Archive for the 'science' Category

Teaching Economics with Children’s Literature: Cocoa Ice

Published by Stephanie on October 26, 2009 in physical science, life science, geography, economics, diversity, book review and science. 0 Comments

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Cocoa Ice tells the story of two little girls, each living in completely different parts of the world, whose daily activities directly impact the other.  The first little girl lives in Santo Domingo and helps her family grow and harvest chocolate for a living.  The second little girl lives in Maine, way up north, and helps her family (or rather watches her uncle) harvest ice from the river every winter.

The second little girl’s Uncle rides in a schooner to the island where it is always summer and brings back chocolate in exchange for the ice they harvested in the very cold winter.

It is clear that each of the little girls are fascinated by the process of creating chocolate or harvesting ice and even more fascinated by the faraway land that receives the chocolate or ice they work so hard for.

Curriculum Connections
Cocoa Ice introduces several concepts from the SOLs: 2.7 - describe natural, human, and capital resources, 2.8 - distinguish between use of barter and use of money, 2.9 - explain scarcity (limited resources), and 3.8 - recognize that people and regions cannot produce everything they want and therefore must trade for the rest.

Additional Resources

  • The International Monetary Fund has an interactive trading game available on its website. It allows the player to buy and sell various goods and choose their buying or selling price based on current economic conditions.
  • This lesson plan, called Tortilla Factory, focuses on the various types of resources (human, capital, natural, intermediate).
  • Here is a link to a pdf of a comic strip story called Wishes and Rainbows, by the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston.  It is designed to help illustrate the issues of scarcity.

Book: Cocoa Ice
Author: Diana Appelbaum
Illustrator: Holly Meade
Publisher: Orchard Books
Publication Date: September 2007
Pages: 56 Pages
Grade Range: 3-5
ISBN:0-531-33040-0

Teaching Earth Science with Children’s Literature: What Makes Day and Night

Published by Kelly on September 21, 2009 in nonfiction, earth science, resource links, book review, teaching, reading and science. 0 Comments

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What Makes Day and Night, written by Franklyn M. Branley and illustrated by Arthur Dorros, is a book answering children’s questions as to what causes ‘day to be day,’ ‘night to be night,’ and how the sun appears and disappears during these times.

This book follows a group of inquisitive children on their journey into finding out exactly what causes these events to happen, starting off with the basics of how our planet, Earth, is constantly spinning and rotating on its axis and the daily evoluations it makes around the sun.  The illustrations provide children with a clear sense of the Earth’s full rotation around the sun and shows the different stages of sunrise, day, sunset, and night, as well as providing insight into the moon’s lunar phases.  In addition to providing solid, factual information on these concepts, the children in the book conduct their own experiements at home with a flashlight in order to have a hands on understanding of how days and nights are created and the effects of light and darkness on Earth.

This book can surely serve as an anticipatory resource prior to a unit on Earth’s movement and motions within the solar system, and can be read aloud to the class or read independently by students because of the simplicity and student-friendliness of the text.  The author and illustrator do an excellent job of allowing students to grasp and process these abstract concepts through facts, home experiments, and detailed illustrations, leaving them with a sense of pride and curiousity to learn more about our plant and solar system.

Curriculum Connections

What Makes Day and Night serves as an excellent and useful resource to help teach, reinforce, and emphasize the third grade learning objectives in accordance with the Virgiia Standards of Learning (SOL’s).  Investigating and understanding the basic patterns and cycles of the Earth in relation to the sun and moon (SOL 3.8) is supported throughout the entire book through its discussion and illustrations of the stages and time of Earth’s rotation, its effects of the sun on the planet, and the phases of the moon (SOL 3.8a).

Additional Resources

  • Eye On The Sky offers an excellent lesson plan, demonstration, and printables for teaching students the Earth’s rotation and how it causes day and night - plus, this lesson can be adapted for grades 1 - 3.

  • Jefferson County Schools‘, located in Tennessee, website dedicates a page full of classroom lesson plans, activities, and numerous resources aimed at teaching students all about the Earth’s rotation and its effects on people, plus interactive websites for students to work with at school or at home!  Additionally, this site provides a range of lesson plans and activities on other units covering Earth Science.

