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Birds, bugs, and bats – if it flies, it’s explored in this fascinating introduction to zoology! The first portion of the book focuses on birds and their unique characteristics. Kids will learn bird anatomy, how they are able to fly, why they build nests, how they raise their young, and more. They’ll also learn to identify the birds they see every day and do activities that explore the habits and preferences of different species of birds. Students will learn about bats, some of the most useful and wonderful flying creatures in the world. As they study the physical characteristics and lifestyle of the bat, they’ll gain a new appreciation for these creatures. Finally, kids will get up close and personal to the insect world. They’ll learn how to identify and classify the many different types of bugs they see, and they’ll even get to design their own experiments with different insect species. Kids will get the opportunity to keep their own field journals as they are encouraged to be their own scientist as they observe and understand the world around them.

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Customer Reviews

 
Sheila P. from Elyria, Ohio wrote the following on 08/08/2007:
My children ages 11, 9, and 7 are learning greatly from Zoology 1 and way more than what I thought they would. It is a very simple science book to use. Items for activities are easy to find. It's informative yet packed with wonderful information that holds our children's interest. I love the course website - it brings the book to life. I personally don't think there is alot of teacher preparation because it's a really smooth flowing science book. It has been a great success with multiple ages or grade levels in our home. It is also working wonderfully with different learning styles because you can add to or take away from the program easily or expand on it such as instead of a science notebook you have a science board for example. The only thing that I think would have been more helpful in ordering it I suppose might have been knowing the course website comes with it. My kids and I personally have enjoyed doing science with Zoology 1 and are looking forward to doing Zoology 2 next. I believe this science book is definitely worth the cost as it is a very informative, interesting way to learn science with multiple age levels and it's easy to bring it to life for hands on learning, It's a wonderful science book.

 
Stephanie M. from GA wrote the following on 08/28/2007:
My 9 year old daughter LOVES the Apologia Elementary books, she loves the activities, the straight-forward (not dumbed down) and very detailed presentation of all the topics. She literally BEGS to do science now thanks to Apologia. All of these books are very well rounded Science texts, they include very thorough and up to date scientific information on each subject. They are suitable as a read aloud to younger children or as independent reading for children ages 6+ who are able to read very well on their own. There are many projects throughout each text for you to do with your child (teens may be able to do them independently). Instead of tests your child works on notebook pages and with frequent review (looking at their own work) the concepts really sink in far better than testing. Throughout the text your child will be introduced to the false evolutionary concepts and then given scientific facts which refute that theory and reinforce the fact that God is THE awesome Creator. I HIGHLY recommend all of the elementary Apologia books.

 
Chalee G. from Jerome, ID wrote the following on 04/29/2008:
We used Exploring Creation with Zoology 1, this past year with our 9 and 11 year old girls. They loved it, and so did I. The experiments were easy to do and supplies were easy to find. We especially loved the notebook approach, both girls have created wonderful notebooks they can share with the family. There is tons of information and it is presented in a format that easy for the girls to understand and enjoy. We look forward to Astronomy this next year.

 
Alissa R. from Lexington, NE wrote the following on 06/16/2008:
I did Zoology 1 with our 7 year old this last year and he really enjoyed it. He often can remember the facts we cover better than I do. If my husband is nearby when we are doing science he joins us as he finds these books so interesting. Yet the language and format are simple enough for young children to enjoy also. Even my 3 year old loves to sit down and leaf through the book just to see all the wonderful pictures. She asks many questions about the photos. I know she is learning too. I only had one child formally using Zoology 1, but my children ages 3 and 5 enjoyed being involved with the projects. I love the fact that the projects are simple and the supplies are inexpensive (often they are items we already have). This curriculum has really given my son a good foundation in science as well as a desire to continue to learn more. My sons will be 8 and 6 soon and I am looking forward to using Zoology 2 with both of them next year.

 
Gwen H. from Parnell, Iowa wrote the following on 12/09/2008:
We have struggled for a long time with what to use for science and have tried a number of things. I love science and wanted my children to love it too. Instead they hated it and didn't ever want to do anything I suggested. Finally, I pulled this book off the shelf that had been sitting there for over a year and tried it. AT LAST- my children liked it- we all liked the narration and notebooking style of learning. The reading is personable and easy to listen to. It has real-life and practical learning activities. I think they enjoy learning in-depth about something, instead of grazing over the top of a large number of general subjects. It piques their interest, and satisfies their desire to know something about something. I am finally excited about elementary science and just wish there were more years to do all the books!

