Teaching Life Science Through Children’s Literature: A Tree is Growing

Posted on January 30, 2010 by openwidearchive

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In A Tree is Growing, by Arthur Dorros, the text explains the changes that trees go through over the seasons and how big trees continue to grow and change.  It discusses how trees need sunlight, air, soil, and water to grow.  This book describes the function of the roots and the bark of the tree.   The author describes how tree branches are bare in the winter, but that they are preparing for spring as they have small buds which will become leaves.  The text also demonstrates the process of photosynthesis with a helpful pictorial example.  This children’s book provides examples of many types and shapes of leaves and explains that all leaves make food (sugar) for the tree.  Throughout the pages of this text, the author provides interesting factual information about certain types of trees.

Curriculum Connections
This text could be utilized in a variety of classrooms (kindergarten-fourth grade). The author describes how trees change as they grow and explains that bark protects the tree; when a tree is young, the bark is smooth; as it grows older, the bark become rough and cracked.  The book provides an excellent picture of the inside of the bark showing the growth rings.  It also describes how trees have no leaves in the winter, but in the spring the leaves reappear again.  In addition, it describes that trees get minerals from the soil in order to help them grow (VA SOL k.7). This text also describes the process of photosynthesis with a pictorial example demonstrating how tree leaves “breath in” carbon dioxide and release oxygen into the air (VA SOL 4. 4c).

Additional Resources

  • This tree research worksheet provides students with a word bank to fill in important points of the tree life cycle.
  • This activity invites students to use their creative movement to act out the life cycle of a tree.
  • This interactive website provides children with pictures of how four different trees go from a seed to a plant.

Book: A Tree is Growing
Author: Arthur Dorros
Illustrator: S.D. Schindler
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Publication Date: 1997
Pages:29
Grade Range: K-4
ISBN: 0-590-45300-9

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Teaching Civics with Children’s Literature: Abe Lincoln Crosses a Creek

Posted on January 29, 2010 by openwidearchive

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Introduction and Summary

Abe Lincoln Crosses a Creek is a great children’s  historical fiction written by Deborah Hopkinson and illustrated by John Hendrix.  Abe Lincoln Crosses a Creek is, “an old tale of two boys who got themselves into more trouble than bear cubs in a candy store” as the author puts it.   Austin Gollaher, is Abraham Lincoln’s childhood friend who saved young Lincoln’s life a long time ago “on the other side of yesterday” and who the history books forgot.  It is a story about childhood adventure, friendship, helping others and the important lesson of how our actions effect others.  This book is amazingly creative both in it’s story and it’s illustrations.  Through the book’s creativity the reader can really start to hear, see and feel the story.  Near the end, the pages tell us how the Lincoln’s move from Kentucky, (where the boys had their adventures), to Indiana and how Abe Lincoln goes on to the White House.   Here the moral of the story really comes to life when the author asks us to,”Remember Austin Gollaher, because what we do matters, even if we don’t end up in history books.  Yes, let’s remember Austin Gollaher, who, one day long ago, when no one else was there to see, saved Abe Lincoln’s life.  And without Abraham Lincoln, where would we be?”

Curriculum Connections

Abe Lincoln Crosses a Creek could be used creatively during 1st grade civics instruction when discussing helping others, taking responsibility, valuing honesty and truthfulness, recognizing the purpose of rules and practicing self control.  The book demonstrates these values in a way that kids can really connect with even though the events took place so long ago. (Va. SOL 1.10)

Abe Lincoln Crosses a Creek could also be used as a companion source when teaching 2nd graders about the importance of Americans who improved the lives of others and learning to identify such Americans as Abraham Lincoln. (Va. SOL 2.11)  The author really provides a good talking point at the end when she asks, “Without Abraham Lincoln, where would we be?”

