Easy As 1, 2, 3: A Catholic Overview of Science

by Nancy Nicholson

Catholic Heritage Curricula

This is a 44-page guide for parents teaching children in grades 1-3. Somewhat like The Science Scope from Design-A-Study, it suggests which topics to cover at each level. However, it is set up in 11 units with students studying different details of the same general topic in each unit, depending upon their grade level. For example, the first unit is on animals. First grade topics are mammals, birds, fish, habitats, and God’s gift of life. Second grade topics are reptiles, carnivores, herbivores, omnivores, and food gathering/storage. Third grade topics are amphibians, vertebrates, invertebrates, hibernation, migration, and camouflage. While the author suggests simultaneously covering the different topics depending upon grade level, for efficiency’s sake, I would choose the same topic for all children each year, cycling through the various topics. In addition to animals, other unit topics are body systems, five senses, health and nutrition, matter, solar system/space, seasons/weather, soil, plants, bugs, and food chains/ecosystems.

A very general introduction suggests three major parts to study each topic: 1) use a resource book or encyclopedia to read about the topic; 2) use suggestions in the “Find Out” section of the guide to dig deeper in your study and perform some experiments (e.g., classify a list of animals into categories based upon their diets); 3) apply some of the “Faith” lesson suggestions from the guide that involve Bible reading, discussion, and spiritual applications to be drawn from science lessons.

The guide does not offer suggestions for more than a few of the topics suggested for each unit, so you might want to have a supplemental activity book such as The Everyday Science Sourcebook which Nicholson recommends.

The guide assists parents in creating their own unit studies using real books and other resources, along with manageable activities for the busy mom. Sticking to a single topic in each unit will also consolidate your planning, teaching, and resource gathering. The guide also provides the Catholic faith perspective to help children come to an understanding of God’s presence within His miraculous creation.