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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387 Items found Print
Active Filters: 6th grade (Ages 11-12), New Books & Materials
Across America on an Emigrant Train
by Jim Murphy
from Sandpiper Books
for 5th-8th grade
1994 NCTE Orbis Pictus Award
in Immigration & Emigration (Location: HISA-20IM)
$10.95
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
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
All About the Weather - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by Bruce LaFontaine
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Nature / Geography Coloring Books (Location: COL-NAT)
$4.99
American Muscle Cars - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by Bruce LaFontaine
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Transportation Coloring Books (Location: COL-TRANS)
$5.99
American Sailing Ships - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by Peter F. Copeland
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Transportation Coloring Books (Location: COL-TRANS)
$5.99
American Wild Flowers - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by Paul Kennedy
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Flowers & Plants Coloring Books (Location: COL-BOT)
$4.99
Antique Airplanes - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by Peter F. Copeland
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Transportation Coloring Books (Location: COL-TRANS)
$5.99
Antique Automobiles - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by Clarence P. Hornung
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Transportation Coloring Books (Location: COL-TRANS)
$4.99
Antique Locomotives - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by Tre Tryckare Company
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Transportation Coloring Books (Location: COL-TRANS)
$4.99
Arctic and Antarctic Life - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by Ruth Soffer
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Animal Habitat Coloring Books (Location: COL-HAB)
$5.99
Audubon's Birds of America - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by Paul Kennedy
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Bird Coloring Books (Location: COL-BIRD)
$4.99
Backyard Nature - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by Dot Barlowe
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Animal Habitat Coloring Books (Location: COL-HAB)
$4.99
Basher Five-Two
by Scott O'Grady & Michael French
from Yearling
Autobiography for 4th-8th grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$6.99
Basher Science: Astronomy
Basher Science
by Simon Basher, Dan Green
Pap/Pstr from Kingfisher
for 3rd-6th grade
in Basher Science (Location: SCI-BASH)
$9.99
Basher Science: Engineering
by Simon Basher, Tom Jackson
Reprint from Kingfisher
for 2nd-6th grade
in Basher Science (Location: SCI-BASH)
$9.99 $6.00 (1 in stock)
Basher Science: Extreme Physics
Basher Science
by Simon Basher, Dan Green
8.4.2013 from Kingfisher
for 3rd-6th grade
in Basher Science (Location: SCI-BASH)
$9.99
Basher Science: Human Body
Basher Science
by Simon Basher, Dan Green
Pap/Pstr from Kingfisher
for 3rd-6th grade
in Basher Science (Location: SCI-BASH)
$8.99
Basher Science: Microbiology
Basher Science
by Simon Basher, Dan Green
Pap/Pstr from Kingfisher
for 3rd-6th grade
in Basher Science (Location: SCI-BASH)
$9.99
Basher Science: Oceans
Basher Science
by Simon Basher, Dan Green
Pap/Chrt from Kingfisher
for 3rd-6th grade
in Basher Science (Location: SCI-BASH)
$9.99
Basher Science: Physics: Why Matter Matters
Basher Science
by Dan Green, Simon Basher
First Edition from Kingfisher
for 3rd-6th grade
in Basher Science (Location: SCI-BASH)
$9.99 $6.00 (1 in stock)
Basher Science: Technology
Basher Science
by Simon Basher, Dan Green
Pap/Pstr from Kingfisher
for 3rd-6th grade
in Basher Science (Location: SCI-BASH)
$8.99 $6.29 (1 in stock)
Basher Science: The Periodic Table
Basher Science
by Simon Basher, Adrian Dingle
Pap/Pstr from Kingfisher
for 3rd-6th grade
in Basher Science (Location: SCI-BASH)
$8.99
Beetle Is Shy
by Dianna Hutts Aston
from Chronicle Books
for 2nd-6th grade
in Nature Study (Location: NAT-GEN)
$16.99
Biology
by Joan Distasio
from Instructional Fair
for 6th-9th grade
in Biology (Location: SCI-BIO)
$12.99 $8.50 (2 in stock)
Biology Experiments for Children
by Ethel Hanauer
from Dover Publications
for 4th-6th grade
in Biology (Location: SCI-BIO)
$5.95
Bird Watchers and Bird Feeders
by Glenn O. Blough, illustrated by Jeanne Bendick
2022nd edition from Purple House Press
for 2nd-6th grade
in Living Science (Location: SCI-CMLS)
$12.99
Birds of Prey - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by John Green
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Bird Coloring Books (Location: COL-BIRD)
$4.99
Birds of the Pacific Northwest
by John Shewey & Tim Blount, edited by Hendrik Herlyn
from Timber Press, Inc.
