HSMWB Posted August 16, 2018 Share Posted August 16, 2018 Our curriculum has my 8th grader reading The Magic of Reality by Richard Dawkins basically a chapter a day for almost 3 weeks. I have now read the first 5 chapters and I am not really comfortable assigning it. I am ok with evolution, and I am ok with old earth, BUT the book just seems like it is trying to make an atheist out of the readers and we believe in the Bible. I am wondering if anyone has read it, and also other books from a creationist standpoint and has a recommendation for an alternative text? I have read It Couldn’t Just Happen but don’t want to assign that as the alternative either. Any suggestions for me? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xahm Posted August 16, 2018 Share Posted August 16, 2018 Look into The Language of God by Francis Collins. I haven't read it, but he's a scientist who believes in evolution and is a Christian, and this book, I think, explains that. Very different from Dawkins! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TracyP Posted August 16, 2018 Share Posted August 16, 2018 You could look at Bill Bryson's A Really Short History of Nearly Everything. That would be easy for an 8th grader to read in 3 weeks, and it will cover the same topics. It isn't a Christian book, but Bryson doesn't seem to share Dawkin's disdain for Christians. FWIW, I have had 2 kids read The Magic of Reality and it did not make them question their faith. Dawkins is saying things that your kids will eventually hear elsewhere. You could look at this as an opportunity to share your family's perspective with your kiddo. But I understand if you are too uncomfortable with this book to use it at all. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HSMWB Posted August 16, 2018 Author Share Posted August 16, 2018 Thanks for the ideas! They are also scheduled to read A Short History of Nearly Everything a little later in the year. I was thinking it (this book) would be a great way to discuss issues, but it seems to me like every single paragraph would need a lengthy conversation, and while I actually agree with it on some points, the book seems to have a serious axe to grind in my mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJ. Posted August 22, 2018 Share Posted August 22, 2018 Just curious, are you using byl 8? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HSMWB Posted August 23, 2018 Author Share Posted August 23, 2018 We are, this is the first time trying it out. I have finished reading the Reality of Magic and will definitely not be using it, if my kids want to read it and talk about it, fine, but I am not going to assign it. I just picked up The Language of God from the library today but have not had a chance to start it. I will most likely assign that instead, or simply declare it ‘easing into school’ and just not do anything with that strand until the next book is scheduled. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJ. Posted August 23, 2018 Share Posted August 23, 2018 Last year we did byl7 and there was so much reading. I like your idea of easing into it and skipping that book. Are you assigning the reader and the literature to be read or are you reading one aloud? We are using byl8, too. DS will start after labor day. I still need to purchase most of the books that are spines! The rest will come from the library Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
serendipitous journey Posted August 23, 2018 Share Posted August 23, 2018 (edited) The "Language of God" recommendation is a very interesting one: I'm going to look into that for our school year. OP, yet another general science option might be Hazen's "Science Matters" but I think it is a denser read than the Dawkins book. Dawkins is very strongly anti-religious; Hazen is focused on the science. Hawking's "Illustrated Briefer History of Time" is, I believe, denser yet but a book we've liked (for the little we've already read). ETA: I'm glad for the flag on "Magic of Reality." We're using BYL8 this year, and I haven't read this book, AND I have children who are bombarded with the message that religious people are foolish, so I'm very glad to have the chance to address this proactively. Edited August 23, 2018 by serendipitous journey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MDL Posted August 24, 2018 Share Posted August 24, 2018 We are using BYL 8 too! (This is our first year with BYL, and I’m thinking of inflicting Level 2 on my 3rd grader, as he is doing medieval self paced with Veritas. We should have a weekly thread) While I am generally not a fan of Dawkins, i think I’m ok with this one after the massive theology in Veritas Omnibus my guy had in 7th. Faith is important to us, so we will play it by ear and try to converse (not so easy with 13 year old boy!) my big question is what is everyone using for a science kit? The recommendation is $355 on amazon, which would be ok if it is a stellar kit. However, I am suspecting the price is high due to limited supply. Buying a kit will give us a much higher probability of doing experiments! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HSMWB Posted August 27, 2018 Author Share Posted August 27, 2018 I have now managed to read the first 90 pages of The Language of God - I think I am probably going to attempt to assign this instead, and try to not skip the strand. On 8/23/2018 at 11:10 PM, MDL said: my big question is what is everyone using for a science kit? The recommendation is $355 on amazon, which would be ok if it is a stellar kit. However, I am suspecting the price is high due to limited supply. Buying a kit will give us a much higher probability of doing experiments! I have seen a Janice VanCleave book suggested as an alternative, and did actually buy that instead, but actually have not had a chance to look at it yet. Lol, I have been too busy stressing out over the science books and trying to come up with a workable plan for our family. On 8/22/2018 at 9:25 PM, SJ. said: Are you assigning the reader and the literature to be read or are you reading one aloud? We are using byl8, too. DS will start after labor day. I still need to purchase most of the books that are spines! The rest will come from the library I can not decide, I will probably read aloud whichever book is ‘less likely’ to get done. I have read The Golden Goblet before, and really liked it actually, so I think we could easily talk about it. We are also doing a few other classes with reading in addition to BYL. We also do quite a few audio books in the car, so I can see us doing that as well instead of reading some of the books. We are not starting until after Labor Day either. It seems like a lot of weeks worth of work. I can’t see us finishing it as planned out. This is also our first year trying a planned out package though. And it was specifically requested by my student, so I hope it works out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverMoon Posted August 28, 2018 Share Posted August 28, 2018 We dropped that one and replaced it with whichever George book (by Lucy and Stephen Hawking) DS was ready for next. I felt we'd already covered that topic well enough as a family and didn't feel the need to find a similar book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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