I was paid a wee bit to write this review, but just like with all things from The WOLFe Pack, what you will find here is an honest opinion from a seasoned homeschool mom with a Master’s Degree in Education and a decade of experience in the classroom…who also happens to be a mom with way too little sleep, too many dishes to do and only 9 months left on her homeschool clock.
Please read our Disclosure Policy for details.
It is a common choice for homeschooling parents to send their kids to a brick-and-mortar option when they reach the High School years. Sometimes the choice is made because the student wants to participate in sports, music or some other type of group program. Sometimes it’s due to a real concern for lack of socialization and preparing for the “real world.” But, oftentimes, it’s because parents feel inadequate to teach math and science at the High School levels.
As a result, there seems to be a lot of watered-down curriculum options with the sole intent of making it easier on parents and giving the student an easy way to “just get it done” to earn the credit and move on. If you are not one of those parents, this science option might be a good fit for you. If you want your student to truly learn Biology along with study skills, targeted organization, problem solving skills and the research process, you may want to consider Discovering Design with Biology.
Read on for a full review.
WHO/WHAT IS BEREAN BUILDERS?
Berean Builders offers a series of science textbooks that emphasize a biblical worldview. Their series includes chemistry, physics, biology, and general science. The full series of Berean Builders covers from elementary through high school levels and are known for being engaging and rigorous but also easy to use for both parents and students. Berean Builders was founded by Dr. Jay Wile who holds a PhD in Nuclear Chemistry and previously created the “Exploring Creation” series with Apologia Educational Ministries. As a matter of fact, when I first showed my son the textbook, Discovering Design with Biology, he asked, “why do I know that name, Jay Wile?” [Because he had used his books, they were just under the Apologia title.]
WHAT IS DISCOVERING DESIGN WITH BIOLOGY?
From their website, “Discovering Design with Biology is a laboratory-based high school biology course and is the first biology course a college-bound student should take. It gives the student an introduction to how living organisms are designed, how they interact with one another, and how they interact with their physical environment.”
From The WOLFe Pack, “Discovering Design with Biology is NOT a watered-down science book designed to make high school science feel not so scary to tackle in a homeschool. Instead, Discovering Design with Biology is a rigorous course written at an upper High School level and designed around the expectation that the student will take the initiative to do the work and learn the content. There is an optional structured schedule included as an appendix that some might find helpful (I sure would have as a student,) but the overall approach seems to be one of giving the High School student the autonomy to manage this course on his own. For us, that is perfect. I have a science-loving, self-motivated teenager. But this won’t be true for every student, of course.”
DOES DISCOVERING DESIGN WITH BIOLOGY INCLUDE LABS?
It does! Each chapter of Discovering Design with Biology contains two or three experiments. The experiments include extracting DNA from fruit, examining the effects of temperature and pH on enzymes, exploring osmosis and diffusion, building a pedigree, culturing bacteria, growing and examining fungi, and analyzing the structure of a feather. In addition, there are several experiments that explore the microscopic world, including identifying the stages of mitosis, studying live bacteria that were cultured by the student, identifying budding in yeast, and analyzing the microscopic structure of plants and animals. There are also four dissection experiments: the earthworm, crayfish, fish, and frog.
Each experiment includes a supply list and instructions. But, just like the reading, it is entirely up to the student to complete the work. The author suggests keeping a separate notebook for all of the experiments. There is also an explanation of what should be recorded for each experiment (data, calculations, summary, etc) with the intention that colleges might require proof of these labs.
IS DISCOVERING DESIGN WITH BIOLOGY WORTH HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT?
Yes! The course consists of 180 hours of instruction, 40 of which involve hands-on experiments divided into three types: household, microscope and dissections. To give a lab credit you must do all the household and either the dissection or microscope experiments. To give an honors credit you must do all three types of experiments.
HOW IS DISCOVERING DESIGN WITH BIOLOGY FORMATTED?
The 579-page, hardback book has sixteen chapters:
- Intro to Biology
- The Chemistry of Life
- Cells
- Cell Division
- Genetics
- Biotechnology
- Microbiology – Archaea and Bacteria
- Microbiology – Protists and Fungi
- Invertebrates
- Fish and Amphibians
- Reptiles, Birds and Mammals
- Primates and Humans
- Plants – Anatomy and Classification
- Plants – Physiology
- Environmental Science
- Ecosystems
Each chapter starts with a Bible verse. The content that follows consists of several paragraphs of meaty information but because of the way it is divided into labeled sections, the pertinent vocabulary is set apart and the colorful, applicable images are sprinkled in, the text is not overwhelming in a dry, old-school textbook way. Don’t get me wrong. This is not a text designed to entertain or stimulate the senses; it is clearly a high-level book but it is designed in a user-friendly fashion. Within each chapter (average length: 30 pages,) you will also find Comprehension Checks and Experiments. And, at the end of each chapter, there is a Chapter Review which serves as an assessment.
To walk through a chapter with me, check out the video below!
CAN A STUDENT GET HELP WHEN DOING DISCOVERING DESIGN WITH BIOLOGY?
YES! I’ve said this 1000 times, but here’s a legit reason to say it again. If you are not reading the intro pages of the curriculum you are buying, you are missing out. Usually, these first few pages are filled with important nuggets of information with the sole intention of creating a successful learning experience for your student. And, many times, you can find insightful info about the author/company and the reason behind the curriculum (which makes it perfect to read BEFORE you buy.) And then sometimes, you are treated to a fabulous surprise such as the Question/Answer Service offered by Dr. Wile. A student can ask any question about the content and receive an answer in return!
WHO SHOULD CONSIDER USING DISCOVERING DESIGN WITH BIOLOGY?
If you want a Christian perspective behind your biology book, Discovering Design with Biology could be a great choice for you.
If you want a rigorous biology course for your student, Discovering Design with Biology might be the best fit.
If you want a quality textbook at a price that is lower than its competitors, Discovering Design with Biology is definitely a great option to consider.
If you want a biology book that will require your student to put in serious and significant work to earn High School credit, I would suggest you look at Discovering Design with Biology.
And, if you want more than just a book and prefer pre-recorded videos or a live class at decent pricing, Discovering Design with Biology should be on your list of biology books to consider.
WHO SHOULD NOT USE DISCOVERING DESIGN WITH BIOLOGY?
Discovering Design with Biology will not be a good fit for your High School student if you do not want biology presented from a Christian worldview. It also won’t work well without a lot of extra effort on your part, if you have a dependent learner who does not do well when expected to dig deeper on their own. And, coming from a mom of a kid who wants to major in Wildlife Biology, if your student has little interest in science and/or does not intend on going to college, Discovering Design with Biology is likely not the best choice.
ARE THERE OTHER RESOURCES TO SUPPLEMENT DISCOVERING DESIGN WITH BIOLOGY?
YES! They offer both pre-recorded online videos and live classes to supplement the book.
WHERE CAN YOU GET DISCOVERING DESIGN WITH BIOLOGY?
You can purchase the book at Berean Builders or you can also find them at Christian Books.com, Rainbow Resources and other online retailers.
