SCIENCE
NEXT GENERATION SCIENCE STANDARDS
In 2017, New York State Adopted the Next Generation Science Standards to provide a robust science education for students in grades Kindergarten through Fifth Grade. Students at the John F. Kennedy Elementary School will be transitioning to the New York State Next Generation Standards over the course of the next three years in accordance with the state mandate.
The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) are distinct from prior science standards in that they integrate three important dimensions to further students' understanding of the natural world around them. Each standard is organized in a table with three main sections: 1) performance expectation(s), 2) the foundation boxes, and 3) the connection boxes. This new vision for science instruction integrates Science and Engineering Practices with Disciplinary Core Ideas and Crosscutting Concepts to provide students with a foundation to meet the needs of the 21st Century.
FAVORITE BOOKS: PK-2ND GRADE
Biography
Isaac Newton and the Laws of Motion. Andrea Giamopoulos. Capstone Press.
Sir Isaac Newton is one of history's most famous scientists. This book, written in a comic book format, will introduce young readers to Sir Isaac Newton's accomplishments from building a mill at age 11 to discovering the laws of motion.
Marie Curie. Elizabeth MacLeod. Kids Can Press.
Marie Curie was a world famous scientist who one the Nobel Laureate twice in her lifetime for her work studying radiation and her discovery of new metals.
Rocks in His Head. Carol Otis Hurst. Greenwillow Books.
This is the story of the author's father who had a passion for collecting rocks. Even through difficult times during the Great Depression, Carole's father did not give up on his interest. His commitment led him to an experience of a lifetime at a local science museum.
The Watcher: Jane Goodall's Life with the Chimps. Jeanette Winter. Random House.
Jane Goodall was a famous scientist who studied chimpanzees in the African Forests of Gombe, Tanzania. Young animal lovers will learn how Jane dedicated her life to the animals she cared for.
Who Was Charles Darwin? Deborah Hopkinson. Gosset & Dunlap.
As a young boy, Charles Darwin loved to experiment as a young boy. He had a strong curiosity about natural world. Darwin collected new creatures from the coasts of Africa, South America, and the Galapagos Islands, and shared his ideas about natural world for everyone to learn from.
Life, Earth & Physical Sciences
A is for … ? A Photographer's Alphabet of Animals. Written and illustrated with photographs by Henry Horenstein. Gulliver/Harcourt Brace.
Young students will observe the beautiful black-and-white photographs in this very special alphabet book.
Butterfly Story. Anca Hariton. Dutton.
Follow the life of a red admiral butterfly's life cycle. Learn about the butterfly's life cycle including metamorphosis, the butterfly's habitat, and more.
Dandelions. Kathleen V. Kudlinski. Lerner.
This book is explains the life cycle of the dandelion plant and important facts about plants.
Day and Night. Margaret Hall. Capstone Press.
This nonfiction picture book uses text, diagrams, and photographs to create a visual library showing how the Earth's rotation causes day and night.
Follow a Raindrop: The Water Cycle. Elsie Ward. Scholastic.
Follow a raindrop is a fiction title with a nonfiction theme. A talking raindrop explains how a drop of water begins in the ocean, rises into the air and returns as rain.
How Did That Get in My Lunchbox? The Story of Food. Chris Butterworth. Candlewick Press.
Where does the food we eat really come from. Read this book to find where common foods we eat everyday really come from.
How Is a Pencil Made? Angela Royston. Heinemann Library.
A colorful picture book showing how pencils are manufactured.
I See Animals Hiding. Jim Arnosky. Scholastic.
Illustrations in watercolor demonstrate how colors of animals blend in with their environment. Students explore the concepts of camouflage by locating animals in their natural habitats.
The Life Cycle of a Bean. Angela Royston. Reed Education and Professional Publishing
This book introduces the life cycle of a bean plant from the time it is planted until it grows into a mature plant.
My Five Senses. Margaret Miller. Simon & Schuster.
An early childhood reader that introduces the five senses and how the senses help people to experience the world around them.
A Plastic Bottle's Journey. Suzanne Slade. Picture Window Books.
Follow along a plastic bottle's fascinating journey from the time it is made until the time the bottle is recycled.
Prehistoric Actual Size. Steve Jenkins. Houghton Mifflin.
This book features a number of prehistoric animals and information about the animals' characteristics including how long ago they lived on Earth.
Simple Machines. Allan Fowler. Children's Press.
Full-color photographs and text explain the function of different simple machines that children come across in their daily lives.
Solids, Liquids, And Gases. Ginger Garrett. Children's Press.
Solids, liquids, and gases are three states of matter that are featured in this book.
The Sun Is My Favorite Star. Frank Asch. Harcourt Brace.
Readers follow the sun from morning to night to explain the sun's movement and importance on Earth.
What is a Scientist? Barbara Lehn. Millbrook Press.
What is a Scientist contains simple text and photographs to introduce young students to the scientific process.
13 Planets: The Latest View of the Solar System (National Geographic Kids). David Aguilar. National Geographic Children's Press.
Second grade students and up will enjoy this recently published book explaining the characteristics of our solar systems eight main planets and dwarf planets.
FAVORITE BOOKS: 3RD-5TH GRADE
Biography
Buzz Aldrin: Reaching for the Moon. Buzz Aldrin. HarperCollins.
Buzz Aldrin tells about his experiences as a space pioneer.
For the Birds: The Life of Roger Tory Peterson. Peggy Thomas. Calkins Creek.
