12 Living Books About Botany
God’s ability to blend creativity and order together is so clearly seen in the study of botany. This post contains 12 suggested living books to pair with your year in Exploring Creation with Botany, 2nd Edition.
Living Books are Narrative in Style
Living books are distinguished by their ability to captivate through narrative, and it’s crucial to note that this narrative quality isn’t confined to the realm of fiction. In fact, some of the most impactful living books I’ve encountered are non-fiction works. Take, for instance, biographies such as prominent scientists, which not only chronicle the factual events of a person’s life and their significant contributions but also draw us in to the intricacies of their thoughts and emotions.
Non-fiction gems like seeds extend beyond presenting scientific facts in a dry manner. Instead, they unfold as vibrant narratives, allowing children to absorb more than a mere paragraph’s worth of information.
Even picture books, exemplified by A Seed Is Sleepy by Dianna Hutts Aston, defy the conventional boundaries of simple narratives. They subtly and seamlessly blend education with storytelling without pretense.
While some might advocate for including reference books like Yuval Zommer’s Big Book of Blooms on living bookshelves, it’s worth reconsidering their role as “spines.” These spines, akin to textbooks, cover a breadth of topics but distinguish themselves with rich language. Undeniably, they serve a purpose by allowing children to explore diverse ideas and connect dots. However, their resemblance to textbooks suggests a need for moderation in their categorization, as living books thrive on a different aesthetic and engagement level.
12 Living Books About Botany
- Living Sunlight: How Plants Bring the Earth to Life by Molly Bang
- Poisons in Our Path: Plants That Harm and Heal by Anne Ophelia Dowden
- The Hike by Alison Farrell
- The Golden Glow by Benjamin Flouw
- A Man for All Seasons: the Life of George Washington Carver by Stephen Krensky
- How a Seed Grows by Helene J. Jordan
- Planting a Wild Garden by Kathryn Osebold Galbraith
- Weeds Find a Way by Cynthia Jenson-Elliott
- Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt by Kate Messner
- Planting Peace: the Story of Wangari Maathai by Gwendolyn Hooks
- The Girl Who Drew Butterflies: How Maria Merian’s Art Changed Science by Joyce Sidman
- Beatrix Potter, Scientist by Lindsay H. Metcalf
Exploring Creation with Botany
Exploring Creation with Botany, 2nd Edition, serves as a comprehensive homeschool science curriculum tailored for elementary students. As your student embarks on a journey through an overview of botany and delves deeper into the intricacies of plant anatomy and classification, they will acquire not only foundational but also practical knowledge of plants.
Presented in a conversational tone, each lesson is enriched with vivid graphics, engaging content, and hands-on projects, transforming the exploration of botany into an enjoyable and immersive learning experience.
Throughout the curriculum, your student will navigate lessons and activities that unravel the mysteries of the plant world, from the life cycle of seeds to the intricate processes of plant reproduction and food production. Additionally, they will gain proficiency in identifying and classifying various plants.
To complement this curriculum, we offer an exceptional Notebooking Journal resource, elevating the learning experience with interactive hands-on activities. Within this journal, students will seamlessly cover an array of lesson topics, enhancing their understanding of botany in a holistic and interactive manner.
Lesson Topics include:
- Nature Journaling
- The Science of Botany
- Seeded and Seedless Plants
- Grouping Plants
- Seeds and Germination
- Angiosperms – Flowering Plants
- Flower Families
- Pollination
- Seeds
- Fruits and Vegetables
- Leaves, Photosynthesis, Transpiration
- Roots and Root Systems
- Stems
- Gardening
- Trees
- Gymnosperms
- Seedless & Vascular Plants
- Mycology
Meet special guest Vicki Dincher, creator of student notebooks, in this episode of Let’s Talk Homeschool!