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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110 Items found Print
Active Filters: 5th grade (Ages 10-11), Perfectbound, Used Books & Materials
101 Questions About Volcanoes
by John Calderazzo
from Western National Parks Assoc.
for 3rd-6th grade
$3.00 (1 in stock)
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)
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)
Amazing Story of the Combustion Engine
Max Axiom STEM Adventures
by Mari Bolte, illustrated by Pop Art Properties
from Capstone Press
for 3rd-6th grade
in Comic Books & Graphic Novels (Location: FIC-COMIC)
$4.00 (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)
Apollo 11 Moon Landing: July 20, 1969
24 Hour History
by Nel Yomtov
from Capstone Press
for 3rd-5th grade
in Comic Books & Graphic Novels (Location: FIC-COMIC)
$4.50 (1 in stock)
Backyard Bird Feeder's Bible
by Sally Roth
from Rodale Press
for 5th-Adult
in Birds (Location: SCI-BIRD)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
Ben Franklin Book of Easy Incredible Experiments
by Lisa Jo Rudy (editor), illustrated by Cheryl Kirk Noll
from John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
for 4th-6th grade
in Science Experiments & Activities (Location: SCI-EXP)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Blast Lab
by Richard Hammond
from DK Publishing
for 3rd-6th grade
in Science Experiments & Activities (Location: SCI-EXP)
$4.50 (1 in stock)
Can You Track It? Mammals
by Maggie Felsch and Shannen Yauger, illustrated by Tanya Glebova and Abram Felsch
from The Good and the Beautiful
for 3rd-6th grade
in GATB Science & Health (Location: CUR-GABSc)
$7.00 (1 in stock)
Chemistry Experiments for Children
by Virginia L. Mullin
from Dover Publications
for 4th-6th grade
in Chemistry (Location: SCI-CHEM)
$2.00 (1 in stock)
Clouds
by Trudi Strain Trueit
from Franklin Watts
for 3rd-6th grade
in Meteorology (Weather & Climate) (Location: SCI-WEA)
$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 (1 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 Our Solar System (Location: SCI-AST)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
DK Eyewitness: Arctic & Antarctic
by Barbara Taylor
from DK Publishing
for 4th-8th grade
in Arctic & Tundra (Location: SCI-ECO)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
DK Eyewitness: Rocks & Minerals
from DK Publishing
for 3rd-6th grade
in Geology (Rocks & Minerals) (Location: SCI-GEO)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
DK findout!: The Living World - boxed set
from DK Publishing
for 3rd-6th grade
in Zoology (Location: SCI-ZOOL)
$45.00 (1 in stock)
DK Guide: Human Body
by Richard Walker
from DK Publishing
for 3rd-6th grade
in Human Anatomy & Physiology (Location: SCI-ANA)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
DK See For Yourself: Water
by Trevor Day
from DK Publishing
for 3rd-6th 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)
DK Smithsonian: Science
by Chris Woodford & Steve Parker
2nd edition from DK Publishing
for 3rd-6th grade
in Science Reference (Location: SCIREF)
$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 Foot, Leg, and Pelvis
from Know Yourself
for 3rd-6th grade
in Human Anatomy & Physiology (Location: SCI-ANA)
$14.00 (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)
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)
$3.00 (2 in stock)
Endangered Animals Dictionary
from Scholastic Inc.
for 3rd-6th grade
in Oversized Science Books (Location: SCI-OVER)
$3.50 (1 in stock)
Energy, Forces & Motion
Usborne Internet-Linked Library of Science
by Alastair Smith and Corinne Henderson
from Usborne
for 3rd-8th grade
in Physics (Location: SCI-PHY)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Everyday STEM Science: Physics
by Dr. Shini Somara and Rona Skene, illustrated by Luna Valentine
KiwiCo from Kingfisher
for 3rd-6th grade
in Physics (Location: SCI-PHY)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Excellent Engineering
by Rob Beattie, illustrated by Sam Peet
from QEB Publishing
for 4th-8th grade
in Oversized Science Books (Location: SCI-OVER)
$9.00 (1 in stock)
Exploration of Space
Great Explorers Series
by Felicity Trotman
from Barron's
for 3rd-6th grade
in Space Race & Exploration (Location: HISA-20SPR)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Explore Experiment and Discover Science - book only
by Anna Claybourne
from Parragon Publishing
for 2nd-5th grade
in Science Experiments & Activities (Location: SCI-EXP)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Explore Light and Optics with 25 Great Projects
from Nomad Press
for 3rd-6th grade
in Light & Sound (Location: SCI-PHY)
$7.50 (1 in stock)
Exploring the Night Sky
by Terence Dickinson
from Firefly Books
for 4th-6th grade
in Stars & Constellations (Location: SCI-AST)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Exploring the Sky by Day
by Terence Dickinson
from Firefly Books
for 3rd-6th grade
in Meteorology (Weather & Climate) (Location: SCI-WEA)
$5.50 (1 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)
Familiar Seashore Creatures: North America
Audubon Society Pocket Guides
by Stephen H. Amos
from Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.
