Online Homeschool Science Curriculum
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When it comes to teaching my children, science is the subject which I feel least equipped to teach. Over the years my children have used several online homeschool programs to supplement their science texts.
My 11-year-old son, Collin, recently participated in an online homeschool science program from Bridgeway Homeschool Academy. Wow! Of all the courses our family has taken, this one was by far the best.
Online Homeschooling with Bridgeway Homeschool Academy
Bridgeway Homeschool Academy offers a variety of online Learning Labs, which are nine-week live workshops focused on a particular topic. Collin chose Fun with Science: The Rainforest.
These classes have been the highlight of Collin’s homeschool week. He loves to share what he is learning, and to my surprise he even wrote a couple reports about rainforest plants and animals without complaining!
Why We Love This Homeschool Science Program
1. Interactive classroom experience
Currently our family doesn’t have many group learning opportunities, so the experience of interacting in a classroom with other students was very valuable.
Collin had the opportunity to develop skills such as following directions, raising his “hand,” and volunteering to answer questions. He even got to read his reports aloud to the class, just as a student might do in a physical classroom.
2. Gifted teacher
It goes without saying that a class is no better than its teacher. Collin’s teacher, Mrs. Thomas, was awesome! She was so knowledgeable about the rainforest, and she had the gift of developing enthusiasm for the topic in her students. Thanks, Mrs. Thomas!
3. Variety of assignments
Mrs. Thomas assigned a variety of learning activities that went beyond typical textbook learning. For example, some of Collin’s assignments included:
- Writing two reports, one about a rainforest plant and another about a rainforest animal
- Labeling a map of the rainforests of the world
- Filling out a chart about the hydrologic cycle
- Writing a diamante poem (something he’d never done before!)
4. Accountability
Collin was responsible for remembering his assignments, completing them on time, and giving them to me to be uploaded for the teacher to review. It was very beneficial for him to be accountable to someone other than “just Mom.”
5. Flexible schedule
Every homeschool family has dentist and doctor appointments, as well as other away-from-home events such as field trips. In the event that a student has to miss a scheduled class, he can watch a recording of the entire class and avoid falling behind on instruction or assignments.
6. Biblical worldview
I strongly believe that science must be approached from a careful Biblical perspective. After sitting in on part of Collin’s lessons, I can say that this homeschool science curriculum completely met my expectations of learning with a Biblical worldview.
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Thank you for this list of advantages to online course work (any course work for that matter beyond our household). The accountability issue is very important and a bit of a “wake up call” to my kids. This reassures me that I should pursue online courses occasionally in our schedule and set expectations higher each time as to what they are required to do with each course.
I totally agree, Dee! I think online classes can be a valuable component of a homeschool curriculum.