  • SkyTellers provides a multitude of resources for activity ideas, books, and websites links for students and teachers solely devoted to how Earth rotates and it’s implications on day and night, seasons, lunar phases, and the sun.  Also, this website offers insights on other Earth Science concepts, such as the origin of starts, constellations, meteors, and the solar system.  This is definately a website to have on hand for many Earth Science lessons, no matter the grade level!

Book: What Makes Day and Night
Author: Franklyn M. Branley
Illustrator: Arthur Dorros
Publisher: Harper Collins
Publication Date: March 1986
Pages: 32pp
Grade Range: 3rd Grade
ISBN-13: 9780064450508

Teaching Earth Science with Children’s Literature: The Three R’s: Reuse, Reduce, Recycle

Published by Jennifer K. on September 21, 2009 in earth science, nonfiction, environment, book review and science. 0 Comments

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Introduction and Summary:
The Three R’s: Reuse, Reduce, Recycle, written by Nuria Roca and illustrated by Rosa M. Curto, is a great resource to use when teaching students about conservation.  The book discusses the ways in which the main character, Paul, can reduce, reuse and recycle items found in his everyday life.  For example, Paul tries to reduce his water and electricity consumption at home, and wears tee shirts his brother has outgrown (reuse).  The book also discusses how Paul recycles at his home and school.  “In the kitchen at Paul’s home there is a container for things made of plastic, metal or glass, and another for all other garbage,” (page 25).  The author does an excellent job putting the three R’s in concise terms that are understandable and relatable to students.  The book also explains landfills, and how trash and pollution ultimately impact plants, animals and people.  “Plastic bags are very handy, but sometimes they end up in the sea where they can be dangerous for animals.  Turtles may take them for jellyfish and eat them, or they may get tangled up in the plastic rings used to hold cans together,” (page 17).  The end of the books contains fun activities students can do to recycle items found in their homes.

Curriculum Connections:
The Three R’s: Reuse, Reduce, Recycle is appropriate for use in the kindergarten curriculum to show how everyday materials can be reused, recycled and conserved.  The Three R’s does a great job showing how materials can be used over and over again, such as bags at the grocery store (SOL K.10 A).  Pages 18-27 do a great job describing what everyday materials can be recycled, as well as the process used to recycle materials (SOL K.10 B).  Page 13 is particularly useful in illustrating how water and energy conservation, at home and in school, helps preserve resources for the future (SOL K.10 C).   

Additional Resources:
-This word search is a great way to reinforce vocabulary. 
-This activity is a great means to see how your school handles recycling and garbage.  Note: This is a worksheet from the UK and uses the word “rubbish” instead of trash.  Modify.
-This link contains many crafts that can be made by recycling items that students would normally discard.

General Information:
Book: The Three R’s: Reuse, Reduce, Recycle
Author: Nuria Roca
Illustrator: Rosa M. Curto
Publisher: Barron’s Educational Services, Inc.
Publication Date: February 2007
Pages: 36
Grade: K-1
ISBN-10: 0-7641-3581-3

Teaching Earth Science with Children’s Literature: What Makes a Shadow?

Published by Sydney on September 20, 2009 in earth science, nonfiction, science and Uncategorized. 0 Comments

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 What Makes a Shadow, written by Clyde Robert Bulla and illustrated by June Otani, is a part of the Let’s-Read-and-Find-Out Science book series that explains the simple and easily observable scientific concept of shadows for young children. The book begins by identifying and defining shadows and broadens by explaining what makes shadows, why some shadows are different than others, and where we see shadows everyday without even realizing it.

“The sun…shines on you. But the sun does not shine through you. There is a dark place behind you where the sun does not shine. The darness is your shadow.”

“Sometimes the sky is dark with clouds…The shadows make the day dark. We say, “This is a cloudy day.”

“Watch the sun go down. Watch the night come. Night is a shadow.”