for 3rd-8th grade
in Field Guides: Fish & Water Life (Location: NAT-FG02)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
Fast Forward: Ships and Submarines
by Ian Graham, illustrated by Dave Antram
from Franklin Watts
for 3rd-5th grade
in Ships, Boats & Submarines (Location: HISV-SHIP)
$3.00 (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)
$7.00 (3 in stock)
First Encyclopedia of Science
Usborne Internet-Linked
by Rachel Firth
from Usborne
for 2nd-6th grade
in Science Reference (Location: SCIREF)
$7.00 (4 in stock)
Flash! Bang! Pop! Fizz!
by Janet Parks Chahrour
from Barron's
for 5th-9th grade
in Science Experiments & Activities (Location: SCI-EXP)
$7.00 (1 in stock)
Glow In the Dark Constellations
by C.E. Thompson, Illustrated by Randy Chewning
from Grosset & Dunlap
for 3rd-6th grade
in Stars & Constellations (Location: SCI-AST)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Golden Exploring Earth: Animals
Golden Exploring Earth
by George S. Fichter, illustrated by Rod Ruth
from Western Publishing
for 2nd-6th grade
in Vintage Science & Math (Location: VIN-SCI)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
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 Birds
by Robert Mathewson
Reprint from Price Stern Sloan
for 4th-6th grade
in Birds (Location: SCI-BIRD)
$2.00 (1 in stock)
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)
$2.00 (1 in stock)
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 (2 in stock)
How and Why Wonder Book of Science Experiments
by Martin L. Keen, illustrated by George J. Zaffo
from Grosset & Dunlap
for 3rd-6th grade
in How and Why Wonder Books (Location: VIN-H&W)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
How and Why Wonder Book of Stars
by Norman Hoss, illustrated by James Ponter
from Grosset & Dunlap
for 3rd-6th grade
in How and Why Wonder Books (Location: VIN-H&W)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
How and Why Wonder Book of the Microscope and What You See
by Martin L. Keen, illustrated by Walter Ferguson
from Grosset & Dunlap
for 3rd-6th grade
in How and Why Wonder Books (Location: VIN-H&W)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
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)
How to Raise Monarch Butterflies
by Carol Pasternak
2020 printing from Firefly Books
for 3rd-6th grade
in Insects & Arachnids (Location: SCI-BUG)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
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 $10.00 (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 (2 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 Guide to the Best Science Fair Projects
by Janice VanCleave
from John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
for 4th-7th grade
in Clearance: Science & Health (Location: ZCLE-SCI)
$4.00 (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)
KnowHow Book of Experiments
KnowHow Books
by Heather Amery
from Usborne
for 4th-6th grade
in Science Experiments & Activities (Location: SCI-EXP)
$2.50 (2 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)
Life Cycle of a Mosquito
by Bobbie Kalman
from Crabtree Publishing
for 2nd-5th grade
in Insects & Arachnids (Location: SCI-BUG)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Life in the Far North
Native Nations of North America
by Bobbie Kalman and Rebecca Sjonger
from Crabtree Publishing
for 3rd-6th grade
in Native American History (Location: HISA-19NAT)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Marvelous Mammals From Down Under
by Heather Horn
from The Good and the Beautiful
for 3rd-6th grade
in GATB Science & Health (Location: CUR-GABSc)
$7.00 (1 in stock)
Mechanical Engineering and Simple Machines
Engineering in Action
by Robert Snedden
from Crabtree Publishing
for 3rd-5th grade
in How Things Work (Location: SCIREF-HOW)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Nature Day and Night
by Richard Adams & Max Hooper, illustrated by David Goddard
from Penguin Books
for 4th-Adult
in Nature Study & Journaling (Location: NAT-GEN)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Nature Through the Seasons
by Richard Adams & Max Hooper, illustrated by David Goddard
from Penguin Books
for 4th-6th grade
in Nature Study & Journaling (Location: NAT-GEN)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Night Sky
Usborne Spotter's Guides
