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God's Design for Science: A homeschooling resource

Explore God's Design for Science, a hands-on curriculum for grades 1-8 that integrates faith with science learning.
Lisa Thorsen
Written byLisa Thorsen
3 min read
Key takeaways
  • God's Design for Science is a hands-on science curriculum for grades 1-8 that integrates biblical teachings with scientific concepts from a young-earth creationist perspective
  • Created by experienced homeschoolers, it offers engaging lessons and experiments with minimal prep time, making it ideal for families seeking a faith-based approach to science education.

God's Design for Science is a science curriculum for grades 1-8 from a young-earth creationist perspective. It combines solid science with biblical teachings and includes hands-on experiments using everyday materials.

Research from the National Home Education Research Institute (NHERI) shows that homeschooled students typically score 15 to 25 percentile points higher than public school students on standardized academic achievement tests. Most homeschool families report completing core academic subjects in 3-4 hours per day for elementary students, compared to the 6-7 hours typical of traditional schools, due to the one-on-one instruction and absence of classroom management overhead (NHERI, 2024).

What is God's Design for Science?

God's Design for Science is a science curriculum made by Answers in Genesis and published through Master Books. It’s meant for grades 1-8 and teaches science with a Christian viewpoint that supports young-earth creationism. Richard and Debbie Lawrence, both electrical engineers and experienced homeschoolers, created this curriculum to blend strong science concepts with biblical truths. Each lesson has fun, hands-on experiments using items you probably already have at home.

Teaching approach

God's Design is easy to use—perfect for busy homeschool parents. The lessons are short and simple, following a Charlotte Mason-style that focuses on stories instead of heavy textbooks. The curriculum uses Answers in Genesis's 'Seven C's of Biblical History' framework: Creation, Corruption, Catastrophe, Confusion, Christ, Cross, and Consummation. It clearly contrasts evolutionary and creationist views when relevant topics come up. This integration of faith is a big draw for families who want science taught through a biblical lens.

Fit and limitations

This curriculum is great for families who share its beliefs and want science grounded in that perspective. It offers solid content, hands-on activities, and needs little prep time. However, since it follows a young-earth view, topics like geology and astronomy are taught differently than in secular or old-earth programs. Remember, this isn't a neutral science course—it helps students view science through a specific biblical lens. Many families choose more advanced programs for high school or college prep while keeping the foundation laid by God's Design.

The bottom line

God's Design for Science fills a specific need: hands-on science learning for grades 1-8 from a young-earth perspective. For families aligned with Answers in Genesis's beliefs, it offers solid content, easy use, and clear connections to faith. If you're looking for secular science education or old-earth views, you might want to look elsewhere. Just know this curriculum is designed to support the biblical creation story.

Frequently Asked Questions

Lisa Thorsen
Written by
Lisa Thorsen

Co-founder, BetterSchool

Lisa is the co-founder of BetterSchool and a homeschool mom of three. BetterSchool administers the largest independent homeschool community in the country — over 350,000 families across all 50 states.

When COVID hit, Lisa and her husband pulled their children out of school and hit the road. Homeschooling wasn't the plan — it was a necessity. But somewhere along the way, the family fell in love with it: the time together, the ability to tailor lessons to each child's interests, learning at their own pace, the freedom to travel, eating healthy on their own schedule, and the countless other benefits that come with homeschooling.

As they traveled, Lisa kept discovering incredible hands-on learning experiences that most homeschool families had no way of finding. She built BetterSchool to make it easy for every family to find and book the experiences that make learning come alive.

Through her community, Lisa has helped hundreds of thousands of parents navigate homeschooling, while also helping local businesses find and serve the homeschool community. She is the former managing partner of a law firm focused on business law and mergers and acquisitions — BetterSchool is her second technology startup. She holds a J.D. from California Western School of Law and a B.A. from Penn State.

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Table of Contents

  • What is God's Design for Science?
  • Teaching approach
  • Fit and limitations
  • The bottom line
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