Dr. Rebecca Keller, founder, recommends beginning with chemistry, moving to biology, and then taking up physics, repeating that order for each age level. Each text contains 10 lessons, and each lesson includes a lab. Typically one lesson is taught per week. Generally, a subject is taught in a semester.

Together, they build a framework – or context – for science, so the student sees how science is a part of everyday life. The Kogs show how the progression of science connects with other subjects such as history, language, the arts, philosophy, technology and critical thinking. This strengthens the student’s ability to organize information and promotes discernment, analysis and evaluation skills – known as “critical thinking” – across all areas of study.

When students learn to ask questions logically and then analyze results in science, they gain discernment and evaluation skills. These are known as “critical thinking,” and these skills can be applied across all areas of study. The system of discovery learned in science class teaches students how to think through questions and data clearly and provides a transferable process for learning.

The inherent analysis and problem-solving methodology taught by RS4K in science textbooks should not stand alone, however. Processes such as considering parallels, differences, time lines, and other aspects of scientific concepts should be applied to language, history, philosophy, technology and the arts. Since learning occurs in stages that require repetition, exposure to key concepts in multiple contexts promotes internalization of those concepts, and that promotes true understanding. These are the reasons Gravitas developed Kogs-4-Kids.

This unique science curriculum introduces elementary and mid-school students to four core scientific disciplines – chemistry, biology, physics, and earth and space. Subjects are divided into levels, or grade ranges as follows:
Pre-Level: grades K – 3 (Chemistry and Biology currently available); Level 1: grades 4 – 6 (Chemistry, Biology, and Physics currently available); and Level 2: grades 7 – 9 (Chemistry only currently available).

Home schoolers in all 50 states, as well as in Latin America, South America, Europe, New Zealand, Australia, Canada, Japan, and Korea, now use Real Science-4-Kids. An active Yahoo group of 1,200+ maintains notes on the curriculum. In addition, a number of charter, private and public schools use RS4K.

Each curriculum teaches bona fide terms and concepts in digestible pieces. This means that children learn essential things well, thereby developing a foundation for higher science, rather than simply learning a random collection of facts.