SCIENCE BOOKS FOR A SENSE OF WONDER
Anatomy and Health for elementary graders:
Germs Make Me Sick by Melvin Berger, Marilyn Hafner
Germs! Germs! Germs! (Hello Science Reader Level 3)by Bibbi Kate, Steve Bjorkman 0060242507
What Makes You Ill (Usborne) $4.96 Basic Info about germs and viruses and immune systems
The Human Body: A First Discovery Book, Sylvaine Rawls, Gallimard Jeunesse 0590738763
The True Book Of Your Body Alice Hinshaw
Watch Me Grow: Fun Ways to Learn about Cells, Bones,Muscles, and Joints by Michelle O’Brien-Palmer (ages 5-9) 1-55652-367-X
The Body Book
The Magic School Bus Inside the Human Body by Cole (Scholastic) $4.99
Oliver’s Vegetables, Vivian French, Alison Bartlett
The Children’s Book Of The Body, Anna Sanderman, Ian Thompson (4-8) 076130519X
Usborne Flip Flap Body Book (three volumes in one: What Happens to your food?/How Do Your Senses Work / How are Babies Made?) Cartoon-style but nicely done and stimulating
The Bones Book / Book and Skeleton, Stephen Cumbaa, Kim La Fare (includes model)
Everyone Poops, Taro Gomi (Japanese version available)
The Gas We Pas: The Story of Farts, Shinta Cho, Amanta Mayer Stinchecum (Japanese version available)
The Holes In Your Nose, (My Body science series), Genichiro Yagyu, Amanda (Japanese version available)
Contemplating Your Bellybutton, Jun Nannao (Japanese version available)
All About Scabs (My Body Science Series) Genichiro Yagyu (Japanese version available)
The Brain, Our Nervous System, Simon Seymour (4-8) 0688170609
Hear Your Heart by Paul Showers
I Wonder Why I Blink, Kingfisher I Wonder Why series
Why I Sneeze, Shiver, Hiccup and Yawn by Melvin Berger (Let’s Read-and-Find-Out Science)
My First Look At Touch, DL
My Five Senses, Aliki(4-8 yrs)
My Five Senses, Margaret Miller
On The Move by Deborah Helligman
I Can Feel By Touching by Carolyn Otto (4-8yrs)
The Amazing Pull-Out Pop Out Body In a Book, David Hawes
The Amazing Pop-Up Body In a Book, (Dorling Kindersley)
The Skeleton Inside Of You, Philip Balestrino, True Kelley 0064450872
It’s Perfectly Normal. Changing Bodies, Growing Up. Sex & Sexual Health by Robbie Harris, Michael Emberly
Busy Feet, Elizabeth, Elaine Watson
Wheelchair Story Rachel, Elizabeth Fanshawe
The New Baby, Ruth and Harold Shane, (Golden book)
The Private Zone
Face Talk, Hand Talk, Body Talk, Sue Castle
Anna’s Silent World, Bernard Wolf
Lisa and Her Soundless World, Edna S. Levine
The Noisy Brook, Margaret Wise Brown
The Berenstein Bears Visit The Dentist, Stan & Jan Berentstein
Spectacles, Ellen Raskin
Why Do People Eat? Usborne
What’s Inside You? Usborne
The Human Body A First Discovery Book
Looking at the Body by David Suzuki suggests good hands-on experiments and quizzes
My Amazing Human Body CD Rom (4-8) 0789422395 (Multimedia)
Anatomy for middle graders:
Usborne Young Scientist Human Body $6.95
The Human Body by Vriesenga $10. 96 A collection of reproducible blackline worksheet and activity masters all having to do with human anatomy and physiology. Available from http://www.sonlight.com
Every Body Has a Body, Robert Rockwell
How The Body Works, Reader’s Digest:
Eyewitness Visual Dictionary of the Human Body, Dorling Kindersley
Start Exploring Gray’s Anatomy: A Fact-Filled Coloring Book, Stark Fred
Human Anatomy Coloring Book, Margaret Matt, $2.95
Blood and Guts: A Working Guide to Your Own Insides by Allson $13.95 Available from http://www.sonlight.com
High School Anatomy (Grades 9-12):
A.D.A.M. The Inside Story CD Rom $39.95
(British) Gray’s Anatomy, Collector’s Edition
Biology: A Self-Teaching Guide, Steven D. Garber
The Eyewitness Visual Dictionary of Human Anatomy, Richard Walker
Readings: Hippocrates, Medical Treatises
The History of Medicine by Tiner Fascinating account of the story of medicine from ancient physicians to modern genetic engineers, including the personal stories of key medical pioneers.
