1000 Words: Science

January 15, 2021

K-Gr 2-This attractive book opens with "A note for parents about STEM" and suggests that children's understanding of science can be jump-started by providing the words they will encounter at school. Since it is assumed that an adult will share the material with a child, there is a great deal to be explained. For example, in the section about space, readers are asked, "Have you ever looked at the night sky and wondered what's out there in space?" Readers have to decipher the meaning of the labeled illustrations of the Hubble Space Telescope, an eclipse, the northern lights, and more. The topics covered include machines, weather, ecosystems, and processes, such as making comparisons, conducting experiments, and adding or subtracting. The text is very brief and sometimes asks a question. Overall, the text does not include the process of scientific discovery-observing and wondering about the world, and figuring out how it works. VERDICT Good for browsing and stimulating discussion between young readers and adults. However, to develop a firm understanding of STEM-related words, children need more information and many opportunities to use these words purposefully.-Myra Zarnowski, City Univ. of New York

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