Additional Resources

General Information

 Book:  Abe Lincoln Crosses a Creek
Author:  Deborah Hopkinson
Illustrator:  John Hendrix
Publisher:  Schwartz & Wade Books, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books
Publication Date:  2008
Pages:  34
Grade Range:  1-3
ISBN:  9780375937682

 

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Teaching Life Science with Children’s Literature: Never Smile at a Monkey

Posted on January 29, 2010 by openwidearchive

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Summary and Introduction
Never Smile at a Monkey was written and illustrated by Steve Jenkins.   This book discusses animal adaptation and some of the defense mechanisms animals possess to protect themselves from predators and humans.  It focuses on 17 different animals including mammals, lizards and sea creatures.  The book deals with the protective aspects of these animals whether it be teeth, claws, spines or venom.  While the subject matter is serious and informative for children, the illustrations keep it kid friendly.

“And a final word of advice: NEVER smile at a monkey!  If you smile at a rhesus (ree-sus) monkey, it may interpret your show of teeth as an aggressive gesture and respond violently.  Even a small monkey can give you a serious bite with its sharp fangs.”

In the back of the book, it provides additional information about each of the animals habitat and where they are indigenous.  The section also provides an opportunity for additional reading and offers five other books to choose from.

Curriculum Connections
The book provides a wealth of opportunity to study about living things in an ecosystem and how they might interact or fight with one another.  It tells the reader despite looking friendly and harmless, some creatures can be deadly to others.  One can tie the protective defenses lesson when discussing predator and prey or when discussing animal adaptations in class.  While the book is geared for younger audiences, I think that it would best fit students in 2nd, 3rd or 4th grades based on some of the subject matter.  (VA SOL 4.5a)

Additional Resources

  • Animal Adaptations Worksheet  This worksheet can be completed in class or as homework and focuses on  animal adaptations and their function.
  • Animal Adaptation Lesson Plan  This lesson plan focuses on reptile adaptations and provides a critical thinking exercise dealing with the effects of such adaptations.
  • Animal Adaptation Jungle Walk  This link provides pictures and video of different animal adaptations and breaks them out by region.
  • Animal Adaptations (Another Evolutionary Lesson Plan!)  This lesson plan allows students to brainstorm about animal adaptation concepts.

Book: Never Smile at a Monkey
Author/Illustrator : /Steve Jenkins
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin/Harcourt
Publication Date: 2009
Pages: 30
Grade Range: K – 4th
ISBN: 978-0-618-96620-2

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Teaching Life Science with Children’s Literature: Tell Me, Tree

Posted on January 29, 2010 by openwidearchive

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Tell Me, Tree, written and illustrated by Gail Gibbons, presents a close-up look for children at many important characteristics, purposes, and behavioral traits of trees.  Gibbons exposes readers to an abundance of different types of individual trees, as well as the parts, functions, and growth methods of a trees in general.  She even touches on photosynthesis and how trees are helpful to humans, animals, and the environment.  Each page begins with, “tell me, tree,” and is followed by an insightful explanation about a various aspect of trees.  For example, page seven reads, “tell me more, tree” and is followed with an illustration of the inside of a tree trunk, whereby stating that underneath the bark is a thin layer called phloem, that carries food from leaves to the branches, roots, and trunk.  Gibbons completes this vividly colorful, instructional book with directions for children to create their very own tree identification book.

Curriculum Connections
This book is perfect as an instructional tool in the classroom due to the over-sized, dramatic images that are labeled in detailed and easy to understand.  It can also be used as a reference source, or even a dictionary, for children when completing experiments, projects, or in-class work that focuses on plant life.  The book helps readers to see the importance of trees in everyday life as children in the book are seen observing, using, and appreciating trees and plants.  In thoroughly highlighting plant life, plant characteristics, and photosynthesis, Tell Me, Tree works to help students see the diversity among plants and trees, as well as the important role that plants play in every day life (Virginia Standards of Learning 4.4 a, b, c, and d).