Earth Sciences (elementary graders):
The Magic School Bus Inside the Earth by Cole (Scholastic)
How We Learned The Earth Is Round, Patricia Lauber, Megan Lloyd
How Come, Planet Earth? By Kathy Wollard $12.95
Feel The Wind, Arthur Dorros, $3.96
The Sun, The Wind and The Rain, Lisa Westberg Peters ISBN 0805014810
The Little Island, Margaret Wise Brown
Kipper’s Weather (baby-toddler)
One Morning In Maine, Rober McCloskey
Flash, Crash, Rumble and Roll, Franklyn Branley, Ed Emberley
The Cloud Book by Tomie de Paola (Reading Rainbow Book) friendly way to help kids remember cloud names and forms
Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs by J. Barrett For 3-7 yrs, story about strange weather with meatball falling out of the sky
Deserts by Gail Gibbons
Desert Life, Ruth Kirk
Rocks and Minerals, Herbert Zim
Let’s Go Rock Collecting, Roma Gan, Holly Keller 0064451704 $3.96
Water, Concept Science by Colin Walker 081362767 (Modern Curriculum Press)
Follow The Water from Brook to Ocean, Arthur Dorros
Rain Drop Splash, Alvin Tresselt]]The Strom Book Charlotte Zolotow
Down Comes The Rain (Let’s Read And Find Out Science), Franklyn Branley, James Hale 0064451666
What Will The Weather Be? Lynda Derwitt, Carolyn Croll
What Is Weather? B. John Syrocki, EdD
Weather: Air Masses-Clouds-Rainfall-Storms-Weather Map, Paul Lehr, R.Will Burnett, ,Herbert Zim, Golden Nature Books
Sunshine Makes The Seasons, Guilio Maestro, Branley 0064450198 (includes an experiment showing effect of tilt of the earth)
Flash, Crash, Rumble and Roll by Franklyn Branley
When Winter Comes by Robert Maas (Scholastic) Bright cheery pictures suitable for preschool – K reading
Also When Spring Comes; When Autumn Comes; When Summer Comes
Caps, Mittens, Socks and Mittens: A Book About Four Seasons, Louise Borden, Lillian Hoban 0590448722
About The Seasons Activity Book (4-8) 0590448722 $2.54
Four Stories About Four Seasons, Tomie De Paola, 0590462962 $2.54
A Child’s Introduction To The Four Seasons, Maria Rius, Jose Maria Parramon (for the very young preschooler)
Round and Round The Seasons Go, Rozanne Lanzak Williams, Roseanne Litzinger 0916119408 Also The Four Seasons
Be Blest: A Celebration of Seasons by Mary Beth Owens (all ages); 0-689-80546-2
How’s The Weather? : A Look At Weather and How It Changes (Discovery Readers) 0064451631
How Mountains Are Made by Kathleen W. Zoehfeld, James Graham Hale, 0064451283
Volcanoes by Simon Marc Branley, 0064450597
Volcano: The Eruption and Healing of Mount St. Helens by Jim Latimer (ages 7-10)
Earthquakes by Richard Rosenblum, F.M. Branley
The Snowy Day, Ezra Jack Keats (children’s literature)
White Snow, Bright Snow by Alvin Tresselt, Roger Puvoisin (ill) Preschool to early elementary literature
Snow Is Falling by Franklyn Branley
North, South, East, and West by Allan Flowler (Rookie Read-About Science) $4.95
For middle graders:
Snowflake Bentley by Jacqueline Briggs Martin
How The Earth Works, Reader’s Digest
Oceanography:
For elementary graders:
Oceans by Seymour Simon
Icebergs and Glaciers by Seymour Simon
What Is Water? Adaline Hagaman, M.S.
A Drop of Water by Walter Wick award winning photography and pictures of water suitable for younger children but difficult text including concepts of water tension make the book more suitable for middle graders
The Magic Schoolbus At the Waterworks by Joanna Cole
Waves, Herbert S.Zim
The Ocean Book : Aquarium and Seaside Activities and Ideas for All Ages by Center for Environmental Education
Grades PreK – 6 Published by John Wiley & Sons ISBN: 0471620785
The Ocean Book: Aquarium and Seaside Activities for all Ages, by the Center for Marine Conservation Staff, Grades PreK-6. Published by John Wiley & Sons, 1 Wiley Dr., Somerset, NJ 08875, 800/225-5945 .
Ocean (Eyewitness Series) by Miranda MacQuitty Grades 4 – 12 Published by Alfred Knopf ISBN: 0679873317
The Oceans Atlas by Anita Ganeri Grades 4 – 12 Published by Dorling Kindersley ISBN: 1564584755
Exploring the Seashore, William H Amos (National Geographic)
The Seashore, Noisy Book, Margaret Wise Brown (preschool – K)
I Wonder Why The Sea Is Salty ( Kingfisher I Wonder Why series)
At Last To The Ocean: The Story of the Endless Cycle Of Water, Joel Rothman
The Brook, Carol and Donald Carrick,
Rain, Rain Rivers, Uri Shulevitz (preschool – K)
What’s Under The Sea, Solveig
The Little Island, Margaret Wise Brown (literature reading) (preschool – K)
The Marine Biology Coloring Book, by Thomas Nielsen, Grades 7-12. Published by Harper Collins. Available from Farm Country General Store, Rt. 1, Box 63, Metamora, IL 61548 800/551-FARM.
Marine Biology coloring books from Dover Publications:
Whales and Dolphins, by John Green
Sharks of the World, by Lyn Hunter
Tropical Fish, by Stefan Bernath
Fishes of the North Atlantic, by Thomas C. Quirk, Jr.Grades 3-8. This company publishes a broad range of high quality, detailed coloring books that are inexpensive and educational for ALL ages. Write to them and request a free catalog at Dover Publications, 31 East 2nd Street, Mineola, NY 11501.
Let’s Investigate Slippery, Splendid Sea Creatures, by Madelyn W. Carlisle, (Let’s Investigate Series), Grades 3-7. Published by Barron’s Educational Series, Inc., 250 Wireless Blvd., Hauppauge, NY 11788, 800/645-3476 .
Don’t Blink Now! Capturing the Hidden World of Sea Creatures, by Ann Downer, (New England Aquarium Books), Grades 5-8. Published by Franklin Watts, 5450 Cumberland Ave., Chicago, IL 60656, 800/672-6672 .
How Did We Find Out About Life in the Deep Sea?, by Isaac Asimov, Grades 4-7. Published by Walker & Company, 720 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10019, 800/289-2553 .
The Strange Eating Habits of Ocean Creatures, by Jean Sibbald, Grades 4-8. Published by Silver Burdett, Simon & Schuster, Inc., Prentice Hall Bldg., Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632.
Deep Sea Vents: Living Worlds Without Sun, by John F. Waters, Grades 5 and up. Published by Dutton Childrens Books, Division of Penguin USA, 375 Hudson St., New York, NY 10014, 212/366-2000 .
videos for sea life studies:
Really Wild Animals: Deep Sea Dive, by National Geographic Kids Video, available from National Geographic.
Life in the Sea, by Questar Video. Available from Great Christian Books, 800/775-5422
***The Sea Around Us by Rachel Carson
Literature linked reading:
Moby Dick by Herman Melville and The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway
Trapped at the Bottom of the Sea, by Frank Peretti, (Cooper Kids Adventure Series), Grades 4-7. Published by Crossway Books, Division of Good News Publications, 1300 Crescent St., Wheaton, IL 60187, 800/323-3890 .
Island of the Blue Dolphin, by Scott O’Dell, Grades 3-7. A Dell Yearling Book, published by Dell Publishing Co., 1540 Broadway, New York, NY 10036, 800/233-6834 .
Lighthouse Mystery, by Gertrude C. Warner, (Boxcar Children Mysteries Series), Grades 2-7. Published by Albert Whitman and Co., 6340 Oakton St., Morton Grove, IL 60053, 800/255-7675 .
