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.

 

Did you find this review helpful?
327 Items found Print
Active Filters: 3rd grade (Ages 8-9), Hardcover
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 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)
3-D Human Body
from DK Publishing
for 3rd-6th grade
in Human Anatomy & Physiology (Location: SCI-ANA)
3D Sapshots: Puppies (with 3D glasses)
from Fog City Press
for Preschool-3rd grade
in Dog Books (Location: SCI-MAMDOG)
$3.50 (1 in stock)
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)
African Critters
by Robert Haas
from National Geographic
for 3rd-6th grade
in Zoology (Location: SCI-ZOOL)
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 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 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 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 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 Moths and Butterflies
All About Books #15
by Robert S. Lemmon
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 Epstein, 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 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)
All About the Atom
All About Books #10
by Ira M. Freeman, illustrated by George E. Wilde
from Random House
for 3rd-6th grade
in All About Books (Location: VIN-ALL)
All About the Desert
All About Books #21
by Sam & Beryl Epstein
from Random House
for 3rd-6th grade
in All About Books (Location: VIN-ALL)
All About the Human Body
All About Books #27
by Bernard Glemser, illustrated by Felix Traugott
from Unknown Publisher
for 3rd-6th grade
in All About Books (Location: VIN-ALL)
All About the Human Mind
All About Books #47
by Robert M. Goldenson, illustrated with photographs & diagrams
from Random House
for 3rd-8th grade
in All About Books (Location: VIN-ALL)
All About the Jungle
All About Books #29
by Armstrong Sperry
from Random House
for 3rd-6th grade
in All About Books (Location: VIN-ALL)
All About the Planet Earth
All About Books #46
by Patricia Lauber, illustrated by Lee Ames
from Random House
for 3rd-6th grade
in All About Books (Location: VIN-ALL)
All About the Planets
All About Books #33
by Patricia Lauber
from Random House
for 3rd-6th grade
in All About Books (Location: VIN-ALL)
All About the Sea
All About Books #3
by Ferdinand C. Lane
from Random House
Humorous Fiction for 3rd-6th grade
in All About Books (Location: VIN-ALL)
All About the Stars
All About Books #7
by Anne Terry White
from Random House
for 3rd-6th grade
in All About Books (Location: VIN-ALL)
All About the Universe
All About Books #55
by David Dietz, illustrated by John Polgreen
from Random House
for 3rd-8th grade
in All About Books (Location: VIN-ALL)
All About the Weather
All About Books #5
by Ivan Ray Tannehill
from Random House
for 3rd-6th grade
in All About Books (Location: VIN-ALL)
All About Volcanoes & Earthquakes
All About Books #4
by Frederick H. Pough
from Random House
for 3rd-6th grade
in All About Books (Location: VIN-ALL)
All Around You
by Jeanne Bendick, foreword by Glenn O. Blough
from Whittlesey House
for 1st-3rd grade
in Vintage Science & Math (Location: VIN-SCI)
Animal Behavior
Life Nature Library
by Niko Tinbergen
from Time-Life Books
for 3rd-6th grade
in Vintage Science & Math (Location: VIN-SCI)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Animals do the Strangest Things
by Leonora & Arthur Hornblow, illustrated by Michael K. Frith
from Random House
for 1st-3rd grade
in Step Up Books (Location: VIN-STEP)
Answers Book for Kids Volume 1
by Ken Ham
from Master Books
for Kindergarten-4th grade
in Worldview & Apologetics for Kids (Location: BIBWV-APK)
$6.39
Answers Book for Kids Volume 2
by Ken Ham
from Master Books
for Kindergarten-4th grade
in Worldview & Apologetics for Kids (Location: BIBWV-APK)
$6.39
Answers Book for Kids Volume 3
by Ken Ham
from Master Books
for Kindergarten-4th grade
in Worldview & Apologetics for Kids (Location: BIBWV-APK)
$7.99
Answers Book for Kids Volume 4
by Ken Ham
from Master Books
for Kindergarten-4th grade
in Worldview & Apologetics for Kids (Location: BIBWV-APK)
$6.39
Answers Book for Kids Volume 5
by Bodie Hodge, Ken Ham
from Master Books
for Kindergarten-4th grade
in Worldview & Apologetics for Kids (Location: BIBWV-APK)
$6.39
Apes and Monkeys
by Deborah Dennard, illustrated by John F. McGee
from Northword Press
for 3rd-6th grade
in Mammals (Location: SCI-MAM)
$8.00 (1 in stock)
Armstrong
by Torben Kuhlmann, Translated by David Henry Wilson
from NorthSouth
for 2nd-6th grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
Atlas of Countries
First Discovery Book
by Gallimard Jeunesse
from Scholastic Press
for Preschool- 3rd Grade
in Geography Reference (Location: GEO-REF)
$4.50 (2 in stock)
Atoms
Golden Books of Knowledge
by Jerry Korn
from Golden Press
for 1st-5th grade
in Vintage & Collectible (Location: VIN-COL)
Audubon's Birds of America
by John James Audubon
from Macmillan
for Preschool-3rd grade
in Birds (Location: SCI-BIRD)
Baby Whale Sharp Ears
by John Y. Beaty, illustrated by Helene Carter
from J.B. Lippincott Co.
