Do you have a child in the upper elementary years? Do you have a hands-on learner? Are you looking for unit study style science for your homeschool? Then Heron Books Young Scientist series might be just what you are looking for!
{Disclosure: I received this product for free and was compensated for my time in writing this review. All my opinions are my own, honest thoughts and I was not required to post a positive review. Your experience may vary.}
Heron Books Young Scientist Series
The Heron Books Young Scientist Series is an 11 book secular science series (5 are released now with the rest coming this summer!) for kids in grades 4-6. I love the unit study, hands-on learning style of this series.
Herons books is a publisher of K-12 educational materials based in Oregon. They have been publishing educational materials for a small network of private schools for more than 45 years. Due to high demand from various educational institutions, its catalog is now broadly available to public schools, homeschoolers, private tutors, parents and teachers.
Books in the Heron Books Young Scientist Series
- The Young Scientist – An introduction to observation and research.
- The Fabulous Human Body – introduces the main body systems and their parts and functions, using simple, non-technical language.
- Circulation of the Blood – a study into the circulatory system. How blood flows, what are veins and arteries, and more.
- World of Plants – a study of how plants live and grow.
- Take A Closer Look! – gives young scientists all they need to know to begin using microscopes, discovering the unseen world all around them.
- Light Bulbs, Switches, and Batteries – an introduction to the concepts of energy, electrons and electrical energy.
- Let’s Find It! – This is a book about maps and globes, how they work, and how to use them to find places on the earth, both locally and globally.
- Our Amazing Planet – an introduction to geography of the U.S.
- Let’s Make Things Go – all about engines
- World of Machines – an introduction to simple machines
- World of Electricity – covers circuits, circuits boxes, short circuits, switches and plugs as used in homes, and touches on alternate sources of electricity such as hydroelectric, wind and solar.
What’s Inside?
We are using Heron Books Young Scientist Series – Take a Closer Look! in our homeschool. Let me show you what’s inside!
1. The Take A Closer Look! Introduction to Microscopes Book
This is the main book, the one with all the information and diagrams, directions, etc. It gives kids an introduction to microscopes. It teaches them how to use one, how to prepare slides, and includes tons of activities related to using the microscope.
2. Student Learning Guide (optional)
While both the Student Learning Guide and the Teacher Resources are considered optional, I think they are an important piece of these unit studies.
The Student Learning Guide is a special feature that help kids move through the Heron Books Young Scientist Series of books independently (or at least mostly). I was able to open up the Take A Closer Look! book and the corresponding Student Learning Guide and get my grandson working on his own in a very short amount of time. He had never seen a microscope and was super excited to get to work with one!
Having a clear checklist style method of working through the book was an easy way for him to be more independent and to work at his own pace.
3. Teacher Resources (optional)
The Teacher Resources come in their own envelope and include things like a unit exam and a Certificate of Achievement.
Using Heron Books Young Scientist Series
Using Heron Books Young Scientist Series books has been a great way for my grandson to explore the world of science on his own terms. I get him started, and he is off and running!
Here are a few ways these are so easy to use:
- The books are written in a manner that is age appropriate both in content and in reading level.
- The Student Learning Guide is a simple check box style, step by step guide through the book! This has not only made it easier for Lucas to follow, but has helped keep him on track!
- I love they style in which they are done. There isn’t a ton of fluff. Sometimes kids can get bogged down in too many words, stories, etc. These books keep it clear and to the point.
- The hands-on approach is a win-win in our house. Lucas loves to keep his hands (and thus his mind) busy. He has spent countless hours beyond the actual studying working with the microscope!
Check out Heron Books Young Scientist Series
You can head over to the Heron Books site and download FREE Samples of
- Circulation of the Blood
- The Fabulous Human Body
- World of Plants
- and more!
Also, they offering a 30% discount with my code StartsAtEight30 on anything in the store!
More Elementary Grade Resources
- The Ultimate Guide to Homeschool Science
- Using Draw Write Now Books for Homeschooling
- The Ultimate Guide to 5th Grade Homeschool Curriculum Options
- The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate Activities – Microscope, Nature, Cooking and More!
- Art Lab for Kids: 52 Creative Art Adventures for Homeschoolers
- Homeschooling with Unit Studies: Everything You Need to Get Started
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