Astronomy for elementary graders :
First Guide to the Universe
The Magic School Bus Lost in the Solar System by Cole
How Come, Planet Earth? By Kathy Wollard $12.95
So That’s Why The Moon Changes Shape! by Allan Fowler (Rookie Read-About Science)
When You Look Up At the Moon by Allan Fowler (Rookie Read-About Science)
The Moon, by Michael Jay
The Moon Tonight, Gerald Hawkins
Starry Messenger, Peter Sis, The Story of Galileo (4-7)
The Moon Jumpers, Janice May Udry
Wait Till The Moon Is Full, Margaret Wise Brown
Night Sky Guide by the editors of Sky and Telescope Magazine $12.95 (user-friendly, tops for beginners, a moon map, planet finder)
The Planets In Our Solar System, Franklyn M. Branley, Kevin O’Malley 006445178X $3.96
Day Light, Night : Where Light Comes From, Stacey Scheuett, Franklyn Branley
I Want To Be An Astronaut, Byron Barton (for preschoolers)
One True Book: Astronauts, Carol Greene
Let’s Find Out About The Sun, Martha & Charles Shapp
The Day We Saw The Sun Come Up, Alice Goudrey
It Looked Like Spilt Milk, Charles Green Shaw
The Sun’s Asleep Behind the Hill, Mirra Ginsburg
Sun Up, Sun Down by Gail Gibbons (Scholastic)
What Is A Star, Daniel Q. Posin,
The Sky Is Full OF Stars, Franklyn Branley
Stars and Planets, Usborne 0746035241
Stars and Planets: The Usborne Young Scientist, $6.98
I Wonder Why Stars Twinkle and Other Questions About Space Carole Stolt, Kingfisher I Wonder Why series
Stars (A Guide to the Constellations Sun, Moon, Planets,and Other Features of the Heavens)
Comets, by Herbert S. Zim
Me And My Place In Space by Jan Sweeney, Annette Cable
Find The Constellations, H.A. Rey
The Night Sky — One Small Square by Donald M. Silver, Patricia J. Wynne (Illustrator) Published by McGraw-Hill ISBN: 0070580456 Stunning illustrations will teach kids about stars, planets, nebulae, comets, meteors, the moon, constellations, and classic myths…through focussing on one small square of night sky near Orion.
Eyewitness Activity Files: Space (GREAT material for those of you with space fans for students!) by Emma Bowden
Reading level: Ages 9-12 DK ISBN: 0789427923 (Folder full of loose historical document facsimiles–exciting news clips, pictures of Saturn taken with the Hubble Space Telescope’s wide field planetary camera, a 17-by-22-inch poster chronicling the neck-in-neck space race between the former Soviet Union and the United States to get a man on the moon, the first “handshake in orbit,” and tittilating factoids such as in 1984 a hive of honeybees traveled to space aboard the U.S. space shuttle Challenger? Or that the footprints left by Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin on the surface of the Moon will probably still be there in a 1,000 years time)
Earth Science and Astronomy For middle graders (The Planets and The Solar System; elements of the earth’s crust, parts of the earth; the continents, the plates, types of clouds, types of stars and characteristics):
How The Universe Works, Reader’s Digest $24
DK Visual Factfinder: Stars and Planets
Science in A Nutshell Series $32.98
Fossil formations; Rock Origins
The Glow-in-the Dark Night Sky book, Stephen Marchesi, clewit Hatchett $15
Spotter’s Guide: The Night Sky $4
Astronomy:The Galaxy Guide
Luminous Star Finder
Eyewitness Science : Astronomy Reference book
Astronomy : the earth and the sky (earth science and astronomy) for middle graders
Planet Earth, Visual Factfinders Series
Stars and Planets, Visual Factfinders series
Spotter’s Guide: The Night Sky
The Glow-in-the Dark Night Sky Book
The Stargazer’s Guide to the Galaxy
Nightwatch: A Practical Guide to Viewing the Universe by Terence Dickinson $29.95, Spiralbound; Firefly Books; ISBN: 1552093026 A very interesting, well-written guide for older kids & adults just getting into stars. Lots of good suggestions & references. (reviewer: Dave Carlson)
Stars and Planets by Ian Ridpath $18.95, Paper; DK Publishing; ISBN: 0789435217 One of the DK Handbooks, this book has great maps and explanations. Nice compact size. (reviewer: Dave Carlson)
Astronomy for high schoolers:
**Secrets of the Universe by Paul Fleisher
Galileo and the Magic Numbers by Sidney Rosen
Astronomy: A Self-Teaching Guide, Dinah L. Moche
Readings: Nicholas Copernicus, On the Revolutions Of The Heavenly Spheres
Johannes Kepler, Epitome of Copernican Astronomy, Harmonies of the World
Galileo Galilei, Dialogues Concerning Two New Sciences
Physics for elementary graders:
What Makes a Shadow, Clyde Ro bert Bulla, June Otani
The New Way Things Work by David Macaulay (ages 8 and above) $35 (science kit also available)
Switch On, Switch Off, Melvyn Berger, Carolyn Croll
What Makes a Magnet? True Kelley
What Is the World Made Of? All About Solids, Liquids and Gases by Kathleen Weidner8Let’s Read-and-Find-Out Science)
Air Is All Around You by Franklyn Branley
More Mudpies to magnets: Science for Young Children grades 1-4
Wood / Plastics / Air / Water / Glass / Metals (Modern Curriculum Press)
What Makes A Shadow, Clyde Robert Bulla, ISBN 0060229160. $15.89
