Name: Teach Them Diligently (Branson)
Start: 2025-05-15T00:00:00-05:00
End: 2025-05-17T23:59:59-05:00
Location: Branson, MO

Tagged: Astronomy, LIving Books, science, science fiction

This topic has 9 replies, 6 voices, and was last updated 11 years, 11 months ago by Tanya.

Viewing 10 posts - 1 through 10 (of 10 total)

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May 7, 2013 at 9:35 pm
Tanya
Participant
Hi everyone,
I would love some ideas: I want to do Fulbright’s Astronomy book with my family – 12 yo, 10 yo, and almost 8 yo. My older 2 did some study of this when they were younger using library books and some ideas from Considering God’s Creation but my youngest was a toddler.
I thought I would hit it again – new ideas for my youngest, review plus deeper for my olders. I’m especially interested in getting some deeper books for my oldest (she will technically be in 7th grade when we start). I’ve looked at the bookfinder, and we’ve already read Along Came Galileo. I was thinking she could read other biographies of people such as Halley and others (don’t have specific titles). What about science fiction? Do you have any good recommendations for us? Is Isaac Asimov appropriate?
Looking forward to what you all have to say.
-Tanya

May 8, 2013 at 12:12 am
suzukimom
Participant
There are 2 great books by H.A. Rey (writer of Curious George…) – they are very similar but for slightly different age ranges. I forget which is which (I’ve read both…)
The Stars
Finding the Constellations.

They are both great for learning how to find constellations…

Hm – I guess it is mostly for your younger kids, although I think I first read one of them when I was about 14 or so….
May 8, 2013 at 2:34 pm
Tanya
Participant
Thanks! I’ll look for those at my library.
-Tanya
May 8, 2013 at 2:57 pm
psreitmom
Participant
We have The Astronomy Book by Dr. Jonathan Henry. It is in the ‘Wonders of Creation’ series. This would be some good reading for your 12yo. Many colorful illustrations are included.
May 8, 2013 at 4:30 pm
blue j
Participant
You mentioned astronomers, but do you also want your dd to read books that show how astronomy is/was used?
Carry On, Mr. Bowditch is one of my all-time favorite books ever – hands down. It covers history, math, astronomy, accounting, old-style non-astronomic naval piloting science, and even CM style learning.

Also, maybe you could look into:
Tycho Brahe: Astronomer
Letters to Father: Sister Maria Celeste to Galileo, 1623 – 1633
Galileo’s Daughter: A Historical Memoir of Science, Faith, & Love
Galileo and the Magic Numbers
The Backyard Astronomer’s Guide
Signs & Seasons: Understanding the Elements of Classical Astronomy
Other astronomers to check out:
Benjamin Banneker
Edwin Hubble
Nicholas Copernicus
Maria Mitchell
Johannes Kepler
William and Carolyn Herschel
You also might want to check out Joy Hakim’s science books. I have not used them, but I will be receiving them within a day or so and can give a better review of them shortly. 🙂
May 8, 2013 at 11:11 pm
Tanya
Participant
These are great, thanks so much!!
May 9, 2013 at 1:25 am
Bookworm
Participant
I have Signs and Seasons to work through with my 8th grader next year. He also has many really interesting video lectures from The Teaching Company that he LOVES and is able to see things on video that we can’t see here. This is a personal interest/obsession for him, so it’s hard for me to gauge how much others would like them, but we all think they are fascinating. Of course we are all serious nerds.
May 9, 2013 at 1:45 am
Tanya
Participant
I have never heard of Signs and Seasons. I’ll have to look closer at that. I quickly googled it and it looks like it is its own curriculum – so would you recommend I do that with my oldest as opposed to Apologia?
May 9, 2013 at 3:38 am
Wings2fly
Participant
Destination: Moon by Astronaut James Irwin, The Spiritual and Scientific Voyage of the Eighth Man to Walk on the Moon. It’s published by Master Books and distributed by Vision Forum as a 15th Anniversary expanded edition 2004. It has lots of great photos.
Also Look to the Stars by Buzz Aldrin (also walked on moon) is good. It has paintings by Wendell Minor. There is a nice timeline in the back 1543 to 2010 on a 2 page spread. There are famous quotes at the bottom of each page. It talks of space future at the end though. But your 12 yo may be too old for it. It’s more of a picture book. You can see inside at Amazon.
May 9, 2013 at 3:00 pm
Tanya
Participant
So many great ideas! Thank you so much!