Elementary Science
The BJU Press elementary science program lays the foundation for students to understand and apply scientific knowledge throughout their lives. Science equips students with the tools and insights needed to make contributions to the world around them. Through this program, students learn to use scientific knowledge and skills to solve real-world problems and positively impact others.
Vision
To equip students to apply science to life by observing and analyzing scientific information and by evaluating scientific models from a biblical worldview.
Goals
- To develop a foundational understanding of scientific knowledge and skills
- To guide students in applying scientific knowledge and skills in ethical ways to solve real-world problems, using activities that include collaborative STEM experiences
- To use models to explain and describe observations and make predictions
- To enable students to interpret and apply scientific knowledge through the lens of biblical teaching
Program Approach for Elementary Science
At the core of our approach is the development of a biblical worldview of science. Beginning with Creation, students build a strong foundation for scientific learning as they learn about science through a biblical worldview. As image-bearers of God, they are encouraged to recognize their potential and responsibility in caring for and improving the world.
Students will learn how to apply the scientific method, work with models, and interpret scientific information through the lens of biblical truth. In a world where science is often shaped by differing worldview perspectives, it is essential for Christian students to evaluate the information they encounter. Our program is committed to encouraging a love for science, and equipping students to apply what they learn in ways that honor God.
Foundational Understanding of Science
To succeed in science, students need more than a collection of facts. They need a strong foundation for understanding those facts and the ability to think scientifically. The BJU Press elementary science program is designed to build science literacy by helping students read and understand informational texts, use scientific tools, and interpret tables, charts, and graphs. Students are introduced to a wide range of science topics at an age-appropriate level, along with engaging investigations, inquiry activities, and explorations that allow them to apply concepts and demonstrate their understanding. The program also incorporates STEM lessons, highlights STEM careers, and includes other resources to enrich learning and connect science to the real world.
Throughout the program, students will encounter a form of these four biblical worldview themes in their textbooks that shape their understanding of science. First, “History of Nature” helps students explore where the world came from and how it has changed over time, beginning with the authority of Scripture and a young-earth perspective, including the impact of the Flood. Second, “Order in Nature” emphasizes that the natural world reflects purposeful design, allowing students to recognize patterns, systems, and consistency in creation. Third, “Importance of People” teaches that humans are uniquely created in God’s image, giving them value and responsibility in caring for creation. Finally, “Purpose of Science” helps students understand that science is a tool for discovering truth, solving problems, and ultimately glorifying God through wise and responsible use of knowledge.
Engaging Students in the Work of Science
Success in science also requires hands-on experiences that encourage students to think critically about the world around them. The Activities book incorporates guided discovery investigations, as well as inquiry- and project-based learning experiences and STEM activities. These opportunities draw students’ attention to real-world problems that can be explored and solved using scientific skills.
Many of these activities are designed to foster collaboration, giving students the chance to work together as they learn. In doing so, they develop essential 21st-century skills that are vital for success in science and beyond, including cooperation, time management, and problem-solving.
Using Models
Using models is a key part of science learning because scientists cannot always directly observe the objects or processes they study. By working with models, students learn to explain their observations and make predictions about how systems function. Students will construct and use models to better understand scientific principles. For example, they’ll have the opportunity to build a model of an animal cell, design an electromagnetic tool to retrieve metal objects, or create and test simple machines to move a heavy load. Other activities challenge students to solve practical problems, such as designing a boat for water travel or building a terrarium to model an ecosystem and explore how its parts interact.
At the same time, students come to understand an important limitation of science: models are not exact representations of reality, and human understanding is inherently limited. This reinforces the need to approach scientific knowledge with humility, recognizing that while science is a valuable tool for learning about the world, ultimate truth is grounded in the authority of Scripture.
Using Biblical Teaching to Interpret and Apply Knowledge
Scientific knowledge has little value if it is not understood and applied. Students must be equipped not only to learn scientific concepts but also to use the knowledge they’ve gained. In the BJU Press elementary science program, students are taught to interpret the natural world—including fossils, living things, stars, Earth, and the solar system—through the lens of a biblical worldview. As they study these topics, they recognize that the order and complexity of nature point to intentional design.
