Science Resources

Sometimes the best way to teach a subject is to lay some ground rules and then let students actually "do" what they're studying. This is especially true of science, a study predicated on activity, experimentation and the observation of physical properties. It's also one of the best ways to get kids interested in science in the first place.

If he hadn't stood atop the Tower of Pisa dropping things off the edge, Galileo would never have made his observation that objects of any weight fall at the same rate in a vacuum. Archimedes had to get in the tub to discover that it is volume that displaces water. And the only way Newton could discover calculus was by scribbling numbers on pieces of paper.

Your kid probably isn't the next Einstein, but that doesn't mean he shouldn't learn as much about science as possible, or that he should do so with his hands tied behind his back. The problem with a lot of science textbooks is that they emphasize book knowledge without taking into account the hands-on nature of science and science learning. Observation is often touted as an essential part of the science process, but rarely is it enforced in the typical school curriculum.

Science resources can change all that. There are plenty of fact-based books (particularly those from Usborne) that pair facts with vivid illustrations, and those are fun for rainy days—kids are a lot better at acquiring and retaining raw information than we often give them credit for. But those are just a place to start; the options are limitless.

One of the best sorts of science resource are books filled with experiments. Whether it's Explorabook from Klutz Press which focuses on fun activities and includes everything you need to complete them, or Vicki Cobb's Bet You Can! experiments using household items, or the more advanced Science for Every Kid books by Janice VanCleave, you aren't likely to run out of options.

Astronomy is more observation-oriented, and we offer plenty of books on that topic, too. The Stars by H.A. Rey is a now-classic guide to the night sky for beginners, while Starry Messenger explains some of the basic tenets of modern astronomy through the (detailed and beautifully illustrated) life of Galileo Galilei. Isaac Asimov has written a number of books on space science, as has Seymour Simon.

Just letting your kids outside with notebooks and maybe a magnifying glass is as good as any book for helping them develop a love of nature and nature study, though manuals to help them identify plants, animals, rocks, etc. is a good idea. One of our favorite such books is the Handbook of Nature Study by Anna Botsford Comstock.

Keeping a well-stocked chemistry lab is a good idea for older students. Many experiments require chemicals, ingredients and equipment you aren't likely to just have lying around, so you'll need to be intentional about keeping a lot of those things stocked. Field trips are always a good idea as well, whether to a local laboratory, observatory, zoo, factory, or anywhere else that strikes your kids' fancy and has educational potential.

Whatever else you do, keep an open mind while guiding your kids' science education. The beauty of God's world and the excitement of learning about it should always be kept in view; whatever difficulty there is in physics, biology or chemistry should be met head on but not dwelt on or made cause for discouragement. Have fun, and don't restrict your science time to reading stuff—take time to actually do science, and you might find along with your children that it isn't such a bad thing to study after all.

Review by C. Hollis Crossman
C. Hollis Crossman used to be a child. Now he is a husband and father, teaches adult Sunday school in his Presbyterian congregation, and likes weird stuff. He might be a mythical creature, but he's definitely not a centaur. Read more of his reviews here.

 