It’s Melting, Learn To Read Science Series, CTP, ill Robin Koontz
What Is The World Made Of? All About Solids, Liquids, and Gases* Stage 2, Kathleen Zoehfeld, [Pant] Meisel
What’s In My Pocket? Rozanne Lanczak Williams, Lucyna A.M. Green (ill.), CTP (preschool book about shape, size, texture, solids)
Day Light, Night : Where Light Comes From, Stacey Scheuett, Franklyn Branley
How Do They Build It? Tim and Greg Hildebrandt
All About Electricity : Do It Yourself Science Book by Melvin Berger, Marsha Winborn (Illustrator) 4-8 Scholastic Trade ISBN: 0590480774
Blinkers and Buzzers : Building and Experimenting With Electricity and Magnetismby Bernie Zubrowski, Roy Doty (Illustrator) 9-12 yrs Beech Tree Books ISBN: 0688099653
Thomas A. Edison : Young Inventor (Childhood of Famous Americans Series) by Sue Guthridge, Wallace Wook (Illustrator) Ages 9-12 Aladdin Paperbacks ISBN: 0020418507
Batteries, Bulbs and Wires: Science Facts and Experiments (Young Discoverers Series) by David Glover, Grades 1 – 4 (Kingfisher Books, LKC, Inc.) ISBN: 1856976319
The Magic School Bus Taking Flight A Book about Flight by Joanna Cole (Scholastic)
Janice VanCleave’s Electricity: Mind-Boggling Experiments You Can Turn Into Science Fair Projects (Spectacular Science Projects Series) by Janice VanCleave,Grades 3 – 6, (John Wiley & Sons) ISBN: 0471310107
Benjamin Franklin: Young Printer (Childhood of Famous Americans Series) by Augusta Stevenson Grades 2 – 6
( Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division) ISBN: 0020419201
Samuel F. B. Morse: Artist With a Message (Sower Series), by John Tiner, Grades 3 – 8, (Mott Media) ISBN: 0880621370
Michael Faraday: Father of Electronics by Charles Ludwig Grades 6 – 10 (Herald Press) ISBN: 0836134796
Electricity Video Science Lab, includes an instructional video and lab worksheets, as well as the required electrical parts to perform the various lab experiments. Grades 4 – 7. Available from Farm Country General Store, Rt. 1 Box 63, Metamora, IL 61548. (800) 551-FARM
Science Lab in a Supermarket by Robert Friedhoffer
Science by Mail program sponsored by the Museum of Science, Boston, MA. Hands-on science program that links children with a working scientist. 1999-2000 programs include science of sports, imaging, planetary science, communications, simple machines, flight and more. Designed for kids 4th-8th grade organized into groups of 1-4 children.
Madame How and Lady Why by Charles Kingsley
Physics Lab in the Home by Robert Friedhoffer
Physics (Electricity/Light/Sound/3 Gas laws/ Force and Motion/ Time and Space)
Eyewitness Science books :Electricity (inventions); Force and Motion; Time and Space (op)
Janice Van Cleave’s Physics For Every Kid and/or
Adventures In Science $7.95 : Electricity/Color & Light; Magnetism; How Things Work
Kingfisher Science Encyclopedia $39.95 (a good reference book)
Basic physics for middle graders (5-8 graders):
Scientific Notebook: What We Used / What We Did / What Happened / What We Learned
A Drop Of Water : A Book Science and Wonder, Walter Wich ISBN 0590221973
Electricity (Eyewitness Science Series) by Steve Parker Grades 6 – 12, Dorling Kindersley ISBN: 1879431823
The Story of Thomas Alva Edison (Landmark Books Series) by Margaret Cousins, Grades 4 – 8, (Random House Books for Young Readers) ISBN: 0394848837
Story of Inventions by Frank P. Bachman
Louis Pasteur, Sower Series, Mott Media
It Couldn’t Just Happen by Lawrence Richards Non-evolutionary perspective of science
Science In A Nutshell (Not a living book, 8 kits featuring 8 areas):
Bubble Science; Charge It; Static Electricity ; Electrical Connections; Energy and Motion; Gears At Work; Magnet Magic; Sound Vibrations; Work-Plane and Simple.
Hundred Hands-On Science Experiments, Greenleaf Press $15.95 (experiments)
Powers of Ten About the Relative Size of Things in the Universe by Philip Morrison $22.95
Always Inventing by Tom L. Matthews
Physics Lab in a Housewares Store by Robert Friedhoffer
Fairy-Land of Science by Arabella Buckley (page images) text only
High School Physics:
Basic Physics-A Self-Teaching Guide by Karl Kuhne or
Saxon Physics Home Study Kit (technical, math-focused physics course)
Op: Physics Projects Kits $8.50 from Educational Designs : Crystal Radio; Electric Bell; Electric Motor; Electro-Magnetix)
Readings: Albert Einstein, Relativity: The Special and the General Theory (trans. Robert W. Lawson)
Aristotle, Physics (Classical reading)
Stephen Hawking, a Brief History of Time, Michael J Behrer, Darwin’s Black Box
Archimedes and the Door of Science by Jeanne Bendick A Science Biography
Ordinary Genius by Stephanie McPherson Science Biography
Albert Einstein and the Theory of Relativity by Robert Cwiklik Science Biography
Chemistry: Atoms and Molecules, what the elements are, how they interact(middle graders):
Kingfisher Science Encyclopedia
Adventures with Atoms and Molecules (choose from 60 experiments contained in first two books )
Janice Van Cleave, Chemistry For Every Kid: One Hundred One Easy Experiments That Really Work $11.95 from Education Connections
Games Element O.
