You're going to wish you wrote this book.

No, really. Our outline for this blog post ended up being 5 pages long because this book is just so awesome. It is entertaining, great for many grade ranges, and hits multiple different standards (even that dreaded "s" word is no match for the mighty power of this book!). Makes you wanna read it, doesn't it? Well it makes us want to share it with you, other future teachers in this labyrinth of standards and codes and regulations and checklists. Where's the fun? Where is the cheat sheet to teaching? This book is just one little trick. From space, to matter, to energy flow in an ecosystem, this little treasure is one you won't want to be without.

Science Verse, by Jon Scieszka, starts off on a dull Wednesday in science class. The excitement begins when the science teacher zaps the student (or reader) with a curse of science verse, saying “ You know, if you listen closely enough, you can hear the poetry of science in everything.” Then begin the 18 poems about different topics in science. We both agreed that these poems could be used from elementary school to high school because they are just too cool - especially compared to a science textbook (eww). Check out this example about the scientific method:

Scientific Method At The Bat

The outlook wasn’t brilliant for my experiment that day;

The only way to graduate was to come up with an A.

So when my lab exploded and turned to blackish gunk,

My chance of passing anything went Titanic—you know, sunk.

I sat and sadly watched the clock, cursed to be alive.

It would take a miracle—no, make that two---get me to grade five.

Then I had a brainstorm, an idea so terrific:

I just had to use those words from the METHOD SCIENTIFIC.

I grab my pen and get to work. You should see my look.

I slowly write Hypothesis. . . Observation . . . in my book.

And now the class bell rings. And now I lose or win.

With one mighty PLOP, I hand my lab book in.

Oh somewhere in some science class, hypotheses are made.

Experiments are conducted. Kids move up a grade.

Somewhere conclusions are concluded, without a bit of doubt.

But there is no joy in this lab--- my results got me flunked out.

So much more fun that a boring definition, right? And this even hits science standards in multiple different grades! 

S3CS5. Students will communicate scientific ideas and activities clearly.

a. Write instructions that others can follow in carrying out a scientific procedure.

b. Make sketches to aid in explaining scientific procedures or ideas.

S2CS6. Students will be familiar with the character of scientific knowledge and how it is achieved. 

a. When a science investigate is done the way it was done before, we expect to get a similar result.

b. Science involves collecting data and testing hypotheses. 

This book and the poems within would be an easy, fun way to introduce a science lesson. We had trouble finding a read-aloud for you, so instead here is a link for you to buy the book because, again, it is so awesome that you want to get it for your own future classroom (or personal enjoyment). 

http://www.amazon.com/Science-Golden-Awards-Picture-Awards/dp/0670910570

See that hyperlink? This book even won an award!

Did you follow the link yet? Notice something about the book? That's right; it's the same author and illustrator as the Math Curse, another fun book about math. We recommend both of them!