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2,840 Items found Print
100 Science Experiments
Usborne Internet-Linked
by Georgina Andrews & Kate Knighton
from Usborne
for 3rd-6th grade
in Oversized Science Books (Location: SCI-OVER)
$10.00 (2 in stock)
100 Things You Should Know about Mammals
by Jinny Johnson
from Barnes & Noble
for 2nd-5th grade
in Mammals (Location: SCI-MAM)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
1001 Animals to Spot
by Ruth Brocklehurst
from Usborne
for 3rd-6th grade
in Zoology (Location: SCI-ZOOL)
1001 Bugs to Spot
by Emma Helbrough
from Usborne
for Kindergarten-4th grade
in Insects & Arachnids (Location: SCI-BUG)
1001 Things to Spot in the Sea
by Katie Daynes
from Usborne
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Oceanography & Marine Biology (Location: SCI-OCEAN)
1001 Things to Spot in the Sea
by Katie Daynes
from Scholastic Inc.
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Oceanography & Marine Biology (Location: SCI-OCEAN)
101 Spy Gadgets for the Evil Genius
from McGraw-Hill
for 7th-12th grade
in Electronics (Location: SCI-ELEC)
$12.00 (1 in stock)
101 Super Simple Science Experiments
by Rebecca W. Keller
from Gravitas Publications, Inc.
for Kindergarten-8th grade
in Real Science-4-Kids (Location: SCICUR-RS4K)
106 Days of Creation Studies
by Sonya Shafer
from Simply Charlotte Mason
for 3rd-Adult
in Simply Charlotte Mason (Location: CUR-SCM)
123 Robotic Experiments for the Evil Genius
from McGraw-Hill
for 7th-12th grade
in Electronics (Location: SCI-ELEC)
$12.00 (1 in stock)
2000 Years of Space Travel
by Russell Freedman
from Holiday House
for 7th-10th grade
in History of Science & Mathematics (Location: SCI-HIS)
21 Super Simple Astronomy Experiments
by Rebecca W. Keller
from Gravitas Publications, Inc.
for Kindergarten-8th grade
in Real Science-4-Kids (Location: SCICUR-RS4K)
21 Super Simple Biology Experiments
by Rebecca W. Keller
from Gravitas Publications, Inc.
for Kindergarten-8th grade
in Real Science-4-Kids (Location: SCICUR-RS4K)
21 Super Simple Chemistry Experiments
by Rebecca W. Keller
from Gravitas Publications, Inc.
for Kindergarten-8th grade
in Real Science-4-Kids (Location: SCICUR-RS4K)
21 Super Simple Geology Experiments
by Rebecca W. Keller
from Gravitas Publications, Inc.
for Kindergarten-4th grade
in Real Science-4-Kids (Location: SCICUR-RS4K)
21 Super Simple Physics Experiments
by Rebecca W. Keller
from Gravitas Publications, Inc.
for Kindergarten-8th grade
in Real Science-4-Kids (Location: SCICUR-RS4K)
21st Century Astronomy
by Laura Kay, Stacy Palen, George Blumenthal
6th edition from W. W. Norton and Co.
for Adult
in Astronomy (Space) (Location: SCI-AST)
290
by Scott O'Dell
from Houghton Mifflin
for 4th-9th grade
Hans Christian Andersen Award
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
3-D Human Body
from DK Publishing
for 3rd-6th grade
in Human Anatomy & Physiology (Location: SCI-ANA)
30-Second Anatomy
by Gabrielle M. Finn editor
from Metro Books
for 7th-12th grade
in Human Anatomy & Physiology (Location: SCI-ANA)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
365 More Simple Science Experiments with Everyday Materials
by Anthony D. Fredericks, Judy Breckenridge, Louis V. Loeschnig, Muriel Mandell
from Black Dog & Leventhal
for 4th-6th grade
in Clearance: Science & Health (Location: ZCLE-SCI)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
365 Simple Science Experiments with Everyday Materials
by E. Richard Churchill, et al.
from Black Dog & Leventhal
for 2nd-8th grade
in Clearance: Science & Health (Location: ZCLE-SCI)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
365 Starry Nights
by Chet Raymo
from Fireside Books
for 6th-Adult
in Astronomy (Space) (Location: SCI-AST)
$12.00 (1 in stock)
3D Snapshots: Puppies (with 3D glasses)
from Fog City Press
for Preschool-3rd grade
in Dog Books (Location: SCI-MAMDOG)
44 Animals of the Bible
by Nancy Johnson
from Master Books
for Kindergarten-4th grade
