Q: Do you have any recommendations for books about the scientific method?
Skills
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Teaching children how scientists go about asking and answering scientific questions is a great way to get them interested in science. “How to Think Like a Scientist: Answering Questions by the Scientific Method” by Stephen P. Kramer and “Mad Margaret Experiments with the Scientific Method” by Eric Braun are two great books that take children through each step of the scientific process and show them how it can be used to find answers to questions they are curious about. “11 Experiments That Failed” by Jenny Offill and “Boy, Were We Wrong About Dinosaurs” by Kathleen V. Kudlinski teach children that the scientific method involves the careful collection and analyses of evidence, and how evidence is used to prove or disprove a theory. Lastly, “The Magic School Bus and the Science Fair Expedition” by Joanna Cole is an excellent introduction to scientists and what they do.
Jennie Ito, Ph.D.
Child Development Expert
Jennie Ito is a mother of two and a child development consultant who specializes in children’s play and toys. Before becoming a consultant for LeapFrog, she was an intern at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC, and later worked as a content expert for the Association of Children’s Museum’s “Playing for Keeps” Play Initiative. Jennie earned her doctorate degree in developmental psychology at Queen’s University in Ontario, Canada.