for 5th-Adult
in Field Guides & Nature Handbooks (Location: NAT-FIELD)
$27.95
Birds: Nature's Magnificent Flying Machines
by Caroline Arnold
from Charlesbridge
for 3rd-6th grade
in Birds (Location: SCI-BIRD)
$7.95
Body Book
by Donald M. Silver & Patricia J. Wynne
from Scholastic Inc.
for 3rd-6th grade
in Human Anatomy & Physiology (Location: SCI-ANA)
$18.99 $12.00 (1 in stock)
Book of Birds
by Sarah Jo Davis & Kalee Miller
2nd edition from Memoria Press
for 4th-6th grade
in Memoria Press Science (Location: SCICUR-MP)
$20.50
Book of Birds - Student Workbook
by Sarah Jo Davis & Kalee Miller
from Memoria Press
for 4th-6th grade
in Memoria Press Science (Location: SCICUR-MP)
$17.35
Book of Birds - Teacher Guide
by Sarah Jo Davis & Kalee Miller
from Memoria Press
for 4th-6th grade
in Memoria Press Science (Location: SCICUR-MP)
$19.45
Book of Insects - Student Text
by Arabella Buckley & Julia McNair Wright
from Memoria Press
for 4th-7th grade
in Memoria Press Science (Location: SCICUR-MP)
$17.35
Book of Insects - Student Text (old)
by Arabella Buckley & Julia McNair Wright
1st edition from Memoria Press
for 4th-7th grade
in Old Edition Science (Location: OSCI)
$10.50 $6.00 (1 in stock)
Book of Insects - Teacher Key
by Laura Bateman
from Memoria Press
for 4th-7th grade
in Memoria Press Science (Location: SCICUR-MP)
$19.45 $13.00 (2 in stock)
Book of Insects - Workbook
by Laura Bateman
1st edition from Memoria Press
for 4th-7th grade
in Memoria Press Science (Location: SCICUR-MP)
$17.35 $11.50 (1 in stock)
Book of Trees
by Sean Brooks
2nd edition from Memoria Press
for 6th-8th grade
in Memoria Press Science (Location: SCICUR-MP)
$17.35
Book of Trees - Student Guide
by Sean Brooks
from Memoria Press
for 6th-8th grade
in Memoria Press Science (Location: SCICUR-MP)
$17.35
Book of Trees - Teacher Guide
by Sean Brooks
from Memoria Press
for 6th-8th grade
in Memoria Press Science (Location: SCICUR-MP)
$19.45 $11.50 (1 in stock)
Brain Anatomy Model
from Learning Resources
for 3rd-6th grade
in Science Manipulatives & Lab Supplies (Location: SCIREF-LAB)
$24.99
Breathtaking Birds
Marvels of Creation
by Buddy & Kay Davis
from Master Books
for 2nd-6th grade
in Birds (Location: SCI-BIRD)
$10.39
Breathtaking Respiratory System
God's Wondrous Machine
by Johnny Congo & Paige Hudson
from Master Books
for 4th-6th grade
in Human Anatomy & Physiology (Location: SCI-ANA)
$12.79 $11.00 (3 in stock)
Burgess Animal Book for Children
by Thornton W. Burgess
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Living Science (Location: SCI-CMLS)
Burgess Animal Book for Children
by Thornton W. Burgess
from Living Book Press
for 2nd-6th grade
in Living Science (Location: SCI-CMLS)
$19.99
Burgess Animal Book for Children
by Thornton W. Burgess
from Living Book Press
for 2nd-6th grade
in Living Science (Location: SCI-CMLS)
$18.99
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 Dover Publications
in Living Science (Location: SCI-CMLS)
$12.95
Burgess Bird Book for Children
by Thornton W. Burgess
Color Edition from Living Book Press
in Living Science (Location: SCI-CMLS)
$19.99
Burgess Bird Book for Children
by Thornton W. Burgess
from Living Book Press
in Living Science (Location: SCI-CMLS)
$18.99
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)
$19.99
Burgess Flower Book for Children
by Thornton W. Burgess
from Living Book Press
