Astronomy, Biology, Chemistry, Classic Picture books, Critical Thinking, Lesson Plans, Living Books, Math, Physics, Science

Using Children’s Literature to Teach Science

Using Children’s Literature to Teach Science by Patricia Bishop McKean (PDF ebook with multiple PDF files)

Patricia Bishop McKean compiled this wonderful ebook that pairs great picture books / young reader books (including such classics as Stellaluna, Follow the Drinking Court, Swimmy, Curious George, Morris’s Disappearing Bag and many more) with hands-on activities that demonstrate basic science concepts to young students. Subjects covered in the activities include earth science, astronomy, math, ecology, physics, chemistry, and process skills. It’s a great approach that makes both the stories AND the science lessons much more memorable.

From her introduction:

Each children’s picture book is linked to a simple, basic science activity. By showing teachers how to “hook” their students by reading a familiar or new story and then doing a related hands-on, minds-on science activity, I have helped teachers feel more comfortable with teaching science.  Sometimes the story comes before the activity, and sometimes it comes after the activity. The activity will stand alone, as will the reading of the story, but if the hook captivates the mind of the student, the memory of the science concept should last in the student’s mind.

About the format:

Each book & accompanying science activity has its own PDF file, so there’s lots of PDFs to download here, making it a little more complicated than just downloading a single PDF file. But it is worth the effort. Check it out and see if you don’t agree. Use the menu on the site to navigate between sections of the collection.

CLICK HERE to go to the website!

Astronomy

Solar System Trading Cards

Today we feature this nifty set of printable Solar System Trading Cards (Jr. Edition) for grades K – 3, a collection of cards that depicts solar system objects such as planets, comets, asteroids, the Moon, and the Sun. Also included are cards with common misconceptions, Hubble trivia, online resources, and instructions for a game. The front of each “game” card displays a color image of a solar system object; the back provides facts about the object in large, easy-to-read text, along with a question for the game. Just download the PDF, print, and fold in half to make each card.

To go to the download page, click here!

Also available is the “About the Cards” PDF, which includes national education standards, more information about the game, and other uses for the cards.

Astronomy

Hubblesite Interactive Ebooks

Soar through the universe with the Hubble Space Telescope, exploring some of its most significant discoveries – from dark energy to colliding galaxies. Descend to Earth, where Hubble’s successor, the James Webb Space Telescope, readies for the future of astronomy.

Hubblesite has six great interactive ebooks about these telescopes available for free, all of which include image galleries, video, and interactives that bring home the telescopes’ science and engineering — as well as the wonders and mysteries they are revealing throughout our galaxy and beyond.

Click here to go to the download page!