There is nothing like a great picture book to get kids interested in the world around them! To celebrate World Science Day, here is a list of some of my favorite science books for sharing and supporting your science units. There are SO many great books – it was hard to pick just a few!
The Secret Life of Boogers: All the Amazing Facts That Make Your Snot Spectacular – Mariona Tolosa Sistere
Nothing like a book about boogers to get things started! As the mother of two boys, I know how much they would have loved reading this rather disgusting and clever book when they were young! It’s educational and funny and the art work is cute (and almost made me gag!) Lol!
What Do They Do With All That Poo? Jane Kurtz
Who knew you could learn so much about poo? This book explores zoo poo, from cube-shaped wombat poo to white hyena scat. Readers will also discover all the places the poo ends up, including in science labs and elephant-poo paper. There are several books about poo but this one is my favourite!
Tiny Creatures – The World of Microbes – Nicola Davies
I am a huge fan of Nicola Davies. She has a way of making topics sound so fascinating and writing them in a way that begs to be read aloud. In this book, she explores microbes using kid-friendly, approachable language to compare the size of these creatures to known objects in the world and discusses how they reproduce to grow their numbers very quickly. Beautiful illustrations by Emily Sutton
Water Land: Land and Water Forms Around the World – Christy Hale
One of the very best books for teaching students about different land forms. Amazing cut out illustrations show one land form merging into another.
The Rat: The Disgusting Critters – Elise Gravel
I love everything Elise Gravel writes! This series is SO fun to read aloud! Silly and off the wall but filled with fascinating facts. Great anchor book for teaching informational writing with voice!
Never Smile at a Monkey: And 17 Other Important Things to Remember – Steve Jenkins
No Science list would be complete without a book by the late, great Steve Jenkins whose books are always filled with WOW facts and so good for reading aloud. While I could have included any one of his extraordinary books, this one is one of my favorites. This book offers unique trivia about eighteen different animals, with tips about what not to do around them. The tips are fascinating, but also helpful safety precautions, in case a person ever comes across these creatures.
Kay’s Anatomy – Henry Paker
Get ready for a hilarious (and sometimes disgusting!) frolic through the many systems of the human body! Engaging book that will have some kids laughing out loud one minute and squirming at the next. Such fun!
Maker Lab Outdoors: 28 Super Cool Projects – Jack Challoner
Twenty-eight science projects and experiments to be done outside will spark kids’ creativity and help them develop science skills through hands-on learning. Projects focus on Earth and the environment, plants and animals, rocks and minerals, and space. All experiments use simple material can be done in your backyard (or school ground) so great for curious kids and teachers looking for experiment ideas!
What’s the Weather?: Clouds, Climate, and Global Warming – Fraser Ralston & Judith Ralston
From heatwaves and big freezes to tornadoes and fog, this book has everything you need to know about the changing weather – from weather basics, to water cycle, clouds, storms, and various kinds of extreme weather. Great layout and illustrations.
I’m Trying to Love Garbage – Bethany Barton
I LOVE all the books in this series. They are a little wacky and whimsical with an engaging and humourous format filled with great voice and lots of information. This one would be great if you are teaching food chains and includes tons of information about all things garbage: consumers, waste, scavengers, detritivores, decomposers, landfills, reduce/reuse/recycle, and compost.
The Last Straw – Kids Vs. Plastics – Susan Hood
An excellent introduction to environmental issues related to plastic, particularly the use of straws. Beautiful illustrations and scientific information through poetry, text boxes, and inspiring stories about young activists who have raised awareness about plastic and made a difference in their communities. Very inspiring!
Drop – An Adventure through the Water Cycle – Emily Kate Moon
In this book, we follow a drop of water as he changes from water to gas to liquid and as he travels through time and all over the earth! An easy, fun, and engaging book that teaches young readers about the water cycle.
What We See in the Stars: An Illustrated Tour of the Night Sky – Kelsey Oseid
If you love astronomy – this is the book for you! Not only is the book stunning to look at, the information is fascinating and includes tips on how to find the constellations in the night sky, as well as tidbits of history and mythology. LOVE!
Fourteen Wolves A ReWilding Story – Catherine Barr
The fascinating, true story of the wolves who restored the ecosystem at Yellowstone National Park. Beautiful illustrations and informative text help readers understand how wolves play an important part in our environment. Excellent book for teaching ecosystems.