When I first started teaching, quality science books were a little hard to find. I needed books that were leveled appropriately for kindergarten with engaging pictures/photos and just the right amount of information.
Luckily, over the last decade, there has been an explosion of quality science books. I wanted to share some of my favorites with you. Also, I wanted to let you know how I prioritized what books I would buy to fill up the non-fiction section in my library!
Books Linked to Specific Lessons
When I first started to grow the science section of my library I did so by buying books that directly related to a lesson I was teaching.
I purchased these books to use during a specific lesson. I would read the books to give students some background knowledge about the subject, and we would revisit the book in the next lesson.
Choosing this method for buying science books really helped me get my collection off the ground.
Cross-Curricular Books
The next step I took in building my library was choosing books that could be linked to other subjects.
This is where making a year long plan really comes in handy. Combining the book Follow the Moon Home with learning about turtles, humans impact on animals, Earth day, and the moon make this book very versatile.
Books like Tops and Bottoms work well when talking about plants, but also animal personification. Science books provide an opportunity for interaction with rich vocabulary and concepts.
Tree Lady pairs perfectly with Women’s History Month, learning about habitats, and social change. If you take a step back and plan for an entire year or unit you can find some great pieces of literature that tie everything together.
Student Interest Books
I pay close attention to the books that are being read the most in my classroom. Each class is unique and their interest in books changes from year to year.
I’ve had students get obsessive about many different science topics. From dinosaurs to puffins, to volcanoes, I’ve seen a wide variety of interests. Whenever I have students in my class interested in a particular subject I try to encourage new learning by adding additional books about that topic to my library.
This serves two purposes. Number one, you’re expanding your science library and future classes will benefit. Number two, you are showing individual students that you care about them and the things they have a vested interest in. The look of joy that comes from unveiling a new book about their favorite subject is priceless!
If you would like an in-depth list of my favorite science books for the classroom you can find it in the link below.
The Best Science Books for Kindergarten
I love to pair high-quality science books with pages from my Kindergarten Science Interactive Notebook! You can create your own science curriculum by combining high-quality literature with this easy-to-use notebook! You can also find a lot more science resources on my website.
I’ve also created a comprehensive list of the best social studies books for kindergarten for you to use as well!
