Why Our Family Loves Nancy Larson Science

After three years of using Nancy Larson Science for Homeschool, I have to say we absolutely love it! Our family has now used Science K though Science 3 and it has been a complete science program that has made science learning fun, manageable, and above all – productive.

The last time I shared my thoughts on this complete science curriculum was after six weeks of having first used the Science 1 program. Now, three years later, I am so very thankful that we were introduced to Nancy Larson Science. Want to know why?

A Science Program that is Age-Banded

Working with multiple children on a subject is a huge help on saving time for any homeschool mom. The science levels in Nancy Larson Science are not intended for grade levels, but rather a range of ages. This means that several children can work together on science.

For example, the Life Science in Science 1 is intended for ages 5-8, Physical Science in Science 2 for ages 7-9, Earth and Space in Science 3 for ages 8-11, and Advanced Life and Physical Science 4 for ages 9-12. Over the last three years, our three oldest have been able to work together on each of the levels – something we all have loved.

As the teacher, this has helped us also save time during our day. Rather than teaching three different science units, we can work on projects together.

Ready to Teach – Straight from the Box

Running around the house and searching for things needed to use in science projects {or remembering to buy them at the store}, isn’t something that I enjoy doing. I love knowing that when I order one of the Nancy Larson Science programs, it is complete. From the moment I open the box and unpack it, I am ready to begin teaching. It’s really that simple!

To give you an example, even the different types of dirt {clay, sand, and silt} that we needed to compare in one of our lessons were a part of our Tool Kit. The Science 3  kit includes: centimeter cubes; graduated cylinder; thermometer; beaker; balloon; hand lens; equal mass set; wooden, glass, and steel spheres; rock set; pumice; clay, sand, silt, and humus; grass seeds; bean seeds; plastic tadpole set; posters of the sun, the moon, comets, and periodic table, and the following books: Familiar Reptiles and Amphibians and Peterson First Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians.

All of the science programs from Nancy Larson include a teacher’s manual, a student packet, resource materials and a tool kit – virtually all you need {minus a pencil and a highlighter} to start the minute the box lands on your doorstep. Posters, go-along books, pictures to enhance the lessons – there are no excuses for not having time to work on science now!

Reading and Study Skills are Reinforced

Study skill and reading are integrated into science learning. Each of our children comes to the table with a highlighter in hand, ready to focus on the key points of the lesson and follow along as the lesson is read. These study skills have also spilled over into other subject areas as well and it has been great to see it develop.

During each lesson, we read together parts of the science booklet and then ask/answer questions based on what was read. We highlight important words and phrases that we should remember. The reading time has also been an encouragement to one of our children. While reading is not an area he enjoys, science is. It has been wonderful to watch him follow along with the paragraphs we read and track the words. When he is confident enough, he will read out loud for us as well.

The format of the lessons {numbered paragraphs and short, concise sentences} are extremely helpful for children who need help reading. The content is not watered down at all, but presented in a way that children learn {and want to learn!}.

Non-Consumable Materials

The opportunity to re-use curriculum is one that makes me very happy! When we began using Nancy Larson Science, one thing that I immediately loved was we were able to use it in the future with our younger children that weren’t ready for that level. When our youngest is able to use it, we only need to purchase the student papers to go along.

Once we are finished with a level, we are also able to resell it to another family {yay!!}. Finding curriculum that has the ‘ok’ to resell is a huge plus for me!

A Simple to Use Teacher’s Manual

One of the things that first drew me to Nancy Larson Science was the teacher’s manual. All of the lesson plans are scripted, giving examples of what the teacher and student dialogue should be and lessons are completely laid out for the teacher. There is no additional planning for me to do, because it has already been done.

At the beginning of each lesson, a supply list is included so you can quickly grab any needed materials o the lesson and be ready to go. Since we store all of our materials in a small bin on our shelf, we are ready to go in just  a minute. You can view a sample of a lesson here.

Additional Thoughts on Nancy Larson Science

Prior to using Nancy Larson Science, our family tried to other programs that didn’t work for various reasons {no lesson plans included or needing to find and gather supplies – sometimes ones that were hard to find}. Since we started using Nancy Larson Homeschool Science, our science time has literally done a complete turn-around.

We work on science twice a week and when we have finished one lesson, the kids want to keep working! They want to participate in the lesson and the facts they are learning stick with them. Not only do the kids want to work on science – so do I! Science was never one of my favorite subjects in school, and I am gaining a new appreciation for it because of the way the program is presented and taught.

Also, the lessons target children with different learning styles. Whether your child is a visual learner, an auditory learner, or a kinesthetic learner, the lessons include various means to help children grasp and fully master the concepts. Read more on learning styles here.

Want to Know More about Nancy Larson Science?

Have questions about the programs? I’d invite you to read my earlier review of the Science 1 program here. Please feel free to ask any questions in the comments or contact Madon Dailey directly, a representative of Nancy Larson Homeschool, if you have any specific questions. She is wonderful and would be happy to help you out!

If you are interested in purchasing, visit the Nancy Larson Science online store. They offer FREE s/h on products now which is a HUGE savings!