Out of This World Living Books
This year we have been supplementing our Astronomy study with biographies of famous astronomers as well as some other "out of this world" resources.
SPINE BOOK:
WITH 
I love this Apologia book with accompanying CM style journal! I am currently using them with my 5th and 3rd grader. We read the text aloud together, then they work on the journal themselves (sometimes the 3rd grader needs a little help). The boys LOVE the great mini-books at the end of each chapter. By working in this book twice a week, we will finish in one school year (Aug-May).
SUPPLEMENTS:
A 17th-century astronomer and mathematician, Johannes Kepler, was also a devout Christian. This biography beautifully portrays how God wove Kepler's life, work, and faith into a display of His glory.
The famous sky-watcher who recognized that comets traveled by a predictable schedule through space, Edmond Halley, saw the comet that would later bear his name as a young man and predicted the comet's return 75 years from that time. The comet returned, right on schedule 75 years later, but unfortunately Halley did not live to see his prediction fulfilled. Still, his life was filled with amazing circumstances and relationships. His accomplishments went beyond uncovering the secret to comets' orbits. Halley was an inventor, mathematician, mapmaker, and a good friend of Issac Newton. Halley was instrumental in encouraging the naturally shy and reserved Newton to publish his groundbreaking findings on gravity. Scheduling the Heavens is not written in as engaging a manner as the Giant of Faith and Science series, but it is a good read aloud for elementary age. Be prepared to skim over some very wordy parts as well as do some censoring on subject matter according to age.
NOTE: We are studying Copernicus & Galileo as part of our History, so we won't study them here.
More to Come: Biographies on Caroline Herschel and Edwin Hubble
This is a charming book by Curious George author, H.A. Rey, originally published in 1954. The illustrations will remind you of those from the classic storybooks, but this guide to the stars is certainly not monkey business! Packed full of information about stars, constellations, and the solar system, Rey informs readers about the heavens in a simple and engaging style. The drawings and explanations of major constellations are easy to understand. The book also contains North-facing and South-facing sky views for all four seasons (as seen from the middle and northern United States, or about lat. 40°). We will use this book as a read-aloud to extend the chapter on stars & galaxies. My older 2 used this book when they were in elementary school and really learned a lot about the constellations.
"There's an App for That!"
Check out all of the great constellation apps for smartphones and iPads. Point your device anywhere in the sky and the constellations' shapes and names will appear on your screen! These are really handy tools!
Happy Sky Watching!
SPINE BOOK:
WITH I love this Apologia book with accompanying CM style journal! I am currently using them with my 5th and 3rd grader. We read the text aloud together, then they work on the journal themselves (sometimes the 3rd grader needs a little help). The boys LOVE the great mini-books at the end of each chapter. By working in this book twice a week, we will finish in one school year (Aug-May).
SUPPLEMENTS:
- Biographies~
A 17th-century astronomer and mathematician, Johannes Kepler, was also a devout Christian. This biography beautifully portrays how God wove Kepler's life, work, and faith into a display of His glory.The famous sky-watcher who recognized that comets traveled by a predictable schedule through space, Edmond Halley, saw the comet that would later bear his name as a young man and predicted the comet's return 75 years from that time. The comet returned, right on schedule 75 years later, but unfortunately Halley did not live to see his prediction fulfilled. Still, his life was filled with amazing circumstances and relationships. His accomplishments went beyond uncovering the secret to comets' orbits. Halley was an inventor, mathematician, mapmaker, and a good friend of Issac Newton. Halley was instrumental in encouraging the naturally shy and reserved Newton to publish his groundbreaking findings on gravity. Scheduling the Heavens is not written in as engaging a manner as the Giant of Faith and Science series, but it is a good read aloud for elementary age. Be prepared to skim over some very wordy parts as well as do some censoring on subject matter according to age.NOTE: We are studying Copernicus & Galileo as part of our History, so we won't study them here.
More to Come: Biographies on Caroline Herschel and Edwin Hubble
- Field Guides & Other Helps~
This is a charming book by Curious George author, H.A. Rey, originally published in 1954. The illustrations will remind you of those from the classic storybooks, but this guide to the stars is certainly not monkey business! Packed full of information about stars, constellations, and the solar system, Rey informs readers about the heavens in a simple and engaging style. The drawings and explanations of major constellations are easy to understand. The book also contains North-facing and South-facing sky views for all four seasons (as seen from the middle and northern United States, or about lat. 40°). We will use this book as a read-aloud to extend the chapter on stars & galaxies. My older 2 used this book when they were in elementary school and really learned a lot about the constellations.Check out all of the great constellation apps for smartphones and iPads. Point your device anywhere in the sky and the constellations' shapes and names will appear on your screen! These are really handy tools!
Happy Sky Watching!
~Allison
It's been a while since we've used Apologia but their Journal was very much a CMish aproach to their book. That App does sound neat.
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