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I was thinking it would be fun and informative for us to share our "must have books for teaching science in the elementary classroom"
1.Primary Science: Taking the Plunge by Wynne Harlan.Second edition
2.Writing in Science in Action by Betsy Fulwiler
3.Science and Literacy: A Natural Fit by Karen Worth
4.Questions, Claims, and Evidence
5.Uncovering Students Ideas by Page Keeley ( all volumes ) ]
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I am sure i have forgotten some. I am excited to see what others say.
Kathy
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Hi Kathy,
Thanks for sharing some great resources! Here are a few more that I use as my 'goto' books:
1. Seamless Assessment in Science: A Guide for Elementary and Middle School Teachers by Sandra K. Abell & Mark J. Volkmann
2. Designing Effective Science Instruction: What Works in Science Classrooms by Anne Tweed
3. A Year of Hands-on Science by Lynne Kepler
4. Science Curriculum Topic Study by Page Keeley
5. Picture Perfect Science Lessons (Vol 1 & 2) by Karen Ansberry and Emily Morgan
I'm looking forward to seeing what other resources teachers are using to teach elementary science.
Maureen
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I also like all of Page Keeley's books, especially the series of science probes. They certainly help a teacher figure what is going on in a student's head when they are thinking about science concepts.
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A few years ago, I was given a nice block of time to teach Science with only one catch- it had to be heavily Reading based because I was hogging up Reading time to get the extra Science time. I found some really great resources that helped a lot with that.
Integrating Science Reading Instruction (by the Creative Teaching Press) I linked the 3-4th grade book, but they have it at other levels, too.
Differentiating Instruction with Menus: Science, by Laurie E. Westphal- This one is worth its weight in gold!
The Truth about Science (by the NSTA Press)- I just picked this one up at the GSTA convention in February, but already I've been having some fun with it.
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Oh, yes Tiffany, the differentiating science with menus is definitely a can't do without book. I also like to use Picture Perfect lessons in Science, even with my fifth graders, sometimes using the simple picture books makes the information easier for them to grasp since they haven't had much science in the elementary grades.
I am looking for a Scholastic book on Earth models that is out of print. My school has one that floats between the teachers but I'd like to have my own copy. Does anybody have an idea of where I can find a copy? thanks!
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Two books to consider are:
What's Your Evidence?: Engaging K-5 Children in Constructing Explanations in Science by Carla L. Zembal-Saul, Katherine L.
Ladybugs, Tornadoes, and Swirling Galaxies: English Language Learners Discover Their World Through Inquiry by Brad Buhrow and Anne Upczak Garcia
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Here are some books that i feel are a must have inside the classroom:
Using Science Notebooks in Elementary Classrooms
Michael P. Klentschy
Scaffolding Science Inquiry Through Lesson Design [Paperback]
Michael Klentschy
Science Formative Assessment: 75 Practical Strategies for Linking Assessment, Instruction, and Learning
Page D. Keeley
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I was reading over this thread and realized that I left off two very important resources as we move towards the Next Generation Science Standards:
The K-12 Framework for Science Education
Ready, Set, Science
The resources that preceded these including the National Science Standards, Benchmarks, the Atlas 1 are all approximately 10 years old. Atlas 2 is a bit newer but there has been much research done since those resources were developed and the new documents are based on that research. All of this is the answer to the question, "why new standards?".
Kathy
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There is currently an active listserve conversation on elementary science resources. I am sure that many of you are familiar with things showing up in this conversation. I am posting some here as reminders if these have gotten lost in your files.
Gems is one of my favorites
http://www.lhsgems.org/gemsguidesgrade.html
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Another great resources is Mad Science
http://www.madscience.org/locations/okc/2nd5thgradeafterschoolprograms.aspx
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I will not start teaching until 2014 so I am not sure of which books to incorporate but thank you for all this books to considerate into creating my classroom library. I believe these books will help complete the classroom and help students whenever needed.
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Two of my new favorites:
Starting with Science
[img]http://images.stenhouse.com/assets/covers/270/500/starting-with-science.jpg[/img]
Strategies for Introducing Young Children to Inquiry
Marcia Talhelm Edson Stenhouse publishers
Young children arrive at school with unrestrained curiosity and wonder about the world. A fact-based, hands-on activity approach to teaching science, however, is not enough to help them deepen their scientific thinking or discoveries.
Doing Science
[img]https://www.responsiveclassroom.org/sites/default/files/imagecache/product_full/DSMM.png[/img]
Foster science learning with quick, fun, meaningful activities for kindergarten through 6th grade. Increase students' excitement about science, deepen content knowledge, and enhance science skills.
The topics and activities in this book are based on "A Framework for K–12 Science Education," the foundation for the Next Generation Science Standards.
The activities are easy to set up, require minimal materials, and are flexible enough to use at any time of day. Charts help you select activities by title, grade level, Morning Meeting component, science content, science standards addressed, and science discipline (physical sciences; life sciences; Earth and space sciences; and engineering, technology, and applications of science).
For each of the 150 activities you will get:
Brief, easy-to-follow directions
Open-ended questions to help students reflect on their learning
Science content and standards covered
Key scientific vocabulary to reinforce
Ideas for variations and extensions (when applicable)
Plus!
Plans for ten science-themed Morning Meetings, in which all four components of Morning Meeting relate to one science topic or skill.
Tables showing how activities connect to specific Common Core Speaking and Listening Standards.
A list of children's books that support science learning, organized by grade level and science discipline.
A list of additional resources that help teachers learn more about Morning Meeting and related Responsive Classroom practices.
Kathy
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Thank you all for your recommendations.
I just started reading Starting with Science: Strategies for Introducing Young Children to Inquiry by Marcia Talhelm Edson (Stenhouse publishers) and I agree with Kathy that it is a must have--clearly written guide to science inquiry with references to the Next Generation Science Standards.
Peggy
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I have a new addition. I am reading Perspectives: Research and Tips to Support Science Education. K–6.
I wrote a review based on the first five chapters and my mind has not changed as I read further into this book. As a classroom teacher, it is very important to know the "why" of doing what we do. I want to be able to explain my reason to a parent or the principal and have the research to back it up. Perspectives is very reader friendly and a book all classroom teachers should consider.
Kathy
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What's Your Evidence? Engaging K-5 Students in Constructing Explanations in Science by Carla-Zembal-Saul, Katherine L. McNeill, and Kimber Hershberger is another MUST have resource for elementary teachers as we move towards the implementation of the Next Generation Science Standards.
There is a video which provides great examples of how it could be done!
This book provides educators with the evidence backing up the claim that K-5 students can and should be expected to construct explanations in science.
Kathy
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Thank you for all the suggestions. Ready Set Science and K-12 Framework are two that I refer to often.
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Wow! What a great list of resources! On my summer reading list this year, I've found a few more resources that will become staples in my classroom:
Inquiring Scientists, Inquiring Readers: Using Non-fiction to Promote Literacy Grades 3-5 By Fries-Gaither and Schiverdecker
Teaching Science Through Trade Books by Christine Anne Royce, Emily Morgan, and Karen Ashberry
The Daily 5 by Gail Boushey and Joan Moser
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