BookShark Science Newly Updated Curriculum : Product Review
Curious about BookShark and its literature-based homeschool curriculum? There’s been lots of chatter among homeschoolers about BookSharks recent updates to its science programs.
We got our hands on the BookShark Science Level D package and dove right in to see if this new program would work for our family! Keep reading to see what we think and for your chance to win a BookShark Science package!
As we began a brand new homeschool year, we did some major updates to our homeschool schedule and curriculum lineup. Not only have we switched to a literature-based curriculum, but we are also now following a 4 day per week homeschool schedule. We made these changes based solely on the fact we were switching to BookShark as our foundation for science, history, and language arts curriculums.
Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are ‘affiliate links’. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I may receive an affiliate commission.
Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are ‘affiliate links’. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I received the BookShark Science Level D for free. I was not required to write a positive review, however I’m extremely pleased with the program and share below my thoughts.
About BookShark and the Literature-Based Approach
BookShark is a secular, literature-based curriculum company that offers individual subject packages, as well as an all subject package. BookShark is the counterpart to the faith-based curriculum company Sonlight. We’ve had an opportunity to review some of Sonlight’s curriculum packages in the past, including their Science K program and their Montessori-style Preschool Package.
BookShark has recently updated its science packages to follow the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). This is a widely accepted and academically solid set of standards created to encourage the doing of science, instead of focusing on just the facts behind the science.
Learn more about why BookShark chose to update their science packages to follow NGSS!
BookShark is a literature-based curriculum.
What does that mean?
It means that with BookShark curriculum packages, students read literary fiction and nonfiction works, biographies, illustrations, and complete hands-on experiments to fully engage the kids in the topics.
This is a huge jump from traditional, fact-memorization-based curriculums. Students learn the material through story, discussion, and hands-on activities. Not only do my kids prefer this method, I feel they learn and retain so much more information. They are able to verbally explain concepts and apply them to real life, which is one of the main goals of our homeschool.
With no dry textbooks or boring lessons, the kids actually want to pick up their weekly work and get started every day. The collection of books included in the package is the perfect variety of new, colorful, and engaging science stories and non-fiction works.
What’s Included in BookShark Science Level D?
- The Usborne First Encyclopedia of Seas and Oceans (DS02)
- Did You Know? Science (CS12)
- Science D Instructor’s Guide | Ages 8-11 (3SB)
- BookShark Science D Experiments Book (3SBB)
- Fossils Tell of Long Ago (CS13)
- Traits and Attributes (CS14)
- The Magic School Bus and the Electric Field Trip (CS15)
- What Makes a Magnet? (CS16)
- Electrical Wizard (CS18)
- Bringing Back the Wolves (CS19)
- Discover & Do: Science D Supplies Kit (3SK)
- National Geographic Kids: Robots (CS17)
- Science D Experiments Paper Packet (DSKP)
Instructor’s Guide
I can’t say enough about the wonderful BookShark Instructor’s Guide. Everything is so well explained and laid out thoughtfully. Not only does it break down a weekly schedule for you, it walks you through each day with discussion ideas, directions for activities, reading for the day, and tips on the lesson.
A list of the week’s supplies for the experiment is found in the summary and even includes a list of supplies needed for the following week – so there’s less chance of last-minute scrambling. There’s also plenty of space for you to add your notes or additional activities.
The Instructor’s Guide makes it easy to share teaching responsibilities if needed. Even if the fill-in teacher isn’t familiar with the program, they could easily pick up the IG and facilitate a day or week’s worth of lessons confidently.
My kids also are very familiar with the Instructor’s Guide – they know how to pick it up and continue with their lesson if I’m unable to sit with them. This has been a huge plus for us and allowed the girls to work a bit more independently this year.
You can check out 3-week samples of all the Instructor’s Guides available.
Discover & Do Science Supplies Kit
This little blue box is probably one of my favorite parts of the entire BookShark Science curriculum package. The Discover & Do Science Supplies Kit includes all the tricky or annoying-to-find supplies you’ll need for each week’s experiment.
If you know me, you know that I pretty much despise messy, complicated science experiments and projects. This box has been a lifesaver – I’m never scrambling to find clay, cotton balls, strings, beads, and other supplies. Although we probably have all those items somewhere in this house, it’s so relaxing knowing that most of what is needed each week can be found in this box.
Other supplies that are needed are very common household items that I can easily grab on the day of the experiment.
Science D Experiments Paper Packet
Another important component that goes along with the Supplies Kit is the Experiments Paper Packet. Although these worksheets and templates are in the Experiments Book, having them as loose leaf printed pages has saved tons of time, ink, and paper!
It’s great to just grab the paper packet, pull out the sheets for the week’s experiments, and get started!
