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Don't miss books for Earth and Space science?


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We'll be covering earth and space science for next year and I'm working on putting together book lists based on what I can find in my library's catalog. But since my library always seems to be missing the books I see listed/recommended, I wanted to see if there are any books that are so good that I should track them down with ILL or buy them for our home library. My kids will be in 1st and 3rd.

 

Thanks!

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This has been an amazing resource for us this year, and it was so inexpensive.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Planet-Earth-Time-Life-Student-Library/dp/078351350X

 

They have a Universe one too which I am buying in January, I expect it to be just as good.

http://www.amazon.com/Universe-Time-Life-Student-Library/dp/0783513542/ref=sr_1_9?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1419212402&sr=1-9&keywords=time+life+student+library

 

Then we supplement with the Seymour Simon type books from the library for more content reading.

 

I had over 20 science books from the library sitting on the shelf, and we would dive into one or two to add details, but I found it had too much and didn't really need them.

 

I think Dover has nice constellation dot to dots or coloring books available if you need those. And planet books.

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My first and third graders studied astronomy this fall. We used Beyond the Solar System and Exploring the Solar System, both by Mary Kay Carson as astronomy spines. Both include hands-on activities. We supplemented with a number of additional works, including David Aguilar’s Thirteen Planets, biographies of a few astronomers and astrophysicists, and selected Seymour Simon and Franklin M. Branley titles.

 

We began our study of earth science with Dorothy Hinshaw Patent’s Shaping the Earth.  We will continue with Cynthia Light Brown’s Geology of the Great Plains and Mountain West: Investigate How the Earth Was Formed after break.  Faith McNulty’s How to Dig a Hole to the Other Side of the World is a fun read.

 

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We used RSO Earth and Space this year.  It has been our best year of science yet!   We used many of the books in their recomended book list which can be seen in their free sample online.   We schedule 2-3 days of "Science Reading" per week.  (A book or chapter per day.)  Here are some of the books we have used to cover a 36 week school year with that many readings:

 

Weather / Seasons / Water Cycle:

1)  The Cloud Book by Tomi de Paola  (Fun book about clouds)

2)  Did a Dinosaur Drink this Water by Robert E. Wells

3)  Water Dance by Thomas Locker (A beautifully illustrated picture book which makes a nice tie in to your water cycle unit.)

4)  Let's Read and Find out Level 2 Weather and Seasons Package on Rainbow Resources

5)  One Well:  The story of water on earth

 

Earth Science / Geology:

1)  What's So Special About Planet Earth by Robert E. Wells

2)  Let's Read and Find out Level 2 Earth Package on RR  (Best price I have seen to add all of these books to your library.)

3)  The Magic School Bus Inside the Earth by Joanna Cole & Bruce Degen

4)  How to Dig a Hole to the Other Side of the World by Faith McNulty

5)  Earth in 30 Seconds by Anita Ganeri (GREAT ILLUSTRATIONS that make these concepts easy to understand!  This can be bought very cheaply in Barnes and Nobels Bargain section USUALLY.  So check that if you have one near you.  Plus homeschoolers get a 20% discount at that store.) 

6)  National Geographic Everything Rocks and Minerals by Steve Tomecek

7)  The Big Rock by Bruce Hiscock (Just for fun reading/picture book to tie in with your geology unit)

8)  Rocks in his Head by James Stevenson (for fun reading/picture book to tie in with your geology unit)

9)  Jump into science DIRT

10  Jump into science SAND

 

Space:

1)  Let's Read and Find Out Level 2 Space Package on RR

2)  Magic School Bus Lost in the Solar System by Joanna Cole & Bruce Degen

3)  The Complete Guide to Space (Sandy Creek)-  I found this in the Barnes and Nobel bargain section.  They also give homeschoolers an extra 20% off..so this was a great deal.   And it is the BEST grammar age spine for space that I could find!  I was so surprised.  This is a HUGE, BEAUTIFUL hardcover book with great illustrations and age appropriate explanations.

4)  The National Geographic Space Encyclopedia - A slightly higher-level spine than the one listed above.   My science-loving-little-professor son really likes this book--but may be a better logic stage level spine for space.

5)  Space in 30 Seconds  (Again, if you have a B&N store near you, check that first!  This is also often in the bargain section with HS discount!)

6)  A decent star guide for your location (Will vary!)

 

Just For Fun "Extras" & Memory Makers:

1)  Astronaunt Ice Cream (Very cheap and just fun to eat as a snack when reading about space voyages)

2)  Take the kids gem mining -OR- gem mining exacavation kit (just another fun memory maker...plus you can add minerals to rock collection)

3)  Field trip to cave, cavern, or other cool geological location near you

4)  Make a model of a volcano, label parts, and make it 'let it blow' with baking soda & vinegar

5)  Get a decent pair of binoculars--then camp out and look at the stars, drink hot cocoa, etc.

6)  Nature journal type things (tracking weather, phases of the moon, etc.)

7)  Find a pet rock

8)  Jewelry makers storage boxes (work great for labeling and storing rocks for a rock collection)

9)  Play Rock On! Board Game

10)  Break your own geodes one day

 

 

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