Science at the elementary level sparks wonder, ignites imagination, and encourages experiential learning. Our family likes to study science topics in depth by conducting hands-on demonstrations and activities, reading engaging books, and recording our discoveries. We’ve been using Sassafras Science for the past two years and our kids really enjoy it. In this post I’ll share about Sassafras Science and why it works well for our family.
What is Sassafras Science?
Our family likes using the Sassafras Science Series by Elemental Science for our two elementary-aged boys. Sassafras Science is a living books curriculum geared toward elementary-age students. It currently includes 6 volumes, each focused on a specific scientific topic.
The author recommends going through one volume per semester, but you could certainly stretch each volume out over a year if you prefer. You may begin with volume 1 or pick and choose based on what is interesting to your family.
Below are the volumes. Chemistry and physics are not available yet. If you’d like to check out the scope and sequence for each volume, it is available here.
- Zoology
- Anatomy
- Botany
- Earth Science
- Geology
- Astronomy
- Chemistry (coming soon)
- Physics (coming soon)
Each volume includes an action-packed novel about the science adventures of twins, Blaine and Tracey Sassafras. The twins zip across the globe on science missions learning and recording their discoveries.
What Is Included in the Program?
The novels are great on their own but if you want to round out the curriculum they can be supplemented with companion materials or your own hands-on activities. Please check out links below to learn more about the various resources available.
Our family likes to keep school as simple as possible so we choose to use the companion activity guide. It includes a pre-planned schedule and suggested books & activities. We also use the logbooks and experiment kits to round out our learning experience. Our family has tried the lapbooks and logbooks and like them both. Only one is necessary so I recommend choosing one or the other depending on your child. Coloring sheets, the audio books, and experiment kits are optional. If you’d like to see samples, they are available here.
How Our Family Does Science
We enjoy learning science together as a family twice a week. We usually spend an hour each day. We like the suggested scientific demonstrations and projects included in the activity guide. Sometimes we supplement with living books, videos, and other hands-on activities if the children are interested in digging deeper.
Day 1
- Read half a chapter of our Sassafras book
- Complete a SCIDAT logbook page
- Conduct a scientific demonstration from the activity book
- Read a library book about our topic
Day 2
- Read the other half a chapter of our Sassafras book
- Complete a SCIDAT logbook page and add vocabulary definitions to our glossaries
- Watch a video about our topic or conduct a second scientific demonstration or activity
- Read a library book about our topic
Why Our Family Loves Sassafras Science
Sassafras Science has been a great fit for our family. Our boys ask to do science every day. Our daughter is a science buff and uses a program geared toward her age but loves sitting in on lessons with her brothers.
I love that the novels are engaging and provide a framework for learning science. I also appreciate that the novels can stand alone or be used with other materials. Having flexibility to go as in-depth as we want is invaluable. The activity guides are well organized and, aside from checking out a couple of library books and gathering some supplies each week, it is very easy to implement.
To learn more about Sassafras Science, I would recommend visiting their website to read about the program, watch an introductory video, and look at samples.
What is your favorite elementary science curriculum? Please share your comments and questions below and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest for daily encouragement and resources. Happy learning!