A Swim Through the Sea (Book)

A Swim Through the Sea  by: Kristin Joy Pratt

This alphabet book is actually written and illustrated by a 16 year old and is a classic introduction to the marine habitat. Each page highlights a selected species with fascinating facts about each.  I like this book because it reaches a wide range of children and successfully inspires them to learn more about intriguing sea creatures found in our oceans.

Young Genius: Brains (Book)

Young Genius: Brains  by: Kate Lennard

Young Genius is a bright little boy who escorts children through the pages of this amusing and colorful book.  Here children will discover answers to many interesting questions about their brains.  It also explains different parts of the human body and how each part works.  It’s a fantastic read for young children because it’s easy to understand with sound and reliable information.

The Buffalo Are Back (Book)

The Buffalo Are Back  by: Marie T. Cimarusti & Jean C. George

This book describes American’s prairies “in a time long ago” and the changes caused by the American settlers.  Unexpected discoveries like the nearly extinct buffalo grass emphasize how fragile the buffalo’s habitat had become.  It’s an ideal book for beginning further investigations into why animals become extinct and what we can do to help prevent that from happening.

S is for Scientists (Book)

S is for Scientists  by: Larry Verstraete

This alphabetic book talks about different scientists and scientific methods. It's not only a good read for elementary aged students; it’s great for middle and secondary readers as well.  Its creativity and depth of descriptions has earned it a designation as a NSTA/CBC Outstanding Science Trade Book for 2011. 

Fabre's Book of Insects (Book)

Fabre’s Book of Insects  by: Jean H. Fabre

This book covers a wide range of insects, including the beetle, cicada, praying mantis, glow-worm, wasp, grub, cricket, and locust.  It contains information about these creatures as they hunt, build nests, feed families, etc.  This book would be great for providing background knowledge on insects and would open the door for further investigation on specific insects.

A Seed is Sleepy (Book)

A Seed is Sleepy  by: Dianna Hutts

This gorgeous and informative book is a great introduction to seeds.  Being poetic in design, this book introduces children to a fascinating array of seed and plant facts.  It’s perfect for a read aloud at home and in school.

A Day at Our Dairy Farm (Book)

 A Day at Our Dairy Farm  by: Barbara Reeves

This book is about dairy cows.  Real pictures are used to tell the story of how the milk gets from the cow to you.  It’s a simple read but is very informative and eye-catching. This would be a great book to launch a unit lesson on farm animals.

We're Different, We're the Same (Book)

We’re Different, We’re the Same  by: Bobbi Kates

When doing a science lesson that deals with the concept of sight and observation, I would read this book to my children.  This book draws on the fact that everybody is the same and different.  Children can then explore using their senses and make observations between themselves and others.  For example, give each child a hand lens and ask them to look at their hands.  Encourage them to then look at a friend’s hand.  Make comparisons.  Ask, “What do you see that is the same? Different?”

Wallop and Whizz and the Bottle of Fizz (Book)

    Wallop and Whizz and the Bottle of Fizz  by: Philip Hawthorn

This book is a great read for children 7 and up.  Furthermore, this rhyming book would be a great additional asset to a lesson involving fizz and bubbles.  For example, when doing a lesson on bubbles raising raisins, read this book as a motivational experience or activating strategy.

Hattie and the Fox (Book)

   Hattie and the Fox  by: Mem Fox

In summary, this book (which includes much repetition) is about Hattie, a big black hen.  Throughout the book, Hattie discovers that there is a fox hiding in the bushes.  This in turn causes varying reactions from the other barnyard animals.  This story could be used then to introduce the idea of prey and predators.  After reading the story, talk more about the difference between prey and predators.  Have children become the “prey” and “predator” by creating a fun came of tag.