BookShark Science D Experiments Book
The Science Experiments Book is the piece that brings the entire package to life. This book contains a weekly hands-on science experiment that allows the student to take the lesson they learned earlier in the week and apply it.
The hands-on experiments are easy, short, but extremely well planned. They all align perfectly with the weekly lesson and really encourage the kids to think deeper, ask questions, and apply the scientific topics to a real-world application.
These experiments aren’t anything that you couldn’t research online and create on your own. However, the fact that they are paired perfectly week by week and include background information, detailed instructions, discussions, and deeper thinking questions plus include the entire list of supplies is what makes them so perfect for busy homeschoolers!
BookShark Science is Very Low Prep
One thing that we found with BookShark is they have thought of everything for the busy homeschool family. With such a robust curriculum, I expected a lot of prep work on my end.
I was thrilled to find out that the science package included almost everything needed for lessons, reading, worksheets, and hands-on experiments. (See above for a complete list of what’s included in the Level D package)
The only supplies that I’ve had to contribute are common household items for experiments, which has proven to be simple enough.
BookShark even gives you a list of upcoming supplies that you’ll need, so you aren’t scrambling last minute to complete an experiment. Yes, this is for you busy homeschool mom!
Family Style Learning
One thing that really sets BookShark apart from other programs is the system they use for their packages. Science Level D is where we ended up with our girls – meaning they are both in the same science package right now.
Technically Amelia is a 6th grader and Gwen is a 3rd grader. The BookShark Levels are geared toward a small age range. This allows your family to combine kids that are close in age or skill level. So our Science Level D is geared toward ages 8-11 (which is the girls’ ages exactly).
I didn’t realize how much of an impact this would have on our entire school routine, but it has been a huge blessing. Having both girls working together, learning together, and reading aloud to each other has been such a positive change in our schooldays.
4 Day Homeschool Schedule
I’ll admit, this has taken some getting used to. I was really expecting to struggle with the 4 day week. In reality, I’m surprised by how much more time we have to do extra activities and expand on the lessons if we want.
Going from a regular, 5-day schedule down to 4 has made our homeschooling much less stressful. I feel like we are still getting just as much, if not more, learning and activities complete.
I love that BookShark has created such an easy-to-follow, stress-free routine in our homeschool with the schedule. Leaving that extra day open has really made our weeks enjoyable and give me a chance to just breathe or take a day to play, experiment, and follow some delight-directed learning.
Easy, Hands-On Science Experiments
My girls will tell you the science experiments are the best part of the newly updated science packages. Not only are they thoroughly enjoying the experiments each week, but they’re also actually retaining the materials and spitting back information to us at random times.
The experiments take anywhere from 5-25 minutes, depending on the week. We’ve found that having one set day for experiments has made our week run very smooth.
The girls look forward to completing their lessons for the week and getting to dive in the supplies box on day 4. We have even done a few of the experiments more than once because they enjoyed them so much!
Some of the experiments include:
- making fossils
- using our sense of smell
- genetics of baby birds
- using solar to heat
- conducting electricity
New for 2021: BookShark Virtual
When you pair BookShark print curriculum with a Virtual seat, both parents and kids get cool online features like assessment, grading, and accountability—accessible via mobile or desktop! We have taken advantage of this new option to help keep the kids on their toes about assignments.
I love that they can log in and see all their work for the week, turn in assignments virtually, and it keeps their grades and records where I can easily access them!
The best way to understand BookShark Virtual is to try it yourself. The first three weeks of every Virtual course are available for free just like the Instructor’s Guide samples always have been.
Watch the demo videos to get your bearings, and then take it for a spin. Let your kiddo take a peek, too! Plus, I’ll be sharing an extensive review of BookShark virtual in such a few short weeks. Be sure to look for that or subscribe so you get updates!
My Thoughts on BookShark Science
Overall, I have to say I was very skeptical about many aspects of BookShark.
I wasn’t sure our family would enjoy or adjust to a literature-based program, especially since we switched our science, history and language arts all at one time.
The 4-day schedule worried me. I was stressing over it being “enough” school each week.
When I opened our Science Level D package, I immediately thought I was going to be overwhelmed and doing a lot of busywork to keep us on track with the program.
Now that we are well into week 6 of the curriculum, I can confidently say that I’m ready to start ordering the next level in not just science, but also history and language arts!
Our family has really fallen in love with the living book method and has truly enjoyed the change of pace we found with this package.
The science is presented in a way that the girls are not only learning, but applying it. They will share thoughts and ideas around the dinner table, hours after we finished our science lesson for the day.
There have been many instances that they’ve asked if I can find more books, let them research the topic further, and do the experiment “just one more time”.
If you’ve been homeschooling for a while and feel you may need a change of pace in your routine and curriculum, hop over to BookShark and download a 3-week sample.
You can even check out the scope and sequence of each level, to see what your family might find more interesting to start with.
