R. GARY RAHAM
Author/Illustrator
R. GARY RAHAM
Author/Illustrator
Gary Raham, a former science teacher, is a science writer/illustrator/graphic artist with a special interest in making science fun for kids. He has written and illustrated articles for Highlights for Children, Cricket, and other children's magazines as well as video scripts, natural history books, and an occasional science fiction story. He enjoys doing scientific and other illustrations for a variety of publishers as well.
Gary lives in Wellington, Colorado, with his wife, Sharon, where they raised two great girls, Deanna and Lindsay.
Bugs that Kill (Bug Alert) by Gary Raham (Author) Reading level: Ages 9-12 Library Binding: 32 pages Publisher: Marshall Cavendish Children's Books; 1 edition (September 2008)
Science Tutor: Physical Science
by Gary Raham Publisher Carson-Dellosa 2006.
Physical science explores the universe of motion, forces, and energy
that swirls about us daily, but may slip beneath our conscious
awareness. In Science Tutor: Physical Science students at grade levels
6 and above review the metric system and study the mechanics of motion,
energy, electricity and magnetism, along with the waves of light and
sound. High-interest, age-appropriate lessons and activities make
learning fun!
ISBN: 1-58037-331-3 
Science Tutor: Earth & Space Science
by Gary Raham Publisher Carson-Dellosa 2006.
Science Tutor: Earth & Space Science explores the nature of our amazing planet Earth
and its place within the solar system and the universe at large. Major topics include:
"Earth--a Wild and Changing Planet," "Energy and the Atmosphere," "Sailing in the Hydrosphere,"
and "Earth's cosmic Neighborhood." All topics parallel national science teaching
standards for the Earth sciences in middle school and above.
ISBN 1-58037-332-1
Enjoy exploring life science topics under four broad categories included in modern science teaching standards: 1. Patterns in the Living World; 2. Energy Flow in Living Systems; 3. The Human Animal and Levels of Organization, and 4. "Descent and Change."
ISBN: 1-58037-307-0
Science Tutor: Chemistry, Grades 7+
by Gary Raham.
Publisher: Mark Twain Media/Carson Dellosa Publishing Co., Inc., 2005. 48 pages, softbound.
Science activity book with high interest, age appropriate lessons and activities that improve chemistry skills.
ISBN: 1-58037-298-8
Jumpstarters for Science, Grades 4-8+.
by Gary Raham Short daily warm-up exercises for the classroom. Publisher: Mark Twain Media/Carson
Dellosa Publishing Co., Inc., 2005. 48 pages, softbound.
ISBN: 1-58037-296-1
The Deep Time Diaries,
Recorded by Neesha and Jon Olifee Transcribed by Gary Raham from Fulcrum Publishing Full color and B/W illustrations, 96 pages October 2000
ISBN 1555914152
The Olifee family hadn’t planned on an 800 million year journey into the past. But when an accident hurled their shuttle through a wormhole, they were on their way toward adventures through Earth’s ancient past. Many years later paleontologists unearthed the diaries of the Olifee family, the basis for The Deep Time Diaries. Reading this fictional journal, in which the imaginary young Olifees detail their amazing discoveries during their journey through time, students receive a unique introduction to paleontology and geology. Activities, maps, books, and Internet resources allow students to relate today’s ecologies to Earth’s history.
Teachers: Learn about using The Deep Time Diaries in your middle School
classroom in the April/May 2006 issue of Science Scope, the NSTA
journal for middle school science teachers. “Creating Deep Time
Diaries” by Vicky Jordan and Mark Barnes appears on page 40.
Editorial Reviews
From Fossil News Journal of Avocational Paleontology "Even though I'm about 30 years older than the target audience (grades 4-7), once I started reading this book, I couldn't put it down. This has to be the best kids' paleontology book published since Doug Henderson's Dinosaur Tree (1994)." Lyn Clos, Editor
From the New York Public Library "...young proto-paleontologists will find plenty of solid information as they enjoy the Olifees' breezy observations and misadventures." John Peters
From California Academy of Sciences "This is a very clever and entertaining book!"
