Great Science Experiment Books
Collecting great science experiment books is a passion of mine. I have some from the 1960s and present-day (and a few decades in between!) The illustrations in the oldest ones are so vintage, but the activities and experiments are still relevant and educational.
So, while some of the books mentioned below are older, and you’ll have to hunt the library, yard sales, or Thriftbooks.com, they are still very useful.
Great Science Experiment Books – Janet Van Cleave’s Books
My best friend was a homeschool veteran by the time I finally decided to homeschool. When I went to her to discuss science options for my then 3rd grader, she handed me a stack of Janice Van Cleave science experiment books and said “Just have fun!” That was the best homeschool advice I have received yet.
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We spend third grade doing all kinds of experiments, wondering why they turned out like they did and then doing the textbook research from there. It was lots of fun. Those experiments created a love and understanding of what science really is.
We still use Janice Van Cleave books. She has such a variety of books to choose from. We have a few at home and our library carries more. Sometimes, the experiments go with what we are studying at the time. Other times, we do experiments just for fun.
Most of the experiments in Janice Van Cleave’s experiment books use basic materials you probably have at home right now. The instructions are so simple the kids can do a lot of them on their own.
Adventure With Series
Another series we used extensively is the Adventures With Series. We first discovered this series at the library. While it may look like they are an older series, as the layout is simple and the covers pretty basic. But, we LOVED their simplicity.
When we brought it home, I had my son pick out the experiments he wanted to try first. We set aside a day and did four of them on our “Special Science Day”. The book progresses through basic chemistry concepts providing an easy-to-understand explanation of the science behind each experiment.
Our approach using these books was very open ended. Using plain paper, colored pencils, and a phone camera, he worked through experiments, wrote down what he did and drew a photo or took a photo of what happened. We put the pages in a notebook.
The most important part of these experiments? The freedom he had to take the experiment further. I literally stayed out of the way and let him test his ideas. For example, when mixing oil in a glass with other liquids, he wanted to sprinkle in cinnamon, pepper, and other spices to see if they would sink or float through the layers of liquid.
It’s this freedom to present ideas and test them that helps our children gain confidence in themselves, their ideas, and their capabilities. I used this approach throughout our science, especially K-6.
Here are the different books in the Adventure With Series that we used and still have on our homeschool bookshelves. The biology book might be available at the library or on Thriftbooks.com.
Other Favorites
Here are some other favorites for studying bridges and structures. Bridges: Amazing Structures to Design, Build, and Test may be out of print. Our library has it, so your local library may too. Also, check Thriftbooks.
Bridges and Tunnels is a very thorough look at these structures. There are 25 building projects in the book.
Awesome STEAM Activities Series
The Awesome STEAM Activities Series has 12 books total in the series (at this writing.) We own the Engineering and Kitchen Science books.
This is one of my favoriate series because of:
- the variety and quantity of activities in each book. There are over 50+ activities in each.
- Good photos. While many of the books listed above have illustrations, and I still highly recommend the books, this series has bright, colorful photos. Photos are helpful when children are working independently or for an adult who is new to the science experiment game! 🙂
- A clear and concise “How and Why” section that explains what is happening in the activity.
- A pleasant and easy-to-follow layout. I love bullet points and short paragraphs. When you’re trying to do an activity, hold onto supplies, and corral students, a well laid out page design is helpful. I was in the curriculum publishing business for over 10 years and published my own science kits for 6, so I can confidently say layout and the aesthetics of a textbook or children’s book is extremely important.
- I also like that at the beginning of each book is a solid introduction to the field of science. The engineering book covers questions such as “What is an engineer?” “How do I become an engineer?” “What do engineers do?” This background information is a fun way to start a whole study of engineering with your children!
Here are some of the titles in this series:
Great Science Experiment Books – Junk Drawer Science Series
The Junk Drawer Science Series is probably my favorite of the series listed here. As you can see from the photo of my copy of Junk Drawer Engineering, it is a well-worn resource in our homeschool library.
The editions I have were published circa 2017 by the Chicago Review Press.
The features I like in this series:
- There are about 30 activities in each.
- Each activity starts with an Engineering Challenge section that presents the activity as an engineering challenge. The activities are about problem-solving.
- The projects are open design in nature. The challenge and science is presented, then students use their creativity and imagination to create a solution to the challenge.
- The science related to the activity is clearly and concisely explained
- There are LOTS of photos that illustrate step-by-step instructions. While the photos are black and white, they are extremely helpful and take the frustration out for students.
Science Experiments to Do Today
I hold a master’s degree in child development and early education and am working on a post-baccalaureate in biology. I spent 15 years working for a biotechnology company developing IT systems in DNA testing laboratories across the US. I taught K4 in a private school, homeschooled my children, and have taught on the mission field in southern Asia. For 4 years, I served on our state’s FIRST Lego League tournament Board and served as the Judging Director. I own thehomeschoolscientist and also write a regular science column for Homeschooling Today Magazine. You’ll also find my writings on the CTCMath blog. Through this site, I have authored over 50 math and science resources.