Smithsonian Michrochem X M3000 $34.99 good complete chemistry set
Or Goose Eggs, Greensboro, NC The Wild Goose Company $5.00 Minilabs (Crystal farming/Hot frosty/ Micromucus/ Putty Buddies) or $29.99 for the Megalabs (Crash and Burn Chemistry/Kitchen Table Chemistry/Microcrysta Chemitry/Ooh Ahh Chemistry/Slime Chemistry)
High School Chemistry:
Chemistry: Concepts-Problems-a Self Teaching Guide by Clifford C. Houk, Richard Post
Brian Knap, ChemLab series, $285.00 12 volume series (illustrations,experiments and definitions)
Robert Boyle, The Sceptical Chemist (Classical readings)
Isaac Newton, Principia
Antoine Lavoisier, Elements of Chemistry
Euclid. Thirteen Books of Euclid’s Elements
DK Eyewitness Science: Chemistry
DK Science Encyclopedia (read chemistry section)
Periodic Poster, Nashua, NH: Delta Education $10.78 laminated poster
Physical world: Nature and Biology and Botany and Zoology (life science):
Handbook of Nature Study, Amy Comstock (Reference nature book for parent, it contains many beautiful readaloud scripts to be read to children)
The Country Diary Of an Edwardian Lady, Edith Holden. An inspiring example of how to make a nature notebook
A Sense of Wonder by Rachel Carson
grades 1-4:
Living World Encyclopedia $14.95 (referencebook, not a living book) Order http://www.sonlight.com
Roots and Shoots: All About Plants
The Usborne Complete First Book Of Nature (suitable from K upwards)
What’s Alive, Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld, Naine Bernaaaard Westcott, $3.96 ISBN 0064451321
Is It Alive? Kimberlee Graves, Robin Koontz
A Tree Is Nice, Marc Simont, Janice May Udry
The Dead Tree, Alvin Tresslet
From Seed to Plant by Gail Gibbons $6.95
Secrets of the Woods by William J. Long
How A Seed Grows by Helene Jordan, Loretta Krupinski
The Dandelion Seed by Joseph Anthony, Cris Arbo (winner of Ben Franklyn award)
The Everyday Trees, Gertrude D Allen (pencil drawings)
Maple Tree, Millicent E. Selsam
The Biggest Living Thing, Caroline Arnold (about Sequoia trees)
Trees, A Guide to Familiar American Trees, Herbert S. Zim
Why Do Leaves Change Color, Betsy Maestro, Loretta Krupinski
What’s Inside Of Plants, Herbert Zim
The True Book of Weeds and Wild Flowers, Illa Podendorf (water color drawings of most wildflowers)
Dandelion, Pokeweed and Goosefoot, How the early settlers used plants for food, medicine and in the home
The Reason For A Flower, Ruth Heller 0448144956 (about plant reproduction)
The Tiny Seed, Eric Carle (preschool)
Seed Song (Learn to read Read to Learn series from Creative Teaching Press) collage set to a simple poem for preschool to K level
The Carrot Seed, Ruth Karuss, Crockett Johnson, 0064432106 (preschool-early elementary)
What Makes A Flower Grow, Susan Meyes (Usborne Starting Point Science series
(other titles: also What Makes It Rain; What Makes You Ill)
Incredible Plants by Barbara Taylor
For middle graders:
The Young Naturalist by Andrew Introductory overview at all branches of science. $6.95 Available from Sonlight.com
Usborne Complete Book of the Microscope $14.95
Petersen’s Field Guides To Wildflowers, Forests
Petersen’s Coloring Books (choose from Mammals; Butterflies; Reptiles; Amphibians; Shells; Birds)
Japanese Plants Know Them & Use Them, Betty W. Richards,, Anne Kaneko, 4-07-975121-4 (Field Guide for adults, not really for children, has color photos)
Gardening For Kids:
Green Thumbs: A Kid’s Activity Guide to Indoor and Outdoor Gardening (ages 5-12) IPG 1-55652-238-X
In My Garden – A Child’s Gardening Book, Helen, Kelly Oehsli
Molly’s Woodland Garden, Jean Hudlow (planning and all steps)
TOPS #38 (Radishes) and 39 (Corn andBeans) Green Thumbs Order these science experiment cum gardening packs from http://www.sonlight.com
Physical world: animals; plants (life science) / Biology for for middle graders: Middle Graders 5-8:
Janice Van Cleave, Biology For Every Kid $11.99
Mysteries and Marvels of Nature (Usborne) $26.95
Christian Liberty Nature Reader 5 by Michael J. McHugh
Usborne Illustrated Encyclopedia of The Natural World
How Nature Works:One Hundred Ways Parents and Kids Can Share The Secrets Of Nature, David A Burnie
Keeping a Nature Journal: Discover a Whole New Way of Seeing the World Around You by Clare Walker Leslie and Charles E. Roth
Consider the Lilies: Plants of the Bible by John & Katherine Paterson (grades 4+);
For High School and beyond:
Darwin’s Black Box: The Biochemical Challenge to Evolution by Michael Behe; S&S 0-684-83493-6
Zoology and the Animal Kingdom:
What Is The Animal Kingdom? (The Science of Living Things) A Bobbie Kalman Book from the Crabtree Publishing Co 0-86505-889-X Available from montessori and such catalog
James Herriot’s Treasury for Children by James Herriot
Birds, A First Discovery Book, Scholastic
Fox and the Fire, Misha Miles
Rabbits, Herbert S.Zim
Baby Whales Drink Milkby Barbara Juster Esbensen, Lambert Davis
From Tadpoles to Frogs by Wendy Pfeffer, Holly Keller
From Butterfly to Caterpillar by Deborah Helligman
Seashores, A Guide to Animals and Plants Along the Beaches
The Beach Before Breakfast, Maxine W. Kumin
Houses from The Sea Alice E. Goudey (about seashells)
A Visit to the Aquarium, Aliki
My Goldfish, Miss Frances, Golden Book
The Marine Biology Coloring Book, by Thomas Nielsen, Grades 7-12. Published by Harper Collins. Available from Farm Country General Store, Rt. 1, Box 63, Metamora, IL 61548 800/551-FARM.
Marine Biology coloring books from Dover Publications:
Whales and Dolphins, by John Green
Sharks of the World, by Lyn Hunter
Tropical Fish, by Stefan Bernath
Fishes of the North Atlantic, by Thomas C. Quirk, Jr.Grades 3-8. This company publishes a broad range of high quality, detailed coloring books that are inexpensive and educational for ALL ages. Write to them and request a free catalog at Dover Publications, 31 East 2nd Street, Mineola, NY 11501.
Let’s Investigate Slippery, Splendid Sea Creatures, by Madelyn W. Carlisle, (Let’s Investigate Series), Grades 3-7. Published by Barron’s Educational Series, Inc., 250 Wireless Blvd., Hauppauge, NY 11788, 800/645-3476 .
Whales Mighty Giants of the Sea (National Geographic Society) by Ned and Rosalie Seidler Gorgeous pop-ups
Don’t Blink Now! Capturing the Hidden World of Sea Creatures, by Ann Downer, (New England Aquarium Books), Grades 5-8. Published by Franklin Watts, 5450 Cumberland Ave., Chicago, IL 60656, 800/672-6672 .
How Did We Find Out About Life in the Deep Sea?, by Isaac Asimov, Grades 4-7. Published by Walker & Company, 720 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10019, 800/289-2553 .
The Strange Eating Habits of Ocean Creatures, by Jean Sibbald, Grades 4-8. Published by Silver Burdett, Simon & Schuster, Inc., Prentice Hall Bldg., Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632.