 

Curriculum Connections
What Makes a Shadow? is a great book for introducing the concept of shadows for the kindergarten curriculum (Virginia SOL K.7a). The book broadens from the simple observation of a child’s shadow following behind him or her on a sunny day to more abstract observations such as the darkness of the sky on a cloudy day and the darkness of night. Not only are readers presented with a definition of shadows, but they also are given the opportunity to observe how shadows change based upon the distance of the object from the light as well as the amount of light that shines through the object.

Additional Resources

  • This is a fun, live performance of a hand puppet artist creating different images on a large screen accompanied by the music of Louis Armstrong.
  • This is a simple, interactive poem about shadows. Students can either read it themselves or listen as the computer reads it to them.
  • This is an interactive java applet with shadows. Move the images and/or the light bulb and see how the shadow changes.
  • This interactive day and night webquest teaches students how day and night are created as the Earth turns. Students can read the text or have it read to them as they follow the directions of the text.

Book: What Makes a Shadow?
Author: Clyde Robert Bulla
Illustrator: June Otani
Publisher: Collins, Rev Sub edition
Publication Date: 1994
Pages: 32
Grade Range: K-3
ISBN: 0060229160

Teaching Earth Science With Children’s Literature: Extreme Planets!

Published by Susie on September 20, 2009 in solar system, earth science, book review and science. 0 Comments

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Extreme Planets written by Mary Kay Carson and is illustrated through NASA photos and several artists. The format is question and answer and covers a wide variety of questions such as: “How do planets move?”, “How fast is Earth moving? and Why don’t you feel it?” and “Are there earthlike planets beyond our solar system?” The easy to read format and answers to the questions makes it an enjoyable way for students to learn interesting facts about the planets and moons that make up our solar system.

Extreme Planets also includes an interview with Christine Pulliam, an astronomer with the Smithsonian about how she became a scientist and what her work is like.

Curriculum Connections
Extreme Planets is suitable for students in 3rd through 6th grades. It compliments lessons teaching the causes for the Earth’s seasons, motions of the Earth, moon, and sun in revolution and rotation, and the relative size, position, age and makeup of the planets (VA SOL 4.7)

Additional Resources

  • There are links on several of the pages that offer additional information for students.
  • Glossary provided is a great explanation of some of the more difficult terms
  • A Great resource page offers additional websites and suggested reading to accompany this book and topic
  • 25 hands-on activities
  • Introductory lesson on the planets
  • Interactive solar system. Students can see how the planets rotate around the sun, how fast they move compared to others and facts about each planet.

Book: Extreme Planets
Author: Mary Kay Carson
Illustrator: NASA Photos
Publisher: Collins
Publication Date: 2008
Pages: 48
Grade Range: 3-6
ISBN:0060899751

Teaching Earth Science with Children’s Literature: Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain.

Published by Cory on September 20, 2009 in environment, earth science, book review, poetry, science and Uncategorized. 0 Comments

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Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain, written by Verna Aardema, is story that tells of an African legend about what makes the sky rain.  This story is a long, repetitive, rhyming poem, much like “In the House that Jack Built”.

A herdsman name Ki-pat stands watching his cows, as well as the other animals of the Serengeti, begin to go hungry as the fields and pastures dried from lack of rain.

“These are the cows, all hungry and dry,
Who mooed for the rain to fall from the sky;
To green-up the grass, all brown and dead,
That needed the rain from the cloud overhead -
The big black cloud, all heavy with rain,
That shadowed the ground on Kapiti Plain.”

Ki-pat worries about the pastures and animals drying up and becoming ill, and wants to make the rain fall out of the cloud.  A feather falls from an eagle soaring above, and gives Ki-pat an idea - he will shoot the cloud to make the rain pour out!

“This was the shot that pierced the could
And loosed the rain with thunder LOUD!
A shot from the bow, so long and strong,
And strung with a string, a leather thong;
A bow for the arrow Ki-pat put together
With a slender stick and an eagle feather;
From the eagle who happened to drop a feather,
A feather that helped to change the weather.”

The rain finally falls on Ki-pat’s field, which greens the grass, helping to feed and water his starving animals.

“So the grass grew green, and the cattle fat!
And Ki-pat got a wife and a little Ki-pat -
Who tends the cows now, and shoots down the rain,
When black clouds shadow Kapiti Plain.”