 
Kirsten B. from Levan, UT wrote the following on 07/27/2009:
Our whole family loves the Apologia Science books! They are so easy to use, very little teacher prep, the text is written like the author is right there speaking to us. The lessons are packed with fun information, colorful pictures and drawings to illustrate the concepts. Lab/experiment supplies are conveniently listed for each Lesson, which makes assessing the "need to gets" and "already haves" quick and easy. The elementary level books do not have unit tests, so for my kids that like to test, we review the narrative questions(answers are in the back of the book)and play games with the vocabulary words from the unit. The activities are fun and engaging for all ages, my children have beautiful journals, and scrapbooks from every book we have completed to show off to grandparents when they visit. Skeptical grandparents (one is retired from public education) have been very impressed with the hands on learning and the in depth understanding my children have gained from these books. We love Apologia Science!

 
April F. from Middle TN wrote the following on 10/28/2010:
I am so NOT a science person. Through my years of homeschool my family has started countless science books only to have them fizzle out after a few weeks. Lots of times this is due to the fact that those other books are designed for class room use. The lessons are cumbersome and many times require materials that I have no clue how to find. Apologia is not like this at all. This is one science curriculum that is specifically designed for homeschoolers. The text is written directly to the reader, including many interesting descriptions and clear presentations of the subject matter. My third grader this year is using the Zoology 1 book, about flying creatures. Since the text is written on a fourth or fifth grade reading level, I do have to read the text to her, but she has no trouble following me and understanding what I am reading to her. She really is enjoying this book. So far we have learned so much about birds, but later we will be learning about bats, flying reptiles, and insects. Each chapter includes hands on activities to help your child really understand what has been presented in the text. One thing that I really appreciate about Apologia is that the activities don't use hard to find objects. Most of the time the items needed can be found lying around the house, or purchased inexpensively at the store. There are 16 chapters in our book. One could finish a chapter a week and do two books per year, but I estimate that one would have to do 45-60 minutes of science per day to read all the text, do the notebooking projects, and any experiments. I will probably cover the book over the course of one year. While the books seem a bit costlier than some others, I think the value for the price is terrific. The text books are hardbound, designed to hold up through several children. The corresponding notebook adds puzzles and journaling activities to the text. While I am sure that one could come up with these activities on one's own, I need something all set up for me or I will never get around to printing out the pages I need, so I definitely think the notebook is worth the money. Also experiment log pages are included in the notebook and some full color paper projects are in the back of the book. I definitely think we will be returning to Apologia for our science needs in the future.

 
Sherry W. from Science wrote the following on 04/02/2006:
This year was the first year I've used the elementary Apologia science curriculum by Jeannie K. Fulbright. I wish I had found this curriculum earlier. I believe my son would have enjoyed his science more in previous years. After completing the course, we have a wonderful astronomy notebook with his illustrations and notes on what he learned and actually enjoyed. This one book is the only book necessary for both student and teacher. There was no prepatory work necessary to get him started for the day. Some days he worked on his science entirely on his own with no help from mom! I only had to make sure he had everything necessary for the projects in each lesson. The front of the book she lists everything needed to complete the projects. The cost for the science book was minimal compared to other science curriculum. I used the Apologia Physical Science with my 8th grader and will continue with the Apologia this year. As with the elementary curriculum, the text is very easy to use. My older son learned more from this curriculum than earlier homeschool curriculum. We will use the Biology next year and look forward to science. The conversational approach to teaching has helped him to enjoy science.

 
Erika H. from California wrote the following on 01/21/2007:
My older daughter does not love studying science, but she loves botany. As a sixth-grader, she used Apologia Elementary Botany independently, and it is one of the best homeschool courses we've encountered. She learned and retained so much, and her interest spilled over into creating botanical watercolor and photography as well. The Apologia course requires little prep beyond gathering materials for projects and experiments. Guided notebooking and art activities make it extremely easy to use. It's both scientifically sound and biblically solid. It is ideal for Charlotte Mason learners and those who want to take that extra step beyond simple nature study.

 
Colleen Y. from Ohio wrote the following on 04/13/2007:
I didn't get much of a chance to use this book for "school" because my 12 year old picked it up and devoured it without my prompting! He walked around all the while he was reading it spewing out facts about the solar system that I didn't know myself. We enjoy all of Jeannie Fulbright\'s books.