Deep Sea Vents: Living Worlds Without Sun, by John F. Waters, Grades 5 and up. Published by Dutton Childrens Books, Division of Penguin USA, 375 Hudson St., New York, NY 10014, 212/366-2000 .
videos for sea life studies:
Really Wild Animals: Deep Sea Dive, by National Geographic Kids Video, available from National Geographic.
Life in the Sea, by Questar Video. Available from Great Christian Books, 800/775-5422
Look Out For Turtles, Melvin Burger, Mgan Lloyd (ill) 0064451569 $3.96
Lizard In The Son (A Just for a Day Book), Joanne Ryder, Michael Rothman, 068813081X
Snakes Are Hunters by Patricia Lauber
Snakes / Reptiles / Spiders, by Ramona Stewart Dupre, Kate Petty
The True Book of Spiders, by Illa Podendorf
A Snake’s Body, by Jonna Cole
The Frog by Margaret Lane
Grasshoppers by Robert E. Pfadt
The Icky Bug Alphabet Book, by Ralph Masiello, Jerry Pallotta (preschool to early elementary)
The Robin Book, Miss Frances, Golden Book
The Beginning Knowledge Book of Ants, by Anne Orth epple (preschool to early elementary)
Snails, by Sylvia A Johnson
Earthworms, by Simon Seymour
Ladybugs, by Sylvia A Johnson
Mammals, A Familiar American Species, by Herbret S. Zim and Donald Hoffmeister, Golden Nature Guide
Beavers, by Dorothy Wood
The First Book of Mammals, Margaret Williamson
Little Racoon, by Susan Noguerre (water color)
Bears, by Dorothy Wood
Animals Of The Bible, by Dorothy P Lathrop
My Visit To The Zoo, Aliki
Elephant Families by Arthur Dorros (Let’s-and-Find-Out Science)
Smokey the Bear, by Jane Werner, Golden Book
Wild Animals I Have Known, by Hope Ryden (for 9 yrs and above) photos by a National Geographic photographer
Sponges Are Skeletons, $4.21 0064451844
What Makes A Bird A Bird? By May Garelick
Robins Fly North, Robins Fly South, by John Kaufman
Make Way For The Ducklings,
How Do Birds Find Their Way by Roma Gans, Paul Mirocha
Bird Life in Wington, by John Calvin Reid
Birds Do The Strangest Things, by Hornblow
Zoomscope $15.00 a portable microscope with a built-in lighting system that magnifies from 20 X to 40Xs good for observing insects, leaves, etc. Great for camping and nature hikes. Purchase from Chinaberry.com
A Birdwatcher’s Guide To Japan,Mark Brazil, 11-0144734-9 \2200 This book gives a wonderful description of all the best birdwatching spots in Japan with detailed maps and trails and descriptions of birds to look out for. But it has one drawback, for identification purposes you still need the field guide below:
A Field Guide To The Birds of Japan, Txt by Wild Bird Society of Japan, Ill. Shinji Takano, 4-7700-1246-2,
For middle-graders onwards:
Animal: The Definitive Visual Guide to the World’s Wildlife by Don E. Wilson And David Burnie. Covers 2,000 species in stunning pictures and produced in cooperation with the Smithsonian Institution and more than 70 expert zoologists. Best Amazon.com science of the year
Wild Animals I Have Known by Ernest Thompson Seton
Ecology:
Earthways by Carol Petrash, Donald Cook (for ages 2-5 yrs) 20 project seasonal activities by a Waldorf teacher $16.95 (available from Chinaberry.com)
Where Does the Garbage Go? By Paul Showers
The River, David Bellamy
Oil Spill! By Melvin Berger
Who Eats What? Food Chains and Food Webs by Patricia Lauber (Let’s-Read-and-Find-Out Science)
Explore a Spooky Swamp, Wendy W. Cortesi, National Geographic Book
Life in Ponds & Streams, William H Amos (National Geog Book)
What Is A Biome? A Bobbie Kalman Book
A Tree Is A Home, Dr Alden Kelley, Kristen Kest (ill), 1574713159
Leaf & Tree Guide by Rona Beame Backyard Explorer (excellent for nature exploration by even the very young) Equipped with a notebook and leaf forms to be matched with collected samples
The Tree A First Discovery Book (Scholastic)
How To Hide A Polar Bear and Other Animals
The Arctic Land, .A Bobby Kalman book (World series 4 books) 0865051542 $7.61
Other titles in the series include: Arctic Animals / An Arctic community, William Kelsey
Animal Trackers series (OOP):
In Woods & Forests, Tessa Paul, 0865055955
See also In Fields & Meadows,
By The Seashore, Animal Trackers
By Lakes & Rivers
A Fish Hatches, by Joanna Cole, Jerome Wexler (B&W)
The Snail’s Spell, 0140508910, by Joanne Ryder, Lynne Cherry
What Color Is Camouflage? by Carolyn Otto, Megan Lloyd $3.96
How Animals Hide, by Robert M.McClung
Tricks Animals Play, by Jan Nagel Clarkson
In The Forest & Others, by Marie Hall Ets
Rainbow Rhino, by Peter Sis (literature reading)
Where Butterflies Grow, 014055856, by Joanne Ryder, Lynne Cherry
Over In The Meadow, by Ezra Jack Keats (ill) (A Blue Ribbon Book) Delightful lyrical way of introducing animals and their young
Burrow Book by Richard Orr (Illustrator), Shaila Awan Reading level: Ages 9-12 DK Publishing (Dorling Kindersley) ISBN: 0789420252 Synopsis: Children can dig down deep and see who lurks there in the hidden homes of burrowing creatures. Fold-out spreads reveal special die-cut holes and clear, engaging text reveal what the busy animals are doing inside. Look and see how spiders, frogs, moles, and snakes make their homes underground and how they come and go. Full color.
African Savanna — One Small Square by Donald M. Silver, Patricia J. Wynne (Illustrator), Dianne Ettl (Illustrator) (McGraw-Hill) ISBN: 0070579318 Focus on one patch of the dangerous and endangered habitat of the African grasslands.