Hands-on activities reinforce these ideas by giving students opportunities to apply what they have learned while developing creativity and problem-solving skills. Through these experiences, students begin to see science as both practical and purposeful. Ultimately, the program helps students understand that the natural world belongs to God and reflects His character. As a result, they are equipped to use scientific knowledge to care for creation responsibly, serve others effectively, and glorify God through their understanding of His world.
Scope & Sequence
General Science
Science, scientists, the five senses, STEM: the engineering design process (ask, imagine, plan, make, make better, share), a scientist’s worldview, process skills (observe, classify, measure, infer, predict, communicate) science tools (hand lens, ruler, measuring cup/beaker, balance scale, thermometer), the scientific method (problem, hypothesis, materials, procedure, observations, conclusions)
Life Science
Plants
Living things, nonliving things, needs of plants (light, air, water, dirt, space), ways people use plants, result of sin, parts of plants (roots, stems, leaves, flowers), life cycle (seed, seedling, adult plant), parents and young
Animals
Environment, needs of animals (air, water, food, shelter, space), classifying animals (fish, birds, mammals), parts of animals, life cycle (robin), parents and their offspring, result of sin
Our Bodies
The Human Body
Animals and people (similarities and differences), parts outside (head, arms, legs), parts inside (bones, muscles, heart, lungs, brain, stomach)
Care for the Human Body
Be kind to others (in words and actions), healthy habits (for a strong body, to keep germs away, to keep germs away from others, for strong teeth), safe habits (at play, in the car, at home, in the community)
Earth-Space Science
The Earth and Its Lights
Beginnings, earth’s rotation, sun (characteristics, path), stars (characteristics, star pictures), moon (characteristics, path, phases)
Seasons
Earth’s revolution and tilt, cycle of seasons, characteristics of winter, spring, summer, fall
Weather
Temperature, wind, the water cycle (clouds, rain, sleet, hail, snow), what a meteorologist is and does
Physical Science
Light Energy
Beginnings of light, natural or manmade light, light and objects (transparent, translucent, opaque), shadows, characteristics (illuminates, how light travels)
Sound Energy
How sound is made, how sound moves, sound and matter, how sound is heard, how sound changes (volume, pitch)
Communicating with Light and Sound
Around home, around school, around the community; additional worldview learning
General Science
What Science Is
Science, scientists, importance of science, a scientist’s worldview, science inquiry skills (observe, classify, measure, infer, predict, communicate), science tools (hand lens, ruler, beaker, thermometer, balance), scientific method (problem, hypothesis, materials, procedure, observations, conclusions), STEM: the engineering design process (ask, imagine, plan, make, test and make better, share)
Physical Science
What Matter Is
Origin of matter, describing matter, properties of matter (color, shape, size, temperature, hardness, texture, ability to sink or float), classifying by property, states of matter (solid, liquid, gas)
How Matter Changes
Temperature and matter, solids to liquids, liquids to gases, gases to liquids, liquids to solids, changing matter (reversible/irreversible, bend/break, mixture), combining matter
How Matter Moves
Force (push/pull, cause/effect), motion (direction, cause/effect), speed (cause/effect), origin of force, kinds of force (friction, gravity, magnetism)
Earth-Space Science
How the Earth Moves
Solar system (origin, planets), Earth (shape, globe as a model), rotation (axis, day/night, sunrise/sunset), revolution (orbit, seasons)
What Makes Up the Earth
Earth’s surface (water, land), inside the earth (studying the earth, geologist, layers of the earth), weathering (water, ice, wind, plants), erosion (wind, water, erosion control), the earth’s moving surface (volcanoes, earthquakes)
What Natural Resources Are
