I was thrilled to get a chance to review Fascinating Biology from Fascinating Education. The company also offers:
Fascinating Chemistry
Fascinating Physics
The company highly recommends taking the courses in the order of: Chemistry, Biology, followed by Physics.
What is Fascinating Education?
What is Fascinating Biology?
I received the entire course of Biology with one full year of online access.
The Fascinating Education Teaching Method:
Dr. Margulies is a retired neurologist, author of three books, has a legal degree, and practices as an expert witness in the field of neurology. Dr. Margulies developed these science courses in an effort to bridge the gap of disconnect between textbook authors and students who use them.
These courses stand out in that it is based on a "right-hemispheric" learning approach that engages the brain's ability to process images to make the information stick more than merely reading a textbook. They use audio-visual techniques to teach science in a step-by-step method. It uses English vocabulary along with clear illustrations. It focuses on facts and leaves out complex extrapolations that are not necessary. Dr. Margulies presents real-life aspects to help make the information pertinent.
The courses use Flash with HTML5 fallback, so a Flash-enabled browser is necessary to play the lessons. I used it on Chrome with no issues, but the recommended browsers include:
Windows Users:
Internet Explorer 10 or later
Microsoft Edge latest version
Google Chrome latest version
Firefox latest version
Mac Users:
Safari latest version
Google Chrome latest version
Firefox latest version
Mobile Users:
Safari in Apple iOS 8 or later
Google Chrome in Apple iOS 8 or later
Google Chrome in Android OS 4.1 or later
Before you get started with the biology course, it's important to know that since biology requires understanding chemical properties of the components of cells, Dr. Margulies recommends starting with Fascinating Chemistry. However, if you want to take biology first, the company offers a sub-course of Fascinating Chemistry at an add-on fee price.
Find out more on the FAQ page.
The biology course features 18 lessons. Within each lesson is the slideshow/audio (video) presentation, the accompanying script and the list of vocabulary words and their meanings on the side tab alongside the Menu. Following each lesson is an onscreen test that provides you with immediate results as soon as you hit submit.
The lessons are all online but all have a script that may be printed to read offline if you prefer or to print and follow along as you listen and watch the lesson slides onscreen. Each lesson averages about 45 minutes. I was asked to use the course with at least one student completing at least one lesson per week. Before each test, you will be presented with a "What you know so far" summary that reviews the lesson's material before attempting the test. For longer lessons, there are "Catch our Breath" slides placed to keep the student interested and to review at intervals throughout the longer lessons.
Basically, you log on and select your course of study and then you are presented a page that has all of the lessons. Each lesson contains a Script of the slideshow/video presentation, a slideshow/video presentation and a test. Within the lesson, there is also a tab that has a list of all of the vocabulary words for that lesson. The tests produce immediate response once you submit it, and you are able to take it a few times after reviewing the questions that you missed.
The tests can be taken in one of two ways. Your student can take the test on-site and receive immediate online responses. The results show the correct answers and explains the reasoning and then the student has a couple more opportunities to re-take the test to reinforce learning and ultimately get a better grade.
Or
You can print out the pdf version of the tests and have your student fill in the answers with pencil and paper. These pdfs are accompanied with an Answer Key.
How Did We Use It?
I began by looking it over and watching a lesson for myself, and then I logged on and began playing the video lessons so my High School Freshman could hear. I explained to her that this was her High School Biology, and she immediately recognized the voice from the chemistry course she had used.
The last few slides in the slideshow/video presentation include a summary of what you have learned so far in this lesson before proceding to the test.
What Did We Think?
I like the way the site is set up and how the material is presented in a straight-forward, easy-to-follow format.
Please Note: The course starts off fairly quickly talking about the Big Bang Theory and about the million and billions of years theory. I did not notice the mention of Creation even as a theory which I would have appreciated.
Overall, the lessons provide a solid high school level course that is easy to use and ultimately presents the material in a way that is easy to learn while also providing you with a documented record of graded results.
Please Note: The course starts off fairly quickly talking about the Big Bang Theory and about the million and billions of years theory. I did not notice the mention of Creation even as a theory which I would have appreciated.
Overall, the lessons provide a solid high school level course that is easy to use and ultimately presents the material in a way that is easy to learn while also providing you with a documented record of graded results.
Read what other members of the Homeschool Review Crew thought by clicking on the picture below:
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