Bible Science Books for Childrenby Louise Derr

Louise Derr has given us another excellent resource for children. With lots of hands-on science activities, even preschool children will be excited when learning about the Creator.

This book has me excited to teach Sunday School and Vacation Bible School this coming year. It allows us to experience the Bible through scientific experiments with preschoolers as well as younger and older children. It’s even fun for the adults.

We look forward to introducing our preschoolers to science and the Bible through the material in this book.

The book, Experiencing Bible Science, though designed for youth, is a good read for adults also. The variety of topics, some of which would be difficult to find in other sources, adds to the usefulness. Also the book teaches the scientific method and a respect for the Bible. It brings together in one source many Biblical references to the universe that could be subject to scientific investigation. Dr. John E. Lothers, Jr. PhD, Professor of Biology Emeritus

Louise’s Experiencing Bible Science: A Lab Book for the Young at Heart not only contains solid scientific data and engaging activities, but also ties them in with Biblical culture and history, including lots of Biblical references that will pique youths’ curiosity and foster an eagerness to search the scriptures for themselves. Youth will be able to find connections between the sometimes mystifying world of the Bible and their own world. Each page of this resource is bursting with dense information that has the potential to spark productive discussion, as well as a huge variety of ideas for hands-on interaction with the material presented. Few items are required, but there is plenty of room for creativity and exploration, whether students are observing insects, making a movie, or using their bodies as units of measurement.  Although this book states that it is intended for middle-schoolers or older people with young hearts, much of it will be easily adaptable for younger kids as well, with some guidance.

This unique book (Experiencing Bible Science Activity Book for Children) can be used as a hands-on supplement to explore the science referenced in many Bible stories, or as a science activity book with a Bible reference or story for each activity. We’re placing it in Bible, because Bible stories and verses are the basis for the science activities, as well as the additional crafts and hands-on projects. The book is set up like a workbook for children’s use and is divided into five sections: stories with activities, nature study, crafts from the Bible, activities with adults, and an appendix. The largest portion of the book is the first, which features a retold Bible story (with verse reference) and a related science activity. For example, many of us have read the story of Gideon placing the fleece in the field and asking God for a miracle, leaving the fleece dry, despite the dew. How better to understand this dramatic example than to leave a woolen object outside for several nights, check its status in the morning, and measure how much water was collected in the wool! A follow-up activity asks children to test several other materials to see how much dew is collected and how quickly they dry. The nature study section offers more general-themed science activities, like magnification, cloud types or rocks and minerals. These science activities are set up like the others, but are prefaced with several related Bible verses, showing children how God uses these topics in the Bible. The next sections include art activities and projects that require adult help, with Bible references. Examples include making a fishing net or baking bread. The appendix includes an index of Scriptures used, additional extension ideas, and paper tools to cut out and use. Much meatier and well thought out than many activity books designed primarily for Sunday school teachers, this is a wonderful reference to use to tie elementary science in with your Bible study curriculum and it would be fun to use one-on-one or with several children at the same time. 124 pages, pb.

In March [2008], I had the opportunity to meet Louise Barrett Derr. She wrote an activity book for children called Experiencing Bible Science. Since I have five active boys who love science, I was excited to see how her book incorporated simple science experiments with the Bible. Each experiment uses items you would commonly find around the home, and each one is made for the student to do on his or her own, except for the last experiment. Of course, you would make the decision yourself whether to let your student complete the experiments autonomously or not.

I sell her book on my website and in my store for $13.99. This book would be a great addition to your science program for elementary-aged children or as a summer resource.

If you are looking for an easy-to-use science program that is not simple minded, this is a great resource. It is appropriate for early elementary and possibly later, especially if you have a mixed group. There are about 20 science lessons introduced in relation to a Bible story. They cover a variety of topics to keep young minds interested. Each lesson includes a simple-to-do experiment in good scientific format. The book also includes a nature section and craft section as well as a number of more difficult tasks requiring an adult.

The easy-to-read format suggests that some children could actually work independently on portions of the book. The line drawings could be colored.

Some of the topics covered: germination, mold and mildew, weather, clouds, rocks and minerals, habitats, pottery, fishing, cooking, sounds, making paper, dying fabric, making a fish net, plus more.

Amazon Profile

One regret—Experiencing Bible Science wasn’t published years and years ago so my kids could benefit from this fascinating book; but my grandkids and their grandma (who just learned about “Egg Legs” p. 53) will!

The book is very good for a child to work alone.