peacefully Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3peasinapod Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 How about some biographies? We love the Creative Minds Biographies. The Librarian Who Measured the Earth Listening to Crickets Rachel Carson, nature/sea Pasteur's Fight Against Microbes Marie Curie's Search for Radium If you like, look through the other suggestions on Amazon after looking at these. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deniseibase Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 If you think he'd go for a fictionalized biography, try Carry On, Mr. Bowditch. LOADS of math, astronomy, and navigation in there!! If you can find them, the Uncle Albert books by Russell Stannard are fun, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Critterfixer Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 I think you’ve hit on something that I’ve been pondering for some time. There just is nothing like a good fiction book to stimulate a thirst for studying the real thing. I’d like to see fiction incorporated into science study the way fiction is incorporated into the history, SOTW style. What I’ve sort of planned: Ocean Science—20,000 Leagues Under the Sea Geology-Journey to the Center of the Earth Atmospheric-Around the World in 80 Days Glaciers-Stikeen Fire?—not sure yet Space-not sure yet Chemistry for third grade-no clue yet. How does one go about searching for good, solid science fiction that is actually more science focused than relationship oriented? Biographies are all well and good, but they ARE NOT the same as a great piece of science fiction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OrdinaryTime Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 This is somewhat tangentially related, since comics aren't exactly "literature", but the other day I was thinking how to incoporate superheroes into science by looking at their "powers" more closely. (My son is constantly asking why certain superheroes can do cetain things.) You could group them by science "Rule Breakers" and "Rule Followers." For example, Superman has no actually mechanism for flight while Angel (from X-Men) does actually have wings (thanks to a hypothetical idea of genetic mutation). You could then study the mechanics of flight or genetic mutation. You have all kinds of interesting possibilites. If your kids are into comics, they could read the comics with an eye to gathering data to understanding the superheroes' power, and then study the actual science of the situation. I think it could make a cool ongoing study or science fair project. I know my son would get a huge kick out of it. (He is still pretty young, but I totally plan on doing this when he is a little older.) I just googled the idea and, not surprisingly, there are already some works based on this idea. Also, here and here. Now if someone would just put together a kids' science unit on the idea for me... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Critterfixer Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 There are science curricula out there with the idea of using fiction as the launching point for experiments and further study. I found a few last night when I was searching for lists of science fiction indexed to their main science ideas. I found I got the best lists by searching for "hard" science fiction, which does seem to favor the science over a squishy plot that just happens to be facilitated by science. I don't think I'd really want to use the fiction as a directed avenue for further study. Just as a companion. Even a child who might not favor science might get interested in the imaginative quality of the literature. I don't really think I'd want to force the issue, but just wait to see if it kindles and go from there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peacefully Posted February 13, 2012 Author Share Posted February 13, 2012 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tammyw Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 We've enjoyed a lot of the books suggested here, and we're always up for more ideas as well. I'll be following this thread! I will add that I get a lot of my ideas by looking at a book we love on Amazon and then looking at "what others look at or buy". I've found a large number of books that way. I just follow rabbit trails in amazon a lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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