Children are often fascinated by animals, so the animal kingdom makes an excellent science topic in the elementary years. The following resources can be helpful aids during a homeschool study of the animal world. They're educational, but they're also kid-friendly and plenty of fun.
- DK Publishing's "First Animal Encyclopedia" is packed with colorful two-page spreads about all types of animals. The book is filled with photographs, informative text and interesting trivia.
- Teacher Vision offers a printable "My Animal Report" page that kids can fill out. It's designed for kids in grades one through three. Teacher Vision allows non-members to use a limited number of their resources for free.
- Author Jerry Pallota has a Who Would Win? series that uses an exciting format to present plenty of facts about fierce animals. Each book compares two similar animals in order to determine which one would be the victor in a fight.
- Leapfrog has two sets of National Geographic animal cards that go along with the Tag reading system. Choose from "Birds and Sea Animals" and "Land Animals."
- National Wildlife Federation offers two wildlife magazines for kids. Ranger Rick Jr. is aimed at kids ages four through seven, and Ranger Rick is for kids ages seven through 12. A one-year subscription is approximately $20. The magazines' websites are packed full of information and activities, and there's even an Educators section with great resources for both classroom teachers and homeschooling parents.
Your elementary students will have a great time becoming experts about all kinds of animals as they use these helpful resources. In fact, you may find that you are becoming an expert, too, as your children share all their new-found knowledge with you. Studying animals is an excellent introduction to science in the elementary years, especially when the study involves amazing facts, incredible pictures and interesting trivia.
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