This fall we will dive into the study of Biology, and we have compiled a list of our favorite resources to share with you!
Of course, our favorite hands-on resource is our 12-week Biology Bundle. If you are new to us, our science bundles include a Parent Guide chock full of discussion starters to help you guide a meaningful conversation based on the Scientific Method, scientific background to read aloud, connections to Scripture, and, of course, instructions for fun, and easily achievable, hands-on projects. Our bundles also include Student Lab Notebook, where students can hypothesize, record data, and interact with Scripture.
Our Biology Student Lab Notebook also includes a full color Periodic Table and a blank Periodic Table, perfect to reference throughout the entire study.
This is easily the most cost-effective resource, since our 12-week bundle includes everything you will need for a meaningful dive into Biology for just $1.65 per week! Classical Conversations families will be especially excited to know that each week is specifically designed to match up with Cycle 1 memory work! (For a complete Cycle 1 match-up, check out our 21/22 School Year Pack!)
Here are some of the other general Biology resources that we love! Our 12-week Biology Bundle includes additional resource ideas that match-up specifically with each week for additional help!
*Note: Most of these resources have been personally reviewed by me, but not all. Biology resources, especially, often include an evolutionary theory viewpoint, and that is true of some of the resources below.
General Resource Books
“Animal! The Animal Kingdom as You’ve Never Seen it Before,” Smithsonian
“An Anthology of Intriguing Animals,” by DK
Usborne’s “First Encyclopedia of Animals”
National Geographic’s “Book of Animal Poetry”
“A Curious Collection of Peculiar Creatures: An Illustrated Encyclopedia,” by Sami Bayly
“Bees: A Honeyed History,” by Piotr Socha.
“Extinct: An Illustrated Exploration of Animals that have Disappeared,” by Phaidon Publishing
“Biology for Curious Kids: Discover the Wondrous Living World,” by Laura Baker
“The Wonders of Nature,” by Ben Hoare
Julia Rothman’s “Nature Anatomy” series
“Trees, Leaves, Flowers, and Seeds: A Visual Encyclopedia of the Plant Kingdom,” Smithsonian
“Encyclopedia of Garden Plants for Every Location,” Smithsonian
“Botany Illustrated,” by Janice Glimn Lacy
American Horticultural Society Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers
“The World Encyclopedia of Trees,” by Tony Russel
“Trees: A Rooted History,” by Piotr Socha
“The Big Book of Blooms,” by Yuval Zommer
“Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt,” by Kate Messner
“The Tree Book for Kids and their Grownups,” by Gina Ingoglia
Diane Burns’ “Take Along” guides for nature walks, including “Wildflowers, Blooms, and Blossoms,” and “Trees, Leaves, and Bark.”
“The Magic and Mystery of Trees,” by Jen Green
Specifically Creation-based Resources
“How Many Animals Were on the Ark: Understanding Animal Kinds,” by Answers in Genesis
“God’s Big Book of Animals,” by Orit Kashtan
“Guide to Animals,” by Frank Sherwin
Beautiful Picture Book Biographies
“A Weed is a Flower: The Life of George Washington Carver,” by Aliki
“Gregor Mendel: The Friar Who Grew Peas,” by Cheryl Bardoe
“The Boy Who Grew a Forest: The True Story of Jadev Payeng,” by Sophia Gholz
“Joseph Hooker: Botanical Trailblazer,” by Pat Griggs
“Karl, Get Out of the Garden: Carolus Linnaeus and the Naming of Everything,” by Anita Sanchez
“The Girl Who Drew Butterflies: How Maria Merian’s Art Changed Science,” by Joyce Sidman
“Into the Deep: The Life of Naturalist and Explorer William Beebe,” by David Sheldon
“Small Wonders: Jean-Henri Fabre & His World of Insects,” by Matthew Clark Smith
“Buzzing with Questions: The Inquisitive Mind of Charles Henry Turner,” by Janice Harrington
“The Boy Who Drew Birds: The Story of James Audubon,” by Jacqueline Davies
“Joan Proctor Dragon Doctor: The Woman Who Loved Reptiles,” by Patricia Valdez
“Seed by Seed: The Legend and Legacy of John Appleseed Chapman,” by Esme Codell
“For the Birds: The Life of Roger Tory Peterson,” by Peggy Thomas
“Manfish: A Story of Jacques Cousteau,” by Jennifer Berne
“Miss Rumphius,” by Barbara Cooney – A fictional tale, but a beloved classic.
TV Shows / Documentaries
“Magic School Bus,” various episodes
“Planet Earth,” BBC DVD series
“Life,” A DVD collection that addresses variety in kinds from a young-Earth Creation perspective by Answers in Genesis.
Tech
Free Apple App – Classify It! Play various games classifying plants and animals. Available on Apple devices.
The Natural Wildlife Federation offers field guide apps for smartphones. Find the info here: https://www.nwf.org/natureguides.
Tactile
Famemaster 4D Plant and Animal Cell Anatomy Models.
Microscopic cell slides: Many options on Amazon.
Animal and Plant Cell Cookie Cutters, available on Amazon
Eeboo Biodiversity Round Jigsaw Puzzle, 500 pieces. Available on Amazon.
*Some of the links included are affiliate links. We will receive a small commission from your purchase, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting us in this way!