Roger Tory Peterson was an ornithologist who taught people how to look and appreciate birds, animals, and plants. Some kids called him "Professor Nuts Peterson" because of his love birds and nature.
George Washington Carver. Tonya Bolden. Harry N. Abrams.
George Washington Carver developed hundred of products from everyday plants. This book will take you into the exceptional life of this scientist and inventor as he creates shampoo from peanuts, ink from sweet potatoes, and more.
Rachel Carson and Her Book That Changed the World. Laurie Lawlor. Holiday House.
An inspirational book for young girls who may want to become a scientist. Rachel Carson was an environmentalist who taught people about harmful chemicals that impacted nature.
Odd Boy Out: Young Albert Einstein. Don Brown. Houghton Mifflin.
The author takes the reader back in time from Albert Einstein's birth to his greatest discoveries as an adult.
Timeless Thomas: How Thomas Edison Changed Our Lives. Gene Baretta. Henry Holt & Company.
This clever book shows how modern-day items (for example: the light bulb) that we use every day, were discovered in Thomas Edison's lab in Menlo Park, New Jersey.
Life, Earth & Physical Sciences
A Crash Course in Forces and Motion with Max Axiom, Super Scientist. Emily Sohn. Capstone Press.
A fiction title with a nonfiction theme, this book was written in a comic book format. This book motivates students to learn the science behind forces and motion.
A Handful of Dirt. Raymond Bial. Walker and Company.
Raymond Bial explains what soil is actually made of and how important soil is in keeping things alive.
All About Owls. Jim Arnosky. Scholastic.
Take a look at the life of an owl. Learn where owls live, eat, and other interesting facts about owls.
Boy, Were We Wrong About Dinosaurs! Kathleen Kudlinski. Dutton Children's Books.
This book explains dinosaur bones, behavior, and other important facts about these prehistoric creatures.
The Changing Earth. Becky Olien. Bridgestone Books.
Readers will explore many of earth's changing features beginning with the many of layers buried inside the earth, to the rocks, soil, minerals, and fossils.
Discover the Oceans: The World's Largest Ecosystem. Lauri Berkenkamp. Nomad Press.
Readers will venture into the ocean to learn about the history of oceans, ecosystems, and the organisms that depend on this environment.
Enjoy Your Cells. Frances R. Balkwill and Mic Rolph. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press.
This book describes the different kinds of cells and how they work in living organisms.
Garbage, Waste, Dumps, and You. Connie Colwell Miller. Capstone Press.
"What can you do" to help reuse, reduce, and recycle. Follow along in this photo-filled book to learn the history of trash removal, landfills, recycling, and composting.
The Human Body. John Farndon. Raintree Steck-Vaughn.
The author takes the reader on an incredible journey from the "top of the head to the tips of your toes." This book is filled with fascinating facts, illustrations, and diagrams.
The Life Cycle of a Butterfly. Lisa Trumbauer. Capstone Press.
Text and photographs explains the life cycle and metamorphosis of a butterfly.
The Life and Times of the Honeybee. Charles Micucci. Ticknor/Houghton Mifflin.
The author captures the life of a honeybee using wonderful color illustrations to give the reader a sense of a honeybee's experiences. Learn about the history of bees, honey, and more.
On time: From Seasons to Split Seconds. Gloria Skurzynski. National Geographic Society.
This book tells the history of how mankind learned to tell time. The reader will be introduced to different time systems, calendars, and clocks that have helped humans keep time throughout the ages.
One Well: The Story of Water on Earth. Rochelle Strauss. Kids Can Press.
The author of this book looks closely at all water on Earth. Water is found in the atmosphere, oceans, lakes, ponds, and rivers. One Well also shows the reader how to conserve and protect our fresh water.
The Reason for a Flower. Ruth Heller. Scholastic.
Ruth Heller explains the reason for a flower is pollination. Colorful illustration show how seeds travel from place to place, along with, many interesting facts about flowers.
Roller Coaster. Paul Mason. Raintree.
Become a roller coaster designer while reading this book. Learn about the forces and motion through full-color photographs.
S Is for Scientist: A Discovery Alphabet. Larry Verstraete. Sleeping Bear Press.
This alphabet book is written for older students who want to learn more sophisticated science terms including adapt, build, demonstrate, etc...
Small Worlds Close Up. Lisa Grillone and Joseph Gennaro. Crown Publishers.
Photographs taken with an electron microscope reveal the "close up" view of common objects including hair, salt crystals, and other objects.
The Science of Plants. Jonathan Bocknek. Gareth Stevens.
An excellent resource of information about plant species, life cycles, habitats, plant parts, and more.
Transformed: How Everyday Things Are Made. Bill Slavin and Jim Slavin. Kids Can Press.
Young inquisitive minds can learn more about how everyday items, including baseballs, toothpaste, and peanut butter are
manufactured.
Trees and Forests. Donald M. Silver. American Scientific.
Take a voyage of discovery with this interactive book that includes, art, textured pages, and dazzling graphics. Learn about the first plants to grow on land to modern day trees.
Who Eats What?: Food Chains and Food Webs. Patricia Lauber. HarperCollins.
Diagrams and illustration explain the concepts of food chains and how plants, and all animals are linked in a delicate ecological world.
13 Planets: The Latest View of the Solar System (National Geographic Kids). David Aguilar. National Geographic Children's Press.
Second grade students and up will enjoy this recently published book explaining the characteristics of our solar systems eight main planets and dwarf planets.