Biography Suggestion for Science

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  • January 5, 2011 at 4:32 pm
    Esby
    Member

    I found the book Louis Agassiz: Adventurous Scientist by Louise Hall Tharp. (I purchased it used from a seller on amazon.)

    It’s an engaging biograpahy of Agassiz’ life, starting with his boyhood and education in Switzerland. I originally bought the book to supplement our geology studies, but Agassiz’s story fits well with any of the natural sciences. He was an enthusiastic, outgoing, and adventerous man – plus your kids will recognize many CM homeschooling aspects in the early chapters such as copywork. Latin, drawing, and observing in nature! I think kids from mid-elementary grades through middle-school grades would enjoy the book. My 9yo son really likes it, especially the parts about fish.(Agassiz loved fish!)

    Please note: Agassiz came to agree with Darwin about evolution, and Agassiz believed in an old earth. These ideas are mentioned in only short passges, but I did want to point them out if these ideas conflict with your own.

    And I would like to share one idea Agassiz shared with his students, quoting from the book: “But Agassiz always warned his students that the books might not be right. They must learn to observe directly from nature and they must think for themselves.” This passage really spoke to me.

    Anyway, I wanted to pass along the info about the Agassiz biography along.

    January 6, 2011 at 1:34 am
    Rachel White
    Participant

    How is he related to geology?

    Rachel

    January 6, 2011 at 2:09 am
    Esby
    Member

    Rachel,

    Agassiz loved to collect rocks (among other things) and to learn about the earth’s history through rocks. He wasn’t the first scientist to do this, but he was an early “rock hound” and he had curiosity about rocks and their stories that lasted his entire life. When making an expedition to South America, he brought home rocks as well as plant and animal specimens to study. He first made his mark in the science world through his study and classification of fish, and he was interested in many branches of the natural sciences. He was born in Switzerland but eventually lived in the USA, teaching at Harvard and establishing a natural history museum.

    I recall reading about him in school, and rediscovered him when I googled “famous geologists” in search of biographies for my children to read.

    January 6, 2011 at 6:42 pm
    Kirsty
    Member

    Thanks for the book suggestion – I’ll try to keep a look out for it over here!

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