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I looked at the site for Edutopia recommended by Alan. The author made several good points that I will share with my science colleagues.

In the science curriculum, we first introduce a textbook in grade 7 science (biology). In grades 4, 5, and 6, all materials are supplied by the teachers, with the most formal being a series of manuals created by the Grade 6 teachers. Parents complain about the lack of textbooks prior to grade 7. These are the parents who complete homework and study with their children and do not trust the notes taken by the children in class. They want the security of the text even though we teach a hands-on program that to a large part is inquiry based.

Even in Grade 7, I exlain to parents on academic evening that the textbook is a resource and not the basis for the course. Each student maintains a science binder complete with the vocabulary lists from each unit, answers to questions posed by the teacher and based on assigned readings in the text and articles, internet searches, all handouts, and notes on interactive class discussions. The students are instructed how to organize the binders and is their most important study tool. I ask parents to allow their children to lead any study session with the them, and encourage the parents to allow their children to solve their own study problems and seek help in class the next day. Too often, the children become reliant on help at home and do not develop the skills necessary to participate and learn in class.

The author of the e-article makes the important point that teaching without a textbook requires good organization on the part of the teacher. In grades 4, 5, and 6, students need more "scaffolding" anyway and even more if the course does not employ a textbook.