From Children's Book Insider "This book has it all: time travel, technology, dinosaurs, and two narrators who sound remarkably like modern-day siblings. The diary entrees are funny and action-packed, and each chapter slips in a tremendous amount of information about the dinosaurs and landscape during that period of time... This is a book that can easily be read several times, especially by dinosaur lovers." Laura Backes, Editor
Dinosaurs in the Garden, Hardcover - 280 pages (June 1988) Plexus Pub; ISBN: 0937548103 
Dinosaurs in the Garden provides teachers, students, and amateur naturalists a guide to discovering the diverse lives and natural history of the wealth of creatures that share our backyards. Learn how to listen in on starling conversations, build a backyard vivarium, create a spider arena, and much more, while discovering how your backyard neighbors evolved and prospered during Earth's geologic past. Informative without being overly-technical, Dinosaurs in the Garden is superbly illustrated with over 180 drawings and photographs.
Editorial Reviews
Booklist, December 1, 1988, pg 606
"This accessible collection of backyard explorations and experiments effectively taps into the natural curiosity of biology buffs--in particular, parents who wish to investigate the subject of evolution with their children....A nicely illustrated, fact-packed volume for public library collections."
Philip and Phylis Morrison, Scientific American, December 1988, pg 126
"Drawings, photographs and an informed but lively text draw out the evolutionary implications of the wonders that abound in the life around us, transmuted by insight out of the commonplace. Amusing, direct, visual, never condescending to the reader or to any other living form, this is a find."
Science News, Vol. 134, pg 242
"A fascinating and well-illustrated introduction to natural history that describes commonly encountered creatures, such as starlings and pill bugs, and chronicles the changes that have occurred in them over the length of Earth's long history."
Kevin Cook, nature columnist, in Backyard Bugwatching, No. 6, 1989
"Raham's book succeeds because he has produced a hybrid between an essay collection and a project workbook...Dinosaurs is for the person who will read a bit, put the book down, go outside and turn over a rock to see just what the heck the author is talking about."
From the Author
I had great fun writing Dinosaurs in the Garden. My kids were young and I was able to introduce them to the natural world and add to my own knowledge at the same time. The book was created while I was working full-time as a graphic artist and is a testament to the fact that 1: Large tasks can be completed one small step at a time and 2: you don't have to travel to exotic locations to find a wealth of fascinating creatures to study: they live their lives all around (and on) you. I hope you enjoy sharing this journey with me.
Explorations in Backyard Biology, Paperback - 204 pages (May 1996) Teacher Ideas Press 
ISBN: 1563082543
Students will discover a world of learning in their own backyards (and school yards!) with this resource. Exciting classroom and field activities offer the opportunity for hands-on exploration of life science and other subjects across the curriculum. Using drawing and writing skills, they record their observations and experiences in a naturalist's notebook, which leads to further learning discoveries.
Editorial Reviews
Y.E.S. Quarterly 14(2) April/June 1997.
"This superb teacher's guide invites teachers and other educators to practice a few drawing skills, to indulge their curiosity, and to share the fun of discovery with students."
Author, Dougal Dixon, in personal correspondence, September 2, 1996
"What a delight it is! The whole thing is brilliantly conceived and beautifully executed. I love the way you make the subject so friendly and approachable."
Gifted Child Today Magazine, Vol. 19 No. 5, Sept/Oct 1996
"By emphasizing the process of drawing and combining it with study of an area that some students may think difficult, this book offers a fun and user-friendly approach to science."
Ft. Collins Coloradoan, Tuesday, July 9, 1996.
"Explains the intricacies of Mother Nature in a way kids can understand and includes hands-on activities so students can go outside and witness firsthand what they've learned."
Michigan Alumnus Magazine, Vol. 103 No. 4, Late Spring 1997
"Filled with many excellent illustrations by the author,...this book is ideal for young children..."
The author, R. Gary Raham , January 5, 2000
Drawing is a great way to enjoy science.
Love science, but like to draw too? You can do both by creating a naturalist's notebook. If you're a teacher as well, you can use your student's natural interest in drawing to learn more about biology and the natural world. Explorations in Backyard Biology shows you how to get started by first getting over drawing "angst". Drawing is a learnable skill that quickly improves with practice. I've included "tricks of the trade" to help accelerate the learning curve. But Explorations is not only a teacher's reference. Each chapter begins with a thousand word article designed for a kid to read, patterned after articles I've written for Highlights for Children and other magazines. Then, specific drawing activities are provided that compliment the natural history topic introduced, followed by background information and references for the teacher's use. I was gratified when fellow science writer, Dougal Dixon, said "What a delight it is! The whole thing is brilliantly conceived and beautifully executed. I love the way you make the subject so friendly and approachable." I was also pleased when the book received an honorable mention from the Learning Teacher's Choice Awards. I hope you will find it a great way to integrate art and science in your lives as well as the classroom.