for 2nd-5th grade
in Vintage Science & Math (Location: VIN-SCI)
$80.00 (1 in stock)
Bag in the Wind
by Ted Kooser, illustrated by Barry Root
from Candlewick Press
for 1st-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Be Nice to Spiders
by Margaret Bloy Graham
from Harper & Row
for 1st-3rd grade
in Vintage Picture Books (Location: VIN-PIC)
Beetle Is Shy
by Dianna Hutts Aston
from Chronicle Books
for 2nd-6th grade
in Nature Study (Location: NAT-GEN)
$16.99
Beginning Knowledge Book of Backyard Trees
by Hanniford Rush; illustrated by Raul Mina Mora
from Rutledge Books
for 2nd-4th grade
in Vintage Science & Math (Location: VIN-SCI)
Big Book of Big Animals
Usborne Big Books
by Hazel Maskell
from Usborne
for 1st-3rd grade
in Zoology (Location: SCI-ZOOL)
Birds at Home
by Marguerite Henry, illustrated by Jacob Bates Abbott
from M. A. Donohue & Company
for 3rd-6th grade
in Vintage Nonfiction (Location: VIN-NFIC)
Birds Do the Strangest Things
by Leonora and Arthur Hornblow
from Random House
for Preschool-3rd grade
in Step Up Books (Location: VIN-STEP)
Birds Every Child Should Know
by Neltje Blanchan
from Grosset & Dunlap
for 3rd-6th grade
in Vintage Science & Math (Location: VIN-SCI)
Bluebirds Seven
by R. Bruce Horsfall
1st edition
for 3rd-6th grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
Body in Action
Golden Books of Knowledge
by Mitchell Wilson, adapted by Ann Reit
from Golden Press
for 1st-5th grade
in Vintage Science & Math (Location: VIN-SCI)
Bones
from Scholastic Reference
for Kindergarten-4th grade
in Human Anatomy & Physiology (Location: SCI-ANA)
$12.00 (1 in stock)
Book of Eagles
by Helen Roney Sattler, illustrated by Jean Day Zallinger
from Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Books
for 3rd-6th grade
in Birds (Location: SCI-BIRD)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Book of Small Mammals
by Ted S. Pettit, illustrated by G. Don Ray
from Garden City Books
for 3rd-6th grade
in Vintage Science & Math (Location: VIN-SCI)
$14.00 (1 in stock)
Boy Who Drew Birds
by Jacqueline Davies
New title from Houghton Mifflin
for 1st-3rd grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$17.99
Breathtaking Birds
Marvels of Creation
by Buddy & Kay Davis
from Master Books
for 2nd-6th grade
in Birds (Location: SCI-BIRD)
$10.39
Bright Star
by Gary Crew
from Kane Miller
for 3rd-5th grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
Bringing Back the Wolves
by Jude Isabella; illustrated by Kim Smith
from Kids Can Press
for 3rd-6th grade
in Ecology (Location: SCI-ECO)
$12.00 (1 in stock)
Bubo: The Great Horned Owl
by John L. and Jean George, illustrated by Jean George
from E.P. Dutton & Co.
for 3rd-6th grade
in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC)
Bug Dictionary
from Tangerine Books
for 3rd-6th grade
in Oversized Science Books (Location: SCI-OVER)
$3.50 (1 in stock)
Bugs Big & Small God Made Them All
by William Zinke
from Master Books
for Kindergarten-4th grade
in Insects & Arachnids (Location: SCI-BUG)
$13.59
Burgess Animal Book for Children
by Thornton W. Burgess
from Living Book Press
for 2nd-6th grade
in Living Science (Location: SCI-CMLS)
$28.99
Burgess Bird Book for Children
by Thornton W. Burgess
from Living Book Press
in Living Science (Location: SCI-CMLS)
$28.99
Burgess Flower Book for Children
by Thornton W. Burgess
from Living Book Press
in Living Science (Location: SCI-CMLS)
$28.99
Burgess Seashore Book for Children
by Thornton W. Burgess
from Living Book Press
for 2nd-5th grade
in Living Science (Location: SCI-CMLS)
$29.99
Butterflies and Moths
Golden Library of Knowledge
by Richard A. Martin
from Golden Press
for 1st-5th grade
in Vintage Science & Math (Location: VIN-SCI)
Butterfly Is Patient
by Dianna Hutts Aston
from Chronicle Books
for Kindergarten-4th grade
in Nature Study (Location: NAT-GEN)
$16.99
Butterfly Is Patient
by Dianna Hutts Aston
from Chronicle Books
for Kindergarten-4th grade
in Nature Study (Location: NAT-GEN)
$7.99
Castles
by Denise and Claude Millet
from Scholastic Inc.
