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Science and nature books for fifth graders
Scientists and inventors have a unique ability to captivate kids with their creations and, more often than not, eccentricities. These books let kids recreate Leonardo da Vinci's inventions, for example, and study the strange lives of scientists who experimented on themselves. Your fifth grader may be inspired to take a closer look at what's happening to the earth and how science can provide solutions.
By GreatSchools Staff
Amazing Leonardo da Vinci Inventions You Can Build Yourself
by Maxine Anderson, Nomad Press (2006)
ages 11 and up
Amazing Leonardo da Vinci Inventions You Can Build Yourself begins with an introduction to the Renaissance and a biography of da Vinci, including excerpts from his notebooks and reproductions of his drawings. But the main attraction is the step-by-step instructions for making 19 of da Vinci's inventions, including a perspectograph, a camera obscura, a hydrometer, invisible ink, walk-on-water shoes, and miniature versions of his helicopter and tank. Adult supervision is recommended where appropriate.
Bottom line: DIY kids will love this book. Parents will love what they're learning.
