Once Upon a Raindrop: The Story of Water

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This year’s British Science Week theme is ‘journeys’ which has really got me inspired to share some excellent books to use during the Week. Books may not be your first thought for a science week, but they can really be a great spark for scientific enquiry and can support children acquiring new scientific knowledge and understanding. Reading really is STEMsational and it can help to build children’s science capital!

I hope I’ve inspired you a little to use books within your British Science Week. Do let me know how you get on and, of course, share any other book recommendations that support the theme of ‘journeys’. I’d love to see any of the work your children create following reading any of these books. About the author A perfect book for Early years foundation stage (EYFS). Jump aboard the train journey with a difference. This series of books comes to life with a torch, revealing hidden illustrations. If you’re looking for engagement with a book which inspires awe and wonder, try one of these books. For further shine-a-light books look here. As We Grow, The Clue is in the Poo, Human Body Odyssey The format of the explanations is very accessible and would provide a great model for children to write their own journey explanations. Amazing Animal Journeys, North: The Amazing Story of Arctic Migration and We Travel So Far

"An adventure to read"

Author Guy Bass introduces SCRAP, about one robot who tried to protect the humans on his planet against an army of robots. Now the humans need his...

Simply yet perfectly pitched for young readers, there’s a depth and quality to this book that extends its appeal. Shared as an introduction to watery topics and creative activities it will engage and inspire children right through primary school. How do we collect water and make it safe for use? And how can we conserve water and reduce our consumption? Is this a realistic depiction of a river? Why do you think Nomoco painted the trees blue, and why did she leave so much blank space?When you’ve finished reading, talk about the book. What did you like best? Did anything surprise you? How do the illustrations make you feel? Are they good illustrations for a watery book? Why? In They Say Blue, we follow a young girl as she explores the colours in the world. A beautiful, poetic picture book that will inspire conversations with your child about what they can see around them, and the free association ideas and memories this prompts. Look at the spread that starts “That ICE turned liquid, boiled to gas…’ How would you describe Nomoco’s illustration and how do you think she created it? After fifteen years of writing, performing and recording music (whilst doing a series of jobs from job centre interviewer to recruitment consultant), James went off to Reading University to do a B.Ed degree in primary education and an MA in children's literature. Studying pollination? This book, with clever cut-outs, follows the journey of a bee. Use the power of story and Britta’s amazing illustrations to help children really understand this process. Night-time Around The World: Moon and Molly’s Moon Mission

Heather Wright is a primary school teacher, with 15 years experience across KS1 and KS2. She is currently a year 5 teacher, KS2 team leader and English Lead. Explore watery science from floating and freezing to colour-mixing, dyeing and chromatography – search online for activities to suit your kids. In my experience, using books across STEM subjects can be effective in two ways. With pupils who are reluctant to read, using a subject they may be more familiar, comfortable or confident in can help to nurture their reading confidence or interest. For those pupils who are more interested in books and reading, books linked to science can develop their interest and love of STEM subjects.Totally Wild Chase has a fun and interesting format, as you follow Wifred and Olbert on their journey to be the first to discover a new creature. This book would make a great book to share with Year 6, when learning about classification. When the Whales Walked is another great choice for Year 6, going on the journey of Evolution. Find more ideas to go with Totally Wild Chase here. Nature’s Tiny Miracle Bee Sun heats sea which turns to clouds that trail the sky and drift around... and over land those clouds will cool and spill their rain in puddles, pools… lakes and streams and rivers too, then on to feed the sea anew”