for Kindergarten-5th grade
in Scholastic First Discovery Books (Location: SCIREF-1ST)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Cat Book
by Marianne Besser, illustrated by Shannon Stirnweis
from Holiday House
for 3rd-6th grade
in Vintage Science & Math (Location: VIN-SCI)
Caterpillars and Butterflies
Usborne Beginners
by Stephanie Turnbull
from Usborne
for Preschool-3rd grade
in Usborne Beginners (Location: SCI-USBREA)
$2.70 (1 in stock)
Charlie and Trike in the Grand Canyon Adventure
Green Notebook Series
by Ken Ham, Karen Hansel
from Master Books
for 1st-4th grade
in Geology (Rocks & Minerals) (Location: SCI-GEO)
$14.39 $9.00 (1 in stock)
Child's Introduction to Natural History
by Heather Alexander, illustrated by Meredith Hamilton
from Black Dog & Leventhal
for 3rd-6th grade
in Science Reference (Location: SCIREF)
$12.00 (1 in stock)
Children's Encyclopedia of Science
by John Paton, illustrated by John Marshall
from Rand McNally
for 2nd-4th grade
in Science Reference (Location: SCIREF)
Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang
by Ian Fleming
from Random House
for 3rd-7th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
Complex Circulatory System
God's Wondrous Machine
by Lainna Callentine, M.Ed., M.D.
from Master Books
for 3rd-7th grade
in Human Anatomy & Physiology (Location: SCI-ANA)
$12.79 $11.00 (1 in stock)
Crinkleroot's Book of Animal Tracks and Wildlife Signs
by Jim Arnosky
from Putnam Juvenile
for 3rd-6th grade
in Nature Study (Location: NAT-GEN)
Crinkleroot's Guide to Knowing Animal Habitats
by Jim Arnosky
from Simon and Schuster
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Zoology (Location: SCI-ZOOL)
Dinosaurs by Design
by Duane Gish
from Master Books
for 2nd-6th grade
in Dinosaurs & Fossils (Location: SCI-DINO)
$14.39
Dinosaurs for Kids
by Ken Ham
from Master Books
for 3rd-6th grade
in Dinosaurs & Fossils (Location: SCI-DINO)
$13.59
Dinosaurs of Eden
by Ken Ham
2nd edition from Master Books
for 3rd-6th grade
in Dinosaurs & Fossils (Location: SCI-DINO)
$13.59
Dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins
by Barbara Kerley
from Scholastic Inc.
for Preschool-3rd Grade
2002 Caldecott Honor Book, NCTE Orbis Pictus Honor Book
in Oversized Picture Books (Location: PIC-OVER)
$19.99
Dinosaurs Unleashed
by Eric Lyons, Kyle Butt
2nd edition from Apologetics Press
for 3rd-6th grade
in Dinosaurs & Fossils (Location: SCI-DINO)
Dinotopia: The World Beneath
by James Gurney
2012nd edition from Calla Editions
for 3rd-6th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$10.00 (1 in stock)
Dirt Track Danger
by Robert Bowen, illustrated by William Blair
from Doubleday & Company
for 3rd-6th grade
in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC)
$12.00 (1 in stock)
Discovering Science on Your Own
by Illa Podendorf, illustrated by Robert Borja
from Grosset & Dunlap
for 3rd-6th grade
in Vintage Science & Math (Location: VIN-SCI)
$10.00 (1 in stock)
Disguises and Surprises
Supersmarts
by Claire Llewellyn
from Candlewick Press
for 2nd-5th grade
in Zoology (Location: SCI-ZOOL)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
DK Eye Wonder: Weather
by Lorrie Mack
from DK Publishing
for 1st-3rd grade
in Meteorology (Weather & Climate) (Location: SCI-WEA)
$10.99
DK Eyewitness: Astronomy
by Kristen Lippincott
from DK Children
for 3rd-8th grade
in Astronomy (Space) (Location: SCI-AST)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
DK Eyewitness: Pond & River
from DK Publishing
for 3rd-6th grade
in River, Pond & Swamp (Location: SCI-ECO)
$7.00 (1 in stock)
DK Eyewitness: Predator
from DK Publishing
for 3rd-6th grade
in Zoology (Location: SCI-ZOOL)
$7.00 (1 in stock)
1234