Curriculum Connections:

 This book will help teach children the relationship of seasonal change and weather patterns to life processes of plants and animals, as well as the importance of the water cycle for the life of living things, as suggested by VA Science SOLs 1.7abc, as well as 3.9c.

Additional Resources:

Teacherlink has an extension geography lesson for this book that highlights the different regions and wildlife of Africa, as well as point out that people who live far away from each other can be similar, as well as have big differences in the way they live.

Scholastic’s website provides guided reading questions to help children make predictions and tell their feelings about the story, as well as gives a guide for “choral reading” of the repetitious sections of the poem.

Kids Econ Posters provides an economics lesson plan for this book highlighting the topic of scarcity.

General Information:

Book:  Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain
Author:  Verna Aardema
Illustrator:  Beatriz Vidal
Publisher:  Scholastic
Publication Date:  2001
Pages:  32 pages
Grade Range:  1-3
ISBN-13: 978-0140546163

Teaching Earth Science with Children’s Literature: Flash, Crash, Rumble, and Roll

Published by Mahindra on September 19, 2009 in earth science and science. 0 Comments

Flash, Crash, Rumble, and Roll

Flash!  Crash! Before the next thunderstorm, grab this book, Flash, Crash, Rumble, and Roll by Franklyn M. Branley & illustrated by True Kelley and learn what makes storms so awe inspiring.
The sky lights up and thunder booms.  Learn why lightning strikes and how to be safe in a storm. Did you know that lightning bolts can be over a mile long? Or that they may come from clouds that are ten miles high? Branley(1999) writes, “People used to think that lightning was the fiery fingers of an angry god.  They thought the god made thunder when he scolded and roared”(pg. 28).  Lightning and thunder can seem scary-so scary that people used to think that angry gods sent thunderstorms to Earth to punish them.  Now when we see storms coming, we know not to be afraid and know what to do.  We know that lightning is actually a huge spark caused by electricity inside a cloud. Storms can be scary, but not if you know what causes them. Grab this book by veteran science team Franklyn Branley and True Kelley and learn what causes the flash, crash, rumble, and roll of thunderstorms!

Curriculum Connections
In the area of earth science, the  Virginia Science SOL’s for grades K-3  stresses the importance of  understanding the basic weather patterns, the relationship between the sun and the earth,  and phases of the moon.  Flash, Crash, Rumble , and Roll is appropriate for multiple grade levels and could be used to directly address SOL’s K.8a, 2.6a, and 2.6b.

If you would like to create a rumble in your classroom and find out more about thunderstorms,  here are a few suggestions for grades K-3:

  • Read the story aloud with the students and talk about what is going on in each picture.  Ask questions throughout the story. 
  • Make a rain gauge:  1.  You will need a clear plastic bottle, scissors, a ruler, a permanent marker, and paper.  2.  Using the ruler and marker, make several marks at the quarter-inch intervals going up the bottle.  3.  Next time there is a storm, place your rain gauge in the open (not near a building or under a tree).  To keep it from blowing away, you might attach it to a stake.  After the storm is over, record how much water is in your rain gauge.  Then empty the container.  4.  Repeat step three after each storm for a month.  Compare your findings with the average monthly rainfall for your area or the recorded rainfall for a particular storm.
  • Make a cloud:  You will need a few ice cubes, a dash of salt, a saucer, a glass jar, and some hot water.  1.  Place the ice cubes and salt in the saucer. (The salt helps the ice melt quickly, so the saucer becomes very cold).  2.  Rinse the jar in hot water.  Then fill it halfway with hot water.  3.  Place the saucer over the mouth of the jar.  You will see a misty cloud quickly form between the water and the saucer as the warm water evaporates, then meets the cool air near the ice cubes and condenses.  After a minute or so, lift up the saucer and look at the bottom.  You’ll notice it is covered with drops of water.  If they fell, they would be just like raindrops.

Additional Resources
Try these websites where you’ll find lesson plans, worksheets, activities and coloring pages to aid your earth science education quest.

