The December 2014/January 2015 issue of Educational Leadership highlighted several texts that can "help students understand the richness of scientific and engineering endeavors in real-world contexts" (Cummins, 2015, p. 68). We're sharing that list with you, as well as some of our favorite science texts, on today's blog. Share your favorites with us, too!
The Case of the Vanishing Golden Frogs: A Scientific Mystery by Sandra Markle
This book is from the series The Case of the Vanishing...:A Scientific Mystery Series from Millbrook Press. Amazon describes the book: "Panamanian golden frogs aren't just cute, little, and yellow. They're
also the national symbol of Panama. But they started to disappear about
fifteen years ago. What's killing them? Could it be a change in their
habitat? What about pollution? Might it be a result of climate change?
Follow a team of scientists working to save these frogs and protect frog
populations worldwide in this real-life science mystery."
Gray Wolves Return to Yellowstone by Meish Goldish
A reviewer for Barnes and Noble describes the text: "Many species of animals that live in the United States have become
endangered. Nine books in the "America's Animal Comebacks" series
chronicle this problem and what has been done to keep these animals from
becoming extinct. In many cases the work of one naturalist has been
pivotal to recognizing the problem and taking steps to reverse the
trends. Wolves once freely roamed North America. They suffered the same
fate as alligators, panthers and other predators. They were feared and
killed because they destroyed livestock. Diminishing habitat and
dwindling food supply killed off most of the wolves by the early 1900s.
By 1930, scientists were realizing that wolves played an important role
in the ecosystem. In 1995, scientists at Yellowstone National Park tried
a bold experiment to reintroduce wolves into the park. There were no
wolves at Yellowstone, so they brought 14 wolves from Canada.
Yellowstone was a good place to try to re-introduce wolves because it is
a safe place for animals. It is illegal to hunt in national parks and
the habitats are protected. The wolves were banded so scientists could
follow them in the park. The first group of wolves produced puppies, and
the project continues today as a great success. The text is illustrated
with numerous large photographs. An addendum contains a list of wolf
facts, a glossary, a bibliography, and a list of web resources."
The Mighty Mars Rovers: The Incredible Adventures of Spirit and Opportunity by Elizabeth Rusch
This text is one of the texts from The Scientists in the Field series from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. From Amazon: "On June 10, 2003, a little rover named Spirit blasted off on a rocket
headed for Mars. On July 7, 2003, a twin rover named Opportunity soared
through the solar system with the same mission: to find out if Mars ever
had water that could have supported life.A thrilling addition to the
acclaimed Scientists in the Field series, The Mighty Mars Rovers tells
the greatest space robot adventure of all time through the eyes—and
heart—of Steven Squyres, professor of astronomy at Cornell University
and lead scientist on the mission."
The Tarantula Scientist by Sy Montgomery
This text is also part of Houghton Mifflin's Scientists in the Field series. These books lend themselves easily to scientific vocabulary. Another book in the series is The Dolphins of Shark Bay.
Online Sources of Texts and Videos
Science News for Students
National Geographic STEM Education
Super Science Top News
The article also suggests steps for incorporating texts about scientists and engineers:
1. Choose a focus
2. Develop a text set
3. Choose an anchor text and use it purposefully
4. Consistently refer to an anchor chart
5. Develop mini-lessons
Some of Our Favorite Science Texts
Barb's Recommendations
Diary of a Worm by Doreen Cronin
I like this book because it is funny, but still scientifically accurate. It gives kids a chance to learn about an organism from the organism's point of view, so it is incredibly engaging. Plus, the illustrations are wonderful!
Wiggling Worms at Work by Wendy Pfeffer
This book is excellently written. You can read it more than once and pick up wonderful metaphors or similes that help students visualize.
What to Expect When You're Expecting Larve: A Guide for Insect Parents (and Curious Kids) by Bridget Heos
This one is just hysterically funny! It gives all the science you would ever want someone to know about grubs in an engaging way. The students really respond to this book!
Debby's Recommendations
Cave by Diane Siebert
This book is just poetic and lyrical! It has a lot of sophisticated vocabulary and the imagery is fantastic. It would be great for reading or writing.
A River Ran Wild by Lynne Cherry
This book follows how a river becomes polluted over time. It could be connected to Earth Day or Ecology. It encourages all of us to think about the value of our natural resources and what we can do to protect them.
Orphan: The Story of a Baby Woodchuck by Faith McNulty
It's almost like a science notebook because she draws pictures. She finds a baby woodchuck in the wild who is on his own and she takes it in and takes care of it. Then she has to make a decision about whether or not to put it back in the wild.
If You Decide to Go to the Moon by Faith McNulty
This book is written in second person and would be great for making connections between science and writer's workshop.
Buzz Aldrin: Reaching For the Moon by Buzz Aldrin
This book can be connected to perseverance. It's a biography telling all about Buzz's life, beginning from his childhood.
Tornadoes! by Gail Gibbons
Gail Gibbons' books are great for younger grades because they are informational texts, but are written in picture book form. There aren't a lot of text features, but there are some like headings and diagrams. She has close to 50 distinguished non-fiction titles and has her own website: www.gailgibbons.com
Angie's Recommendations
Monster Plants by Barry Rice
I love this book because it gives students concrete examples of how plants are living things. For many of my students, it was their first introduction to carnivorous plants. It is high interest!
Animal Lives: The Barn Owl by Bert Kitchen
This book is fantastic because it is literary nonfiction. It is written in a way that is easy for students to follow and understand, but includes great vocabulary as well.
Animals Nobody Loves by Seymour Simon
The pictures in this book really draw you in. It includes animals students are very familiar with like a shark, crocodile, and grizzly bear, but also includes animals students might not know like a devil ray, man-of-war, and fire ant.
Butternut Hollow Pond by Brian J. Heinz
Butternut Hollow Pond is written in story form, but has fantastic vocabulary. It would be great for reader's workshop if you're inferring, discussing change over time, and using text clues. It lends itself to writer's workshop as well because of figurative language.
A Drop of Water: A Book of Science and Wonder by Walter Wick
Not only are the photographs in this book stunning, it has excellent information about the water cycle, states of matter, molecules, and water facts in general. It's definitely worth a read!
