Nancy Larson Science Review

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by contributing writer Marci

Last year, at the 2:1 Conference, I was blessed to meet Madon from Nancy Larson Science. Since I had just launched The Homeschool Scientist, I was excited to learn about a science curriculum that I was unfamiliar with. Little did I know that our conversations that weekend would lead to a school year’s worth of science fun with my son!

As a homeschool science blogger and science geek, I see lots of science curricula. There are plenty of great choices out there. Many have terrific content, great experiments and projects. Choosing one can be very difficult. I chose Nancy Larson Science 1 for my son because its benefits reached beyond the science content.

Why I like Nancy Larson Science

It’s More Than a Science Curriculum

Nancy Larson Science teaches reading and study skills. These lessons progress and build through the year. This was a huge selling factor for me. My son is not a reader, but he enjoys science. If he can learn reading skills while studying science, that’s a win-win. Here is how Nancy Larson puts it…

“Vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension are three important components in reading that we have taken into consideration when we wrote our lessons. To reinforce your child’s reading skills and comprehension of text, important strategies are built into the program. Some of these include observing, visualizing, applying, predicting, describing, and summarizing.

It’s Scripted

I never thought I would like a scripted curriculum. I don’t like to feel boxed in. We tend to wander a bit in our studies. However, Nancy Larson is scripted in a way that makes sense. It feels natural. It builds on previous lessons and asks plenty of questions so that we don’t feel confined.

It’s All in One Box

When the box came last summer full of our Nancy Larson supplies for the year, my son thought it was Christmas! Since this was his first year homeschooling, it was just the excitement he needed. I keep all our Nancy Larson Science supplies on a shelf and we just grab what we need. It’s so easy!

It’s not Boring

Each day has a new project or new book. It’s never the same day to day. My son is actually excited when it’s time to do science!

It Allows Room to Explore

Since the Nancy Larson Science 1 is designed for 2 days a week, there is plenty of time during the week to dive deeper into what we are studying. For instance, when my son wanted to learn more about animals during our zoology unit, he chose an animal to research and did a report. During our botany unit, we went on hikes and learned how to identify trees.

Is Nancy Larson Science For You?

There is not one science curriculum that works for everyone. You have to do the research and determine what you want out of it. If you are looking for a comprehensive, engaging, all-in-one, fun science program, Nancy Larson Science might just fit the bill.