4Real Forums: Sharing Living Books for Science/Nature

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Exploring God's Creation in Nature and Science
4Real Forums : Exploring God's Creation in Nature and Science

Topic: Sharing Living Books for Science/Nature

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Erin
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Posted: July 21 2008 at 9:47pm \| IP Logged

Would anyone like to join me in sharing living books for science/nature that they have used with success.

I'll start by sharing our two favourites:
Magic School Bus Chapter Books, I would say mostly 6-10yrs although I've noticed my ds' 11 and 13 reading them

Leslie Rees'animal and bird titles, very informative, engaging books. Unfortunately Shy the Platypus is the only one still in print.

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Erin
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SuzanneG
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Posted: July 22 2008 at 12:22am \| IP Logged

I was just thinking about this, Erin! Thanks for starting it.

Dolphin Adventure

There's an Owl in the Shower

Girls Who Looked Under Rocks

These are not read-alouds, but picture books that are really great:
Smithsonian Backyard Collection
Smithsonian Oceanic Collection
I've mentioned them before in the Picture Book forum.

Holling C. Holling books

Old Mother West Wind, Burgess

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Suzanne in ID
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hereinantwerp
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Posted: July 30 2008 at 12:45am \| IP Logged

Some of our very favorite are the "family" books, edited by Sybil Kalas---The Lion Family Book, The Goose Family Book, the Beaver Family Book, The Leopard Family Book, The Polar Bear/Elephant/Grizzley Family Books, etc. I don't see them mentioned much on lists, I think they are older--we love them so much I bought several very cheaply used. The up-close pictures and amount of detail (told personally by a scientist who is studying one of these animal groups) are wonderful! They are for PK-early elementary, but I have learned a lot from them myself.

We also love the National Geographic books like "A Day in the Woods," and "The World Beneath Your Feet", tons of them are available at so many libraries and used bookstores--more great up-close photos.

I like the "One Small Square" series by Donald Silver. Sometimes it gets a bit detailed for the boys, but mostly they have really enjoyed them--we read about 4 pages per sitting.

We enjoyed "Pagoo," "Seabird," and "Paddle to the Sea." We did not enjoy "Minn"----seemed to drag out too long.

A read-aloud we all really loved was "Wild Animals I Have Known," by Earnest Thompson Seton. I would like to read more by this author.

Perhaps odd for a "living" book, but we love the "Kingfisher Illustrated Animal Encyclopedia" by David Burnie. Compared to frustrating experiences with other books, this one always seems to have the specific animal we are looking for, and all the pertinent info. And whenever it is pulled off the shelf, at least one of us gets totally lost in it for the next 45 minutes or so, looking at the gorgeous photographs and reading about this and that! So it must be a living book!

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Angela Nelson

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SylviaB
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Posted: July 30 2008 at 12:26pm \| IP Logged

Although not in print anymore I have been buying used the Crinkleroot series of books. My son loves them

DivineMercy
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Posted: July 30 2008 at 1:02pm \| IP Logged

We are a younger group, but we like Jim Arnosky and Gail Gibbons. Crinkleroot is a favorite character.

Michelle

Cay Gibson
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Posted: July 30 2008 at 2:33pm \| IP Logged

We love Crinkleroot too.

And tons of others...

A Weed is a Flower:Life of George Washington Carver by Aliki

The Listening Walk by Paul Showers/ Aliki

Anna's Table by Eve Bunting/ Taia Morley

A Drop around the World by Barbara Shaw McKinney/ Michael Maydak

The Story of Salt by Mark Kurlansky/ S.D. Schindler

Beachcombing: Exploring the Seashore by Jim Arnosky

Close to the Wind: The Beaufort Scale by Peter Malone

The Same Sun was in the Sky by Denise Webb/ Walter Porter

Of Numbers and Stars: The Story of Hypatia by D. Anne Love/ Pam Paparone

Into the Woods by Robert Burleigh/ Wendell Minor

Theodoric's Rainbow by Stephen P. Kramer/ Daniel Mark Duffy

There are also tons of biographies about scientists and naturalists which are set-up in the calendar year of A Picture Perfect Childhood. A very "scientific" way of exposing your children to great minds throughout the whole year.

Too many to name...too many to link.

Make sure you check with your library first. Browsing the shelves will reveal lots of great finds.

Do not miss the books by
Thomas Locker. They're incredibly beautiful.

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Cay Gibson
"There are 49 states, then there is Louisiana." ~ Chef Emeril
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lapazfarm
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Posted: July 31 2008 at 4:07pm \| IP Logged

There are just Soooo many! Elizabeth has an awesome list somewhere, either on her blog or from one of her talks, I'm not sure where.

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Theresa
us-schooling in beautiful Fairbanks, Alaska.
LaPaz Home Learning

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