Exploring Creation with Marine Biology, 2nd Edition

The curriculum builds substantial content knowledge across marine environments, organisms from microscopic to whales, ocean geology, and human impacts on marine ecosystems. The 557-page textbook covers 14 comprehensive modules with significant vocabulary mastery expected.

Review notes 'quite a bit of new vocabulary for students to master' and covers 'marine environments and ecologies, life forms from microscopic organisms through huge whales, the geology of the ocean floor and shorelines'

The curriculum provides explicit instruction through the textbook format and optional video lessons taught by the author. The structured approach with clear module organization supports direct teaching of concepts.

Review describes 'DVD lessons, taught by the course's author Sherri Seligson' and notes the text is 'relatively easy to read' with structured modules and lessons

The curriculum incorporates regular review through 'On Your Own' questions throughout modules, study guides at module conclusions, module summaries, and comprehensive testing. Multiple opportunities for recall and practice are built in.

Review mentions 'On Your Own questions appear sporadically throughout each module,' study guides with questions, 'Module Summaries' for key ideas review, and 'a test for each module in addition to four exams'

Lab activities are well-integrated directly into the textbook at appropriate points, requiring substantial equipment including microscopes, dissection kits, and specimens. The curriculum is designed as a college-prep lab course with hands-on work coordinated with content.

Review states 'Lab activities and experiments are incorporated directly into the textbook at the points where they should be used, so there's no confusion about how to coordinate lab work with the textbook' and describes it as 'a college-prep lab course'

The curriculum emphasizes scientific vocabulary mastery with glossary, module summaries as fill-in-the-blank exercises, and vocabulary definition requirements in study guides. Multiple exposures to terms are provided through various components.

Review mentions 'quite a bit of new vocabulary for students to master,' 'Module Summaries are fill-in-the-blanks exercises that help students master the key ideas and vocabulary,' and study guides have 'vocabulary words to define'

The curriculum is designed for independent student use with minimal parent involvement required, though it includes some guidance for parents on grading and rubrics. Limited professional development materials are evident.

Review states 'The course is well designed for independent study' and 'Parents only need to check answers,' with 'a few pages specifically for parents that include information about rubrics and how to grade experiments'

Insufficient evidence to assess alignment with NGSS standards, though the curriculum appears to be designed as a specialized elective course rather than core standards-based instruction.

No mention of NGSS alignment in the review; described as marine biology specialization course