Margo Dill's Read These Books and Use Them! » Books with Science Content

Un-Forgettable Friday: Volcano Wakes Up! by Lisa Westburg Peters; Illustrated by Steve Jenkins

Administrator — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 14:36:46 +0000

*Picture book about volcanoes–found in non-fiction section–told in poem form
*Subject matter: A volcano erupting and how it affects life around it
*Rating: Volcano Wakes Up! is a wonderful book to teach kids about volcanoes and the life around them. Love it!

Short, short summary: In Volcano Wakes Up!, Lisa Westburg Peters uses poetry to tell the “story” of a small volcano. She follows the volcano’s activity throughout one day, and also includes the perspective of the ferns growing around the volcano, a lava flow cricket, a small black road on the active volcano, and the sun and moon. This book presents a very creative way to tell about an erupting volcano along with wonderful cut-paper illustrations by Steve Jenkins. Volcano Wakes Up! is a great book for use with science curriculum in the classroom or in a home school program.

So, what do I do with this book?

1. Let students research the facts they learn from the poems in the book to find out more facts about volcanoes, ferns, and so on. The author provides more detailed notes in the back of the book that you can share with your students. Students can create presentations of their facts with illustrations styled after Steve Jenkins work.

2. Not only can this book teach your students or children (if you home school) about volcanoes, but it also exposes them to different forms of poetry. What are the poems like in this book? Challenge your students to write a similar poem–maybe instead of a volcano, they can use a mountain as their subject. Instead of a fern–they can use a tree and so on.

3. Study with students what other effects volcanoes have on the land, plant life, animal life, and even human life when they erupt. You can do a lesson on cause and effect with this activity, also.

Thursday Tales: Seeds of Change Book Giveaway Contest

Administrator — Thu, 20 May 2010 19:48:32 +0000

Seeds of Change written by Jen Cullerton Johnson and illustrated by Sonia Lynn Sadler is a terrific and beautiful biography picture book about Kenyan Nobel Peace Prize winner and environmentalist Wangari Maathai. I am giving away one copy of this book that I received from Lee and Low for review. Simply leave a comment or question below by Monday, May 24 10:00 a.m. CST to be entered into the contest. One winner will be chosen from the comments.

*Picture book, nonfiction biography
*Wangari Maathai, a Kenyan female scientist, is the subject
*Rating: Seeds of Change is interesting and inspirational, and the illustrations are marvelous. Both kids and adults will love this book.

Short, short summary: From the time Wangari was young and living in Kenya, her mother taught her to respect the earth, especially the mugumo tree. Wangari had a dream to go to school even though many young Kenyan girls were not educated. Her parents decided to send her to school, and she worked very hard. She went on to high school in Nairobi and then onto college in Kansas to study science. Then she returned home to Kenya to teach and inspire women to follow their dreams. While home, she realized that her government was selling more and more land to companies that were cutting down forests. She started the Green Belt Movement, encouraging women to plant trees to replace the ones being cut down. Thirty million trees were planted, but wealthy businessmen were upset, and they had Wangari arrested and thrown in jail. In jail, Wangari met other women who were being imprisoned for false crimes. When released from prison, she went into the world again to share a message about women’s rights. And she continued to plant trees.

So, what do I do with this book?

1. Plant trees with your students. You can ask your school (or if you home school you can do this at home) where you could plant a tree and maybe dedicate it to the Green Belt Movement started by Wangari. This is a great spring activity, especially around Arbor Day or Earth Day.

2. Ask children to talk about how trees are important in their own lives. Even a child that lives in a city or suburb, sees trees in the park or in their yard. What do trees do (besides give us oxygen)? They may give birds and squirrels a place to live, provide shade for the yard so children can play in the summer time without becoming too hot, or if it’s a fruit tree–provide food. Ask students to write a journal entry, poem, or draw a picture about the importance of trees in their own lives. This will help them relate to how Wangari was feeling when she went home and saw many of the trees being cut down.

3. Not only is this book about an environmentalist, but it’s also about a girl who worked hard and followed her dreams. Wangari shows that anything is possible with determination and spirit. Talk to your students or children about their dreams–some may have dreams such as becoming a doctor; some may want to help feed hungry people that they’ve read about; others may want to become a teacher or truck driver. It doesn’t matter what their dreams are–just let them talk about it. And then ask them to draw a picture of themselves fulfilling their dreams. Older children can write a paragraph to go with their pictures.

Don’t forget to leave a comment or question for a chance to win this incredible book, Seeds of Change.

