Earth Science Explored Elementary: Reading List
Below is a list of books recommended for students in the Earth Science Explored Elementary (Level A) program. It is not necessary to read every book in this list, and parents should choose books most fitting to how they’re using the course at home. Some are for younger readers, others for older readers, and most would make excellent read-alouds.
Books on a Budget
Before making any purchases, we recommend seeing if any of these books are available at your local library or through interlibrary loan.
We’ve created a spreadsheet you can access here to help you know what books are available through open sources (Hoopla, Open Library, and on Youtube as read alouds).
Important notes:
- While this course does not address the age of the Earth, there are some books in the list that refer to the age of the Earth as being millions of years old. It is difficult to find books on some topics that do not reference this. However, we’ve tried to keep the references to a minimum. You may want to preview the books before assigning them to your children.
- Many books are repeated through several lessons.
- Consult the supplemental guides for each lesson (or the Student Adventure Guide) to know the relevant pages in each book.
Books Listed in Lesson Order
Lesson 1
The Goldilocks Zone, by Drew Sheneman
Just Right: Searching for the Goldilocks Planet, by Curtis Manley
What’s So Special About Planet Earth?, by Robert E. Wells
Your Place in the Universe, by Jason Chin
Scientists Who Changed History: Great Lives, by DK
Scientists: Inspiring Tales of the World’s Brightest Scientific Minds, by Isabel Thomas
Lesson 2
The Earth and Sky, by Gallimard Jeunesse and Jean-Pierre Verdet
The Four Spheres of Earth, by Paul Larson
Lesson 3
The Discovery of Longitude, by Joan Marie Galat
Follow that Map! A First Book of Mapping Skills, by Scot Ritchie
How to Go Anywhere (and Not Get Lost), by Hans Aschim
Lesson 4
Earth Cycles, by Michael Elsohn Ross
You Wouldn’t Want to Live Without Clocks and Calendars! by Fiona Macdonald
Lesson 5
On Earth, by G. Brian Karas
Sunshine Makes the Seasons, by Franklyn Branley
The Reasons for the Seasons, Gail Gibbons
Lesson 6
Beastly Biomes, by Carly Allen Fletcher
Many Biomes, One Earth, by James Needham
Seasons, by Hannan Pang
Lesson 7
The Skies Above My Eyes, by Charlotte Guillain and Yuval Zommer
Weather, by Rebecca Rupp
Looking into the Atmosphere, by Martha London
Lesson 8
The Hydrosphere: Agent of Change, by Gregory Vogt
Follow the Water from Brook to Ocean, by Arthur Dorros
Rocks, Rivers, and the Changing Earth: A First Book about Geology, by Herman Schneider and Nina Schneider
Oceans: Making Waves!, by Simon Basher
Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers who Changed Science, by Rachel Ignotofsky
Lesson 9
The Hydrosphere: Agent of Change, by Gregory Vogt
Rocks, Rivers, and the Changing Earth: A First Book about Geology, by Herman Schneider and Nina Schneider
Oceans: Making Waves!, by Simon Basher
Exploring the Deep Dark Sea, by Gail Gibbons
Stickmen’s Guide to Oceans in Layers, by Catherine Chambers
Lesson 10
Glacier on the Move, by Elizabeth Rusch
The Hydrosphere: Agent of Change, by Gregory Vogt
Rocks, Rivers, and the Changing Earth: A First Book about Geology, by Herman Schneider and Nina Schneider
The Water Beneath Your Feet, by Ellen Lawrence
Icebergs & Glaciers, by Seymour Simon
Lesson 11
Water: Up, Down, and All Around, by Natalie M. Rosinsky
Water is Water, by Miranda Paul
The Hydrosphere: Agent of Change, by Gregory Vogt
Water, Water Everywhere, by Melvin and Gilda Berger
Scientists Who Changed History: Great Lives, by DK
Lesson 12
Clouds: Faces of the Sky, by Jenny Markert
Weather, by Rebecca Rupp
The Weather Book or The New Weather Book, by Michael Oard
The Man Who Named the Clouds, by Julie Hannah and Joan Holub
Lesson 13
Weather, by Rebecca Rupp
Fahrenheit, Celsius, and Their Temperature Scales, by Yoming S. Lin
Feel the Wind, by Arthur Dorros
Weather Words and What They Mean, by Gail Gibbons
The Weather Book or The New Weather Book, by Michael Oard
Weather, by Seymour Simon
Weather Forecasting, by Gail Gibbons
Lesson 14
Weather, by Rebecca Rupp
Down Comes the Rain, by Franklyn Branley
The Weather Book or The New Weather Book, by Michael Oard