Natural resources (air, water, soil, plants, animals, fossil fuels), pollution, natural resource products (from water, soil, plants, animals, fossil fuels), The Three Rs (reuse, reduce, recycle)
Life Science
How Plants Grow and Change
Living things, nonliving things, plant needs (water, air, soil, light, space), the Fall and plants, parts of plants (roots, stems, leaves, flowers), life cycle (seed and its parts, seedling, adult plant), how seeds travel (air, water, animals)
How Animals Grow and Change
Needs of animals (air, water, food, space, shelter), changes animals make to where they live (by storing food, building shelters), classifying animals (with backbones: fish, birds, mammals, amphibians, reptiles; without backbones: insects, spiders), how animals grow and change, parents and their offspring, life cycle (butterfly, frog), food chain (predator and prey, results of sin)
Where Things Live
Populations, communities, water habitats (ocean, pond, wetland), land habitats (rainforest, woodland forest, desert, savanna, tundra), changing habitats (animals, plants, wildfires, people)
What Fossils Show Us
Creation or evolution, fossils, kinds of fossils (petrified, mold, cast, amber, trace, frozen), plant fossils, insect fossils, dinosaur fossils, dinosaurs (Stegosaurus, Tyrannosaurus rex), end of dinosaurs
How the Human Body Works
Body systems (skeletal, muscular, circulatory, respiratory, nervous, digestive), food, exercise
Earth-Space Science
Process skills, science tools, scientific method
The Solar System
Solar system (origin, worldviews, gravity, patterns, the sun and other stars, observing stars and planets), inner planets and moons (Mercury, Venus, Earth and Moon, Mars), outer planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune), asteroids, dwarf planets
Weather and Climate
Weather: studying weather, weather tools (rain gauge, thermometer, weather vane, anemometer), clouds (stratus, fog, cumulus, cirrus), precipitation (water, cycle, rain, sleet, snow, hail), wind, severe weather (drought, flood, thunderstorm, tornado, hurricane, blizzard), weather warnings; Climate: climate zones (polar, temperate, tropical), climate change (biblical view, different view, possible causes, God’s promise)
Soil, Rocks, Minerals, and Fossils
Soil: parts of soil, layers of soil (topsoil, subsoil, bedrock), weathering, erosion, conservation; Rocks: sedimentary, igneous, metamorphic; Minerals: properties (hardness, crystal shape, color), uses of minerals; Fossils: biblical view (how and when fossils formed, extinction, adaptation), evolutionary view (how and when fossils formed, extinction, adaptation), Is evolution true?
Life Science
Cells, Tissues, Organs, and Systems
Cells: definition, observing, kinds, parts of plant and animal cells (nucleus, cytoplasm, membrane, wall); Tissues: definition, examples (muscle, nerve); Organs: definition, upper body organs; Systems: definition, skin (largest organ of human body), epidermis (fingerprints), dermis (blood vessels, sweat glands, oil glands)
Plants
Plant life cycle (germination, growth, reproduction, death), photosynthesis (what a plant needs, what a plant produces), uses of plants, plant traits, adaptation (biblical view, evolutionary view)
Cold-Blooded Animals
Classifying animals (vertebrate, temperature), cold-blooded animals (fish, amphibians, reptiles, insects, spiders), characteristics, features to survive and grow, ways to reproduce, life cycles of cold-blooded animals
Warm-Blooded Animals
Warm-blooded animals (birds, mammals), characteristics, features to survive and grow, ways to reproduce, are humans mammals?, taking care of animals, life cycles of animals (birth, growth, reproduction, death), animals and their offspring (same kind, inherited traits, instincts, learned behavior, inherited traits and behavior), studying animals
Ecosystems
Living together (population, community, habitat, ecosystem), resources, eating for energy (producer, consumer, decomposer), types of consumers (herbivore, carnivore, omnivore), living together in groups, food chains, food webs, changes in an ecosystem (balance)
Physical Science
Matter and Sound