in Bible Study & Reference for Kids (Location: BIB-STU)
$9.59 $6.00 (1 in stock)
50 Science Things to Make & Do
from Usborne
for Kindergarten-5th grade
in Usborne Science Activities (Location: SCI-EXP)
50 States in Every Vehicle
by Amber Stewart, illustrated by Carles Ballesteros
from Kane Miller
for Preschool-2nd grade
in United States Geography (Location: GEO-REFUS)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
50 Things You Should Know About Space
by Professor Raman Prinja
from Quarto Knows
for 2nd-4th grade
in Astronomy (Space) (Location: SCI-AST)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
51 High-Tech Practical Jokes for the Evil Genius
from McGraw-Hill
for 7th-12th grade
in Electronics (Location: SCI-ELEC)
$12.00 (1 in stock)
7 Continents: Antarctica
by Jo Ellen Moore
from Evan-Moor Educational Publishers
for 3rd-6th grade
in Evan-Moor Geography (Location: GEO-CUREM)
88 and 1/2 Science Experiments
1st edition from QEB Publishing
for 1st-4th grade
in Science Experiments & Activities (Location: SCI-EXP)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
A is for Adam
by Ken Ham, Mally Ham
from Master Books
for 1st-2nd grade
in Worldview & Apologetics for Kids (Location: BIBWV-APK)
$13.59
About Clouds
by Thomas McGrath; illustrated by Chris Jenkyns
from Melmont Publishers
for 1st-2nd grade
in Vintage Nonfiction (Location: VIN-NFIC)
About Paper
by Anabel Dean, illustrated by Bob O'Malley
from Melmont Publishers
for 2nd-5th grade
in Vintage Nonfiction (Location: VIN-NFIC)
$12.00 (1 in stock)
Accelerated Studies in Physics and Chemistry
by John D. Mays
from Novare
for 9th-10th grade
in Novare Science & Math (Location: SCICUR-NOV)
$86.95
Accelerated Studies in Physics and Chemistry - Digital Resources
by John D. Mays
from Novare
for 9th-10th grade
in Novare Science & Math (Location: SCICUR-NOV)
$57.95
Accelerated Studies in Physics and Chemistry - Solutions Manual
by John D. Mays
from Novare
for 9th-10th grade
in Novare Science & Math (Location: SCICUR-NOV)
$17.95
Accidents May Happen
by Charlotte Foltz Jones, illustrated by John O'Brien
from Delacorte Press
for 4th-6th grade
in Inventions & Discoveries (Location: SCI-INV)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Across America on an Emigrant Train RUC
by Jim Murphy
from Sandpiper Books
for 5th-8th grade
1994 NCTE Orbis Pictus Award
in Immigration & Emigration (Location: HISA-20IM)
Advanced Chemistry in Creation - Textbook
by Jay Wile
2nd edition from Apologia Educational Ministries
for 12th grade
in Apologia Exploring Creation (Location: SCICUR-AEM)
$69.60 $45.00 (1 in stock)
Adventure with Olivia Owl
from Silver Dolphin
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Look and Find Books (Location: PIC-LOOK)
Adventures of Bob White
Thornton Burgess Peter Cottontail Books #23
by Thornton W. Burgess
Illustrated from Dover Publications
for 2nd-4th grade
in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI)
$5.00
Adventures of Munford: Munford Meets Robert Fulton
by Jamie Aramini
Fir from Geography Matters
for 2nd-4th grade
in Geography Matters products (Location: GEO-GEOM)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Adventures with a Microscope
by Richard Headstrom
from Dover Publications
for 7th-10th grade
in Genetics & Microscopic Life (Location: SCI-GEN)
$12.95
Adventures with Atoms and Molecules Book I
by Robert C. Mebane, Thomas R. Rybolt
from Enslow
for 4th-8th grade
in Chemistry (Location: SCI-CHEM)
$8.00 (1 in stock)
Africa's Vanishing Wildlife
by Chris & Tilde Stuart
1st edition from Smithsonian Books
for 5th-10th grade
in Africa (Location: HISMC-AFR)
$8.00 (1 in stock)
African Critters
by Robert Haas
from National Geographic
for 3rd-6th grade
in Zoology (Location: SCI-ZOOL)
After the Sun Goes Down
Nature Study Library
by Glenn O. Blough, illustrated by Jeanne Bendick
from Purple House Press
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Living Science (Location: SCI-CMLS)
