Disclosure: I received this complimentary product through the Homeschool Review Crew.
Do you have an older student who prefers self-paced online studies over books and "with Mom" learning?
My eldest child has always liked science, but, in recent years, has not wanted "with Mom" science studies. Thus, we are always looking for self-directed program that engage him enough to stick with and learn from, such as the Self-paced 7th-12th grade Half-Semester Classes that Greg Landry’s Homeschool Science offer.
My eldest son was interested in taking one of these courses - Biochemistry /Microbiology - when course access was offered to us for review, and he's been quite pleased with it, both because he finds the course interesting, engaging, and easy to use and also because, when he completes the course, he will have earned another 0.5 credits for High School Science as he moves towards his goal of graduating early and also because
What is Greg Landry's Home Science?
Greg Landry’s Homeschool Science is a quality resource that can help make science learning - including labs - engaging and doable for 3rd through 12th-grade students who benefit from Live or Self-Paced Online Classes.
A Science educator with over 25 years of teaching experience, Greg Landry has taught and mentored thousands of students from homeschool to college. In doing so, he has designed and directed university Science courses including anatomy and physiology, biology, and cadaver labs; has had his scientific research published; has written several science lab manuals; and has developed online science programs which continue to be chosen by homeschool students as their go-to for science.
His Greg Landry’s Homeschool Science offers College Prep Science that seeks to educate students through lessons which build scientific inquiry, critical thinking, process reasoning and data collection while also focusing on the graphical and written representation of research.
A professor, homeschool father, and husband, Greg is also a Christian. In fact, Greg designed his courses to help homeschool families, and has stated:
The Lord has made me very aware of my need for a grateful heart. I’m grateful for a God who knows me and loves me (with all of my faults), for my family, for the thousands of homeschooling families I’ve had the privilege of working with over the past 20 years, for every sunrise, for the magnificence of His Creation, and for the trials in my life (James 1:2-4 ) that shape and mold me, humble me, produce perseverance, and mature me in my faith.
Greg has a heart for his students and a passion for science. As such, his College Prep courses aim to teach students the science they need to graduate and go on to university studies while also helping them to see that "God's creation did not just happen by chance - it wasn't an accident, a fluke of nature."
Tuition/access to one of Greg's self-paced half-semester course like the one my son is taking offers:
- access to seven recorded classes sessions - whcih average 20-30 minutes each - that may be used by anyone in your family at his or her own pace
- a PDF study guide by Greg Landry
- email access to Professor Landry for any questions you may have as you use the class
The Biochemistry/Microbiology class which my son is taking covers carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, DNA, vitamins, hormones, viruses, bacteria, epidemics, antibiotics, pathogen cultures, and top 10 pathogen diseases.
My Son's Experience
To be honest, besides browsing the Greg Landry website, occasionally taking a peek at my son's course on my own, giving my son access to the Biochemistry / Microbiology course and checking in with him periodically to see if he needs me for anything or to ask him what he is learning, I have been hands-off with this course - just the way my son likes things.
My 15-year-old prefers self-paced, no Mom-needed learning.
So, when it came time to write this review, I asked him for more details about his experiences what he had to say about his experience with this course so far:
I chose the Biochemisitry / Microbiology half-semester course because it looked interesting. I had learned a bit about Microbiology in a biology class I took before and wanted to learn more.
In order to take the course, I had to log in on Canvas. Then, navigation was easy.
I also had to print out notetaking sheets and some other materials and use the PDF coursebook online.
For each lesson, I watch Professor Landry teach a pre-recorded class for around 20 minutes. As he teaches, I take notes. Then, I complete worksheets when I have had time to print them out.
I enjoyed learning about glucose and glycogen and how, when there is a shortage of one, your body sends out signals to your body so that the cells break down the other. I find it interesting how the body can regulate itself so well.
I also was surprised to learn that if you have diabetes, you can go blind from it.
Another surprise with the course is that it really improved my notetaking skills. Professor Landry gave me an example of how to take notes that gives me a framework that works better than other approaches I have taken. I have even used his notetaking sheets for other courses I am taking.
I would recommend this course to highschoolers who want to take a deeper dive into the specifics of microbiology and biochemistry.
I would not recommend it to people who don't like biology, are not Christian, or cannot simply ignore the prayers at the beginning of classes and the sign visible in the background.
The science is sound, and I am enjoying it.
Learn More
Greg Landry offers a wide array of science classes, to include the following ons which Homeschool Crew members had the choice of selecting from:
- the Virtual, interactive homeschool laboratory which is geared toward students in grades 7-12 and has two options: a two-week lab intensive with set dates or a self-paced family subscription for Biology, Chemistry, or Physics.
- the Self-paced 4th-7th grade one-semester classes which can be worked through at your own pace with pre-recorded classes of Young Scientist Anatomy & Physiology, Young Scientist Biology, Young Scientist Chemistry, Young Scientist Physics, or Young Scientist Earth & Space Science.
- the Self-paced 7th-12th grade half-semester classes, which include the Biochemistry / Microbiology my son is taking, or Exercise & Sports Physiology, Embryology / Endocrinology, Earth & Space Science, or Study Skills / Measurement / Lab Reports / Graphing.
You might also like some of the free resources Greg Landry offers.
