Scientific Picture Books

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!