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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408 Items found Print
Active Filters: 2nd grade (Ages 7-8), Used Books & Materials
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)
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)
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)
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)
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 Kinds of Planes
by Seymour Reit, illustrated by Roberto Innocenti
from Golden Press
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Vintage Picture Books (Location: VIN-PIC)
$2.50 (1 in stock)
Amazing Pop-Up Pull-Out Space Shuttle
by David Hawcock
from DK Publishing
for 1st-4th grade
in Space Race & Exploration (Location: HISA-20SPR)
$25.00 (1 in stock)
Ancient Ones
by Barbara Bash
from Sierra Club Books
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Botany & Mycology (Location: SCI-BOT)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Animal Architects
by W. Wright Robinson
from Blackbirch Press
for 2nd-5th grade
in Insects & Arachnids (Location: SCI-BUG)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Animal Babies in Grasslands
from Kingfisher
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Zoology (Location: SCI-ZOOL)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
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)
Animal School: What Class are You?
by Michelle Lord, illustrated by Michael Garland
from Holiday House
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Zoology (Location: SCI-ZOOL)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Animals Born Alive and Well
by Ruth Heller
from Scholastic Inc.
for Preschool- 3rd Grade
in Mammals (Location: SCI-MAM)
$2.50 (1 in stock)
Animals in Winter
by Henrietta Bancroft
Revised from HarperCollins
for Preschool-3rd Grade
in Zoology (Location: SCI-ZOOL)
$3.00 (2 in stock)
Astronauts on the Moon - Hallmark Pop-Up Book
by Al Muenchen and Stanley Hendricks
from Hallmark Publications
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Vintage Picture Books (Location: VIN-PIC)
$16.00 (1 in stock)
Astronomy Out of This World!
Pap/Pstr from Kingfisher
for 2nd-7th grade
in Basher Science (Location: SCI-BASH)
$5.00 (2 in stock)
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 (Simply Science series)
by Melissa Stewart
1st edition from Compass Point Books
for 1st-3rd grade
in Chemistry (Location: SCI-CHEM)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Attack and Defense
by Robert Coupe
from Mason Crest Publishers
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Zoology (Location: SCI-ZOOL)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Baby Animals
Extraordinary Animals
by Andrew Brown
from Crabtree Publishing
for 2nd-4th grade
in Zoology (Location: SCI-ZOOL)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
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)
Backyard Scientist Series 4
Backyard Scientist
by Jane Hoffman
from Backyard Scientist Publications
for Preschool-6th grade
in Clearance: Science & Health (Location: ZCLE-SCI)
$2.00 (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)
Barn Owls
by Wolfgang Epple, photographs by Manfred Rogl
from Carolrhoda Books, Inc.
for 2nd-5th grade
in Birds (Location: SCI-BIRD)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
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: Planet Earth: What Planet Are You On?
by Simon Basher, Dan Gilpin
from Kingfisher
for Kindergarten-4th grade
in Basher Science (Location: SCI-BASH)
$9.99 $6.00 (2 in stock)
Bat Loves the Night
by Nicola Davies, illustrated by Sarah Fox-Davies
from Candlewick Press
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Mammals (Location: SCI-MAM)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Bats
by Lily Wood
from Scholastic Inc.
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Early Readers (Location: EAR-MISC)
$2.00 (1 in stock)
Bear Cub
All Aboard Reading - Station Stop 2
by Pam Pollack and Meg Belviso, illustrated by Neecy Twinem
from Grosset & Dunlap
for 1st-2nd grade
in Early Readers (Location: EAR-MISC)
$2.50 (1 in stock)
Best of WonderScience
by Ann T. Bennett, James H. Kessler
1st edition from Wadsworth Publishing Company
for Kindergarten-6th grade
in Clearance: Science & Health (Location: ZCLE-SCI)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Big and Small, Short and Tall
by Ron Roy, illustrated by Lynne Cherry
from Clarion Books
for 2nd-4th grade
in Zoology (Location: SCI-ZOOL)
$10.00 (1 in stock)
Big Book
by Kathleen Ruckman
from Master Books
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Nature Study (Location: NAT-GEN)
$2.50 (1 in stock)
Big Book of Real Trains
by Elizabeth Cameron, illustrated by George J. Zaffo
1971 printing from Grosset & Dunlap
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Vintage Nonfiction (Location: VIN-NFIC)
$9.00 (1 in stock)
Big Dipper
Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science Stage 1
by Franklyn Mansfield Branley, illustrated by Molly Coxe
from HarperCollins
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Astronomy (Space) (Location: SCI-AST)
$3.00 (2 in stock)
Big Frank's Fire Truck
by Leslie McGuire
from Random House Books for Young Readers
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$2.00 (1 in stock)
Biography of a Rhino
by Alice L. Hopf; illustrated by Kiyo Komoda
from G.P. Putnam's Sons
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Vintage Science & Math (Location: VIN-SCI)
$44.00 (1 in stock)
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)
Birds
by Jane Werner Watson, illustrated by Eloise Wilkin
from Merrigold Press
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Vintage Science & Math (Location: VIN-SCI)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
Bombus Finds a Friend
by Elsie Larson, illustrated by Elizabeth Haidle
from Master Books
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Bones
from Scholastic Reference
for Kindergarten-4th grade
in Human Anatomy & Physiology (Location: SCI-ANA)
$12.00 (1 in stock)
Bridges Are to Cross
by Philemon Sturges
from G.P. Putnam's Sons
for 1st-4th grade
in Architecture and Sculpture (Location: ELE-ARC)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Busy Body Book
by Lizzy Rockwell
from Dragonfly Books
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Physical Education & Fitness (Location: HEAL-PE)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Butterflies Come
by Leo Politi
from Charles Scribner's Sons
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Vintage Picture Books (Location: VIN-PIC)
$9.00 (1 in stock)
By Pond and River
Eyes and No Eyes #2
by Arabella B. Buckley
from Cassell
for 2nd-5th grade
in Vintage Readers & Textbooks (Location: VIN-READ)
$25.00 (1 in stock)
California Plant & Animal Communities
by Barbara J. Collins
from California State Department of Education
for 2nd-4th grade
in Vintage Readers & Textbooks (Location: VIN-READ)
$8.00 (1 in stock)
Can It Rain Cats and Dogs?
by Melvin and Gilda Berger
from Scholastic Reference
for 2nd-6th grade
in Meteorology (Weather & Climate) (Location: SCI-WEA)
$2.00 (2 in stock)
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)
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)
Chemistry Pre-Level I - Teacher's Manual (old)
by Dr. Rebecca W. Keller
Tch from Gravitas Publications, Inc.
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Real Science-4-Kids (old editions) (Location: OSCI-RS4K)
$9.00 (1 in stock)
Child's Book of Sea Shells
Maxton Books for Young People
by William M. Hutchinson
from Maxton Publishers
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Vintage Science & Math (Location: VIN-SCI)
$10.00 (1 in stock)
Classic Konos Character Curriculum - Obedience
by Jessica Hulcy and Carole Thaxton
from KONOS
for Kindergarten-8th grade
in KONOS Unit Studies (Location: CUR-KON)
$45.00 (1 in stock)
Classical Acts and Facts Science Cards - Biology & Geology (old)
from Classical Conversations
for Kindergarten-8th grade
in Clearance: Science & Health (Location: ZCLE-SCI)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
Classical Acts and Facts Science Cards: Anatomy, Chemistry & Origins (old)
from Classical Conversations
for Kindergarten-8th grade
in Clearance: Science & Health (Location: ZCLE-SCI)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
Classical Acts and Facts Science Cards: Ecology, Astronomy & Physics (old)
from Classical Conversations
for Kindergarten-8th grade
in Clearance: Science & Health (Location: ZCLE-SCI)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
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)
Clouds
by Marion Dane Bauer, Illustrated by John Wallace
from Simon and Schuster
for 1st-2nd grade
in Ready-to-Read (Location: EAR-R2R)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Collins Children's Encyclopedia of Nature
for 2nd-6th grade
in Oversized Science Books (Location: SCI-OVER)
$8.00 (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)
Coyote
by Stephen R. Swinburne
from Boyds Mill Press
for 2nd-5th grade
in Mammals (Location: SCI-MAM)
$5.00 (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)
Creepy Crawlies and the Scientific Method
by Sally Kneidel
from Fulcrum Resources
Science Curriculum for Kindergarten-6th grade
in Clearance: Science & Health (Location: ZCLE-SCI)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
Creepy, Crawly Caterpillars
by Margery Facklam
from Little, Brown & Company
for Preschool-3rd Grade
in Insects & Arachnids (Location: SCI-BUG)
$2.50 (1 in stock)
Crime Busters
Dorling Kindersley Readers - Level 4 Proficient Readers
by Andrew Donkin
from DK Publishing
for 2nd-4th grade
in DK Readers (Location: EAR-DK)
$2.50 (1 in stock)
Dangerous Animals
Usborne Beginners
by Rebecca Gilpin
from Usborne
for 1st-2nd grade
in Usborne Beginners (Location: SCI-USBREA)
$2.70 (1 in stock)
