The debate about whether digitized books will take the place of physical books is not likely to go away in our lifetimes or even the lifetimes of our youngest children. Believers in physical books argue that the body of important offline materials is so large it could take forever to convert all written materials to digital format. And even if we are someday able to digitize every book, letter, and proclamation, the time when everyone has access to the tools to live in a digital world is in the far distant future.

Perhaps more importantly, believers in physical books forecast that, even if we could eventually provide every written document in a digital format accessible to the world, the world would never give up on books—not completely, anyway. Certain reading experiences will never be fulfilled anywhere except in a book: like curling up with a favorite novel on a rainy day, or wandering into a cool library to discover a new level of peace and quiet in a world of books. It's a little like the choice between flying and driving for some people. We can fly near and far, yet many of us still choose to drive and enjoy the scenery up close and personal.

In an article for The New Yorker, "Future Reading: Digitization and its Discontents," Anthony Grafton comes across as a true believer. "If you want to know what one of Coleridge's annotated books or an early ‘Spider-Man' comic really looks and feels like, or if you just want to read one of those millions of books which are being digitized, you still have to do it the old way, and you will have to for decades to come."

Nevertheless, Grafton, like many believers, does see the value in digitized reading resources. "No one should avoid the broad, smooth, and open road that leads through the screen," he says.

Digital resources add invaluable possibilities to accessing our collective knowledge base and the vast amounts of information available in the written word. Our job is to teach children to navigate the information landscape and recognize the value of both online and offline resources. They need to understand the best ways to use each of them. For example, online resources offer incredible breadth, and often provide access to documents we might never otherwise discover, whereas a library might provide more local information or documents that have not been digitized.

Again, just because we have airplanes does not mean it is always best to fly. Were likely to drive to a neighboring city for the holidays to visit family because it is convenient and familiar, but if we want to experience a faraway country for the first time, we are probably going to fly. At the end of the day, it is not about whether physical books or digitized documents are the better format. (Or whether we should fly or drive.) It is about learning to complement one with the other and optimizing our knowledge base through the use of both formats, choosing whichever is the most efficient and effective for the task at hand.

Understanding that there is a time and place for both formats is the reason Learning A–Z developed Reading A–Z.com and Raz-Kids.com. Students can learn to read using hard copy books or online read-alouds—whichever works best in the situation. No matter where we fall in the ongoing debate of digital vs. traditional, we can be thankful for the gift of books and reading. And, of course, be sure to travel safely this holiday season.

The emphasis placed on reading and math testing in the last few years as a result of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) has pushed science to the sidelines. But that could be about to change. NCLB began requiring in 2007–2008 that states test and report on student performance in science, starting in third grade, according to a recent article in the National Science Teachers Association WebNews Digest. However, the testing requirements are not yet tied to the funding mechanisms for NCLB.

Organizations such as the National Science Teachers Association are lobbying for science to be counted as part of each school's annual yearly progress (AYP). These groups argue that without the AYP stakes, which help determine NCLB federal funding, schools still won't emphasize science enough.

Maybe required testing can restore science to its rightful place in the classroom. I say "rightful place" because science education is vital to our nation's long-term success and international competitiveness. I say "maybe" because we must start early in elementary school if we are going to teach students to think scientifically. If we want to excel scientifically as a nation, we can't wait until middle school and junior high to start teaching science; we have to teach science and hold schools responsible for the academic results in the early grades. Early education is key not only in math and reading but also in science and social studies (that's a story for another time).

To address science needs, Learning A–Z has been developing Internet-delivered science curriculum materials for elementary school students. Science A–Z is designed to teach science skills alongside reading skills at multiple reading levels, in accordance with state standards. Science A–Z comes with downloadable books, lessons, hands-on activities, worksheets, and career files to get elementary students excited about science. The website will launch early next year, but you can download an entire lesson today and test out Science A–Z in your classroom.