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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126 Items found Print
Active Filters: 3rd grade (Ages 8-9), Perfectbound
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)
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)
Animal Lives - 8 Book Set
by Sally Morgan
from QEB Publishing
for 2nd-4th grade
in Zoology (Location: SCI-ZOOL)
$16.00 (1 in stock)
Animals Up Close
by Igor Siwanowicz
from DK Publishing
for 3rd-6th grade
in Zoology (Location: SCI-ZOOL)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Be a Kid Physicist
by William R. Wellnitz
from McGraw-Hill
for 3rd-6th grade
in Physics (Location: SCI-PHY)
Birdie's Lighthouse
by Deborah Hopkinson, illustrated by Kimberly Root
2000 Paperback from Aladdin Paperbacks
for 1st-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Blast Lab
from DK Publishing
for 3rd-6th grade
in Science Experiments & Activities (Location: SCI-EXP)
$4.50 (1 in stock)
Bolivar
by Sean Rubin
from Archaia
for 3rd-6th grade
in Comic Books & Graphic Novels (Location: FIC-COMIC)
Central Pacific Railroad
Cornerstones of Freedom Second Series
by Clark J. Evans
from Children's Press
for 2nd-5th grade
in Cornerstones of Freedom (Location: VIN-CORN)
Clouds
by Trudi Strain Trueit
from Franklin Watts
for 3rd-6th grade
in Meteorology (Weather & Climate) (Location: SCI-WEA)
$4.50 (1 in stock)
Coral Reefs
by Jason Chin
from Square Fish Publishing
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Oceanography & Marine Biology (Location: SCI-OCEAN)
$4.50 (1 in stock)
Creation Astronomy
by Felice Gerwitz & Jill Whitlock
from Media Angels Science
for Kindergarten-12th grade
in Stars & Constellations (Location: SCI-AST)
$9.00 (2 in stock)
Dinosaurs! A Drawing Book
by Michael Emberley
from Little, Brown & Company
for 3rd-6th grade
in Drawing for Beginners (Location: ELE-ARTDRAW)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Discovering Mars
by Melvin Berger, revised and updated by Mary Kay Carson
from Scholastic Inc.
for 2nd-5th grade
in Astronomy (Space) (Location: SCI-AST)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
DK Animals Around the World
from DK Publishing
for 2nd-4th grade
in Zoology (Location: SCI-ZOOL)
$7.00 (2 in stock)
DK Findout! Earth
by Maryam Sharif-Draper
from DK Publishing
for 1st-4th grade
in Earth Science (Location: SCI-EARTH)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
DK Smithsonian Space!
from DK Publishing
for 3rd-6th grade
in Oversized Science Books (Location: SCI-OVER)
$10.00 (1 in stock)
Dr. Bonyfide Presents Bones of the Hand, Arm, and Shoulder
from Know Yourself
for 3rd-6th grade
in Human Anatomy & Physiology (Location: SCI-ANA)
$14.00 (2 in stock)
Dr. Bonyfide Presents: Bones of the Head, Face, and Neck
Dr. Bonyfide Presents book 4
from Know Yourself
for 3rd-6th grade
in Human Anatomy & Physiology (Location: SCI-ANA)
$8.00 (1 in stock)
Dr. Bonyfide Presents: Bones of the Rib Cage and Spine
Dr. Bonyfide Presents book 3
from Know Yourself
for 3rd-6th grade
in Human Anatomy & Physiology (Location: SCI-ANA)
$10.00 (1 in stock)
Earthquakes
by Trudi Strain Trueit
from Franklin Watts
for 3rd-6th grade
$4.50 (1 in stock)
Egg Is Quiet
by Dianna Hutts Aston
from Chronicle Books
for Kindergarten-4th grade
in Nature Study (Location: NAT-GEN)
$7.99
Electricity and Magnetism
Usborne Understanding Science
by Eliot Humberstone, Paul-Francis Law & Peter Adamczyk
from Usborne
for 3rd-7th grade
in Electricity & Magnetism (Location: SCI-PHY)
$2.70 (2 in stock)
Endangered Animals Dictionary
from Scholastic Inc.
for 3rd-6th grade
in Zoology (Location: SCI-ZOOL)
$3.50 (1 in stock)
Energy Makes Things Happen
by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley, illustrated by Paul Meisel
from HarperCollins
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Physics (Location: SCI-PHY)
Experiments in Earth Science and Weather
by Emily Sohn
from Capstone Press
for 1st-3rd grade
in Science Experiments & Activities (Location: SCI-EXP)
$3.50 (1 in stock)
Explore Rocks and Minerals!