Wacky Wednesday: Green Literacy

Administrator — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 02:07:19 +0000

photo by digipam www.flickr.com

On Saturday, I was at a nature writing workshop presented by Jen Cullerton Johnson, who is the author of the upcoming book, Seeds of Change, a picture book about Wangari Maathai. I don’t want to tell you too much about this book because I hope to review it on here soon (which by the way it has received a starred review), but I want to tell you about some of the information that Jen passed out to us.

I didn’t find an official definition of green literacy but basically it is books, poems, magazine articles, and so on about the “green movement” or about helping the environment and so on. Jen calls her list of books that she included in a packet for workshop attendees: “Environmental Books for Kids.” She has listed about 100 books for kids that deal with the environment and going green. From Lynne Cherry’s The Armadillo from Amarillo to Dr. Seuss’s The Lorax to Tracking Trash by Loree Griffin Burns, kids can learn about their environment and how to take care of it. Green literacy can also help answer the question of why it’s important to care about the earth.

For teachers, Jen also had a great idea of including five pages of environmental quotes that teachers could use as writing prompts for several different age levels. Here are a couple of the quotes:

Every day is Earth Day. ~Author Unknown

(This one I have hanging in my office:)
Never doubt that a small group of thoughtfully committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has. ~Margaret Mead

When the well’s dry, we know the worth of water. ~Benjamin Franklin

So, if you are interested in green literacy whether you are a teacher, parent, or home school parent, then check out Jen Cullerton Johnson’s website or her blog and look for her new book coming out soon from Lee and Low, Seeds of Change. Be creative–find quotes and start discussions or give writing assignments that challenge your students to think green.

Tuesday Tales: First Come the Zebra by Lynne Barasch

Administrator — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 00:00:08 +0000

zebra in Tanzania by wwarby www.flickr.com

*picture book, contemporary realistic fiction for preschoolers through third graders
*two adolescent boys as main characters
*Rating: Books like First Come the Zebra by Lynne Barasch are why I love to blog about children’s books. This book is beautifully done with a wonderful message and sharing an interesting place and event in our world.

Short, short summary: In rural Kenya, Abaani, a Maasai boy, takes his family’s cattle to graze when he sees a new boy with a vegetable stand along the road. He learns this new boy’s name is Haki, and he is a Kikuyu boy. Abaani remembers all the things his elders have said about the way the Kikuyu ruin the land, and he tells Haki this. The boys, of course, quarrel. Then some women come along who want to trade their handmade baskets for vegetables. When one of the women is involved in her transaction, her toddler wanders into a field where some warthogs are feeding. Abaani sees this, and he knows the danger the toddler is in. He quickly figures out a plan that involves the help of Haki. Will the boys save the toddler? Will they learn to let go of their differences and get to know each other as people? Make sure to check out First Come the Zebra to learn more about this area of Kenya and how people can learn to get along with each other in spite of a history of conflict.

So, what do I do with this book?

1. The author’s note in the back of the book tells readers more about this area of Kenya and the tribes involved in the story. Lynne Barasch also lets readers know about the game the boys play–mancala. Make sure to share this information with your students or your children as well as the map of Kenya and Tanzania in the back of the book. If possible, try to find a mancala game for children to play. They have versions for sale at game stores in the United States and/or online. You can also assign students a topic to research and find out more about, depending on their age. Topics could range from: Kenya, Tanzania, Maasai, Kikuyu, The Great Migration, and animals such as zebras and warthogs.

2. The boys in this book do not get along at first because of their families. Once they get to know each other, they start to think differently. Ask your children or students if they can explain why this happens in the book. Also, ask them if they have ever had trouble getting along with someone but then worked out their differences. Use this book as a starting point for discussions on learning to know people as individuals, conflict resolution, and even prejudices.

3. First Come the Zebra doesn’t start with the two boys and their problem like most picture books do. Instead, it starts with The Great Migration. Talk about the first few pages of the book and the last page, and how they serve as a frame for the story. Discuss why the book is titled First Come the Zebra. Share other animals that come to graze during The Great Migration. Students can draw pictures of their favorite animals, and you can create a wall mural of this event in your classroom.

Un-Forgettable Friday: Scat by Carl Hiaasen

Administrator — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 16:37:38 +0000

Florida Swamp photo by Peter Long www.flickr.com

*Middle-grade to tween (there’s some language in here–FYI ) contemporary fiction novel
*Middle-grade students Nick and Marta as main characters
*Rating: A good eco-mystery for kids with a quirky cast of characters, similar to Hoot and Flush by Carl Hiaasen.