 
Kelly P. from Florida wrote the following on 06/14/2007:
If you are looking for a thorough science curriculum to use with a variety of ages (K-8) with little prep time, this is the curriculum for YOU!!! Author Jeannie Fulbright is a homeschooling mom solving the same issues we face every day. Here she has made a thorough science curriculum that is fun and meaningful. My two daughters (K and 4th) loved building the light hut and growing plants and all of the various experiments we did. The thing we loved the most was that everything we grew we used for another experiment later on in the book. The cost is extremely low compared to other science curriculum and the supplies needed for each lesson are listed in detail. I've used her courses in a co-op setting and had fabulous reviews from the children and parents there as well. As a former middle school science teacher with a Masters in Curriculum I say this is a tremendous course for any elementary or middle school child.

 
Heidi G. from New London, WI wrote the following on 05/09/2008:
What a wonderful Christian resource! This was the first time we've used this "series"...wish we had done so a year or two earlier. Our 9 and 11 year olds went through it and I believe it has enough depth to span up to 8th grade, just require appropriate responses on the notebook pages.(Even at the 6th grade level our son gave more information than there was room for on the supplied pages.) I enjoyed it and the kids both have really wonderful botany notebooks and a story/book they each wrote that we will long cherish! Gratefully, Heidi

 
Rachel S. from Oklahoma wrote the following on 07/19/2008:
As not only a homeschooling mother, but as someone who was homeschooled herself, I must say I truly wish these books would have been around back when I was a child. Not only do my children (4-9 yrs old) ALL love this book, but I do as well. It is well written, simple enough even my 4 yr old enjoys reading, and is learning, yet solid and in-depth enough I am learning along with them. And best of all we are ALL enjoying it! The free notebooking pages are great, and the yahoo group (where you can ask questions and view messages from other users as well as the author herself) is a valuable resource for the entire series. My boys are already looking forward to the rest of the books, and I must admit so am I !!! I plan to use them all, at least once, and most likely will revisit them at a later date with at least my younger two. If you want a solid, and God honoring, basis for science on an elementary level this series is the best I have ever seen or heard about! ~Rachel (Homeschooling 3 boys, and loving learning with them!)

 
Michelle B. from MN wrote the following on 08/20/2008:
I love this series. We used Astronomy last year. I did try to use it with my Kindergartner, but she only would listen on some of the lessons. Even so, she picked up alot more than most books because of the projects and notebooking activities. My 3rd Grader read alot of it herself and I helped her with the projects. Some of the projects, like the one at the end, was a bit much for our family (space, supplies, etc) but the other projects were do-able. We loved spending the entire year learning the planets. I would highly recommend this product! We have used others, like BJU, but came away disappointed with not being able to truly learn about subjects in depth. The price is affordable and the learning is lifelong. My kids still talk about this book a year later.

 
Therese W. from Hingham wrote the following on 09/15/2008:
We are loving the Astronomy book and plan on using the rest of the Apologia Elementary Science Books. The lapbooks & lesson plans are great tools with this book, I can't wait to start 3rd grade with Exploring Creation with Botany.

 
Wendy P. from United States wrote the following on 01/16/2009:
Let me just say my daughter LOVES the astronomy book! If it was up to her we would probably be finished by now because she just wants to keep going. I love that it is presented from a biblical view, the notebooking and projects are easy to do and add to the whole learning experience. This is our first year HSing and we were blessed to find this book! Oh, by the way my son who is a junior in public school read it too!!

 
Toni F. from White Marsh MD 21162 wrote the following on 02/26/2009:
We have used other programs by these folks and have learned a lot. We've just begun this one and have really enjoyed it. It can be made meaty enough for older kids and it can be followed by my youngest as well. I love these type of programs where the whole family is learning together

