Exploring Creation with Zoology 2: Swimming Creatures of the Fifth Day

Once students have learned all about the creatures of the air and the basics of zoology, they can take a trip into the depths and discover all the strange and unique creatures of the sea, lakes, and rivers. They'll learn about the special features of swimming creatures, the different watery environments they live in, what their lifestyles are like, and the special circumstances they deal with. Then they take a closer look at specific groups of swimming creatures, including whales, seals, sea cows, sea turtles, sea snakes, sea frogs and toads, primeval reptiles (like plesiosaurs), fish, sharks, rays, crustaceans, cephalopods, echinoderms, cnidarians, sponges, leeches, and more. As they study these creatures, they'll create replicas of them to add to an ongoing "Ocean Box," and conduct neat experiments like discovering the insulating power of fat, investigating how electrical current travels through salt water vs. fresh water, and determining how much of a role temperature plays in tadpole development. They'll also add to their notebooks by drawing the animals in them, comparing and contrasting animals, and much more. Whether the ocean is a familiar place to your children or not, they'll be equally fascinated by learning about the unique creatures beneath the water.

This popular elementary science series was originally created when Jeannie Fulbright, author and homeschool mom, was looking for a quality elementary science series that was creation-based using the Charlotte Mason approach. When she didn't find the curriculum she was looking for she decided to create her own. These books use the classical and Charlotte Mason methodology including narration and notebooking to develop critical thinking, logical ordering, retention, and record keeping. The series has since expanded to cover more science topics. New for 2021 is Earth Science, authored by Rachel Yunis, author of Exploring Creation with Advanced Biology.

Since the Charlotte Mason method is employed, every lesson is organized with a narrative, notebook work, an activity, and a project. The student notebook is emphasized in the lessons. Activities and projects bring the lessons to life and use simple household items. While the author's intent is for the parent to read these books to elementary students, a student with a 4th-grade reading level could read these books on their own. The books come from a strong creationist viewpoint, including sections called "Creation Confirmation" and Scripture interwoven throughout the book. Apologia recommends spending an entire year covering each book, taking about two weeks to explore most lessons (some lessons may require more time).

Notebooking Journals were a later - and welcome - addition to the series. As they complete the courses, students were encouraged to compile a notebook to collect and display the information they are learning. The Apologia Notebooking Journals now provide a place for the student to complete every assignment, to record experiments and to display work. Included are weekly lesson plans, templates for recording fascinating facts and assignments, and scripture copywork in both print and cursive models. In addition to full-color Miniature Books (for recording facts and information and pasting directly into the notebook), there are optional ideas (Take it Further in Astronomy; Dig in Deeper in Botany; Fly Higher in Zoology, etc.) for lots of additional activities, projects, experiments, books or videos, all of which correlate with specific lessons in each course. Along these lines, the Personal Person project in both of the Anatomy notebooks is special providing clear vinyl overlays of each body system. Be prepared to cut these out, though.

Junior Notebooking Journals are a simplified version of the orignal Notebooking Journals and require less handwriting but have the same reinforcing activities. These books include coloring pages, project pages, and cut and fold miniature books (same ones as in the version for older students). There is space for notebooking assignments (more drawings, no questions to answer) and scripture copywork (shorter verses to copy either in manuscript or in beginning cursive). Biblical quotations are from the NASB, KJV, NIV or NKJV.

To complete the books all you will need to provide is scissors, glue, colored pencils, a stapler, and a few brass fasteners. There are plenty of activity options in the journals, but keep in mind that based on your student, you may not want to complete every activity. Work can be tailored to each student by simply tearing out unwanted pages from the spiral-bound book. Serving both as a uniquely expressed record of the student's work and as a prized reminder of acquired knowledge, these books will become a homeschooling heirloom.

For convenience, we now offer either Advantage Sets or SuperSets. Advantage Sets include the textbook and either the Junior or original Notebooking Journal. SuperSets include the text, the MP3 Audiobook CD and either the Junior or the original Notebooking Journal.

We also offer lab kits from Nature's Workshop for the elementary courses. Kits contain most of the materials for the experiments, and are conveniently packaged by lesson in the corresponding book (sold separately). There are still a few items you will need from around your house, but with these kits the list becomes extremely short. ~ Janice / Jerry