Air Forces of the World
by Sue Butterworth, editor
from Chartwell Books
for 9th-Adult
in Aviation History (Location: HISV-AVIA)
$18.00 (1 in stock)
Air is All Around You
Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science Stage 1
from HarperTrophy
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Meteorology (Weather & Climate) (Location: SCI-WEA)
Aircraft - Coloring Book
Educational Read & Color Books
by Peter & Linda Spizzirri
from Spizzirri Press
for 2nd-5th grade
in Transportation Coloring Books (Location: COL-TRANS)
Airplane
Inventions that Shaped the World
by Nancy Robinson Masters
from Franklin Watts
for 4th-7th grade
in Things That Go (Location: SCI-TTGO)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Airplanes of the Second World War - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by Carlo Demand
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Transportation Coloring Books (Location: COL-TRANS)
$5.99 $2.50 (1 in stock)
Airplanes of World War I - Coloring Book
by Carlo Demand
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Transportation Coloring Books (Location: COL-TRANS)
$5.99
Akiak: A Tale From the Iditarod
by Robert J. Blake
Reprint from Puffin Books
for 1st-3rd grade
in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI)
Alaskan Wildlife - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by Jan Sovak
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Animal Habitat Coloring Books (Location: COL-HAB)
$3.99
Albert Einstein and the Theory of Relativity
Solutions: Profiles in Science for Young People
by Robert Cwiklik
from Barron's
for 5th-8th grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
Album of Astronomy
by Tom McGowen, illustrated by Rod Ruth
from Rand McNally
for 4th-6th grade
in Vintage Nonfiction (Location: VIN-NFIC)
Album of Birds
by Tom McGowen
from Rand McNally
for 4th-6th grade
in Vintage Nonfiction (Location: VIN-NFIC)
Album of Dinosaurs
by Tom McGowen, illustrated by Rod Ruth
from Rand McNally
for 4th-6th grade
in Vintage Nonfiction (Location: VIN-NFIC)
Album of North American Animals
by Vera Dugdale, illustrated by Clark Bronson
from Rand McNally
for 3rd-6th grade
in Vintage Science & Math (Location: VIN-SCI)
Album of North American Birds
by Vera Dugdale, illustrated by Clark Bronson
from Rand McNally
for 3rd-6th grade
in Vintage Nonfiction (Location: VIN-NFIC)
Album of Reptiles
by Tom McGowen, illustrated by Rod Ruth
from Rand McNally
for 4th-6th grade
in Vintage Nonfiction (Location: VIN-NFIC)
Album of Rocks & Minerals
by Tom McGowen, illustrated by Rod Ruth
from Rand McNally
for 4th-6th grade
in Vintage Nonfiction (Location: VIN-NFIC)
Album of Sharks
by Tom McGowen, illustrated by Rod Ruth
3rd Printing from Rand McNally
for 4th-6th grade
in Vintage Nonfiction (Location: VIN-NFIC)
Album of Spaceflight
by Tom McGowen, illustrated by Lee Brubaker
from Rand McNally
for 4th-6th grade
in Vintage Nonfiction (Location: VIN-NFIC)
Album of Whales
by Tom McGowen, illustrated by Rod Ruth
from Rand McNally
for 4th-6th grade
in Vintage Nonfiction (Location: VIN-NFIC)
Alexander Graham Bell
by Elizabeth MacLeod
from Kids Can Press
Biography for 3rd-6th grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
All About Animals and Their Young
All About Books #25
by Robert M. McClung
from Random House
for 4th-6th grade
in All About Books (Location: VIN-ALL)
All About Biology
All About Books #52
by Bernard Glemser
for 3rd-8th grade
in All About Books (Location: VIN-ALL)
All About Birds
All About Books #11
by Robert S. Lemmon, illustrated by Fritz Kredel
1955 Edition from Random House
for 3rd-6th grade
in All About Books (Location: VIN-ALL)
All About Cats
All About Books #58
by Carl Burger
from Random House
for 5th-9th grade
in All About Books (Location: VIN-ALL)
All About Dinosaurs
All About Books #1
by Roy Chapman Andrews
from Random House
for 3rd-6th grade
in All About Books (Location: VIN-ALL)
All About Dogs
All About Books #42
by Carl Burger
