I Face the Wind, by Vicki Cobb and illustrated by Julia Gorton, is a book that explores wind and some of the properties about it. The book starts with some explanations of wind and how it relates to you. As the book continues there are a number of opportunities to engage students in discussion and question students. There are also a few experiments such as a simple way to show that air has mass using two balloons and a hanger. The book also looks at the basic science behind air, introducing children to the idea of a molecule. This book would be good to introduce wind to 1st or 2nd graders.
Curriculum Connections
This book would be good way to introduce wind and the concept of air to younger students. It also has elements such as the experiments that can be used for older students when looking at mass of gases and molecules. It is best suited for VA SOL 2.6.
Additional Resources
- Education.com provideds a simple lesson plan that allows students to investigate wind, where it comes from, and how it affects objects.
- Vicki Cobb’s website provides a number of experiments that can be found in her books. They are simple activities that can easily be done by students with simple objects.
- How Stuff Works provides an at home activity for kids that can be a simple way to see if wind direction has a pattern. It requires little materials and only some short daily observations.
Book: I Face the Wind
Author: Vicki Cobb
Illustrator: Julia Gorton
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication Date: April 2003
Pages: 40 pages
Grade Range: 1-2
ISBN-13: 978-0688178406