Physical properties (mass, volume, matter), states of matter (solid, liquid, gas), changes in states (solids and liquids, liquids and gases), states of water, physical and chemical changes, serving with matter, sound (vibrations, sound waves, characteristics of sound [pitch, volume, uses])
Forces and Motion
Force: fast, slow, direction, kinds (contact/noncontact forces); Motion: directions, distance, speed, how force affects motion, patterns of motion (observations, predictions, unseen patterns, created patterns), work
Electricity and Magnetism
Electricity: electric charges (positive, negative, neutral), static electricity, current electricity; Magnetism: magnets (magnetism, magnetic field, poles), uses of magnets, electromagnets (discovering electromagnets, uses of electromagnets)
General Science
Science Inquiry Skills; Science safety tips; Science tools; Scientific investigation; Scientific variables; Modeling in Science; STEM: The Engineering Design Process
Life Science
Living Things
Plant Structures and Functions: internal and external structures, photosynthesis, adaptations, origin of thorns, uses of plants, response to stimuli; Plant Reproduction: flowering plants, parts of a flower, pollination, seed structure, seed dispersal, plant life cycle, other methods of plant reproduction; Invertebrates: arthropods, insects, internal and external structures, protection, defenses, ways of eating, life cycles, metamorphosis, social insects; Vertebrates: internal and external structures, defenses, body systems, adaptations, response to stimuli
Human Body
Digestive system: digestive tract and digestive process; Nutrition: proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, healthy diet planning; Skeletal and muscular systems: skeleton, parts of bones, joints, ligaments, tendons, cartilage, muscles, injuries; Eyes: parts of the eye, path of light through the eye, vision correction; Ears: parts of the ear, path of sound through the ear, hearing correction
Physical Science
Energy and Waves
Energy and motion: potential and kinetic energy, energy transfer, collisions, force, weight, speed, motion; Energy and work: energy, forces, friction, gravity, work, simple machines (lever, wheel and axle, pulley, inclined plane); Waves: wave energy, characteristics of waves, wave patterns (circular, transverse, and longitudinal), measuring wavelengths; Light: origin of light, properties of light, light and matter (luminous, nonluminous, transparent, translucent, opaque), light waves, visible spectrum, reflection, refraction, lens; Sound: sound waves, vibrations, amplitude, wavelength, characteristics of sound (pitch, volume, timbre), sound and matter (speed, temperature, absorption, reflection), history of information transfer, digital communication
Earth Science
Earth’s Waters
Water and oceans: water cycle, surface waves, energy transfer, deep ocean currents, surface currents, conservation of water, ocean floor, ocean zones, ocean creatures, bioluminescence, ecosystems in the ocean
Earth’s Surface
Landforms and Changes: rocks and minerals, physical and chemical weathering, soil, erosion and deposition, past and present changes to the earth’s surface, landforms, maps; Natural Hazards: plates, plate boundaries, faults, causes of earthquakes, reducing impact of earthquakes, tsunamis, floods (local, regional, worldwide), volcanoes, dangers of volcanoes, maps; Natural Resources: renewable resources (soil, water, trees, animals), renewable energy resources (hydroelectric, wind, solar), nonrenewable resources (minerals and fossil fuels), choosing energy resources, conservation (reduce, reuse, recycle)
Biblical Worldview Shaping
- History—Analyzing explanations for the origins of the earth
- Design—Evaluating explanations of the appearance of design in nature
- Humans—Justifying the studying science to benefit humans
- Purpose—Defending the claim that Christians should do science to care for the earth
- Modeling—Relating scientific models to the real world
General Science
- Describing various STEM careers
