7 Children’s Books on Science Every First Grader Should Read

Science is more than laboratory experiments and long words; science is everywhere we look. As educators, it’s our job to make science enjoyable for first graders so they will be interested in learning more about it, and one of the easiest ways to help make science fun for children is to introduce scientific topics in different ways.

 

Reading books is a smart way to introduce different scientific aspects to children because it piques their curiosity in new information, and it sharpens their reading skills. By reading children’s books on science, you will be able to introduce first graders to a new world of scientific information and exploration.

 

 

1. Ada Twist, Scientist by Andrea Beaty

Based on real-life scientists Ada Lovelace and Marie Curie, Ada Twist, Scientist is about a young girl who is always looking to understand the why behind how things work and performs her own science experiments to better understand. This book will help children understand that it’s okay to ask questions if they don’t understand something and that even scientists learn new things. Ada is a classmate of Rosie (Rosie Revere, Engineer), Iggy (Iggy Peck, Architect), and Sofia (Sofia Valdez, Future Prez), and all of the Questioneers series is perfect for little minds to learn about science and politics. After reading Ada Twist, you can encourage first graders to choose a few scientific subjects they are interested in and conduct experiments to gain a better understanding.

 

2. How to Code a Sandcastle by Josh Funk

How to Code a Sandcastle is a wonderful way to introduce first graders to the world of coding. As Pearl and Pascal work to build a sandcastle, they decide to break the large task of sandcastle construction into small steps, and they make it happen by using coding concepts like sequences and loops. This book provides first graders with enough coding concepts to give them a general overview but keep them engaged by following the sandcastle’s creation.

 

3. Groundhog Weather School: Fun Facts about Groundhogs and Weather by Joan Holub

Not only is this book great for Groundhog Day, but Groundhog Weather School: Fun Facts about Groundhogs and Weather introduces first grades to several weather topics including different seasons and how nature is affected by the weather. First graders will enjoy the story about groundhogs being students at weather school and won’t even realize all of the scientific information they are learning as well.

 

4. Pete the Cat and the Supercool Science Fair by James Dean

What first grader doesn’t love Pete the Cat? In Pete the Cat and the Supercool Science Fair, Pete the Cat competes in his school’s science fair with a volcano, but after he arrives at the science fair, he is scared his volcano isn’t as good as some of the other entries. First graders will enjoy reading about one of their favorite characters as he participates in scientific activities, and it will encourage them to actively participate in scientific activities like Pete the Cat. You could use Pete the Cat’s volcano as a precursor to create your own volcano and learn about chemical reactions.

 

5. The First Men Who Went to the Moon by Rhonda Gowler Greene

Exploring Apollo 11’s historic mission, The First Men Who Went to the Moon tells the journey of the 3 astronauts (Buzz Aldrin, Neil Armstrong, and Michael Collins) who traveled to the moon and became the first people to walk on the moon. This book is full of facts that will delight young science explorers who are interested in space exploration.

 

6. The Magic School Bus Inside the Human Body by Joanna Cole

A first grade classic, The Magic School Bus Inside the Human Body will entertain first graders as they learn about the journey Ms. Frizzle and her students take inside a human body. The book talks about different parts of the human body, like the intestines and bloodstream, as Ms. Frizzle and her gang make their way through the body. This story is ideal for first graders because it will hold their attention while they learn new information about how their bodies work.

 

7. Ask a Scientist by Robert Winston

Ask a Scientist is a compilation of answers from questions that children asked, and the questions and answers cover a wide range of scientific subjects including the human body, chemistry, and nature. This book is great for first graders because it will spark their curiosity in a number of new subjects, and it shows them that asking questions is smart because that is how we make new discoveries and learn new information.

 

For first graders, their young minds are just beginning to absorb valuable information and discover their own interests, and reading children’s books on science is the perfect way to make science fun and help children discover what parts of science fascinate them.

 

Valerie Cox is a contributing writer for LOC Scientific. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, spending time with her family, and volunteering in her local community.