  • The Science Spot - earth science lesson plans, worksheets, PowerPoint presentations, lab ideas, videos and more links to more cool earth science websites!
  • Weather.com - for the hows, whys, and wonders of weather.
  • Discovery Education - an earth science lesson plan library - grades K-12
  • Geology.com - earth science lesson plans & links to other cool teaching websites
  • Science-Teachers.com - lesson plans, worksheets, flashcards and more.

Book:  Flash, Crash, Rumble, and Roll
Author:  Franklyn M. Branley
Illustrator:  True Kelley
Publisher:  HarperCollins
Publication Date:  1999 (Revised)
Pages:  32 pages
Grade Range:  K-3
ISBN-13:  978-0064451796

Teaching Earth Science with Children’s Literature: The Moon Book

Published by Kim on September 16, 2009 in solar system, space science, earth science, nonfiction and science. 0 Comments

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The Moon Book written & illustrated by Gail Gibbons describes the phases of the moon, it’s revolation around Earth, and how we have studied the moon.

The Moon Book, with it’s brightly colored pictures, is all about the light in our sky, the moon. “It outshines all the stars and planets, which appear as small points of light.” It goes on to describe how the moon does shine since it doesn’t make it’s own light, and why we see the different shapes, or phases, of the moon. “During a new moon, the moon is almost directly between the sun and Earth. The moon looks dark. We see no reflected light.” It also talks about what people in ancient times thought about the moon, and the history of Americans traveling to the moon. “In 1961 President John F. Kennedy made a commitment to put Americans on the moon before the end of the decade.” It goes on to talk about the first Americans to get close to, and the first ones to walk on the moon. In the back of the book, it has milestones, legend and stories of, and facts all about the moon.

Curriculum Connections

The Moon book is a great resource when you are studying the moon. It talks about different aspects of the moon from the motions and phases to the historical contributions in understanding the moon. It is connected to the VA SOL Earth Patterns, Cycles, and Change 4.7. The student will investigate and understand the relationship among the Earth, moon, and sun.

Additional Resources

  • For a lesson plan that has students using computers try the Educator’s Reference Desk Phases of the Moon.
  • Students can use the Label Moon’s Phases Diagram worksheet. It has both the terms and the definitions in a word bank, and students label the moon phases in the diagram.
  • Moon Phases is a podcast that describes the some of the history, the phases of the moon, talks about a lunar eclipse, and new moon. It has some great pictures to go along with it.
  • If your students can sing the song “If Your Happy and You Know It”, then they can learn the Moon Phases Song.
  • This edible activity on the phases of the moon will have your students wanting more.

General Information

Book: The Moon Book
Author: Gail Gibbons
Illustrator: Gail Gibbons
Publisher: Holiday House
Publication Date: 1997
Pages: 28 pages
Grade Range: 2-6
ISBN: 9780823413645

Teaching Earth Science with Children’s Literature: If You Decide to Go to the Moon

Published by Emma on September 16, 2009 in space science, solar system, earth science, book review, science and Uncategorized. 0 Comments

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 All young children dream of traveling to the moon. Faith McNulty will take your children there through her book, If You Decide to Go to the Moon, illustrated by Steven Kellogg.

McNulty uses simple yet entertaining sentences to tell children about what it would be like if they were to travel to the moon. Following along with Kellogg’s colorful and textured illustrations, children will let their imaginations run wild on their travel into space. If You Decide to Go to the Moon is full of information about space, the sun, the Earth, and, of course, the moon. The book focuses on describing the characteristics of the moon, and how one’s travel through space and on the moon would be much different than what they are used to on Earth. When describing to her readers what it would feel like to float around a rocket ship’s cabin, McNulty explains: “Because you are weightless in space, you’ll feel amazingly light. You will float like a feather inside the cabin and bounce off the cabin walls. But you’ll bounce very lightly and find it a lot of fun.” Readers may even be surprised by some of the information McNulty shares. She explains how you would be able to tell where the first Americans walked on the moon, even years later: “Strewn amidst the lunar dust, tools and equipment are scattered about. Their boot prints look fresh, as though they were made a moment ago. There is no wind or rain to wear them away.” If You Decide to Go to the Moon is a wonderful and informative book that children will be excited to explore.

