I love a good story, no matter what age it's intended for. Reading with my kids at home, sometimes I'm just as invested in the outcome as they are! Those are the nights when "one more chapter, please" gets an easy yes.😂
I got motivated the other day to go on the hunt for elementary story books that can support content in your science classes. Here are some that I'm excited to try out with my own kids:
📖 The Girl Who Thought in Pictures: The Story of Dr. Temple Grandin
This children's book was released in 2019 and received tons of awards. If you're looking to merge storytelling and science, this is a great book for so many reasons. It celebrates diversity by describing Dr. Grandin's experiences living with autism as well as her major contributions to livestock science in her adult life. (If you're unfamiliar with Dr. Grandin and her work, Dave Bakker from PocketLab interviewed her last year at the Science Is Cool Conference.)
📖 The Little Cyber Engineer
If you're interested in exposing your students to the science of technology and the internet, this might be a good book to consider. This book playfully explores servers, modems, and cyber security with a fun story line. I love when authors can explain something complex in a simple way!
📖 The Most Magnificent Thing
I learned about author Ashley Spires from my friend Dr. Diane, a frequent guest at Steve Spangler's PD events. This is a sweet book about a girl who encounters difficulty trying to make a fantastic new invention. If you're looking to emphasize skills like perseverance and creativity, this might make a fun classroom read!
📖 Astrophysics for Young People in a Hurry
Neil deGrasse Tyson, another regular at Science is Cool Conferences, explains the mysteries of astrophysics to an elementary audience. Your budding space enthusiasts will love the visuals and charts/tables.
I'm barely scratching the surface in representing great science books for young learners. What STEM or science books can you recommend? I'd love to hear them!
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