- Demonstrating science inquiry skills—Observing; Measuring; Inferring; Classifying; Predicting; Communicating; Hypothesizing; Identifying and controlling variables; Defining operationally; Experimenting; Collecting, recording, and interpreting data; Making and using models
- Using science tools—Graduated cylinder; Hand lens; Ruler; Beaker; Balance; Thermometer; Rain gauge; Weather vane; Anemometer; Barometer; Microscope; Telescope
- Scientific investigation—Stating a problem; Making a hypothesis; Gathering materials; Following a procedure; Making observations; Drawing conclusions
- Scientific variables—Independent variable; Dependent variable; Controlled variable
Physical Science: Matter
- Origin of matter—Properties of matter; Physical properties; Chemical properties
- Changes in matter—Physical changes: States of matter—Solid, Liquid, Gas, Physical changes—Melting, Freezing, Vaporization, Boiling, Evaporation, Condensation, Mixtures—Evenly and unevenly mixed mixtures, Characteristics of solutions; Chemical changes
- Measuring matter—Volume; Mass; Weight; Density
- Classification of matter—Atoms; Molecules; Elements; Compounds
Life Science: Ecosystems
- Interactions in an ecosystem—Parts of an ecosystem: Environment, Population, Habitat; Roles in an ecosystem; Energy in an ecosystem: Food chain, Food web, Predator and prey, Energy pyramid, Competition; Meeting needs: Adaptation, Migration, Hibernation, Symbiosis, Instincts, Learned behaviors
- Changes in an ecosystem—Cycles of change: Seasonal changes, Carbon cycle, Nitrogen cycle, Water cycle; Stresses on an ecosystem: Fire, Flood, Drought, Manmade, Succession; Unexpected dangers: Native and invasive species, Extinction, Endangered species
Life Science: The Human Body
- Immune system—Diseases; Pathogens; Defensive barriers; Nonspecific defenses; Specific defenses; Immunity; Antibodies; Antibiotics
- Respiratory system—Breathing: Inhaling, Exhaling, Breathing muscles; The path of air: Nose, Pharynx, Larynx, Vocal cords, Trachea, Bronchi, Lungs; Respiratory sounds; Respiratory problems: Diseases, Allergies, Asthma, Smoking
- Circulatory system—Circulating the blood: Heart, Diseases, Blood vessels: arteries, veins, and capillaries; The blood: Blood cells, Blood types, Blood donation
- Excretory system
- Nervous system—Central nervous system; Peripheral nervous system; Memory; Endocrine system; Disorders; Medications; Drug abuse
Earth and Space Science: The Geosphere
- Biomes—Characteristics; Plant and animal life; Land biomes: Tundra, Taiga, Temperate forest, Tropical rainforests, Grassland, Savanna, Desert; Aquatic biomes: Saltwater (marine) biomes, Freshwater biomes, Wetlands; Conservation
- Layers of the earth—Core; Mantle; Crust
- Soil—Formation; Weathering; Erosion
- Minerals and rocks—Rocks: Igneous rock, Sedimentary rock, Metamorphic rock; Minerals: Characteristics of minerals, Uses of gems, metals, and other minerals, Mining
- Fossils and dinosaurs—Fossils: Contrasting Creation and evolution, Genesis Flood, Fossil formation, Excavating and restoring fossils, Dating and interpreting fossils; Dinosaurs: Fossil evidence, Extinction
Earth and Space Science: The Atmosphere
- Atmosphere—Characteristics of the atmosphere: Contents of the atmosphere, Air pressure; Layers of the atmosphere: Troposphere, Stratosphere, Mesosphere, Thermosphere, Exosphere, Ozone layer
- Weather—Air; Temperature; Air masses and fronts; Winds; Moisture: Precipitation, Dew and frost, Humidity, Clouds; Severe weather: Thunderstorms, Tornadoes, Hurricanes, Storm safety; Weather forecasting: Weather instruments, Weather maps
Earth and Space Science: The Cosmos
- Solar system—Origin; Gravity; Patterns in the solar system; The sun and other stars; Observing stars and planets
- Inner planets—Mercury; Venus; Earth and our moon: The moon’s surface, The moon’s motion, The moon’s phases, Eclipses, Tides; Mars
- Outer planets—Jupiter; Saturn; Uranus; Neptune
- Asteroids
- Dwarf planets
- Stars—Star groups; Star maps
- Space exploration
Engineering Design: STEM
- Following the Engineering Design Process to solve a problem—Building a floating model boat; Building a terrarium; Making a solar oven; Protecting falling astronauts; Collecting care samples from a potato