The Secret Life of a Snowflake, by Kenneth Libbrecht
Storms, by Seymour Simon
Lightning, by Seymour Simon
Lesson 15
Hurricanes!, by Gail Gibbons
Eye of the Storm, by Rick Thomas
Hurricanes, by Seymour Simon
The Weather Book or The New Weather Book, by Michael Oard
Lesson 16
Hurricanes!, by Gail Gibbons
Eye of the Storm, by Rick Thomas
Hurricanes, by Seymour Simon
The Weather Book or The New Weather Book, by Michael Oard
Lesson 17
The Geology Book, by John Morris
How to Dig a Hole to the Other Side of the World, by Faith McNulty
The Street Beneath My Feet, by Charlotte Guillain and Yuval Zommer
Earth’s Crust, by Conrad Storad
Rock Collecting for Kids, by Dan R. Lynch
Rocks, Rivers, and the Changing Earth: A First Book about Geology, by Herman Scneider and Nina Schneider
Scientists Who Changed History: Great Lives, by DK
Lesson 18
A Rock is Lively, by Dianna Hutts Aston and Sylvia Long
Rock Collecting for Kids, by Dan R. Lynch
Minerals, Rocks, and Soil, by Barbara Davis
Rocks, Minerals, and Soil, by Susan Markowitz
Rocks, Rivers, and the Changing Earth: A First Book about Geology, by Herman Scneider and Nina Schneider
Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers who Changed Science, by Rachel Ignotofsky
Lesson 19
The Geology Book, by John Morris
Rock Collecting for Kids, by Dan R. Lynch
Minerals, Rocks, and Soil, by Barbara Davis
Rocks, Minerals, and Soil, by Susan Markowitz
Rocks, Rivers, and the Changing Earth: A First Book about Geology, by Herman Scneider and Nina Schneider
Lesson 20
Earth’s Crust, by Conrad Storad
Plate Tectonics, by Eileen Greer
Plate Tectonics, by Jason D. Nemeth
Plate Tectonics and Disasters, by Tom Greve
Scientists Who Changed History: Great Lives, by DK
Lesson 21
The Geology Book, by John Morris
Earth’s Crust, by Conrad Storad
Rock Collecting for Kids, by Dan R. Lynch
Rocks, Rivers, and the Changing Earth: A First Book about Geology, by Herman Scneider and Nina Schneider
Plate Tectonics and Disasters, by Tom Greve
Lesson 22
The Geology Book, by John Morris
Vacation Under the Volcano, by Mary Pope Osborne
Hill of Fire, by Thomas P Lewis
Volcanoes, by Franklyn M. Branley
Volcanoes, by Gail Gibbons
Volcanoes, by Seymour Simon
Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers who Changed Science, by Rachel Ignotofsky
Lesson 23
Earthquakes, by Franklyn M. Branley
The Ultimate 10 Natural Disasters: Earthquakes, by Anna Prokos
Earthquakes: Disaster and Survival, by Jennifer Reed
Danger! Earthquakes, by Seymour Simon
Plate Tectonics and Disasters, by Tom Greve
Scientists Who Changed History: Great Lives, by DK
Lesson 24
It’s a Tsunami!, By Nadia Higgins
The Science of a Tsunami, by Robbin Koontz
Disaster Zone Tsunamis, by Cari Meister
Tsunamis and Floods, by Joanna Brundle
Lesson 25
The Geology Book, by John Morris
Rock Collecting for Kids, by Dan R. Lynch
Erosion, by Joelle Riley
Examining Erosion, by Joelle Riley
Rocks, Rivers, and the Changing Earth: A First Book about Geology, by Herman Scneider and Nina Schneider
Shaping the Earth: Erosion, by Sandra Downs
Lesson 26
Minerals, Rocks, and Soil, by Barbara Davis
Rocks, Minerals, and Soil, by Susan Markowitz
Jump Into Science: Dirt, by Steve Tomeck
Discover Dirt, by Pamela Hall
Soil, Silt, and Sand: Layers of the Underground, by Jody Sullivan Rake
Digging on Dirt, by Rena Korb
Lesson 27
Rock Collecting for Kids, by Dan R. Lynch
I Really, Really, Really Like Fossils, by Ruth Carter
The Geology Book, by John Morris
Fossils Tell Stories, by Yu-ri Kim
Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers who Changed Science, by Rachel Ignotofsky
Stone Girl Bone Girl: A Story of Mary Anning of Lyme Regis, by Laurence Anholt
Lesson 28
Rock Collecting for Kids, by Dan R. Lynch
The Geology Book, by John Morris
Erosion and Sinkholes, by Joanna Brundle
Canyons, Lisa J. Amstutz
Lesson 29
Caves and Caverns, by Gail Gibbons
Lesson 30
Fountains of Life, by Elizabeth Gowell
The Magic School Bus: On the Ocean Floor, by Joanna Cole
Reaching the Ocean Floor, by Therese Shea
Ocean Speaks: How Marie Tharp Revealed the Oceans Biggest Secret, by Jess Keating
Solving the Puzzle Under the Sea: Marie Tharp Maps the Ocean Floor, by Robert Burleigh
Books Listed in Alphabetical Order
Beastly Biomes, by Carly Allen Fletcher
Canyons, Lisa J. Amstutz
