The Story of Science

Name: The Story of Science
Brand: Smithsonian Bookshttp://smithsonianbooks.com/story-science/

by Smithsonian Bookshttp://smithsonianbooks.com/story-science/

ScienceGrades 7–12

About This Curriculum

A three-book series that narrates the evolution of scientific thought from ancient times to the present through lively, character-driven storytelling, featuring the achievements of history's greatest scientists.

What makes it unique: Combines narrative storytelling with rigorous science education, using biographical and historical approaches to make complex scientific concepts accessible and engaging.

The Story of Science: Literature-Based Historical Science Curriculum

The Story of Science is a three-book series by Joy Hakim that teaches science through historical narratives and biographical storytelling, tracing scientific development from ancient times to modern physics. This literature-based approach presents science concepts within the context of the scientists and civilizations that developed them, combining history with foundational science content.

Best for

Middle and high school students who learn well through narrative and historical context, particularly in literature-based or Charlotte Mason educational approaches

Evaluation Criteria

2 strengths · 1 concern · 3 neutral · 1 insufficient evidence

Teacher TrainingStrength

The curriculum includes comprehensive teacher guides with lesson plans and background support.

Teacher's Quest Guides provide 'instructions for lesson presentation, illustrations, assessments, and answer keys' along with step-by-step lesson plans, though some reviewers found them 'overly scripted'

Hands On IntegrationStrength

The curriculum includes laboratory activities and experiments that are well-integrated with the historical content.

Student workbooks include experiments and hands-on activities, with reviewers noting 'Lab activities in the Newton student workbook are excellent and would at least partially satisfy a lab class requirement'

Direct InstructionConcern

The curriculum emphasizes narrative storytelling over direct instruction, though teacher guides provide structured lesson plans.

Teacher's guides include 'step-by-step lesson plans' and structured activities, but the primary approach is story-based rather than explicit instruction of scientific concepts

Knowledge RichNeutral

The curriculum builds science content knowledge through historical context but may lack systematic depth in specific scientific domains.

Books cover foundational concepts in physics, chemistry, astronomy and mathematics through biographical and historical narratives, though reviewers note that 'these books do not read like science texts nor do they cover equivalent amounts of science information' compared to traditional courses

Retrieval PracticeNeutral

The curriculum includes some review activities but lacks systematic retrieval practice.

Student workbooks include 'summary lists of who, what, where, and when items covered in each chapter' and various assessment formats, but no specific evidence of systematic retrieval practice or spaced review

Scientific VocabularyNeutral

Scientific vocabulary is introduced within historical context but may lack systematic explicit instruction.

The text includes parenthetical explanations for complex terms and introduces vocabulary through storytelling, though no specific evidence indicates systematic vocabulary instruction methods

Ngss AlignmentInsufficient Evidence

No evidence of NGSS alignment is provided in the available reviews.

Reviews do not mention alignment to NGSS or other rigorous science standards

Sources: cathyduffyreviews.com, thecurriculumchoice.com