Apologia Educational Ministries, Inc. has produced a fantastic science curriculum for middle school students. We reviewed Exploring Creation with General Science, which can be used for sixth - eighth grade, but is recommended for seventh grade, and Exploring Creation with Physical Science, which can be used for seventh - ninth grade, but is recommended for eighth grade. Exploring Creation with Physical Science is also available on a CD-ROM with the complete text plus multimedia add-ons. A multimedia companion CD-ROM with the add-ons is also available to use with the textbook. Apologia plans to begin production on the CD-ROM version of Exploring Creation with General Science in the fall of 2002. No publication date is set for this CD set yet. Topics covered in General Science include: A Brief History of Science, Scientific Inquiry, How to Analyze and Interpret Experiments, The Fossil Record, What is Life, The Human Body: Fearfully and Wonderfully Made, Energy and Life, and The Human Digestive System. Topics covered in Physical Science include: Air, The Atmosphere, Factors That Affect Earth's Weather, An Introduction to the Physics of Motion, The Forces in Creation, Light, and An Introduction to Astrophysics.

Author Dr. Jay L. Wile is an engaging and witty writer. This is not a dry, dreary, and mind-numbing science curriculum. We had fun with the lab experiments and found that all we needed were household supplies (with the exception of two test tubes for one experiment in Physical Science). Each book comes with a complete list of lab supplies needed for each chapter. I copied the lists and used them as my shopping list and science schedule. Both books come with a Solutions and Test manual. I found that copying the tests was easier than having my children copy the questions into their notebook. Apologia gives permission to copy tests for family use, so you will only need one Solutions and Test manual. I wish Dr. Wile had been writing textbooks 25 years ago! I have learned more from these two books than I learned in six years of middle school and high school science. Not only have I learned a lot, but also I was not bombarded with evolution as a fact (Apologia teaches from a creation perspective), worthless experiments, or tiresome and superfluous information. The Apologia website at www.apologia.com is helpful and contains a detailed list of products, sample lessons, information on how to use the curriculum, and contact information. Apologia curriculum purchasers have free unlimited question and answer services via e-mail, voicemail, fax, and postal mail. They have a one-business day turnaround on curriculum questions. Add our family to the LONG list of people who are praising Apologia Educational Ministries. If you are not satisfied with the curriculum, Apologia promises that you can return it in good condition within six months of purchase for a cheerful refund of your money. To contact Apologia Educational Ministries, Inc., go to www.apologia.com or call them at 1-888-524-4724. Their phone operators are helpful and their website is easy to navigate.



-- Product Review by: Tina Rice, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine