BookShark Science D Review

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I was compensated for my time reviewing BookShark Science D, writing this review, and hosting the giveaway.

This year my 10yo son and I are using the new BookShark Science D.

BookShark Science is an amazing secular science curriculum that is easy to use! I thought there would be more moving parts to it, but no. It’s open and go!

BookShark Science D arrived as a complete package that included the instructor’s guide, the books needed, student worksheets, a paper packet for science experiments, an experiment kit, and an experiment book. I was delighted that almost everything I needed for a full year of science was included in the package.

A few science supplies have not been in the kit such as cereal and spoons.

The best part about BookShark Science is that my son loves the curriculum. Science is the first thing he wants to get done each day, and he adores the experiments.

BookShark Science was just what my son and I needed.

BookShark Science D is Easy to Use

Did I mention that BookShark Science is easy to use? It is!

The best part, for families with a bunch of kids, is that each BookShark Science level is intended for a wide-range of ages. Science D is for kids ages 8-11. So you can use the curriculum as the heart of your science curriculum for your kids. Just order extra worksheets and paper packets and away you go!

Another intersting point about BookShark Science is that it doesn’t stick with one science discipline each year. Instead it covers fossils, magnets, electricity, genetics, wolves, and more.

Fully Planned Instructor’s Guide

The heart of BookShark science, in my opinion is the instructor’s guide. It includes all the information you need to have a wonderful year of science with your children. It explains the principles of the curriclum It gives you a schedule to read thorugh the books. You’re given the worksheets you need for your kids along with the answer key.

The intructor’s guide also includes notes for more activities you can do with your kids and ideas for discussions you can have with your kids.

All you need to do, is pull out the instructor’s guide – open to the current week – and everything you need is right there. It even includes a section listing the science supplies you’ll need that week along with which supplies are included in the kit and which supplies you’ll need to supply on your own, such as cereal and spoons.

Plus it includes a 4-day schedule! This is perfect for my family, as we use a 4-day homeschool week.

Literature Based

BookShark science includes wonderful living books with the curriculum. These are books that engage the child. Books I find interesting myself. And books that make it easy to teach science to my son.

The reading assignments are a good length. It usually takes us about 10-15 minutes to read through the reading assignment and discuss what we’ve read. It would likely go faster except my son loves to comment on the pictures and to discuss what’s in the books as we read through the book instead of after we read thorugh the book.

And I love the books! They include:

Did You Know? Science: Amazing Answers to More than 200 Awesome Questions!
Let’s Read and Find Out: Fossils Tell of Long Ago
Traits and Attributes
Magic School Bus and the Electric ield Trip
Let’s Read and Find Out: What Makes a Magnet?
National Geographic Kids – Robots
Electrical Wizard: How Nikola Tesla Lit Up the World
Bring Back the Wolves: How a Predator Restored an Ecosystem
Usborne – First Encyclopedia of Seas & Oceans

Did I mention how much I’m enjoying reading these books to my son?

Science Worksheets

There are worksheets for my son to fill out as well each day.

We read through the reading assignment and then we’re given a few questions in the worksheet packet for my son to answer. The questions include the page number to reference so we know which page to refer to when answering the questions.

What I love about the worksheets is that it encourages my son to go deeper with the concepts. To show he understands what’s going on.

I’ll be honest, we don’t always write down the answers to every question. Sometimes I have him answer the questions on his own. Sometimes he narrates while I write. And other times we simply discuss the concepts involved and move on.

Because the curriculum is there to help you teach. Not to be a dictator!

What I found surprising is that the worksheets are in the intructor’s guide, at the end of the week. It works, I just expected the worksheets to be separate.

Hands-on Experiments

My son loves the hands-on experiments provided in BookShark Science D.

A thick experiment book in included that covers all the experiments included throughout the year. Plus there’s a paper packed with the papers needed for each experiment already printed.

And since the science kit is included with the complete package, it’s been easy to complete the hands-on activities.

Hands-on activities such as creating models of butterfly and dragonfly lifecycles. Tested out different bird beaks. And making fossils.

We’re having a blast!

The experiment book isn’t just a list of experiments and the directions.

The experiment book also includes background on what you’re doing and why. It includes discussion questions as well as masters of the pages needed. You see pictures of the various steps of the experiments.

It’s really quite thorough!

Between the experiment book, the paper packet, and science kit, it’s easy to get the hands-on activities completed each week.

Why We Love BookShark Science D

I am so happy we picked up BookShark Science D for my son’s science curriculum this year. It’s a well thought-out curriculum that’s almost open and go.

The program includes fascinating books that my son and I enjoy reading together. The worksheets are thorough and just at the right level. The experiments are just plain fun and are the perfect way to wrap up the week. Plus they’re a fun incentive to keep up with the readings.

And I love the experiment kit. It includes most of the supplies we need – although I have needed to hunt down spoons, cereal, and oil so far. Easy objects to find in my house!

And the best part is, science has become my son’s favorite subject!

So if you’re looking for an easy to use science curriculum your kids will love, check out BookShark Science!

More information about BookShark Science:

BookShark Virtual

New for 2021, BookShark has added BookShark Virtual!

When you pair BookShark print curriculum with a Virtual seat, parents and students get cool online features like assessment, grading, and accountability—accessible via mobile or desktop!

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 (here).

Watch the demo videos to get your bearings, and then take it for a spin. Let your child take a peek, too!

Join the Giveaway

Giveaway is for USA only. Winner’s choice of levels A-F, including 1 virtual seat.

BookShark Science D Review