book ideas for 12 yo re: astronomy

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  • 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.  Smile

    -Tanya

     

    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….

    Tanya
    Participant

    Thanks!  I’ll look for those at my library. 

    -Tanya

    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.

    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. Cool

     

    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. 🙂

    Tanya
    Participant

    These are great, thanks so much!!

    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.  Wink

    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?

    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.

    Tanya
    Participant

    So many great ideas!  Thank you so much!

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