 
Heather D. from Mississippi wrote the following on 03/28/2009:
I have often joked over the last few years that I needed a very special science curriculum. Not only did I need one that was scientifically accurate and presented from a Christian perspective, but I also needed one that would be suitable for us to do as a family... AND... one that would either teach for me or motivate me enough to actually include science in our routine! I know, I know... my husband is a Biology/ General Science teacher! How could I not like science? Why do you think we got married? He helped me in the sciences, and I wrote his papers for him! :) Just kidding! (sort of!) I don't think I ever had a science teacher who spoke the ENGLISH language... they all spoke some unfamiliar tongue that I did NOT understand! Consequently, I have had a lack of motivation, interest, whatever... in the area of teaching science. This is not something I am proud of, especially since all four (3 youngest, esp.) of my children LOVE anything having to do with science. This year, we started using Jeannie Fulbright's Exploring Creation series. EUREKA! WE'VE GOT IT! All four of my qualifications have been met... I am actually doing science... and understanding it! :) The lessons are manageable, and there are corresponding notebook activities with each section. Students do narrations, nature study activities, and experiments (which are very simply laid out using household materials). Also, the book is very affordable (you only need one per family). I won't ramble forever, but I do want to give an example. I have never understood the concept of photosynthesis... I knew it involved some series of letters and numbers... Csomething + H2O, etc... However, thanks to Ms. Fulbright, the kids and I can have a discussion about the way a plant makes food! I asked the girls to write a paragraph explaining photosynthesis in their own words. Here is what they wrote: Sarah- "Photosynthesis is a process where the plant makes food. It pulls in CO2 and water and makes sugar and lets air out." Hannah- "Photosynthesis is a process in which the plants' leaves make food for the plant. The plant takes light, water, and CO2 to make sugar to feed the plant. when it does this, it also makes oxygen for us to breathe."

 
Mindy O. from Quad Cities, IL wrote the following on 06/14/2009:
The Apologia Elementary Science books have been just what I have always wanted. We participated in a Co-op this past year where they used Zoology 2 for the 1st - 6th graders. All of my children learned things I had never known. We were so excited about it that we are doing another volume with a smaller group over the summer. The children don't mind doing summer work when it is this interesting and fun!

 
Vanessa S. from Michigan wrote the following on 02/24/2010:
Zoology 3 (Land Animals) is my 9 year daughters favorite book. It does involve quite of bit of reading, so it may not be ideal for children who have difficulty reading. I find the text is easy to read. There are not any study questions, so I write my own. That way I know she is truly comprehending what she reads. We plan on sticking with Apologia's Science books as the information is solid, and I feel they will be well prepared for higher education.

 
Jennifer S. from Rhinelander, WI wrote the following on 03/29/2010:
We have swapped out all our science books for Apologia! This curriculum has been a huge timesaver for us! The kids can do this independently. I love how they explain experiments step-by-step as well instead of assuming a parent will be there to assist them. We are a super frugal family and this has been worth the investment in buying this particular curriculum. My kids also retain the majority of what they have learned and share it with us frequently. Apologia has definitely figured out how to master teaching science!

 
Melanie R. from Florida wrote the following on 03/22/2011:
Zoology 3 is simply a treasure among science texts for children. I am a Charlotte Mason homeschooler and don't usually use science texts for the elementary years. We have always read real books from the library on whatever topic we were studying. While this method has worked great for us in so many ways, none of the available books were from a Christian perspective. Still, we found this the best available way to study science for the present. Another problem was that my daughter is so used to good literature that science textbooks just didn't hold her interest. After a field trip to the zoo one day, she decided she wants to be a zoologist when she grows up. I wanted to take full advantage of her excitement in that area while it still lasted so I let her pick a Zoology book out and we ordered it. I have been so pleasantly surprised with this wonderful resource from Apologia! The text is incredibly interesting and I am learning things I never picked up from the library books or in my own education! This book is truly a "living book" in my opinion. It is suitable for all ages as my 9 yr. old, my 15 yr. old, and I are all learning from it. My 15 yr. old is doing Apologia Biology and a lot of the chapters in Zoology cover similar things in a way that is much easier to understand but, of course, is not as in-depth. I have him read any corresponding chapters from the Zoology text first so that he has a basic grasp of the subject before delving deeper with his highschool text. We use this book like any "living book" in that I read it aloud to my 9 yr. old and she narrates. We have all learned so much from this lovely, living science book and consider it a great addition to our home library.

 
Jenny J. from River Falls, WI wrote the following on 04/06/2011:
You can't go wrong with any of the Apologia Exploring Creation series. This one was one of our boy's favorite studies. With a Christian aspect in every chapter; it's fun to see how God created this earth. I, as a parent, have learned so much. I intend to save all these books as a reference/encyclopedia guide in our library. The photos are great, the questions help with great review and the activities are just the right amount of variety for all ages.