Pond — One Small Square by Donald M. Silver, Patricia J. Wynne (Illustrator) (McGraw-Hill) ISBN: 0070579326
Tropical Rain Forest — One Small Square by Donald M. Silver, Patricia J. Wynne (Illustrator) (McGraw-Hill) ISBN: 0070580510
Woods — One Small Square by Donald M. Silver, Patricia J. Wynne (Illustrator) McGraw-Hill ISBN: 0070579334
Backyard — One Small Square by Donald M. Silver, Patricia J. Wynne (Illustrator), Dianne Ettl (Illustrator) (McGraw-Hill) ISBN: 007057930X
Artic Tundra — One Small Square by Donald M. Silver, Patricia J. Wynne (Illustrator) (McGraw-Hill) ISBN: 007057927X
Cave — One Small Square by Donald M. Silver, Patricia J. Wynne (Illustrator) (McGraw-Hill) ISBN: 0070579296
Swamp — One Small Square by Donald M. Silver, Patricia J. Wynne (Illustrator) (McGraw-Hill) ISBN: 0070579261
A series on a concept similar to One Small Square one but but for the slightly younger set (2-5 yrs):
Under the Ground.
Under the Sea
Caves by Claude Delafosse and Gallimard Jeunesse
Deserts by Gail Gibbons (visually info-packed book in Gibbon’s usual clear line and color style)
Desert Life (Usborne)
Deserts by Simon Seymour
High School Ecology /Biology (Grades 9-12):
Ecology: Eyewitness Science Dorling Kindersley, Steve Pollock
Life Cycle:
Animal Babies, Ylla
Who Eats What? Food Chains and Food Webs, Patricia Lauber, Holly Keller
A Fish Hatches, Joanna Cole, Jeroe Wexler (B&W)
Who’s Hatching Out Of That Egg? Patricia Lauber
Horton Hatches the Egg, Dr Seuss-Theodore Geisel
From Tadpole to Frog, Wendy Pfeffer, Holly Keller, 0694700460, $6.36
From Caterpillar to Butterfly, Deborah Heligmar
How Animals Live, Anne Civardi & Cathy Kilpatrick
Ant Cities, Arthur Dorros, ISBN 0064450791. $3.96
What Lives In A Shell, Kathleen Weidner, $3.96 ISBN 0064451240, Zoehfeld, Helen K. Davie
Life In Ponds and Streams, William H Amos (National Geographic Book)
The Honey Makers by Gail Gibbons (ages 5+)
The Milk Makers by Gail Gibbons (ages 5-8)
Insects:
Where Does The Butterfly Go When It Rains, May Garelick ISBN 0572551658
Butterfly Life cycle Book, Penguin book
Other titles: Frog Life Cycle / Ladybug Cycle book / Spider Life Cycle book
Parables From Nature (50 birds take on intriguing character)
The Christian Liberty Nature Readers, Christian Liberty Press
Bug Hunter (Jim Arnosky’s Nature Notebooks)by Jim Arnosky Ages 9-12 ( Random House) ISBN: 0679867198 Colorfully illustrated book in the Nature Notebook series Teaches young explorers and naturalists how to find bugs and what they should observe and view.
Grades 5-8:
Creepy Crawlies and The Scientific Method, Stenhouse Kneidel
Pet care:
How To Raise Goldfish and Guppies, A Child’s Book of Pet Care, Sara Bonnett Stein
Nature and Man :
For elementary graders:
Farming by Gail Gibbons
Where Does Paper Come From? C Valance Cast, Sue Williamson $4.21 ISBN0812014685
Different Things We Get From Plants, Concept Science , Colin Walker, Philip Webb
Where Everyday Things Come From, Aldren A Watson
We Can Eat The Plants (Learn To Read series levels I & II) suitable for preschoolers
Other titles: See How It Grows
Who Lives Here?
The Seed Song
Who’s Hiding
Whose Forest Is It?
From Grass To Butter by Ali Mitgutsch
From Milk to Ice Cream, by Ali Mitgutsch
Milk From Cow to Carton by Aliki
From Sheep To Scarf, Ali Mitgutsch
Food From Plants, Modern Curriculum Press,Colin Walker, Mirard Whitford 0813673275
Paleontology:
Dinosaurs, Byron Barton (preschool)
The Day Of The Dinosaur (preschool)
I Wonder Why The Triceratops Had Horns, Kingfisher I Wonder Why series
Fossils Tell Of Long Ago, Aliki (Let’s Read and Find Out Science)
Digging Up Dinosaurs by Aliki (Let’s Read and Find Out Science)
Dinosaurs Are Different by Aliki
Dinosaur Bones. (Let’s Read and Find Out Science) ISBN: 0064450775
Archaeologists Dig For Clues by Kate Petty (Let’s Read and Find Out Science)
Wild and Woolly Mammoths by Aliki
My Visit To The Dinosaurs, Aliki 0064450201
The Usborne Young Scientist Archaeology by Barbara Cork and Joe McEwan
If You Lived in the Days of the Wild Mammoth Hunters by Mary Elting and Franklin Folsom (Scholastic)
Walking With Prehistoric Beasts. BBC production (video) Available from Amazon.com
For middle graders-high schoolers:
Archaeology Smart Junior: Discovering History’s Buried Treasures by Karen Laubenstein, Ron Roy
Usborne Guide to Rocks and Fossils $5.95
Dry Bones and Other Fossils by Parker $12.95
Dinotopia A gloriously illustrated and creative story in an imaginary lost world where humans and dinosaurs co-reign in harmony. Beats The Lost World or Jurassic Park anyday
Beyond the Dinosaurs! Sky Dragons, Sea Monsters, Mega-Mammals, and Other Prehistoric Beasts by Howard Zimmerman
Mammoths, Mastodons, and Elephants: Biology, behavior and the Fossil Record by Gary Haynes
The Call of Distant Mammoths: Why the Ice Age Mammals Disappeared by Peter Douglas Ward
Woolly Mammoth, Life Death and Recovery by Windsor Charlton Only for the most dedicated of paleotologists to be.
After the Ice Age: The Return of Life to Glaciated North America by E.C. Pielou $10.95
Science Reading For The Very Young:
Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs by J. Barrett for 3-7 yrs, story about strange weather with meatball falling out of the sky
I Love Animals, Flora McDonnell
The Very Busy Spider, Eric Carle
I Went Walking, Sue Williams, Julie Vivas (ill.)
