Science is often the stepchild among elementary school subjects-- something less than basic but not quite elective. This handbook encourages elementary school principals to begin thinking about science as a fourth "R" in their school's curriculum, a subject that teaches basic skills while enhancing those learned in other curricular areas. The handbook stresses the benefits of teaching science and identifies the basic skills that may be learned from science instruction. In addition, it relates science process skills to other areas of the elementary school curriculum and provides models for integrating and relating science to reading, language arts, mathematics, and other curricular areas. Issues are addressed in the 12 sections of the handbook under the following headings: (1) What are basics?"; (2) What's so basic about science content?"; (3) What's so basic about science processes?"; (4) What's so basic about science attitudes?"; (5) Science promotes creativity; (6) Science encourages creative thinking; (7) Science with health; (8) Science develops math skills; (9) Science motivates art and music; (10) Science develops reading skills; (11) Science builds social studies skills; and (12) What happens when science isn't considered a basic? (JN)