Short, short summary: Scat has a main plot and a pretty important sub-plot that is timely and will appeal to many kids. First the main plot: Bunny Starch, a feared biology teacher, goes missing after a field trip to Black Vine Swamp. Many people are pointing their finger at Duane Scrod, also known as Smoke. But Nick and Marta, two kids in Mrs. Starch’s class, aren’t sure what’s going on in Black Vine Swamp because there seems to be a lot. Nick took some video the day of the field trip, and he and Marta aren’t sure what they see moving among the vegetation–is it the rare, endangered Florida Panther, a man, or even Smoke? Nick and Marta’s curiosity gets the better of them, and they get mixed up in the Black Vine Swamp events after a visit to Mrs. Starch’s house to try to find out what is actually going on. The sub-plot of Scat by Carl Hiaasen is about Nick and his father. Nick’s father is in the National Guard and had to serve in the War in Iraq. He is injured, and Nick has to deal with his father’s injuries and the fear that comes with having a parent in the war.

So, what do I do with this book?

1. One of the most obvious activities to do with this book and the other Carl Hiaasen books in this series is to talk about the “green” issues that the author brings up. Scat is a great book to go along with a science unit on habitats or to read around Earth Day. Without giving away too much of the plot on this post, you can discuss with students endangered species such as the Florida panther, saving swamp land and why it’s important to food chains/webs, and animals and plants in Florida/warm climate habitats. Children and students can write down facts they learn about these topics while reading Scat, or they can use the Internet or other resources to learn more.

2. Nick’s father in the war may be an issue that some of the children in your class or your family are also dealing with at this point in their lives. If not a parent in the war, then they may know someone else in the war or who has been injured or killed. Before reading this book with these children, you may want to discuss the issues that will be surfacing to make sure children are okay with reading about this topic. Books like Scat by Carl Hiaasen can open up discussions about topics that are bothering children, but some children may still not want to openly discuss upsetting issues in class. You can always give students the option of writing in their reading response journals instead or providing two or three writing or discussion prompts with one being a “safe” topic.

3. Carl Hiaasen tells this story from several different viewpoints. There are many important characters in this book that he develops. As children meet a new character in the text, ask them to write the character’s name in their reading response journals and then some details about him. This will help students keep track of the characters and use their names during discussions and writing assignments. At the end of the novel, ask students to pick their favorite and least favorite characters from this list and write about them and their importance to the plot.

Have you read any of Carl Hiaasen’s eco-novels? What did you think?

Timeless Thursday: The Mitten by Jan Brett

Administrator — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 18:37:01 +0000

photo by >>>WonderMike<<< www.flickr.com

Today, in East Central Illinois, I am surrounded by snow and wind and chilly temperatures. So what’s a better Timeless Thursday book to remember today than The Mitten by Jan Brett? I remember when I was studying to be an elementary education teacher in the early 1990s, and everybody raved about Jan Brett–especially The Mitten. In one of my classes, we had to do a cross-curriculum unit on a book where we created activities in various subjects such as math, social studies, science, and reading. I did Thunder Cake by Patricia Polacco, but one of my classmates did Jan Brett’s The Mitten. And I was smitten.

One of the best things about this book is the art and the border around each page that Jan Brett has become famous for. Not only are her illustrations wonderful and something I could never imagine doing in a million years, the borders are clever and help readers predict which animals might enjoy the boy’s mitten next. For example, the text on one page is discussing how Nicki lost his mitten. The border is showing us mole tracks on one page and a mole on the next. Then the next page’s text is about the mole finding the mitten and resting inside.

This Timeless Thursday Jan Brett classic, which is 21 years old in 2010, can be used in the classroom in so many ways. Many art teachers use her border idea for art projects in elementary art lessons. Teachers use The Mitten to work on predicting or sequencing skills and read tales from other lands (this story comes from a Ukrainian tradition). Parents can share this wonderful book at bedtime, use it to develop an interest in knitting, and even to talk about responsibility with their children. I mean, how many of us have lost a mitten? I have! I should probably have mine tied to my winter coat as we speak.

The Mitten by Jan Brett is a great winter book to share with children at home or at school!

Un-Forgettable Friday: Strega Nona’s Harvest by Tomie dePaola

Administrator — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 00:59:10 +0000

photo by Southern Foodways Alliance www.flickr.com

*Picture book for preschoolers through second graders
*Strega Nona as the main character
*Rating: Another clever Strega Nona book by Tomie dePaola, perfect for plant lesson plans

Short, short summary: Strega Nona, Big Anthony, and Bambolona are planting seeds with Strega Nona’s direction in the latest installment by Tomie dePaola. This book is perfect for plant lesson plans because Strega Nona starts at the beginning of the planting process–working with the soil and watches her plants grow until harvest time.