by Cynthia Light Brown and Nick Brown
from Nomad Press
for 1st-4th grade
in Geology (Rocks & Minerals) (Location: SCI-GEO)
$6.00 (2 in stock)
Eyes on Adventure: Exploring Space
Eyes on Adventure
by Leigh Hope Wood
from KidsBooks, Inc.
for 3rd-6th grade
in Space Race & Exploration (Location: HISA-20SPR)
$2.00 (1 in stock)
Fascinating Ocean Book for Kids
by Bethanie and Josh Hestermann
from Rockridge Press
for 2nd-4th grade
in Oceanography & Marine Biology (Location: SCI-OCEAN)
$8.00 (1 in stock)
Fighters
by Bernard Stonehouse, illustrated by John Francis
from Tangerine Books
for 3rd-6th grade
in Zoology (Location: SCI-ZOOL)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
First Encyclopedia of Our World
Usborne Internet-Linked
by Felicity Brooks
from Usborne
for 2nd-6th grade
in Earth Science (Location: SCI-EARTH)
$6.30 (3 in stock)
First Encyclopedia of Science
Usborne Internet-Linked
by Rachel Firth
from Usborne
for 2nd-6th grade
in Science Reference (Location: SCIREF)
$5.40 (1 in stock)
First Encyclopedia of Science
Usborne Internet-Linked
by Rachel Firth
from Usborne
for 2nd-6th grade
in Science Reference (Location: SCIREF)
$6.30 (3 in stock)
Focus on Elementary Biology - Teacher's Manual (old)
by Rebecca W. Keller
from Gravitas Publications, Inc.
for Kindergarten-4th grade
in Real Science-4-Kids (old editions) (Location: OSCI-RS4K)
$14.00 $10.00 (1 in stock)
Follow the Water from Brook to Ocean
Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science Stage 2
by Arthur Dorros
from HarperCollins
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Water Cycle (Location: SCI-EARTH)
$3.50 (1 in stock)
Forces and Motion: Investigating a Car Crash
Anatomy of an Investigation
by Ian Graham
from Heinemann-Raintree
for 3rd-6th grade
in Espionage & Forensic Science (Location: SCI-CRIME)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Forces Make Things Move
Lets-Read-and-Find-Out Science Stage 2
by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley, illustrated by Paul Meisel
from HarperCollins
for Preschool-3rd grade
in Physics (Location: SCI-PHY)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Forest in the Trees
by Connie McLennan
from Arbordale Publishing
for 1st-4th grade
in Nature Study (Location: NAT-GEN)
$10.95
Fossils Tell of Long Ago
Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science Stage 2
by Aliki
Revised from HarperCollins
for 2nd-3rd grade
in Dinosaurs & Fossils (Location: SCI-DINO)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Germs Make Me Sick!
Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science Stage 2
by Melvin Berger, illustrated by Marylin Hafner
from HarperCollins
for Kindergarten-4th grade
in Human Anatomy & Physiology (Location: SCI-ANA)
$3.50 (1 in stock)
Gravity is a Mystery
Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science level 2
by Franklyn M. Branley, Illustrated by Edward Miller
from HarperCollins
for Preschool-3rd grade
in Physics (Location: SCI-PHY)
Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami
from kahoku Shimpo Publishing Co
for 1st-Adult
in Japan (Location: HISMC-JAP)
$10.00 (1 in stock)
Great Whales: The Gentle Giants
by Patricia Lauber, illustrated by Pieter Folkens
from Scholastic Inc.
