Author Archives: openwidearchive

Teaching Physical Science with Children’s Literature: Amazing Magnets

    Introduction and Summary “Have you ever held a magnet near a piece of metal? If you have, you may have felt a strange pulling force. A magnet is attracted to certain metals. It pulls toward them. Once it … Continue reading

Posted in book review, physical science | Comments Off on Teaching Physical Science with Children’s Literature: Amazing Magnets

Teaching Geography with Children’s Literature: A River Ran Wild

  Introduction and Summary A River Ran Wild, written and illustrated by Lynne Cherry, tells the story of the Nashua river in New England.  Children opening the book will see a map of New England in the 1500’s on one … Continue reading

Posted in environment, geography, nonfiction, social studies | Comments Off on Teaching Geography with Children’s Literature: A River Ran Wild

Teaching Geography with Children’s Literature: Puzzle Maps U.S.A.

Introduction and Summary Puzzle Maps U.S.A. written and illustrated by Nancy L. Clouse is a playful book about geography.  It concentrates on the different states within the United States.  This book is a very basic introduction to maps while Clouse … Continue reading

Posted in book review, geography, social studies | Comments Off on Teaching Geography with Children’s Literature: Puzzle Maps U.S.A.

Teaching Physical Science with Children’s Literature: A Drop of Water

Most young children are familiar with Scholastic's I Spy series of books- they are full of incredible and exacting visual challenges that help cultivate the reader's powers of observation.  Photographer Walter Wick is best known for his I Spy work, … Continue reading

Posted in physical science | Comments Off on Teaching Physical Science with Children’s Literature: A Drop of Water

Teaching Geography using Children’s Literature: The Whole World in Your Hands

  Introduction and Summary: In The Whole World in Your Hands, by Melvin and Gilda Berger, chidlren will be introduced to maps and their uses.  They will look at their town, state, country, and world.  This text defines the continents, … Continue reading

Posted in geography | Comments Off on Teaching Geography using Children’s Literature: The Whole World in Your Hands

Teaching Physical Science with Children’s Literature: What is the World Made Of?

Introduction and Summary: In the book, What is the World Made of by Kathleen Zoehfeld it describes the three states of matter solid, liquid and gas. The book then goes on to state each one of the matters attributes. This book introduces young … Continue reading

Posted in book review, physical science | Comments Off on Teaching Physical Science with Children’s Literature: What is the World Made Of?

Teaching Physical Science with Children’s Literature: Sound and Light

Introduction and Summary Sound and Light by David Glover gives a great overview of what sound and light are and how we use them. This book provides a section for topics like: lightning and thunder, sound waves, feeling sound, making … Continue reading

Posted in activities/experiments, physical science, science | Comments Off on Teaching Physical Science with Children’s Literature: Sound and Light

Teaching Geography with Children’s Literature: How I Learned Geography

Introduction and Summary: In the book, How I Learned Geography by Uri Shulevitz it tells the story of a family who fled their troubled homeland to live in another country. One day since the food is scarce the father brings home … Continue reading

Posted in book review, geography | Comments Off on Teaching Geography with Children’s Literature: How I Learned Geography

Teaching Physical Science with Children’s Literature: Magnets

“Bring a magnet close to a steel spoon.  The magnet pulls the spoon.  This pull is called magnetic force.” Magnets, written by Peter Riley and illustrated by Franklin Watts, is a practical, hands-on book that can teach students the basics … Continue reading

Posted in book review, physical science | Comments Off on Teaching Physical Science with Children’s Literature: Magnets

Teaching Geography with Children’s Literature: Geography from A-Z: A Picture Glossary

  Introduction and Summary Geography from A-Z: A Picture Glossary, by Jack Knowlton, is a great resource for elementary students that are trying to learn the difference between a plateau and a plain or a knoll and an atoll.  This … Continue reading

Posted in book review, geography | Comments Off on Teaching Geography with Children’s Literature: Geography from A-Z: A Picture Glossary