While Big Anthony and Bambolona are preparing to plant the seeds, Bambolona scolds Big Anthony and says that he can’t do anything right or perfect like she and Strega Nona. Big Anthony decides to show them by planting his own secret garden. Wait until you see all the crops in that garden and how Big Anthony solves his problem! Tomie dePaola has another hit, and you have a fun resource for plant lesson plans during science class.

So, what do I do with this book?

1. Tomie dePaola puts some Italian vocabulary in this book when Strega Nona, Big Anthony, and Bambolona are talking to each other and the names of the crops in the garden. So besides plant lesson plans, you can also teach your students or your children a little Italian. Words like la luna, mio caro, and libro di giardino are included in the text. For older students, you can discuss how some of the English words are very similar to the Italian words. Students love to learn about and show off another language.

2. Tomie dePaola uses full-page illustrations to tell some of this story instead of including text on every page. During a plant lesson plan, ask students to draw a picture of a plant cycle in Tomie dePaola’s style and without using any words.

3. After Strega Nona has harvested the vegetables, Tomie dePaola writes about how she incorporated the fresh foods into her meals. Another book about using fresh foods from gardens is Bring Me Some Apples and I’ll Make You a Pie by Robin Gourley. This book focuses on the childhood of the famous chef, Edna Lewis, and the way her childhood on her grandma’s farm affected her entire life and her cooking style. You can compare and contrast these two books with a Venn diagram or discuss with students eating fresh fruits and vegetables during a nutrition unit.

Tuesday Tales: Groundhog Weather School, a Groundhog’s Day book

Administrator — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 02:29:40 +0000

photo by jimbowen0306 www.flickr.com

*Picture book for kindergarten students through third graders
*Groundhog teacher as main character
*Rating: A perfect picture book to celebrate Groundhog’s Day or to supplement a weather unit in science!

Short, short summary: Rabbit (and a few other animals) write to Professor W. Groundhog about his weather forecast on Feb. 2. Professor Groundhog said spring was coming, and Rabbit was all ready. But he found snow. Rabbit suggested recruiting some more groundhogs to help Professor predict the seasons across North America on Groundhog’s Day. The professor puts an ad in the newspaper for some groundhog students at his Groundhog Weather School. Groundhogs from all over the country attend his school (and even one skunk). They learn that Groundhog + Shadow = Winter or Groundhog – Shadow = Spring. They also learn geHOGraphy, Famous Furry Hognosticators, nature’s weather predictors (like cows!), and the reason for the seasons. Once the groundhogs graduate, they set their alarms for February 2 (Groundhog’s Day), and they are off to hibernate. A few of the groundhogs have some troubles when it’s time to see their shadows, but the majority see them, so there’s six more weeks of winter. Rabbit is so happy, and he can’t wait to go sledding. He gets all bundled up and. . . well, you’ll have to read the book to find out!

So, what do I do with this book?

1. Celebrate Groundhog’s Day with this book! Not only is it super cute, and kids will love the humor and Groundhog Weather School; but also it is full of facts about all sorts of things to do with this holiday. Read this book on Groundhog’s Day, and students can either draw a picture and write a fact they learned; or they can write a paragraph about it in their reading response journals; or they can create a pretend lesson for the Groundhog Weather School.

2. Groundhog Weather School by Joan Holub can also be used with a weather unit and not just on February 2. In the middle of this book, there are several pages of facts about shadows, the four seasons, famous weathermen, and weather and nature. Kristin Sorra’s illustrations make learning these facts interesting and fun!

3. Professor W.Groundhog puts an ad in the paper and tells the animals that if they meet six criteria then they should attend Groundhog Weather School to prepare for Groundhog’s Day. The six criteria are the animals have to be: a mammal, a rodent, a herbivore, furry, live in a burrow, and hibernate in the winter. Several different animals such as a pig, skunk, and monkey see the ad and are disappointed because they do not fit all six criteria. One fun activity to do with students, especially if you are studying different animals in science, is to see which animals fit most of the characteristics and if any animals fit all six like groundhogs do.

Happy Groundhog’s Day!

Wacky Wednesday: Teaching Kids About the Weather

Administrator — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 17:53:37 +0000

photo by edenpictures www.flickr.com

Teaching kids about the weather may seem like an odd topic two days before Christmas; but weather is on my mind, and I don’t even live in the Northeast. I think it’s because as far back as I can remember, winter weather has messed up my plans in the Midwest. I thought weather was going to mess up my plans AGAIN this year when the weatherman said freezing rain today, and my parents would never travel here in freezing rain. (Not that they should, I’m not saying that.) Luckily, weathermen are not so great at predicting Mother Nature, and the temperature is above freezing today. So, Margo 1; Weather 0.