Curriculum Connections
McNulty and Kellogg’s book would be great to use in the classroom when learning about the solar system. Besides its focus on the moon, the book also mentions stars, meteors, and comets. Because of it’s simple style of writing, this book may be read to younger students, but because of its amount of information, it would be a good book to use in grades 2 through 4. If teaching in the state of Virgninia, this would be a great book to apply to SOL 4.7, when studying the relationships between the Earth, moon and sun.

Additional Resources

  • Here are some fun moon activities to practice with your students.
  • Construct your own moon habitat similar to the one astronauts will live in for a few months on their next trip to the moon!
  • Here is a great lesson to teach the phases of the moon, involving a fun hands-on project.

General Information:
Book: If You Decide to Go to the Moon
Author: Faith McNulty
Illustrator: Steven Kellogg
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Publication Date: 2005
Pages: 48
Grade Range: 2-4
ISBN: 0590483595

Teaching Life Science with Children’s Literature: Animals Robert Scott Saw: An Adventure in Antarctica

Published by Cory on September 14, 2009 in nonfiction, history, life science, environment, geography, science, biography and Uncategorized. 0 Comments

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Animals Robert Scott Saw: An Adventure in Antarctica, written by Sandra Markle, is a book that goes into detail about the first exploration of the South Pole.  Much of what was experienced in Antarctica was influenced by the animals the explorers were surrounded with.

Robert Scott was an explorer from Scotland who wanted to learn more about the South Pole.  He found other researchers to travel with him on his expedition, got together a group of sled dogs, and traveled south.  Throughout this book, different animals that Scott and his friends saw in the wildlife, as well as used to aid their travels, either as guides, food, or for warmth.  It also discusses the dangers their research several animals affected.

“Why Hunt Whales and Seals? In the 1800s, whale oil for lamps was in great demand.  Lightweight, bendable whalebone was used to make womens clothing, such as hoops skirts, which were fashionable at the time.  Seals were hunted for their fur.  Years of hunting and greatly decreased the numbers of whales and seals in much of the world, so hunters had to search for them in more remote places - even as far away as Antarctica.”

The book also provides children with tidbits of information about the animals the researchers saw in little additional bubbles next to the animal’s pictures.

“Daddy Duty.  After mating, female Emporer penguins each lay one egg in May or early June, during the Antarctic winter.  Having used up a lot of energy to produce the eff, the female then heads for the sea to fee.  The male balances the egg on its feet and overs it with a fold of skin on its belly.  That way, the egg is kept warm for three to four months while the chick inside develops.”

An added bonus to this book, apart from its nice illustrations are the inclusion of real photographs from the expedition of some of the explorers, and even Robert Scott’s dog Scamp.  This helps the story of the explorer seem more real to life, and also gives students a good idea of what kind of environment they were living in, as well as what the explorers has to do to adapt to their new environment.

Curriculum Connections:

This book can be read as an extension resource for the VA Science SOL 4.5d which discusses how plants and animals interact with each other and their environment to survive in their habitat.  It also highlights 4.5f which discusses how humans can interfere with their environment and potentially cause damages.  By highlighting the different animals the explorers saw, and the way the animals reacted to the humans in their environment, and the changes the sled dogs had to go through, children will be able to see that animals survive very differently depending on their surroundings and how humans treat them.

Additional Resources:

The Laboratory for Ecophysiological Cryobiology has a great page with lesson plans for students to either plan their own expedition to Antarctica, as well as  lesson plan for an Antarctica Webquest.

The College of William and Mary website has a unit plan about Antarctica including science, math and reading lessons that could be used as an extension after students have read this book.

The National Geographic Website has a lesson idea for children to do a web search to research animals in Antarctica, and the use their drawings and research to hypothesis about and create a giant food web of Antarctic creatures.

General Information:

Book: Animals Robert Scott Saw
Author: Sandra Markle
Publisher: Chronicle Books LLC
Publication Date: March 2008
Pages: 48
Grade Range: 4-5 grade
ISBN-13: 9780811849180