from Random House
for 3rd-6th grade
in All About Books (Location: VIN-ALL)
All About Electricity
All About Books #23
by Ira M. Freeman, illustrated by Evelyn Urbanowich
from Random House
for 4th-6th grade
in All About Books (Location: VIN-ALL)
All About Engines and Power
All About Books #45
by Sam & Beryl Epstein
from Random House
for 3rd-6th grade
in All About Books (Location: VIN-ALL)
All About Famous Inventors and Their Inventions
All About Books #18
by Fletcher Pratt
from Random House
for 3rd-6th grade
in All About Books (Location: VIN-ALL)
All About Fire
All About Books #53
by Raymond Holden
from Random House
for 6th-10th grade
in All About Books (Location: VIN-ALL)
All About Fish
All About Books #34
by Carl Burger
from Random House
for 4th-6th grade
in All About Books (Location: VIN-ALL)
All About Great Rivers of the World
All About Books #22
by Anne Terry White
from Random House
for 5th-9th grade
in All About Books (Location: VIN-ALL)
All About Heredity
All About Books #48
by Judith Randal
from Random House
for 5th-10th grade
in All About Books (Location: VIN-ALL)
All About Horses
All About Books #43
by Marguerite Henry
from Random House
for 3rd-6th grade
in All About Books (Location: VIN-ALL)
All About Light
by Melvin Berger, illustrated by Blanche Sims
from Scholastic Inc.
for 2nd-3rd grade
in Physics (Location: SCI-PHY)
$2.00 (1 in stock)
All About Light and Radiation
All About Books #57
by Ira Freeman
from Random House
for 3rd-8th grade
in All About Books (Location: VIN-ALL)
All About Light and Sound
by Connie Jankowski
from Teacher Created Materials, Inc.
for 2nd-5th grade
in Light & Sound (Location: SCI-PHY)
$6.50 (1 in stock)
All About Monkeys
All About Books #26
by Robert S. Lemmon
from Random House
for 4th-6th grade
in All About Books (Location: VIN-ALL)
All About Moths and Butterflies
All About Books #15
by Robert S. Lemmon, illustrated by Fritz Kredel
from Random House
for 3rd-6th grade
in All About Books (Location: VIN-ALL)
All About Mountains and Mountaineering
All About #41
by Anne Terry White
from Random House
for 3rd-6th grade
in All About Books (Location: VIN-ALL)
All About Our Changing Rocks
All About Books #12
by Anne Terry White
from Random House
for 3rd-6th grade
in All About Books (Location: VIN-ALL)
All About Prehistoric Cave Men
All About Books #30
by Sam & Beryl Epstein
from Random House
for 3rd-6th grade
in All About Books (Location: VIN-ALL)
All About Radio and Television
All About Books #2
by Jack Gould
2nd edition from Random House
for 3rd-6th grade
in All About Books (Location: VIN-ALL)
All About Radio and Television
All About Books #2
by Jack Gould
1st edition from Random House
for 3rd-6th grade
in All About Books (Location: VIN-ALL)
All About Rockets and Jets
All About Books #13
by Fletcher Pratt
2nd edition from Random House
for 3rd-6th grade
in All About Books (Location: VIN-ALL)
All About Rockets and Space Flight
All About Books #50
by Harold Goodwin
for 3rd-8th grade
in All About Books (Location: VIN-ALL)
All About Sailing the Seven Seas
All About Books #40
by Ruth Brindze
from Random House
for 4th-7th grade
in All About Books (Location: VIN-ALL)
All About Satellites and Space Ships
All About Books #28
by David Dietz
from Random House
for 4th-6th grade
in All About Books (Location: VIN-ALL)
All About Satellites and Space Ships
All About Books #28
by David Dietz
Revised edition from Random House
for 4th-6th grade
in All About Books (Location: VIN-ALL)
All About Sound and Ultrasonics
All About Books #37
by Ira M. Freeman
from Random House
for 4th-8th grade
in All About Books (Location: VIN-ALL)
All About Strange Beasts of the Past
All About Books #17
by Robert S. Lemmon
from Random House
for 3rd-6th grade
in All About Books (Location: VIN-ALL)
All About Strange Beasts of the Present
All About Books #19
by Robert S. Lemmon
from Random House
for 3rd-8th grade
in All About Books (Location: VIN-ALL)
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