Homeschooling provides constant opportunities to pivot in the midst of changing family seasons, shifting interests, and varying ages. This has been brought home to me in a unique way this homeschool year in the midst of my youngest son’s medical crisis.
Homeschooling in the midst of this challenging season has required flexibility on the part of each member of the family. My beautiful homeschool plans from last summer languish mostly unused. Our homeschool goals and priorities, however, have remained the same.
My girls have had to take on a lot more independence in their learning this year. In previous years I’ve been able to curate our own unique textbook-free approaches to science and history. This year, life circumstances have necessitated a more open-and-go approach.
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Sonlight Science D: Energy, Waves, Biological Systems, Earth Systems, and Engineering Design came at the perfect time for my youngest daughter and is working so well in our homeschool this semester!
Now, this is not our first experience with Sonlight’s literature-based curriculum (click here to read about Sonlight’s Hands on History boxes, Butterfly unit study, preschool curriculum, and U. S. History curriculum). We’ve even had prior experience with Sonlight’s Discover and Do science curriculums (click here to read more about our experience with Sonlight Science K and Sonlight Science C).
But while in the past we’ve picked our favorite bits and pieces from Sonlight’s excellent resources, we’ve never used the program as-is, and I’ve never taken advantage of the Sonlight Instructor Guides and made-for-you assignment schedules.
Sonlight’s Open and Go Homeschool Curriculum
But this year I have no extra brain space or emotional energy to devote to planning a wonder-filled, living-book-based science plan in our homeschool! I needed my 11-year-old to be able to know exactly what she needed to do for science each day, even if I am at the hospital with her little brother. Sonlight Science D has perfectly met our needs this semester!
Now, I fully understand that the Instructor Guides are not intended to be used by children for independent learning. One of the wonderful things about Sonlight curriculum is how it includes instruction for the parents and guides one through discussion and narration exercises with students of many ages.
But for our family’s particular situation, the well-organized, easy-to-follow, simply-laid-out Instructor Guide has served as a daily independent assignment schedule for Grace. Sonlight Science D is geared towards 9-12 year olds in grades 4-7. This means it is simple enough for my 11-year-old (6th grade) to follow the assignments and complete the readings, experiments, and worksheets on her own.
If my 11-year-old is able to follow along easily, imagine what a helpful tool the Sonlight Instructor Guide would be for a new homeschooling parent, a busy mom, or anyone who feels a little uncertain about homeschool planning!
Grace’s favorite part of using Sonlight Science this year has been the weekly experiment and hands-on projects. And, just like our previous experiences with Sonlight Science demonstrated, the Discover and Do Science Supplies Kit is Mom’s favorite part of the curriculum!
I rarely have time or energy to gather my own hands-on materials on my best homeschool days, and certainly not this year in the midst of hospitalizations and chemo treatments. I love having a kit with all the experiment materials ready to go for the entire year!
Is Sonlight Science D for you? Do you want an easy-to-use, literature-based homeschool science curriculum? If you want to open and teach, Sonlight Science may be a great fit for you. And if you want to teach multiple kids at the same time, Sonlight Science easily accommodates several grades at a time in my experience.
What’s included in the Sonlight Science D homeschool science curriculum?
Sonlight Science D Homeschool Instructor Guide
Easy to use schedule pages tell you at a glance what to do each day. All the planning is done for you! You can choose a 4-day or 5-day schedule when you purchase your kit. We chose the 5-day kit this time which comes with a couple additional books as well.
Activity sheets (and corresponding answer guides) provide opportunities to children to narrate back and reinforce what they’ve learned from the daily readings.
Discover and Do Science Experiments
The Discover and Do Science experiments paper packet provides the necessary templates, forms to label, and early introduction to lab reports (hypothesis, experiment, conclusion).
The Discover and Do Science supplies box comes with everything you need to make science experiments a regular part of your homeschool plan! They’ve collected all the random materials ahead of time, which makes it so much easier for Mom. No planning required, and minimal prep needed. This is my FAVORITE part of Sonlight Science!
Sonlight Science Books
Literature-based learning is a cornerstone of Sonlight curriculum. I love the variety of beautiful, living books they include in their curriculum choices! You can have your child read independently or read the books aloud for multi-age learning.
Here are the books included in Sonlight Science D:
- Discover & Do: Level D Science Experiments: “Teach your child to be a scientist! 36 4th grade homeschool experiments to direct your children’s natural curiosity into the scientific process. Includes all experiments from Sonlight Science Level D.”
- Mysteries and Marvels of Nature: “See how diverse animals eat, move, attack, defend, communicate and, generally, live their lives.”
- Computer Coding with Scratch 3.0 Workbook: “Kids will easily learn to code games and projects using Scratch 3.0 with this coding workbook, perfect for school projects or just for fun.”
- Illustrated Elementary Science Dictionary: “The Usborne Illustrated Elementary Science Dictionary tells it straight and simple, explaining everything children and parents need in order to understand basic level science. This book will help to lay a firm foundation for confidence and success in science. Readers can dip in for quick explanations or work through by subject to build knowledge step-by-step.”
- Hedy Lamarr’s Double Life: “Movie star by day, ace inventor at night: learn about the hidden life of actress Hedy Lamarr!”
- What are Waves?: “This exciting title introduces readers to the concept of a wave and the patterns and properties common to both light and sound waves.”
- Energy: “Explores everything from propulsion and meteors to the destructive forces of volcanoes and forest fires. With full-color photographs, this remarkable book uncovers the real story behind a natural phenomena that shapes the world around us.”
- Encyclopedia of Planet Earth: “A stunningly illustrated book that explores the secrets of the earth, from what causes earthquakes and volcanoes to how plants and animals depend on one another. Each section features recommended websites linked together on one main site to help you and your children to learn more.”
- Engineered! Engineering Design at Work: “How do you land a rover on Mars, resolve a perpetual traffic jam, or save a herd of caribou from potential extinction? Ask an engineer! This book presents nine real-life problems for which engineers designed inventive (and even crazy!) solutions.”
- DK Findout! Engineering: “Discover the STEM subject of engineering with this children’s book full of photographs and illustrations, fascinating facts, and engaging challenges.”
Want to learn more about Sonlight’s educational philosophy? Click here.
Learn more about our experiences with Sonlight homeschool curriculum:
- Homeschool History Made Fun: Sonlight Hands-On History Project Kit
- Sonlight Science C: Forces and Interactions, Life Systems and Cycles, Weather & Climate, and Engineering Design for grades 3-5 in your homeschool
- Sonlight Science: Discover and Do With a Literature-Based Homeschool Science Curriculum
- Homeschool Butterfly Unit Study: an HONEST reaction
- At Home Pre-K Curriculum for the Uncertain (or Reluctant) Homeschooler
- Early American History: Textbook-Free Homeschool Resources for Elementary and Middle School
Click here to try Sonlight for free!