in Living Science (Location: SCI-CMLS)
$18.99
Burgess Flower Book for Children
by Thornton W. Burgess
from Living Book Press
in Living Science (Location: SCI-CMLS)
$28.99
Butterflies - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by Jan Sovak
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Insect Coloring Books (Location: COL-BUG)
$4.99
Calcium (True Books: Elements)
by Antonia Cunningham
from Children's Press
for 4th-6th grade
in Chemistry (Location: SCI-CHEM)
$6.95 $4.50 (1 in stock)
Cars - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by Steven James Petruccio
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Transportation Coloring Books (Location: COL-TRANS)
$3.99
Cat - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by Karen Baldauski
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Mammal Coloring Books (Location: COL-MAM)
$4.99
Cave Book
Wonders of Creation Series
by Emil Silvestru
from Master Books
for 4th-10th grade
in Geology (Rocks & Minerals) (Location: SCI-GEO)
$15.19
Champions of Invention
Champions of Discovery
by John Hudson Tiner
from Master Books
for 4th-8th grade
in Inventions & Discoveries (Location: SCI-INV)
$4.79 $3.50 (3 in stock)
Chasing Space for Young Readers
by Leland Melvin
from Amistad Press
for 3rd-6th grade
in Space Race & Exploration (Location: HISA-20SPR)
$7.99
Classic Cars - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by Bruce LaFontaine
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Transportation Coloring Books (Location: COL-TRANS)
$9.95
Classic Cars of the Fifties - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by Bruce LaFontaine
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Transportation Coloring Books (Location: COL-TRANS)
$3.99
Classic Motorcars - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by Tre Tryckare Company
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Transportation Coloring Books (Location: COL-TRANS)
$4.99
Classic Racing Cars of the World - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by Carlo Demand
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Transportation Coloring Books (Location: COL-TRANS)
$4.99
Classical Acts and Facts Science Cards: Living on the Planet
2nd edition from Classical Conversations
for Kindergarten-8th grade
in Classical Acts & Facts Cards (Location: HISCUR-CC)
$23.99
Classical Acts and Facts Science Cards: Spinning Harmonies
from Classical Conversations
for Kindergarten-8th grade
in Classical Acts & Facts Cards (Location: HISCUR-CC)
$23.99
Classical Acts and Facts Science Cards: Uncovering the Design (Cycle 3)
5th edition from Classical Conversations
for Kindergarten-8th grade
in Classical Acts & Facts Cards (Location: HISCUR-CC)
$23.99 $14.00 (2 in stock)
Complete Aquarium Adventure
Complete Adventure Series
by Merilee & Bill Clifton
from Master Books
for 3rd-6th grade
in Oceanography & Marine Biology (Location: SCI-OCEAN)
$18.39
Complete Zoo Adventure
by Mary & Gary Parker
from Master Books
for 3rd-6th grade
in Zoology (Location: SCI-ZOOL)
$18.39
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)
Comstock’s Handbook of Nature Study – Birds
by Anna Botsford Comstock
from Living Book Press
for 6th-9th grade
$16.99
Comstock’s Handbook of Nature Study – Earth and Sky
by Anna Botsford Comstock
from Living Book Press
for 6th-9th grade
$15.99