from Usborne
for 3rd-12th grade
in Field Guides: Weather & Astronomy (Location: NAT-FG10)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Ocean Engineering and Designing for the Deep Sea
Engineering in Action
by Rebecca Sjonger
from Crabtree Publishing
for 3rd-5th grade
in How Things Work (Location: SCIREF-HOW)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Our Sun and the Worlds Around It
Question and Answer Adventures
by Jene Lyon, illustrated by George Solonewitsch
from Golden Press
for 2nd-5th grade
in Vintage Science & Math (Location: VIN-SCI)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
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)
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)
Rocks and Fossils
by Martyn Bramwell
from Usborne
for 4th-6th grade
in Geology (Rocks & Minerals) (Location: SCI-GEO)
$3.50 (1 in stock)
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
Revised from Usborne
for 2nd-5th grade
in Usborne Science Activities (Location: SCI-EXP)
$5.99 $3.00 (3 in stock)
Science with Air
Usborne Science Activities
by Helen Edom
from Usborne
for 2nd-5th grade
in Usborne Science Activities (Location: SCI-EXP)
$3.00 (3 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)
$5.99 $3.00 (2 in stock)
See How It's Made
from DK Children
for 3rd-7th grade
in How Things Work (Location: SCIREF-HOW)
$8.00 (1 in stock)
Smash!
by Mark Weakland, illustrated by Christian Cornia
from Capstone Press
for 2nd-5th grade
in Physics (Location: SCI-PHY)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Story of the Erie Canal
from Sonlight Curriculum, Ltd.
for 4th-6th Grade
in Western Expansion (1800-1898) (Location: HISA-19WES)
$2.00 (2 in stock)
Stronger Than Steel
by Bridget Heos
from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
for 4th-7th grade
in Genetics & Microscopic Life (Location: SCI-GEN)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
Thomas Edison Book of Easy and Incredible Experiments
by James G. Cook
from John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
for 4th-6th grade
in Science Experiments & Activities (Location: SCI-EXP)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Thud!
by Mark Weakland, illustrated by Christian Cornia
from Capstone Press
for 2nd-5th grade
in Physics (Location: SCI-PHY)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
True Book: Antarctica
A True Book: Geography
by Mel Friedman
from Children's Press
for 3rd-5th grade
in Arctic & Tundra (Location: SCI-ECO)
$3.50 (1 in stock)
True Book: Fossils
by Ann O. Squire
from Scholastic Inc.
for 2nd-5th grade
in Dinosaurs & Fossils (Location: SCI-DINO)
$3.50 (1 in stock)
True Book: Tornadoes
A True Book
by Elaine Landau
from Scholastic Inc.
for 3rd-5th grade
$3.00 (1 in stock)
True Book: Volcanoes
A True Book
by Elaine Landau
from Scholastic Inc.
for 3rd-5th grade
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Usborne Big Book of Experiments
from Usborne
for 2nd-5th grade
in Oversized Science Books (Location: SCI-OVER)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Usborne Book of Astronomy & Space
by Lisa Miles & Alastair Smith
from Usborne
for 4th-8th grade
in Astronomy (Space) (Location: SCI-AST)
$9.00 (1 in stock)
Usborne Book of Inventors
by Patricia Fara, Struan Reid
from Scholastic Inc.
for 3rd-6th grade
in Inventions & Discoveries (Location: SCI-INV)
$3.50 (1 in stock)
Usborne Book of Scientists
by Struan Reid & Patricia Fara
from Usborne
Biography Anthology for 4th-6th grade
in Inventions & Discoveries (Location: SCI-INV)
$3.50 (1 in stock)
Usborne First Encyclopedia of the Human Body
by Fiona Chandler
from Scholastic Inc.
for 3rd-6th grade
in Human Anatomy & Physiology (Location: SCI-ANA)
$4.50 (1 in stock)
Usborne Introduction to Weather & Climate Change
by Laura Howell
from Scholastic Inc.
for 3rd-6th grade
in Meteorology (Weather & Climate) (Location: SCI-WEA)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Usborne Mysteries & Marvels of Science
by Laura Howell, Phillip Clarke, Sarah Khan
from Scholastic Inc.
for 3rd-6th grade
in Science Reference (Location: SCIREF)
$9.00 (1 in stock)
Usborne Science Encyclopedia
by Annabel Craig & Cliff Rosney
from Usborne
for 3rd-6th grade
in Science Reference (Location: SCIREF)
$7.50 (1 in stock)
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