"This series has books for a variety of grade levels. Some suit the K–2 crowd, while others are better for grades 3–4 or 5–6. The strength of the series is that the format is the same in every book. Each begins with a science puzzle related to the topic. The next section introduces real-world applications of the principles or forces at work, such as magnets, weather, or human body systems. A discovery activity encourages further investigation, while another section traces the topic back in history. As the book is read, details are revealed that help the reader choose the correct solution to the puzzle. A final section discusses more real-life uses or examples. Notes in the back of the books answer questions posed throughout the text (with page references). Photos and diagrams support the text well.
VERDICT The format makes this series handy for planning class investigations." -School Library Journal
"This 32-page primary science book introduces basic information about the characteristics and identification of rocks. Students also learn how rocks form and change over time. Readers are presented with the problem of identifying three rocks. Additionally, they learn how to think critically to solve a problem.
The authors in this series use a problem-based learning scenario and questioning techniques that encourage science inquiry. This volume includes an iScience Puzzle with an explanation of how to solve it, a discover activity, a "science at work" section, connections to history, a glossary, sources for further reading, and additional notes. The illustrations are photographs.
This is a high-quality, durable book—perfect for the classroom. I highly recommend this book to teachers of students in grades K to 4. Upper-grade teachers with special education students as well as teachers using differentiated instruction will also find this book to be very useful. I love the problem-based learning scenarios presented in this series. As a teacher of 32 years, I found this teaching method to be very effective, as it promotes critical-thinking skills. I also found that using these strategies promotes student-generated research." -National Science Teacher's Association
"This book is a member of a series of leveled Science Books called iScience Readers. These books follow a similar organization of information. Open ended questions are sprinkled throughout along with experiment and project ideas. The text is well distributed into the graphics and illustrations. Glossary words are in bold print. Connections are made to history, occupations, and how the reader can become more involved. There is a table of content, glossary, index, and an additional notes page that gives the answer to all the questions throughout the book, which is a really nice succinct feature of the book. I highly recommend this series." -Richmond Public Schools
"This is a great series for beginning science introduction and study. Books are easy to manage both in size and amount of pages. Each book has a colorful cover wtih a round colorful picture of the subject. Inside it is packed with information with great photographs. Text is 2-3 paragraphs per page. There are additional features highlighting the topic and sub-topic headings. I like the science puzzle at the beginning - almost an ice breaker into the topic. The discovery activity is a great hands on example of the topic. Very nice series for the younger elementary." -Garland Independent School District