Comstock’s Handbook of Nature Study – Fish, Reptiles, Amphibians, Invertebrates
by Anna Botsford Comstock
from Living Book Press
for 6th-9th grade
$16.99
Comstock’s Handbook of Nature Study – Insects
by Anna Botsford Comstock
from Living Book Press
for 6th-9th grade
$18.99
Comstock’s Handbook of Nature Study – Introduction
by Anna Botsford Comstock
from Living Book Press
for 6th-9th grade
$11.99
Comstock’s Handbook of Nature Study – Mammals, Flowerless Plants
by Anna Botsford Comstock
from Living Book Press
for 6th-9th grade
$17.99
Comstock’s Handbook of Nature Study – Trees, Garden Flowers
by Anna Botsford Comstock
from Living Book Press
for 6th-9th grade
$17.99
Comstock’s Handbook of Nature Study – Wildflowers, Weeds, Crops
by Anna Botsford Comstock
from Living Book Press
for 6th-9th grade
$17.99
Coolies
by Yin, illustrated by Chris Soentpiet
from Puffin Books
for 5th-8th grade
in Transcontinental Railroad (Location: HISA-19TRR)
$7.99
Coral Reef - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by Ruth Soffer
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Animal Habitat Coloring Books (Location: COL-HAB)
$4.99
Customary Weight Set
from Learning Resources
for 3rd-6th grade
in Scales & Balances (Location: MATM-BAL)
$26.99
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 Prey - Coloring Book
from Spizzirri Press
for 2nd-6th
in Reptile Coloring Books (Location: COL-REP)
$3.95
DK Eyewitness: Forensic Science
by Chris Cooper
from DK Publishing
for 4th-6th grade
in Espionage & Forensic Science (Location: SCI-CRIME)
$9.99
DK Eyewitness: Horse
DK Eyewitness Series
by Juliet Clutton-Brock
from DK Publishing
Science Reference for 4th-8th grade
in Horses & Ponies (Location: SCI-MAMHOR)
$9.99
DK Eyewitness: Human Body
DK Eyewitness Series
by Steve Parker
from DK Publishing
Science Reference for 4th-8th grade
in Human Anatomy & Physiology (Location: SCI-ANA)
$9.99
DK Smithsonian Super Simple Biology
from DK Publishing
for 6th-10th grade
in Biology (Location: SCI-BIO)
$21.99
Dolphin Adventure
by Wayne Grover
from HarperTrophy
for 3rd-7th grade
in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI)
$5.99 $3.50 (4 in stock)
Dolphin Treasure
by Wayne Grover
from HarperTrophy
for Ages 8-12
in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI)
$5.99 $3.50 (2 in stock)
Dragons
by Bill Looney
from Master Books
for 4th-6th grades
in Dinosaurs & Fossils (Location: SCI-DINO)
$15.99
Dragons - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by Christy Shaffer
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Literary & Fantasy Coloring Books (Location: COL-LIT)
$3.99
Dragons of the Deep
by Carl Wieland
from Master Books
for 5th-8th grade
in Dinosaurs & Fossils (Location: SCI-DINO)
$13.59
Draw 50 Baby Animals
by Lee J. Ames, Murray Zak
from Watson-Guptill Publications
for 3rd-8th grade
in Draw 50 (Location: ELE-ARTD50)
$9.99
Draw 50 Birds
by Lee Ames & Tony D'Adamo
from Watson-Guptill Publications
for 3rd-8th grade
in Draw 50 (Location: ELE-ARTD50)
$9.99
Draw 50 Boats, Ships, Trucks, and Trains
by Lee Ames
from Watson-Guptill Publications
for 3rd-8th grade
in Draw 50 (Location: ELE-ARTD50)
$9.99
Draw 50 Cars, Trucks, and Motorcycles
by Lee Ames
from Watson-Guptill Publications
for 3rd-8th grade
in Draw 50 (Location: ELE-ARTD50)
$9.99 $6.00 (1 in stock)
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