for 3rd-6th grade
in Whales & Dolphins (Location: SCI-OCEAN)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Hornets
by Sandra Markle
for 3rd-6th grade
in Insects & Arachnids (Location: SCI-BUG)
$5.50 (2 in stock)
How and Why Wonder Book of Deserts
by Felix Sutton
from Grosset & Dunlap
for 3rd-6th grade
in How and Why Wonder Books (Location: VIN-H&W)
How and Why Wonder Book of Electricity
by Jerome J. Notkin and Sidney Gulkin, illustrated by Robert Patterson and Charles Bernard
from Wonder Books
for 3rd-6th grade
in How and Why Wonder Books (Location: VIN-H&W)
How and Why Wonder Book of Fossils
by John Burton, illustrated by John Barber
from Grosset & Dunlap
for 3rd-6th grade
in How and Why Wonder Books (Location: VIN-H&W)
$2.00 (1 in stock)
How and Why Wonder Book of Insects
by Ronald N. Rood, Illustrated by Cynthia and Alvin Koehler
from Wonder Books
for 3rd-6th grade
in How and Why Wonder Books (Location: VIN-H&W)
How and Why Wonder Book of Machines
by Dr. Jerome J. Notkin and Sidney Gulkin, illustrated by George J. Zaffo
from Wonder Books
for 3rd-6th grade
in How and Why Wonder Books (Location: VIN-H&W)
How and Why Wonder Book of Magnets and Magnetism
by Martin L. Keen, illustrated by George Zaffo
from Wonder Books
for 3rd-6th grade
in How and Why Wonder Books (Location: VIN-H&W)
How and Why Wonder Book of Our Earth
by Felix Sutton, illustrated by John Hull
from Wonder Books
for 3rd-6th grade
in How and Why Wonder Books (Location: VIN-H&W)
$2.00 (1 in stock)
How and Why Wonder Book of Rocks and Minerals
by Nelson W. Hyler
for 3rd-6th grade
in Geology (Rocks & Minerals) (Location: SCI-GEO)
How and Why Wonder Book of Sound
by Martin L. Keen, illustrated by George Zaffo
from Wonder Books
for 3rd-6th grade
in How and Why Wonder Books (Location: VIN-H&W)
How and Why Wonder Book of the Human Body
by Martin Keen, illustrated by Darrell Sweet
from Wonder Books
for 3rd-6th grade
in How and Why Wonder Books (Location: VIN-H&W)
How and Why Wonder Book of Wild Flowers
by Grace F. Ferguson, illustrated by Cynthia Iliff Koehler and Alvin Koehler
from Wonder Books
for 3rd-6th grade
in How and Why Wonder Books (Location: VIN-H&W)
How do Animals Adapt?
by Bobbie Kalman
from Crabtree Publishing
for 2nd-4th grade
in Biology (Location: SCI-BIO)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
How People Learned to Fly
Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science Stage 2
by Fran Hodgkins, illustrated by True Kelley
from HarperCollins
for Kindergarten-4th grade
in Inventions & Discoveries (Location: SCI-INV)
How to Be Good at Science, Technology & Engineering
from DK Publishing
for 3rd-6th grade
in Science Reference (Location: SCIREF)
$8.00 (1 in stock)
In the Rainforest
Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science Stage 2
by Kate Duke
from HarperCollins
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Jungles & Rainforests (Location: SCI-JUN)
Janice VanCleave's 201 Awesome, Magical, Bizarre & Incredible Experiments
by Janice VanCleave
from John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
for 3rd-6th grade
in Janice VanCleave's Science (Location: SCI-EXP)
$18.00 $12.00 (1 in stock)
Janice VanCleave's 202 Oozing, Bubbling, Dripping & Bouncing Experiments
by Janice VanCleave
from John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
for 3rd-7th grade
in Janice VanCleave's Science (Location: SCI-EXP)
$12.95 $7.50 (2 in stock)
Janice VanCleave's 203 Icy, Freezing, Frosty, Cool & Wild Experiments
by Janice VanCleave
from John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
for 3rd-7th grade
in Janice VanCleave's Science (Location: SCI-EXP)
$7.50 (1 in stock)
Janice VanCleave's 204 Sticky, Gloppy, Wacky & Wonderful Experiments
by Janice VanCleave
from John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
for 3d-7th grade
in Janice VanCleave's Science (Location: SCI-EXP)
$6.50 (1 in stock)
Janice VanCleave's Machines
by Janice VanCleave
from John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
for 3rd-6th grade
in Janice VanCleave's Science (Location: SCI-EXP)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
Kitchen Chemistry
by Cynthia Light Brown; Illustrated by Micah Rauch
from Nomad Press
for 3rd-6th grade
in Kitchen & Edible Science (Location: SCI-EXP)
$8.00 (1 in stock)
Learn to Draw: Cars & Trucks
by Jeff Shelly
from Walter Foster
for 1st-6th grade
in Drawing for Beginners (Location: ELE-ARTDRAW)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Look Up!
by Annette LeBlanc Cate
2nd edition from Candlewick Press
for 2nd-6th grade
2014 Robert F. Sibert Honor Book
in Birds (Location: SCI-BIRD)
$8.99
Machines
Usborne Understanding Science
by Clive Gifford
from Usborne
for 3rd-6th grade
in How Things Work (Location: SCIREF-HOW)
$3.60 (1 in stock)
Make it Work! Machines
by Andrew Haslam & David Glover
from Scholastic Inc.
for 3rd-6th grade
in How Things Work (Location: SCIREF-HOW)
Monster Machines
Twenty4Sevens
by Mike Hirst, illustrated by Laszlo Veres
from Scholastic Inc.
