate parent section is written to give parents activities that they can choose to use when they see the opportunity arise, letting science activities be natural extensions of their child’s regular activities (play in the backyard), their family activities (grocery shopping), or special events (field trips and vacations). And what budding young scientist doesn’t want to get their hands on activities? As homeschooling parents, we know that hands-on play allows students to have their own “Ah Ha!” moment as they discover science. All activities in Preschool Science: Exploring Creation Together use common household materials. This science book includes 2 types of activities: Hands-on Activities: These are self-contained, individual activities that allow your child to explore concepts at a deeper level. Some are experiments; others are games or worksheets that parents can choose from to develop ideas. Project Activities: The “Window to My World” project is a trifold poster board that becomes a large picture window. Your child will add items to the window as the science is explained, eventually creating an entirely unique scene. Daily Schedule and Supplies There is no set schedule for this preschool curriculum. Parents are encouraged to let their days guide what to cover each day. Encourage Interest with these Tips Watch for opportunities to mentor in the moment. Use open-ended questions. Encourage your child to think aloud. The curriculum encourages parents to be on the lookout for the impromptu adventure in science. Because there are 2 separate sections to this curriculum (one written to the student and one written to the parent), the curriculum can be done over multiple years with it being different every time. Key Curriculum Components This curriculum is designed around several key components essential to a successful preschool science program. Enjoyable The content is a story written to the student, interacting and engaging the child in an age-appropriate manner that is all about exposure. Carefully crafted activities are available in the parent guide, letting the parent decide when and where to interject more science. Makes Christian Connections As a God-honoring science curriculum, Preschool Science: Exploring Creation Together connects God to science concepts in a natural manner. Parent-Led Parents are the ultimate teachers of their children. Apologia recognizes and honors this fact. This preschool science course is written in a manner that lets the parent lead the learning. Some parents may choose to do the story reading only. Other parents may wish to pick and choose which activities to insert. And all methods are equally valid. The child’s story portion of the science curriculum is carefully created to be complete. Activities add to the fun of the science discussed. Open-and-Go The structure of Preschool Science: Exploring Creation Together is simple. Parents can choose an appropriate time to read the story portion of the curriculum. Icons within the story portion alert the parent to age-appropriate activity materials found in the parent guide. It’s up to parents to decide if the moment is best served with more reading or if an activity break is a good idea. Because there are so many activities to choose from, each time the story is read, a new adventure can be inserted. ISBN 9781946506917, SKU 1006917