Caves and Caverns, by Gail Gibbons
Clouds: Faces of the Sky, by Jenny Markert
Danger! Earthquakes, by Seymour Simon
Digging on Dirt, by Rena Korb
Disaster Zone Tsunamis, by Cari Meister
Discover Dirt, by Pamela Hall
The Discovery of Longitude, by Joan Marie Galat
Down Comes the Rain, by Franklyn Branley
The Earth and Sky, by Gallimard Jeunesse and Jean-Pierre Verdet
Earth’s Crust, by Conrad Storad
Earth Cycles, by Michael Elsohn Ross
Earthquakes, by Franklyn M. Branley
Earthquakes: Disaster and Survival, by Jennifer Reed
Erosion, by Joelle Riley
Erosion and Sinkholes, by Joanna Brundle
Examining Erosion, by Joelle Riley
Exploring the Deep Dark Sea, by Gail Gibbons
Eye of the Storm, by Rick Thomas
Fahrenheit, Celsius, and Their Temperature Scales, by Yoming S. Lin
Feel the Wind, by Arthur Dorros
Follow that Map! A First Book of Mapping Skills, by Scot Ritchie
Follow the Water from Brook to Ocean, by Arthur Dorros
Fossils Tell Stories, by Yu-ri Kim
Fountains of Life, by Elizabeth Gowell
The Four Spheres of Earth, by Paul Larson
The Geology Book, by John Morris
Glacier on the Move, by Elizabeth Rusch
The Goldilocks Zone, by Drew Sheneman
Hill of Fire, by Thomas P Lewis
The Hydrosphere: Agent of Change, by Gregory Vogt
How to Dig a Hole to the Other Side of the World, by Faith McNulty
How to Go Anywhere (and Not Get Lost), by Hans Aschim
Hurricanes!, by Gail Gibbons
Hurricanes, by Seymour Simon
The Hydrosphere: Agent of Change, by Gregory Vogt
I Really, Really, Really Like Fossils, by Ruth Carter
Icebergs & Glaciers, by Seymour Simon
Jump Into Science: Dirt, by Steve Tomeck
Just Right: Searching for the Goldilocks Planet, by Curtis Manley
Lightning, by Seymour Simon
Looking into the Atmosphere, by Martha London
The Magic School Bus: On the Ocean Floor, by Joanna Cole
The Man Who Named the Clouds, by Julie Hannah and Joan Holub
Many Biomes, One Earth, by James Needham
Minerals, Rocks, and Soil, by Barbara Davis
Ocean Speaks: How Marie Tharp Revealed the Oceans Biggest Secret, by Jess Keating
Oceans: Making Waves!, by Simon Basher
On Earth, by G. Brian Karas
Plate Tectonics, by Eileen Greer
Plate Tectonics, by Jason D. Nemeth
Plate Tectonics and Disasters, by Tom Greve
Reaching the Ocean Floor, by Therese Shea
The Reasons for the Seasons, Gail Gibbons
Rock Collecting for Kids, by Dan R. Lynch
A Rock is Lively, by Dianna Hutts Aston and Sylvia Long
Rocks, Minerals, and Soil, by Susan Markowitz
Rocks, Rivers, and the Changing Earth: A First Book about Geology, by Herman Schneider and Nina Schneider
Scientists Who Changed History: Great Lives, by DK
Scientists: Inspiring Tales of the World’s Brightest Scientific Minds, by Isabel Thomas
Seasons, by Hannan Pang
The Secret Life of a Snowflake, by Kenneth Libbrecht
Shaping the Earth: Erosion, by Sandra Downs
The Skies Above My Eyes, by Charlotte Guillain and Yuval Zommer
Soil, Silt, and Sand: Layers of the Underground, by Jody Sullivan Rake
Solving the Puzzle Under the Sea: Marie Tharp Maps the Ocean Floor, by Robert Burleigh
Stickmen’s Guide to Oceans in Layers, by Catherine Chambers
Stone Girl Bone Girl: A Story of Mary Anning of Lyme Regis, by Laurence Anholt
Storms, by Seymour Simon
The Street Beneath My Feet, by Charlotte Guillain and Yuval Zommer
Sunshine Makes the Seasons, by Franklyn Branley
Tornadoes!, by Gail Gibbons
Tornadoes!, by Lorraine Jean Hopping
Tornadoes, by Seymour Simon
Tsunamis and Floods, by Joanna Brundle
The Ultimate 10 Natural Disasters: Earthquakes, by Anna Prokos
Vacation Under the Volcano, by Mary Pope Osborne
Volcanoes, by Franklyn M. Branley
Volcanoes, by Gail Gibbons
Volcanoes, by Seymour Simon
The Water Beneath Your Feet, by Ellen Lawrence
Water is Water, by Miranda Paul
Water: Up, Down, and All Around, by Natalie M. Rosinsky
Water, Water Everywhere, by Melvin and Gilda Berger
Weather, by Rebecca Rupp
Weather, by Seymour Simon
The Weather Book or The New Weather Book, by Michael Oard
Weather Forecasting, by Gail Gibbons
Weather Words and What They Mean, by Gail Gibbons
What’s So Special About Planet Earth?, by Robert E. Wells
Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers who Changed Science, by Rachel Ignotofsky
You Wouldn’t Want to Live Without Clocks and Calendars!, by Fiona Macdonald
Your Place in the Universe, by Jason Chin