Great Science-Related Reading Books for Grades 3 - 5

As a mother, nanny, and student in early childhood education, I have come across plenty of reading materials for children. Just as it is important for a child to read fiction, it is equally important for a child to read literature based on science and other subjects. I have compiled a list of books I have found to be useful for science for grades three through five.

By grades three through five, theories and outcomes will be understood and used often. Children at this age and stage will be reading at a fluent level and will also be able to distinguish fact from fiction. Books at this age should encourage to think beyond the pages in the book and associate book events with those of real life. A good science book for this age will make the child wonder why and how certain things work. It will also encourage a child to think outside of the box and wonder what would happen if they changed certain actions or events. Here are some great books for third through fifth graders.

"A Drop Of Water" by Walter Wick
"A Look At Rocks" by Jo S. Kittinger
"A River Ran Wild" by Lynne Cherry
"Adventures of the Shark Lady" by Ann McGovern (part of a series based on Eugenie Clark, world-famous marine-biologist)

"Can You Believe?: Hurricanes" by Sandra Markie
"City Green" by DyAnne DiSalvo-Ryan
" Day Of The Blizzard" by Marietta Moskin
" Easy Make & Learn Projects: Human Body" by Scholastic, Inc.

"Everything You Need To Know About Science Homework" by Anne Keman and Kate Kelly (Scholastic Inc.)
"Fast Forward: Natural Disasters" by Jenny Vaughan and Nick Hewetson
"How Animals Live: The Amazing World of Animals in the Wild" by Esther Bertram and Bernard Stonehouse
"Listening to Crickets: A Story about Rachel Carson" by Candice P. Ransom

"LouisBraille: The Boy Who Invented Books for the Blind"by Margaret Davidson
"Math for All Seasons" by Greg Tang (both math & science)
"Mysteries & Marvels of Science" (Usborne) by Scholastic Inc.
"Nine True Dolphin Stories" by Margaret Davis

"Outside and Inside: Outside and Inside You" by Scholastic Inc.
"Plantzilla" by Jurdine Nolen
"Saving the Buffalo" by Albert Marrin
"The Magic School Bus" Chapter Book Series by Scholastic Inc.

Do not feel limited to just this list. Explore your local libraries and bookstores to find even more wonderful Science-related books. Scholastic, eBay, Discovery, and Amazon are also great places to start. Science-related books can be books with straight facts, fiction books with Science undertones, or books that mix a bit of both. The most important thing to remember is that children need to be exposed to many different ideas.

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