for 3rd-6th grade
in Things That Go (Location: SCI-TTGO)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
My Little Science Library 5 volumes
from National Geographic
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Science Reference (Location: SCIREF)
$8.00 (1 in stock)
National Geographic Kids Brain Games
by Jennifer Swanson
from National Geographic
for 3rd-6th grade
in Human Anatomy & Physiology (Location: SCI-ANA)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
Nest Is Noisy
by Dianna Hutts Aston
from Chronicle Books
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Nature Study (Location: NAT-GEN)
$7.99
Outdoor Science Lab for Kids
by Liz Lee Heinecke
from Quarry Books
for 3rd-6th grade
in Science Experiments & Activities (Location: SCI-EXP)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Playing with Magnets
Science for Fun
by Gary Gibson
from Copper Beech Books
for 1st-3rd grade
in Clearance: Science & Health (Location: ZCLE-SCI)
$2.00 (1 in stock)
Power of Patterns: Cryptography
by Rane Anderson
from Teacher Created Materials, Inc.
for 2nd-4th grade
in Espionage & Forensic Science (Location: SCI-CRIME)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Quest for Personal Best: Individual Sports
by Lisa Greathouse
from Teacher Created Materials, Inc.
for 3rd-6th grade
in Physics (Location: SCI-PHY)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Questions and Answers About Forest Animals
by Michael Chinery
from Kingfisher
for 3rd-5th grade
in Zoology (Location: SCI-ZOOL)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Redwoods
by Jason Chin
from Square Fish Publishing
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Botany & Mycology (Location: SCI-BOT)
$9.99
Science Experiments You Can Eat
by Vicki Cobb
from Scholastic Inc.
for 3rd-8th grade
in Kitchen & Edible Science (Location: SCI-EXP)
$2.00 (1 in stock)
Science in the Kitchen
Usborne Science Activities
by Helen Edom
from Usborne
for 2nd-5th grade
in Usborne Science Activities (Location: SCI-EXP)
$2.25 (1 in stock)
Science in the Kitchen
Usborne Science Activities
by Helen Edom
Revised from Usborne
for 2nd-5th grade
in Usborne Science Activities (Location: SCI-EXP)
$5.39 $3.15 (1 in stock)
Science Scope
by Kathryn Stout
from Design-A-Study
for All grades
in Design-A-Study (Location: HSR-DAS)
$15.00
Science with Air
Usborne Science Activities
by Helen Edom
from Usborne
for 2nd-5th grade
in Usborne Science Activities (Location: SCI-EXP)
$2.25 (1 in stock)
Science with Air
Usborne Science Activities
by Helen Edom
from Usborne
for 2nd-5th grade
in Usborne Science Activities (Location: SCI-EXP)
$3.60 (2 in stock)
Science with Water
Usborne Science Activities
by Helen Edom
Revised from Usborne
for 2nd-5th grade
in Usborne Science Activities (Location: SCI-EXP)
$5.39 $3.60 (1 in stock)
Shine-A-Light: Secrets of the Apple Tree
Shine-A-Light
by Carron Brown and Illustrated by Alyssa Nassner
from Quarto Knows
for Kindergarten-4th grade
in Botany & Mycology (Location: SCI-BOT)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Showoffs
by Bernard Stonehouse; illustrated by John Francis
from Tangerine Books
for Kindergarten-4th grade
in Zoology (Location: SCI-ZOOL)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Spiders and Other Creepy-Crawlies
Wild, Wild World
by Denny Robson, illustrated by James Field
from Paragon Publishers
for 2nd-4th grade
in Insects & Arachnids (Location: SCI-BUG)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Sunshine Makes the Seasons
Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science Stage 2
by Franklyn M. Branley, illustrated by Michael Rex
from HarperCollins
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Meteorology (Weather & Climate) (Location: SCI-WEA)
$3.50 (1 in stock)
The Sun, Our Nearest Star
Lets-Read-and-Find-Out Science Stage 2
by Franklyn Mansfield Branley, illustrated by Edward Miller
from HarperCollins
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Astronomy (Space) (Location: SCI-AST)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
True Book: Animal Homes
A True Book
by Ann O. Squire
from Children's Press
for 2nd-4th grade
in Zoology (Location: SCI-ZOOL)
True Book: Animals of the Sea and Shore
A True Book
by Ann O. Squire
from Children's Press
for 2nd-4th grade
in Oceanography & Marine Biology (Location: SCI-OCEAN)
True Book: Bees
A True Book
by Larry Dane Brimner
from Children's Press
for 2nd-4th grade
in Insects & Arachnids (Location: SCI-BUG)
True Book: Beetles
A True Book
by Ann O. Squire
from Children's Press
for 2nd-4th grade
in Insects & Arachnids (Location: SCI-BUG)
12