CrossWired Science (A REVIEW)

This review is a bit different than any review I've done before, and it's because we had the opportunity to try out a new science program that is still in the works, but we were able to start using it as sort of a beta test. CrossWired Science has given us (so far) Sound, and Fluid Dynamics to try out, and more units are coming soon. There is so much fun stuff in this science program, even with just the 2 units we received that I look forward to the rest as it rolls out, and as it is fine tuned even more I think it will be an awesome science curriculum. My boys actually asked to do CrossWired Science first each school day!

CrossWired Science homepage

CrossWired Science is an online/video based science curriculum. Every lesson includes a video and a quiz to complete after the lesson. For example in the first unit, Fluid Dynamics, when clicked on it opens up to a whole page of lessons. The student starts with the first video/image and it opens up a video to watch along with a quiz to take. Once the student completes the video and quiz that part of the lesson is checked off. Then they can move onto the next image (See next picture for example).

The lesson page with images to show student what they need to work on.

Along with videos to watch there are also experiment pages, general link pages, activity pages, field trip pages, and more. where the student has to complete things and submit a paragraph or 2 about what they did. There are so many great choices within those different pages that my boys have kind of gotten stuck. They want to do some of the more involved science experiments (like raise fish in a fish tank) which is awesome, but it has taken us a little more time to figure those out because we have had to go to the fish store and price things out. There are some easy experiments too! I keep trying to convince them to do one of the easier experiments, but I do love all the choices within this science curriculum. So many ways to make great connections in science with the videos and the world around us.

A glimpse of some of the experiments offered in the Fluid Dynamics unit.

The videos are so fun to watch, and they keep the kids' attention so well. Most of them involve images and clips of things to help explain the concept. There are also people that talk about the science concepts and explain the things that are happening within the video. They tell stories, and explain things with language that kids can understand easily while also introducing new vocabulary words and explaining them. CrossWired science is an integration of many different kinds of sciences which is why it is called CrossWired. It crosses science from different topics so that you can see how it all works together. I think this is an excellent way to learn science, and love this idea.

This is a shot of the screen while the video is playing. It can also fit the screen if the student wants.

What ages is CrossWired science for? Any! It is good for preschoolers all the way up through high school. How is this possible? CrossWired science says this:

 "One of the favorite CWS mantras is “What you sow at 4, grows at 5 and shows at 6.” This means that what children begin to absorb at four, grows in their understanding when they are five and much is added to it."

The videos are done in such a way that they are interesting for all ages, and the concepts are explained in such a way that it is advanced for an older child, and the younger child just benefits from what he/she can understand. I had my 2nd, 5th, and 7th grder working on this. They enjoyed all of it, even at their different levels. Obviously the older the child the more they'll be able to do without a parents help. My boys are mostly able to complete it on their own with help from me for the activites and experiments. I am all for a curriculum with less for me to do!

I really enjoy this curriculum. I love the depth the lessons go into, but also the freedom it has with regards to experiments and activities. The videos are just fun and packed with information. There is just so much science fun with CrossWired Science! I really recommend you take a look. It is still in development stages, but it is improving each day, and has improved a lot even in our review period.

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