Design Line: Planes, Trains, and Automobiles
by Chris Oxlade, Edited by Jenny Broom, Illustrated by Mike Lemanski
from Candlewick Press
for 2nd-Adult
in Oversized Science Books (Location: SCI-OVER)
$9.00 (1 in stock)
Detective Dinosaur
by James Skofield
from Barnes & Noble
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$4.50 (1 in stock)
Digging Up Dinosaurs
by Aliki
from HarperCollins
for Preschool-3rd Grade
in Dinosaurs & Fossils (Location: SCI-DINO)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Dinosaur Days
Step Into Reading 3
by Joyce Milton, Franco Tempesta
Revised from Random House Books for Young Readers
for 1st-3rd grade
in Step into Reading (Location: EAR-STEP)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Dinosaurs
Usborne Beginners
by Stephanie Turnbull
from Usborne
for 1st-2nd grade
in Usborne Beginners (Location: SCI-USBREA)
$2.70 (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)
Disguises and Surprises
Supersmarts
by Claire Llewellyn
from Candlewick Press
for 2nd-5th grade
in Zoology (Location: SCI-ZOOL)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Diving Dolphin
DK Readers Level 1
by Karen Wallace
from DK Children
for Preschool- 3rd Grade
in DK Readers (Location: EAR-DK)
$2.50 (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 Eyewitness Explorers: Insects
by Steve Parker
from DK Publishing
for Preschool-3rd Grade
in Insects & Arachnids (Location: SCI-BUG)
$2.50 (1 in stock)
DK Eyewitness Juniors: Amazing Frogs & Toads
by Barry Clarke, photography by Jerry Young
from DK Publishing
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Reptiles & Amphibians (Location: SCI-REPT)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
DK Eyewonder: Space
by Carole Stott
from DK Publishing
for 1st-6th grade
in Astronomy (Space) (Location: SCI-AST)
$5.50 (1 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 Ultimate Night Sky Glow in the Dark Sticker Book
from DK Publishing
for Kindergarten-5th grade
in Astronomy (Space) (Location: SCI-AST)
$3.50 (1 in stock)
DK Ultimate Sticker Book: Animal
from DK Publishing
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Zoology (Location: SCI-ZOOL)
$3.50 (1 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)
Draw Write Now Book 8
by Marie Hablitzel & Kim Stitzer
from Barker Creek
for 1st-5th grade
in Draw Write Now (Location: ELE-ARTDWN)
$7.50 (1 in stock)
Drop of Water
by Gordon Morrison
from Houghton Mifflin
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Water Cycle (Location: SCI-EARTH)
$10.00 (1 in stock)
Dual-Illumination Stereo Microscope w/eyepiece camera
from AmScope
for 1st-5th grade
in Science Manipulatives & Lab Supplies (Location: SCIREF-LAB)
$60.00 (1 in stock)
Ducks Don't Get Wet
by Augusta Goldin, illustrated by Leonard Kessler
from Thomas Y. Crowell & Co.
for 1st-2nd grade
in Vintage Science & Math (Location: VIN-SCI)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Earthworm
by Andrienne Soutter-Perrot, illustrated by Etienne Delessert
from Creative Education
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Zoology (Location: SCI-ZOOL)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Edgar, the Super Dolphin
by Nathaniel Benchley, illustrated by Mamoru Funai
from Harper & Row
for 1st-3rd grade
in I Can Read Books (Location: EAR-ICR)
$8.00 (1 in stock)
Eggs of Things
by Maxine W. Kumin and Anne Sexton, illustrated by Leonard Shortall
from G.P. Putnam's Sons
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Vintage Science & Math (Location: VIN-SCI)
$25.00 (1 in stock)
Elephants
Usborne Beginners
by James MacLaine
from Usborne
for 1st-2nd grade
in Usborne Beginners (Location: SCI-USBREA)
$3.15 (1 in stock)
Emperor Penguins
by Roberta Edwards
from Grosset & Dunlap
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
$2.50 (1 in stock)
Eureka! It's Television!
by Jeanne Bendick
from Millbrook Press
for 2nd-4th grade
in Inventions & Discoveries (Location: SCI-INV)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
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)
Exploring Creation with Zoology 2 - Lab Kit
from Nature's Workshop Plus
for 1st-6th grade
in Apologia Young Explorer (Location: SCICUR-AEM)
$50.00 (1 in stock)
Exploring the Solar System - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by Bruce LaFontaine
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Space Coloring Books (Location: COL-SPACE)
$5.99 $2.50 (1 in stock)
Eye Wonder: Rocks & Minerals
by Caroline Bingham
1st edition from DK Publishing
for 1st-4th Grade
in Geology (Rocks & Minerals) (Location: SCI-GEO)
$3.50 (1 in stock)
Eyes on Nature: Cats
Eyes on Nature
by Janr P. Resnick
from KidsBooks, Inc.
for 1st-6th grade
in Mammals (Location: SCI-MAM)
$3.00 (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)
Fast Forward: Rain Forest
by Kathryn Senior; illustrated by Carolyn Scrace
from Salariya Book Company
for 2nd-5th grade
in Ecology (Location: SCI-ECO)
$7.00 (1 in stock)
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