Teaching Through Trade Books: Delving Into Disasters

Journal Article | March 2011

Students uncover information about previous natural disasters or events to construct explanations using science process skills.

Teaching Through Trade Books: Roller Coasters!

Journal Article | February 2008

Students of all ages are fascinated by the ups, downs, loops, and twists of roller coaster rides! What they may not realize is that there is a lot of science involved in making a roller coaster work. This month’s column…

Teaching Through Trade Books: Seasons by the Sun

Journal Article | June 2005

Understanding the Sun has challenged people since ancient times. Mythology from the Greek, Inuit, and Inca cultures attempted to explain the daily appearance and nightly disappearance of the sun by relating it to a…

Teaching Through Trade Books: Disease Detectives

Journal Article | January 2011

“You’ve got cooties!” is a traditional taunt between children on the playground. Although children’s avoidance of “boy or girl” germs is not scientifically based, students have an innate understanding that transmission…

Teaching through Trade Books: Mysteries of the Past

Journal Article | August 2010

Paleontologists, scientists who study the history of life on Earth, work in a dynamic area of science. Think of putting together a jigsaw puzzle with most of the pieces missing—that’s what creating the fossil record is…

Teaching through Trade Books: Rock Wonderings

Journal Article | December 2003

Rocks, as part of the Earth science curriculum, are an integral part of the National Science Education Standards. These trade book-inspired investigations for students in grades K-3 and 4-6 encourage readers to…

Teaching Through Trade Books: Imaginative Inventions

Journal Article | June 2006

In today's fast-growing, highly competitive global marketplace, innovative thinking is more important than ever. Encourage your students' creativity, imagination, and problem-solving skills with these technological…

Teaching Through Trade Books: Exploring Ecosystems

Journal Article | March 2004

This month’s Teaching Through Trade Books column explores the complex relationships of living things to their natural environment and to each other. Investigations for grades K-3 and 4-6 are included.

Teaching Through Trade Books: Gravity and Weight

Journal Article | December 2011

This column includes activities inspired by children’s literature. This month’s issue explores the concept of gravity through several activities and readings.

Teaching Through Trade Books: Secrets of Seeds

Journal Article | January 2009

From a tiny radish seed to a giant coconut, seeds come in a multitude of shapes and sizes. They all share one amazing secret: the potential to grow into a new plant when conditions are right. In this month’s column,…

Teaching Through Trade Books: Water Wherever

Journal Article | January 2004

Whether rain, sleet, or snow, February weather across the country provides students with opportunities to observe the many different ways the water cycle affects our daily lives. This month's trade books that focus on…

Teaching Through Trade Books: Words to the Wild

Journal Article | October 2007

A notebook is perhaps the single most important piece of equipment a naturalist takes into the field. But notebooks are not only for use by field scientists: They are also excellent tools for helping students record…