Master's Class High School Biology

We like so many things about this book, but the number one thing is the pictures! Saved us so much money on buying a microscope. The kids could see so much more in the pictures than they ever would have found on a home or school microscope. Very thankful to Master Books for going above and beyond to provide such amazing microscope pictures.

I got this set for my eldest son when he was a ninth grader. He was dismayed to find the first chapters were chemistry based though he enjoyed the rest of the book.

I got this for my upcoming 9th grader after researching several different biology courses from different companies. They all seemed to be just information overload.
I am very pleased with this one though. It gives just the right amount of information and I think it will be great for a freshman getting used to the bigger high school workload.
Also, you can’t beat the Biblical aspect tied into this. It’s wonderful!

For my child who doesn't particularly like science and would rather not spend hours on it this was a good fit for her. Coming from Apologia (which is great-but a lot for a non-science minded student) this was a more laid back approach and gave her what she needed for this subject. One thing I did notice was that some of the teacher's answers given I had to go back and read that section to see if the student's answer was actually correct just in a different form. Some answers towards the end of the book were a little off but nothing I couldn't work with. Some labs did not work but I have found that through three different aged children sometimes that is just the case and you move on or supplement. Overall, great content, Christian based and easy to work!

CONCEPTS
Not bad but missing some key concepts or components. I noticed that there was no mention of the polymerase enzyme either DNA or RNA. So, in the chapter when it discusses transcription (p 159) there is no mention of the RNA polymerase as the enzyme responsible for the pre-mRNA strand. The same is the problem for the chapter on cell division. What is copying the DNA? There is no anatomy or physiology in this text if you are familiar with BJU Press's Biology text. A section or chapter on viruses would be nice. Viruses are mentioned but scatter through the text but not explained in detail. No epigenetics are mentioned. Yes, I understand you must cut of the content at some point, but just letting reviewers know.

ORGANIZATION
Organization could be better. I would insert section headers and label them, so you know the author is changing subjects. When explaining processes, it best to use nice large graphics and label the steps in the process versus trying to explain it in paragraph form. Blueprints, graphs, pictures do best explain processes.

LABS
Labs were a little week. Some did not work at all. Had to go to YouTube and find an alternative. For example, the DNA extraction from an apple or potato forget it. Use strawberries. They are octoploid, plenty of DNA and a great result. Photosynthesis did not work either. Wound up using another lab. Some of the labs were not associated with the chapter content. Masterbooks should use it's YouTube channel or other video channel to produce videos for its labs so it can be seen what exactly the materials are being used and the procedure.

REVERENCE FOR GOD
Dr. Englin does a wonderful job revering God and so it is not a text with a few flurries of scripture which a lot of Christian curriculum are.

LASTLY
The expected wrong answers in the answer key. Just a few, not a big deal.

CONCLUSION
Add some of key content that was left out, organized the content a bit better, tighten up the labs, maybe use videos and revise the answer key and by the third edition you'll have a mature text.

P.S. The last three chapters regarding origins was particularly good.

This biology course goes into depth of talking about the living things. It intervenes chemistry into biology. The author explains that it is important to understand chemistry to understand biology, so he explains so basics of chemistry to review or learn, so everyone can be on the same page.
I really like that the author explains things through christian worldview. He breaks down concepts and includes labs to help students to solidify them. The labs are engaging, informational and tie well with the lessons. They are also not hard to do.
I also like how conversational the tone of this book is and that it is not as technical, boring as I've encountered growing up. Even the way he explains vocabulary words is in conversational tone verses making it super formal and a bit stressful as I am used to growing up.
I think this book is beautifully done and I am excited for my kids to use it.
I have the digital copy of this course.

This is a great science text. My only drawback is that the first four chapters are more along the lines of chemistry with a biological focus than to be strictly about biology. Then it goes into cells, dna, genetics, and reconciliation between the biblical creation account and science (macro vs micro). Overall a fairly good book and even the labs at the end of each chapter are really good and easy enough to accomplish at home (with the recommended kit).

Biology can be a complex subject to study. After all, when you are diving into the study of all living organisms, there's definitely a lot to grasp and take in. It's so important to find curriculum that is going to help students connect with what they are trying to learn. What I love about this particular Biology course from Master Books is that everything is taught from a Christian worldview. The lessons encompass God's living creation, while also coupling them with modern day advances in science, so students are getting the best of both worlds when it comes to the study of biology. This makes everything all the more fun and exciting!

Each chapter in the student text breaks down the main objectives for that lesson right in the beginning. The entire course encompasses a strong hands-on approach, which is great! While you initially have your reading portion of each lesson, it doesn't just stop there. After each lesson has been completed, a lab is tied in to bring everything together. I find this to be extremely important, especially with all the subject matter that the study of biology entails. Since there is a lot to take it, just reading text and trying to memorize everything may not be enough. That is why the course challenges students with these hands-on lab activities and real life practice, in turn, giving them a better understanding of what they're learning

This also fulfills a high school science (with lab) credit requirement, which is wonderful. The course is quite comprehensive covering topics that include, but not limited to cell systems, biomes, energy, ecosystems, genetics/DNA, animal/plant classifications, and human origins. Since this is biology from a Creation perspective, there are some discussions spread throughout the lessons about evolution in comparison to God's great design. These discussions offer living proof of the Lord's purposeful plan for all life forms. The text provides detailed (and logical) examples of how evolution just simply cannot be the reasoning behind many of the events that take place in the world of science. The author does a wonderful job at settling the debates with backed up evidence, which is fantastic! The course offers a well-rounded introduction to biology, providing a solid foundation on the study of all living organisms. It's an extremely helpful course to not only satisfy the requirement for a high school lab science, but also helps prepare students for future courses and studies in related subject matter.

Biology from Master Books is a 300+ page high school level science book perfect for students who want to study science, but also know that God is key to all things in life including Creation. This entire science book is taught from a Christian worldview.

Right from the first page, your student is immersed in the study of living things in an easy-to-understand format. Starting with a brief overview of the history of Biology, you then embark on a small study on chemistry and chemical compounds – but don’t confuse yourself, because this is not a chemistry book. However, a brief understanding of chemistry and how molecules bond is necessary. The following 27 chapters cover topics such as water, cells, biomes, ecosystems, energy, DNA and genetics, plant taxonomy and more. Each chapter is easy to read, comes with colorful images, and includes objectives at the beginning, vocabulary words with definitions, and a lab. A full glossary, with definitions and corresponding page numbers, is included at the end of the text.

As a family who typically orders science materials from another company, I am seriously impressed with this addition to the Master Books line up. My two high school students are excited to try this book out themselves this year.

"Study of Living Things" - such a great way to introduce a biology course. This biology course is thorough, easy to read and full of great pictures and diagrams. Each chapter gives a list of objectives and and vocabulary words which are great study tools. The labs instructions are clear and easy to follow and are given in the student book - although the lab manual would be a definite asset for keeping things easily organized. We loved the often complex yet beautiful pictures that accompany every chapter. This course peaked the interest of my 9'th grader who insisted he wasn't interested in Biology. A great asset to anyone looking for a biology credit.