1,2,,3 To The Zoo, Eric Carle
My Five Senses by Aliki (4-8 yrs)
On The Move by Deborah Helligman
In the Small, Small Pond by Denise Fleming (Scholastic) Caldecott Honor book with colorful collage pictures
I Can Feel By Touching by Carolyn Otto (4-8yrs)
Make Way For The Ducklings, R. McCloskey
What’s On The Beach? Child’s Play Lift The Flap Book 0-85953-221-6
Little Cloud, Eric Carle
What’s In My Pocket? Rozanne Lanczak Williams, Lucyna A.M. Green (ill.), CTP (Toddlers will love this one about shape, size, texture, solids)
The Circle of Days by Reeve Lindhbergh Beautifully illustration of St Francis of Assisi’s Canticle of the Sun, and of the natural world
The Year At Maple Hill by Alice and Martin Provenson (shows farm life season by season) $6.99
Under the Ground. by Claude Delafosse and Gallimard Jeunesse. See also Under the Sea and Caves
Mammalabilia by Douglas Florian 21 fun poems about common as well as not so common mammals (from 2anda half years) $16.00 More poems in the series: Beast Feast and On the Wing $13.00 each
A Fawn In the Grass by Joane Ryder the author who holds the American Nature Study Award of Children’s Science Literature. Lyrical style of combining poetry and science in a swelter of pleasing images $16.95
Oddhopper Opera. A Bug’s Garden of Verses by Kurt Cyrus (3-9 yrs) the greatest bug poetry collection you could get for your preschooler
Winter Lullaby by Barbara Seuling, Greg Newbold A book that illustrates magnificently the beauty of the darker bleaker side of winter, the gnarled treescape, the scenes of winter at their coldest and whitest. For 2-4 yr olds
The Turning of the Year by Bill Martin A beautiful photo-tour of the months and the seasons perfectly capturing the mood and feel of every season. (3-5 yrs)
When Winter Comes by Nancy Yan Laan A Chinaberry catalog recommendation
The Tiny Seed, Eric Carle (preschool)
Seed Song (Learn to read Read to Learn series from Creative Teaching Press) collage set to a simple poem for preschool to K level
The Carrot Seed, Ruth Karuss, Crockett Johnson, 0064432106 (preschool-early elementary)
Over In the Meadow by Ezra Jack Keats
The Day of the Dinosaur by Stan and Jan Berenstain Rollicking rhyme will have your toddler learning dinosaur names in no time (Some were small Fabrosaurus / Some were thin Mesosaurus / Others were fat Er-yops)
Basic scientific info booklets from Creative Teaching Press (no stunning pictures but convey scientific concepts in easy to understand text), also suitable for beginner readers:
What Happened? By Rozanne Lanczak On evaporation
A Tree Is A Home
Is It Alive?
From the Concept Science series (not great artwork, but does the job of delivering bite-size info for little kids admirably)
Water by Colin Walker
Food From Plants by Colin Walker
Different Things We Get From Plants
Rocks Are Everywhere (Easy Theme Readers from Teacher Created Materials,Inc) Simple text gets very young kids to observe and think about the rocks around them
Wind by Susan Canizares (Scholastic) Sparse text to photo images
Storms by Susan Canizares (Scholastic) Sparse text to photo images
Bugs by Nancy Winslow Parker & Joan Richards Wright (ages 3+)
Bite-Sized Science: Quick and Fun Activities for Preschoolers by John H. Falk and Kristi S. Rosenberg (ages 3-8) IPG 1-55652-348-3 An exciting way for young minds to discover the wonders of the natural world by making predictions, testing them, and then evaluating the results–learning the scientific method.
Science References and General Reading:
The Usborne Complete First Book Of Science
The All About… series of children’s science books. One series that’s hard to find but well worth looking for. Hand-drawn two color illustrations, not really fancy children’s books, but well-written with a wide coverage of science topics. This quote from the Foreword of All About Famous Scientific Expeditions by Raymond Holden (1955, Random House, NY) gets across the sense of life and efficacy of man presented in the All About… books:
“Man is unusual among living creatures in that he can plan and devise ways to get what he wants. He likes to go places, so he learns how to make ships, trains, automobiles, and airplanes. During his travels he learns more and more about the world and what is in it…he wants to know more than just what; he wants to know why and how. ..is book will try to tell you the story of some of man’s trips through the gateways to knowledge; trips which have taken him into deserts and jungles, to the tops of mountains, and to the depths of the sea.” Other All About titles cover: dinosaurs, prehistoric mammals, prehistoric cavemen, insects, whales, birds, moths and butterflies, snakes, flowers, the sea, volcanoes and earthquakes, weather, the stars, the atom, chemistry, archeology, geology, the human body, rockets and jets, radio and television, famous inventors and their inventions;and more. These books provide a solid base for elementary .homeschoolers, and are easy to add to with other resources,experiments,collections,and observations.inventions;and more. These books provide a solid base for elementary homeschoolers, and are easy to add to with other resources, experiments, collections, and observations.
Incredible Cross-Sections by Richard Platt, illus. Stephen Biesty (ages 8-12); RAH 0-679-81411-6
Biggest, Strongest, Fastest by Steve Jenkins; (ages 4-8); see also Hottest, Coldest, Highest, Deepest by Steve Jenkins
Sky Tree: Seeing Science Through Art by Thomas Locker
Science Arts: Discovering Science Through Art Experience by Maryann F. Kohl and Jean Potter (ages 3-10) IPG 0-935607-04-8 These art projects illustrate the basic principles of science, each focusing on one scientific concept.
DISCOVER magazine is a favourite among homeschooling science enthusiasts.
For older kids:
Any of the Dorling Kindersley Eyewitness books on any topic are great.
E-Encylopedia Science by Dorling Kindersley
(Dorling Kindersley) How Science Works – is a fabulous books. Each topic contained in a double spread with clear magnificent photos, practical modern-day applications, state of the art science & technology. The book says it is a complete science curriculum in itself. It answers questions like what causes the aurora borealis and much much more. A favorite among with my son.
BBC The Blue Planet is for the advanced reader.
Dorling Kindersley Animal Kingdom is a fabulous comprehensive reader for the animal-loving kid (advanced level).
Kitchen Science Books (all available from amazon.com)
Lab Science:
Insects and Entomology :
Z oology
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