Sillysaurs - Dinosaurs That Could Have Been,
(Limerick and Coloring Book)
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Paperback (April 1990) Biostration;
ISBN: 0962630101
Discover the bizarre world of "unheard of" dinosaurs like Librasaurus, Oopsasaurus, and Bashilopholus.
Teaching Science Fact with Science Fiction,
Gary Raham author,
Paperback,
Publisher: Teacher Ideas Press; 2004
ISBN: 1563089394
The literature of science fiction packs up the facts and discoveries of science and runs off to futures filled with both wonders and warnings! Kids love to take the journeys it offers for the thrill of the ride, but they can learn as they travel, too.
This book provides you with:
• An overview of the past 500 years of scientific thought and the literature of science fiction which it inspired.
• Suggestions for finding and adapting the kind of science fiction that will work best for your classroom.
• Detailed ideas and resources for teaching concepts in the physical, earth, space, and life sciences as well in history and mathematics. (Emphasis on grades 5-10)
• Suggested activities for a variety of grade levels.
Appendices Include:
Science references to the national science content standards.
Detailed lesson plans for an earth science unit where students travel the depths of time and create their own time traveler’s diaries.
Presentations fall into four major categories:
The Deep Time Diaries, -- The illustrated diaries of the Olifees, a 22nd century family accidentally trapped on a tour of ancient Earth with a race of alien robots. The fictional adventures of young Jon and Neesha Olifee are supplemented with science activities related to earth science and paleontology, references to science books and web sites, and a glossary ("Neesha's Guide to Big Words.") Lots of dinosaurs are encountered along the way.
Although I can customize my presentation to meet your teaching needs, a talk I call "Confessions of a Time-Travler" is always popular. 4th through 8th grade students:
At Jude Blum's class at Logan School for Creative Learning Gary focused on his book Deep Time Diaries, a fictional journal, in which the imaginary young Olifees detail their amazing discoveries during their journey through time, giving students a unique introduction to paleontology and geology. "...Gary was extremely capable in terms of interacting with the children, rather than just presenting. The students gained substantive information both about this subject area and his writing techniques. The enrichment of the curriculum pursued in their classroom has obviously been a very meaningful experience."
"After the session they clustered around him to squeeze in just a few more eager questions"
Judy Blum
"Not only was the science you presented interesting, factual, and based on true field experiences, but you also inspired my class to be better field journalers." Jamie Newton
Other comments from Colorado teachers:
Estes Park Elementary, Estes Park, CO: "Very valuable! Inspiring--especially to my young artists!" 3rd grade teacher (Wahler)
"This presentation was valuable on many levels: writing, Illustrating, science, and history!" 4th grade teacher ( Mitchell)
"My kids were really interested and it gave me a perfect reason to have them write on their own following the presentation. I was able to get in the fact that you had done a great deal of research, so writing was easier to accomplish. You write about what you know! I know the kids especially liked the vest with the various fossils that you brought out! A great captivator." 3rd grade teacher (Phillips)
Explorations in Backyard Biology: Drawing on Nature in the Classroom. - A teacher and student resource for nature Journaling. After warming the reader up with some drawing exercises designed to allay any fear of drawing, the author explores a variety of exciting topics in biology and ecology. Each chapter begins with an 800 word feature designed for the student to read, then provides activities and background information for the teacher to expand on the topic.
Possible topics in Spring or Fall:
PROFESSIONAL FEES
Full day visits: $600 for up to three presentations and an autograph/question session.
Half day visit: $375 for one presentation and an autograph/question session.
Teacher Clinics: $100/teacher (12 person minimum; 25 person maximum)
Prices above do not include travel and lodging expenses, which are additional.
Small and rural school districts should inquire about special rates.
R. Gary Raham
P.O. Box 399
Wellington, Colorado 80549-0399
Phone 970-568-3557
email: GrahamBios@aol.com 
Website: http://www.biostration.com
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