Why is weather such a hang up for me? I am affected by it–I’m sure I have SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder). I’m much more productive and happy on sunny days and in the morning. Night and dreariness do me in. I learned about weather and types of clouds when I was in elementary school. When I was an elementary classroom teacher, I taught it along with doing the-cotton-ball-cloud art project. My husband knows all about the weather as an air traffic controller and former flight service specialist. (As a matter of fact, right now, he is spewing all sorts of weather facts at me. Did you know cummulus clouds can mean thunderstorms?)

I’m just wondering if my teachers or parents would have taken a more practical approach to weather if I wouldn’t be so crushed by it now? Should we be doing that in science or health instead of teaching kids about weather facts such as the cold front and the warm front and the cirrus or the stratus clouds? For example, we could teach this lesson: you have to stay at home and miss the skating party you were so looking forward to because of the freezing rain. Freezing rain can do this: then show students (okay older students not Kindergartners) a picture of a crashed car. You won’t make the skating party, and you’ll need a new car.

Maybe it’s a little extreme, but my point is we need to teach practicality to our kids and our students while teaching them science. We need to wear sunscreen when we go to the pool, or we really can get terribly burnt skin and possible melanoma. It is important to listen to tornado warnings (after we teach them why a tornado happens) because you need to take shelter immediately if a tornado is in your area, not after you finish a level in Lego Star Wars on your PS2.

I’ve been reading David Sedaris, so I am a little sarcastic today; and I’m not saying that we should no longer do the cotton-ball-cloud project at home or school or scouts, but I do think that we also need to teach a little more practicality when we are teaching kids about the weather– add in a little weather safety (might be part of the health curriculum even). These are the lessons kids will hopefully remember when they are older and on their own, and they will take precaution and deal with weather better than me. (Unless you are my husband and like to point out which types of clouds are currently in the sky.)

Here’s an example of a type of book I think we should be sharing with our children:

And we should point out how the child is dressed to go sled riding and why!

Tuesday Tale: Who Would Like a Christmas Tree? by Ellen Bryan Obed; Illustrated by Anne Hunter

Administrator — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 03:49:51 +0000

by GraceFamily www.flickr.com

Teaching habitats or teaching Christmas can easily be done with this remarkably clever and cute picture book: Who Would Like a Christmas Tree?

*Picture book for preschoolers through second graders
*Animals on a Christmas Tree Farm as main characters
*Rating: Who Would Like a Christmas Tree? is one of those children’s Christmas books that can actually be used any time of the year, especially during a science unit on teaching habitats or food chains/webs. Cute! Cute! Cute!

Short, short summary: Who would like a Christmas tree in January? What a great question to start off this book that goes through each month of the year, explaining the animals who like to live on a Christmas tree farm until a family comes and cuts down a tree in December. For example, black-capped chickadees like Christmas trees in January because they find their food there and roost in the thick branches. Who would like a Christmas tree in July? Well, the wildflowers do because they like to grow in the same soil as the Christmas trees and some of them like the shade the trees provide. Who would like a Christmas tree in November? Wild turkeys–of course, and I’m sure they’re hoping not to be Thanksgiving dinner. The author includes some notes from an actual Christmas tree farmer at the end of the book for more educational opportunities. At Christmas time, this is a great book for “teaching Christmas” without teaching anything about the holiday that might get some parents upset. Teaching habitats or food webs is a great idea with this book also! Each page provides details and facts about the animal/plant/human and why they like the Christmas tree.

So, what do I do with this book?

1. Make a calendar with the book. The picture for each month would be an illustration of the Christmas tree or Christmas tree farm with the animal/plant/human that would like it for that month. Children can illustrate the calendar, using Anne Hunter’s illustrations as an example. You can laminate these pictures and then put them together with a calendar for each month that you printed from your computer’s word processing program. This is a great activity for preschoolers, kindergartners, and first graders who are doing calendar math, learning the order and spelling of the months, and figuring out which months are in which seasons.

2. As mentioned earlier, teaching habitats is super-easy with Who Would Like a Christmas Tree? Once you’ve read this book, your students or children have learned a great deal about a forest/Christmas tree farm. You can then read a book like The Great Kapok Tree, and you can compare and contrast the two books. With The Great Kapok Tree, students are learning about a rainforest habitat, and they are learning the animals, plants, and humans that rely on the tree and make up the habitat around it, just like they are with the Christmas tree book.

3. Since this book has a pattern with repeatable text, children can read along with the book. By looking at the cover, they can also try to predict what animals might like a Christmas tree in a certain month, or they can also predict why. This is a fun read-aloud, and children won’t even realize how much they are learning about an environment!