Hello!
Forgive any errors… I’m new to this forum!
I was raised YEC, but have over the last few years, shifted my perspective to hold an evolutionary creation point of view. I came across Bio Logos and have been so grateful. We are homeschooling our young children as well (Grade 3, 1, pre-k, toddler), and we value that a big part of homeschooling can include learning WITH your children, not just teaching them. However, all my life growing up, I basically ignored any information that came my way via school regarding evolution, believing it was heresy. Now I feel like I’m basically starting over! I’ve read a few of the articles at the Bio Logos website, but I don’t have a lot of additional time (or energy!) to read forever and educate myself. Can any one suggest a good video series or something similar (podcast?) where I can catch up on the generally accepted scientific history of the earth? I’m happy to hear any other advice or encouragement from any other similar experiences!
Hi, and welcome to the forum! This is an ideal and resource-rich place just for people like you! - or at least I hope that will be your ongoing discovery too. I know what you mean about time and energy limitations. If you’ve been hanging around this site for a while, you probably already know about some of the obvious resources I’ll point out here. As a homeschooler, are you aware of the Integrate curriculum that was developed by Biologos people - including one of our very own moderators, @Christy ? Or if you’re looking more for what’s available for free, there are a wealth of essays and resources available on all these topics from the K-12 educator’s center page too - including the above-mentioned curriculum, but lots of other resources too. You may want to check that out if you haven’t already. You can also search this forum for discussions of specific things - whether on evolutionary science, or related religious topics often associated with that. Of course, since this is a public forum, you’ll see all points of view represented and lots of chaff to sift through regarding content-value. But it’s a good place to see how various challenges are handled, and a good place to ask any specific questions you want to bring as well. Best of all, it’s free - and there are a lot of very scientifically and theologically knowledgeable people that hang out and lurk here. I bet others may be able to chime in with video-viewing suggestions - you’ll probably get more than you need/want! And just a reminder, we don’t vett resources offered (or all the people present here), so you may get suggestions here that do not at all represent Biologos views. All we moderators do is work to maintain some minimum of respect and civility. We don’t turn away views just because we may disagree or somebody getting contentious. Keep that in mind too!
I hope you can find resources useful to you! Blessings on your labors.
it is obviously too advanced for the kids, as more a college 101 type text, but for your own understanding of science and integrating it with theology, this is a great book to have:
And welcome to the forum! While we chase a lot of rabbits, helping people navigate all this is really why we are here.
Targeted to adults and more academic than edutainment, but the sixty videos in this playlist by an enthused and friendly geochemistry grad student would cover a lot of ground in organized fashion.
CORRECTION: Dr. Rachel Phillips received her PhD from the University of Texas at El Paso in 2023. Her doctoral research utilized biogeochemistry to study paleoceanography, and she is now engaged in postdoc research.
Hi Charyssa, and welcome to the forum! I am also a homeschooling parent (second-generation), and I sympathize with your position. I have also felt like I’m starting from square one when it comes to understanding and teaching consensus science, but like you said, one of the great things is getting to learn with your kids… I hope mine can see that a big part of science is curiosity, not trying to have all the answers about everything.
I am more into reading than watching/listening, so I’m afraid I can’t think of any podcast recommendations, other than Biologos’s Language of God podcast (which you’ve probably already heard of).
Dr. Joel Duff (who sometimes participates here) has a blog and a YouTube channel, with videos that discuss scientific concepts and sometimes directly debunk YEC claims: https://www.youtube.com/@DrJoelDuff
One thing I’ve enjoyed about homeschooling is how there is so much children’s literature out there that covers many topics in easy-to-understand ways – it can also be great for time-strapped adults who want to get a nice overview of a topic without necessarily reading a long “adult” book about it. We’ve read a few books about paleontologists that I really enjoyed, such as “Dinosaur Lady” and “Barnum’s Bones.”
If you like audiobooks, I enjoyed Neil Degrasse Tyson’s book “Astrophysics for People in a Hurry” (which gets into the Big Bang, among other theories) (and there is also a young reader’s edition, but I haven’t read that), and also “The Beak of the Finch,” which details a years-long study that looked at how evolution is always taking place.
I would also suggest field trips. Something as simple as identifying local species could be really fun. Flipping over a rock can reveal a whole host of insect species that many kids will find fascinating. Take some pictures with your phone, and then go through them when you return home. There are also a few online resources that can help with species identification.
Hi Charyssa, welcome to the non-YEC homeschooler team!
Joel Duff (I think Laura linked to his blog) has great resources for unlearning AIG “science” and it is mostly earth science focused, but sometimes kind of technical. If you just want an overview, Nova has a great series on the development of earth and life on it.
For brushing up on scientific basics of evolution and genetics I would recommend the Stated Clearly video series.
Also, Darrel Falk, a past BioLogos president and professor at Point Loma Nazarene University has some videos about the science related to human evolution.
I learned a lot just reading library books and children’s encyclopedias with my kids. When you drop the defensive posture that assumes all science must be lies from the devil, it’s amazing what you can pick up just reading about dinosaurs or space or germs or whatever topic your kids are interested in.
Novare Science has homeschool resources that provide a Christian perspective and good science. I think they are mainly 7th to 12th grade. Some experiments are more suited for a class than individually at home, but it’s good info. Carroll and Carroll’s book God made the dinosaurs is a very good option. Aimed probably at an upper elementary level. Origins, by Haarsma and Haarsma, is aimed to be accessible at a high school level and discusses the questions well.
I’m going to recommend a book that isn’t specifically about science but is rather more about the text of the Creation story, but instead I think is great for putting things in context:
