With its novel song-based approach, easy to read texts and straightforward worksheets, Lyrical Life Science can provide thorough, approachable science lessons that are not only effective but a lot of fun, too.
What We Like
But watch out for…
What Is Lyrical Life Science?
Created by educators and former homeschooling parents Doug and Dorry Eldon and published by Lyrical Learning, Lyrical Life Science is a science curriculum that uses classic songs as a way of helping students understand and remember important science facts and concepts.
In addition to music, lessons in the program make use of approachably written texts, student workbooks and even a number of activities that families can try.
What Ages Or Grades Is Lyrical Life Science Intended For?
Lyrical Life Science is largely designed for students in grades 5-9 and is broken up into three volumes or levels.
| Volume | Topical coverage |
| Volume 1 | Overview of life science |
| Volume 2 | Mammals, ecology and biomes |
| Volume 3 | The human body |
Despite its fun incorporation of song and music, the program is pretty serious about science education and the coverage and depth of science information are kept at around a middle school science level, making its recommended grade levels pretty accurate in our opinion.
That said, Lyrical Life Science’s use of music and catchy science fact-based lyrics, combined with its engaging, clearly written and straightforward textbooks and practice, means that is can be used as a resource for more precocious science learners, particularly if parents are willing to modify the learning somewhat by skipping its essay questions or by going over the texts together with the student, for example.
Older students, too, may enjoy the program as a way of brushing up on essential life science facts, and many may even enjoy the songs, although it is important to note that the program doesn’t quite reach the complexity or topical coverage of a high school Biology course
What’s Required To Teach Lyrical Life Science?
Lyrical Life Science is fairly typical of most traditional science programs, being mostly based on a text and student workbook.
Having a song-based element also means that parents will have to purchase CD/MP3s of the course music, which we’ll discuss a little later on, as well as supplies for any of the recommended hands-on activities.
Lyrical Life Science Text
As might be expected, the Lyrical Life Science text contains the instructional material used for the course, including its science lessons , sheet music for the songs, recommended links and some end-of-chapter activities for parents and students to try at home.
A soft cover, black and white 92-112 page book, the text is somewhat like a textbook, albeit a little more approachable and easy to follow, often making use of plain english explanations alongside technical terms.
The Lyrical Life Science text is also illustrated.
While it doesn’t really have the same kind of full-color, glossy photos found in some other elementary/middle school science programs (such as Elevate Science, for example), it does contain a wide variety of hand-drawn, realistic illustrations that can be quite helpful when it comes to understanding or visualizing more abstract concepts.
The drawings can also be quite fun at times, with a definite sense of humor to them, and generally help break up the text so that it isn’t quite as intimidating to go through.
Parents should keep in mind, however, that not every student will be a fan of these black and white drawings, given that their traditional look tends to be in stark contrast to the modern, brightly colored illustration and animations that kids are used to.
Student Workbook
Lyrical Life Science largely reinforces its learning through the use of various exercises found in its student workbook.
Like the text, the student workbook is a black and white softcover book that contains a variety of workbook-style problems, such as fill in the blanks (which serve to review song lyrics), true and false questions, matching activities, labeling exercise, short answer and longer, critical thinking-oriented questions.
Although not the most exciting to look at or use, by and large the workbook is fairly well-laid out and straightforward to use, having clear instructions and a simple design that makes them easy for students to use on their own, which is always nice.
Approach To Teaching Science
Music-based Mnemonic Learning
Lyrical Life Science stands out a bit from the various other homeschool science curricula we’ve looked at in that it includes a very distinct, musical component.
Throughout the course of each volume, science concepts are first introduced through various songs, with Lyrical Learning re-tooling traditional American fireside classics (such as Clementine, Oh Suzanna or Yankee Doodle Dandy) with science facts.
The resulting songs are pretty fun and touch on a wide array of topics, such as the human immune system, respiratory system, invertebrates, cell walls and more, as can be seen in the video below.
They’re also put together pretty well and are performed by American folk singer/musician Bobby Horton, which is pretty cool.
Aside from being fun to listen to, however, Lyrical Learning’s use of songs as part of learning can have a few advantages.
In essence, songs are used in Lyrical Life Science as a kind of mnemonic device, being used as a way to help students remember a fair amount of facts without having to do a ton of directed drill.
With their catchy tunes and clever lyrics, the songs act as so-called “earworms”, sticking in a student’s mind after a few plays and allowing them to recall facts and concepts quickly.
Learning facts and concepts through song is a method that seems to be backed up by research, as their alternative method of explaining ideas and the greater student engagement that results from their use has been found to have a positive impact on memory retention and conceptual understanding.
More than that, however, the inclusion of songs in the program adds a multisensory component to science learning that can be very welcome, particularly to those with a more auditory learning preference.
Parents should be aware, however, that the songs are pretty traditional.
While our testers found them to be quite fun to sing along to, other students (and parents) may prefer something a bit more modern and may not engage with the material quite as much.
Traditional Science Learning Model
Aside from the inclusion of music, Lyrical Life Science follows a pretty traditional teaching format.
The program’s main instructional material is located in its textbook and students do most of their subsequent review and practice in a science workbook.
Newer editions of the program’s texts also include links to outside resources, such as youtube videos or an assortment of audio/visual online resources, which can be used to enhance lessons and offer alternative explanations to improve student understanding.
As with other science curricula, Lyrical Life Science texts also include a number of different activities that students and parents can try out that add a hands-on component, typically using common household items to achieve some pretty interesting results.
Students might, for example, extract DNA at home, create a poster/mini-mural of a cell, bake Golgi cookies and so on.
By and large, this structure is consistent, clear and straightforward enough for most fluid readers to be able to do on their own, which is a significant advantage for busier parents.
Further, although it’s not a groundbreaking method of teaching science, Lyrical Life Science’s textbooks and workbooks can provide pretty in-depth coverage of scientific concepts with solid, un-intimidating practice.
Neutral
Although the curriculum’s creators are Christian, Lyrical Life Science is a neutral science curriculum.
The program does not cover evolution, the origins of the universe or the fossil record but also doesn’t teach creationism, young Earth or make any biblical references.
As a result, it can be a good option for most homeschooling families, who can supplement these topics as they see fit.
On the flip side, however, it does mean that the program may not be the most suitable for those specifically looking for a secular or strongly faith-based science curriculum.
How It Works
On the whole, Lyrical Life Science is a straightforward science program.
Each volume in the series is divided into a number of chapters (11-13), and each chapter explores a particular concept in Life Science, touching on a number of key topics and/or systems as it does so.
For example, in volume three, a chapter about the human digestive system explores, in turn, nutrients, the mouth, the stomach, the small and large intestine and so on.
Each chapter also has its own song, which makes the program pretty musically rich as a whole.
One thing to note is that the length of each chapter varies depending on the complexity of the topic it explores, with some being only a couple pages long and others being considerably longer.
For the most part, the pace of Lyrical Life Science is left up to the parent but should take about a year to go through if done at a song a week progression.
In terms of its lessons, Lyrical Life Science follows a pretty consistent pattern.
Students (and parents) first listen to the chapter song, which lays out all the key words and ideas of the chapter and acts as a sort of catchy overview of sorts.
We would probably suggest that students and/or parents make a habit of reading along or reviewing the lyrics immediately afterwards to make sure that they understand the main idea (as well as to help get the song to stick).
Following this, students are expected to read the text, which provides a more formal and thorough introduction to scientific facts and ideas.
The texts helpfully highlight key science terms, for easy vocabulary study, and also include the lyrics and sheet music for each song, which can be useful should more musically-inclined families want to recreate or integrate music-based activities into a week’s lessons.
At the end of each chapter, as we’ve mentioned, are a number of links and short activities that parents and students can try out, which can add some audio-visual and hands-on learning to the program and make things a bit more engaging for students.
Finally, students move on to a dedicated practice and review section in their workbook.
Each chapter contains about three pages worth of workbook exercises, which are broadly split into three different types.
- Fill in the blanks – students fill in missing lyrics to each section of the song, a kind of dedicated review that can help strengthen the songs mnemonic properties.
- Quiz-style questions – these relatively quick sections assess comprehension, knowledge and fact retention and can take the form of multiple choice, true or false or labeling exercises.
- Essay section – These include a number of open-ended questions in both short answer form and a longer, “dig deeper” format that challenges students to synthesize knowledge and apply some critical thinking skills, something we always appreciate in a science program,
Our Thoughts
Overall, we feel that Lyrical Life Science can be a very interesting and useful option for many homeschooling families.
The program’s songs are catchy, memorable, fact-filled, easy to listen to and can generally be a fun addition to the formal science readings.
They can also be a much more engaging and less stressful way of helping students remember key facts without having to do a lot of memory work or drill.
Similarly, the Lyrical Life Science textbooks tend to explain concepts in a very clear manner using plain, easy to understand language.
At the same time, however, they offer surprisingly deep coverage of science concepts, including important life science terminology and facts that students should know.
Lyrical Life Science also tends to be very easy to follow, with a sequential and fairly simple lesson structure that can be fairly adaptable.
There are very few required activities and lessons can, as a whole, be modified or added to to suit just about any homeschooling preference or student, making it very amenable to personalization.
Parents can, for example, choose to use the program for its songs or its text, add different activities to its lessons, select certain workbook activities to match a student’s skills (or include none at all) or use the program as part of a larger unit study in another curriculum.
Finally, because of the program’s fairly linear structure, as well as its plainwritten and approachable textbooks, Lyrical Life Science can support a good deal of independent learning, which we like.
Students in grades 4-9 should be able to listen to the songs, read the accompanying textbook and answer the relevant exercises on their own, with parents only really needing to oversee learning and any hands-on activity that they choose to include.
As a result, Lyrical Life Science can be an excellent choice for busy homeschools.
On the downside, as we’ve mentioned previously, not every student will be a fan of the program’s folk-inspired songs, which can limit its appeal somewhat.
Further, based on readings and workbook activities, Lyrical Life Science is not necessarily the most technologically forward way of approaching science learning, nor is it the most experiential.
In addition, the program doesn’t integrate demonstrations or formal experimentation quite as tightly into its lessons as some other programs we’ve seen (such as Science Fusion), with Lyrical Learning themselves recommending that parents add hands-on activities and field trips to provide a more holistic STEM learning experience.
Pros And Cons
Pros
Very affordable life science program
Generally speaking, parents can pick up a full volume of Lyrical Life Science, including its songs and textbook, for under $35.
As a result, it should be able to fit most homeschool budgets pretty comfortably.
Novel, musical approach to teaching facts
Lyrical Life Science includes a variety of interesting and fun science-based songs that use the structures and tunes of classic American folk songs in order to help students remember science concepts and facts a little better.
As a result, the program doesn’t really rely on an excess of drill activities that might stress out or intimidate students.
Approachably written textbook
Lyrical Life Science’s textbook is engagingly written and uses clear, plainspoken English to introduce and explain scientific concepts and facts in a way that is less likely to confuse or scare students.
Surprisingly thorough science learning
Although we believe it to be a very gentle and approachable way of learning science, Lyrical Life Science explains all the necessary terminology and concepts touched on by a typical middle school curriculum, and does so in a fair amount of depth and complexity.
As a result, lessons in the program aren’t just fun to go through but can provide students with a solid science background, as well.
Very flexible and easy to use
By and large, Lyrical Life Science is a fairly open-ended and flexible program whose components can be easily adjusted, added to or modified to suit many different homeschooling styles.
It can be, with a little more hands-on work, used as a complete Life Science curriculum or have some of its elements integrated into a broader curriculum.
Supports self-study
Lyrical Life Science’s lessons are clearly structured and its materials fairly easy to understand and use, which in turn means that students will be more able to use the program on their own without getting lost.
In addition to helping students develop stronger independent learning skills, this can help make things easier for busy homeschooling parents.
Cons
Not the most advanced technologically
By and large, Lyrical Life Science is a fairly traditional homeschool curriculum and, aside from its internet links, doesn’t really make a lot of use of a lot of technology for teaching science that we’ve seen in other programs, such as virtual labs, virtual science tools, video games, online learning platforms and so on.
Music isn’t necessarily to everyone’s taste
Lyrical Life Science’s music is very traditional, being based on fairly well-known American folk songs.
While we enjoyed it, it may not be as appealing to those who are into more modern forms of music.
Who Is Lyrical Life Science Ideal For?
Students who prefer auditory learning methods
The rather unique inclusion of science-based songs as part of its lessons (as well as external audio/video links) can make Lyrical Life Science very appealing to students with auditory learning preferences, who are often left out by other multisensory science programs.
Those interested in adding music and song to their studies
Some homeschooling families enjoy taking a more holistic and varied approach to their learning and many, such as those following a Charlotte Mason or those who are musically-inclined, may enjoy the songs and music that is part and parcel of Lyrical Life Science.
Those looking for a student-friendly way of learning life science
With its approachable textbook, fun songs and straightforward workbook exercises, Lyrical Life Science is a very student-friendly curriculum and can be a good option for students who are intimidated by science classes or have had bad experiences in the past.
Those interested in adding some fun elements to their existing curriculum
Lyrical Life Science’s open-ended nature and fewer prescribed activities means that parents can easily choose some of its unique elements (such as its fun songs or approachably-written textbook) to add to an existing curriculum.
Those looking to promote independent learning
Finally, Lyrical Life Science is a well laid-out program that students should have little issue studying on their own, which can promote independent learning habits and skills.
Who Is It Not Ideal For?
Those who aren’t fans of traditional, American folk music
Although a lot of fun, Lyrical Life Science’s lessons are based on traditional American folk music and may not appeal to those interested in rock, R&B or other more modern musical styles.
Those looking for a strongly secular or faith-based science curriculum
Lyrical Life Science is a neutral curriculum that leaves concepts such as evolution or creationism up to parents to instruct as they see fit.
While this should be fine for most homeschools, it may be an issue for those looking for a curriculum that is either completely secular or strongly faith-based.
Price
Note: Prices correct as of writing. Prices in USD.
For the most part there really isn’t a lot for parents to buy, store and maintain with Lyrical Life Science, with the key elements being the textbook, student workbook and the program’s songs.
A full volume set of the program (all three components) generally can be picked up for around $29.50.
The text and a CD of the songs, meanwhile, can be purchased for around $23.95, the textbook on its own for $10.95 (print, $9.95 for an ebook) while the student workbook (on its own) can be purchased for $5.95 (or $4.95 in ebook form).
As always, parents should check out the latest prices for the program, as well as any offers or specials that may apply.
Or
Is It Worth The Price
In addition to being pretty affordably priced, we feel that Lyrical Life Science can provide a lot of value to the right homeschooling families.
It offers a pretty novel approach to life science, being filled with songs and music that can make it easier for students to remember key facts and concepts and that can be of great benefit to auditory learners.
At the same time, its clearly written texts provide pretty in-depth learning, covering all the vocabulary and scientific concepts one would expect from a middle school science curriculum,
Finally, Lyrical Life Science is exceptionally easy to use and can be studied by most students on their own, which can be something of a boon for busier homeschools.
Bottom Line
Filled with facts and a broad array of challenging concepts, Life Science can sometimes be a challenging subject to teach at home.
With its novel song-based approach, easy to read texts and straightforward worksheets, Lyrical Life Science can provide thorough, approachable science lessons that are not only effective but a lot of fun, too.
About the Author
David Belenky is a freelance writer, former science and math tutor and a tech enthusiast. When he’s not writing about educational tech, he likes to chill out with his family and dog at home.