Additional Resources

  • This Photosynthesis Lesson  is a great online tutorial for kids, giving them the opportunity to read text and fill in the blanks to test knowledge.
  • Children can use this interactive tree key to better understand how to identify trees.
  • Children can go to this page to find exciting plant experiments they can easily conduct to discover interesting facts about plants.

Book: Tell Me, Tree
Author/Illustrator: Gail Gibbons
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Publication Date: 2002
Pages: 30 pages
Grade Range: Recommended K-3
ISBN: 0-316-30903-6

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Teaching Life Science with Children’s Literature: Dolphin

Posted on January 29, 2010 by openwidearchive

dolphin

Dolphin by Robert A. Morris, illustrated by Mamoru Funai, is an informative nonfiction book that takes the reader on a journey through the life cycle of a dolphin.  It starts off by introducing the reader to a female dolphin, a cow, that is about to have a baby.  Then you follow along with the baby dolphin, a calf, as he goes through his cycle of life.  You observe what he eats as a young calf as well as when he gets older.  The dolphin shows another aspect of his life by protecting himself after encountering enemies such as sharks and whales.  While traveling along the life cycle with the baby dolphin, the reader is exposed to vocabulary words as well as the characteristics that classify a dolphin as a mammal.  The following excerpt from the book is an example of this, “Dolphins are mammals.  They must breathe air.  The new baby must breathe air soon, or he will drown.”  Dolphin is a great resource for teaching the life cycle to young readers.

Curriculum Connections
Dolphin will help students to gain an understanding of how animals undergo a series of orderly changes.  It specifically investigates the animal’s life cycle (SOL 2.4a).  It also investigates the basic needs and life processes of animals by showing how they change as they grow and their needs to survive (SOL K.7a,c).  Lastly, this book is a great resource to show how animals have certain distinguishing characteristics that allow them to be classified accordingly (SOL 1.5c).

Additional Resources

  • Life cycle worksheet. This worksheet shows the 3 stages of the (simple) life cycle of a shark.
  • A webquest that allows students to investigate, observe and record the life cycle phases of many different animals.
  • An online mini slide show that allows students to view an object and decide if it is living or non-living according to its characteristics.

Book: Dolphin
Author: Robert A. Morris
Illustrator: Mamoru Funai
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication Date: 1983
Pages: 64
Grade Range: K-3
ISBN: 0064440435

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Teaching Civics with Children’s Literature: Arthur Meets the President

Posted on January 29, 2010 by openwidearchive

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Arthur, one of children’s most beloved characters, is back in this delightful story Arthur Meets the President by Marc Brown. Filled with humorous misadventures, this story is perfect for introducing civics and public speaking into an elementary school classroom. Students will follow a nervous Arthur along with his family and friends to the White House to make a speech to the President of the United States.

“The President of the United States has written to announce the winner of the ‘How I Can Help make America Great Contest’. And the winner is our very own Arthur!”

After winning a writing contest for his heartfelt ideas about improving the community, Arthur and his class set off to Washington, D.C. to meet the President. While touring some of Washinton’s most famous landmarks, Arthur begins to get increasingly nervous about his important speech. Through the help of his little sister D.W.’s silly antics, Arthur overcomes his fear of public speaking and delivers his speech to the President without a hitch.

Curriculum Connections

Along with a positive and uplifting plot, this story is a great addition to the classroom and can be used in many ways to make civics relateable to young children. For students in Kindergarten and First grade, this book can be a great resource when introducing the President and his importance to the United States. For First and Second grade students this book is great for discussing the responsibilities of a good citizen; obeying the law, helping out with others, doing well in school, and introducing some famous patriotic landmarks such as the Jefferson Memorial, the Washington Monument, the Capitol Building, the Museum of Natural History, and the White House.  This book also includes strategies for public speaking, such as making notecards, which can be used in any classroom.

This wonderful book can be used in many ways but relates directly to the Virginia Standards of Learning for Civics- K.8, K.9, 1.10, 1.11, and 2.10.

Additional Resources

  • KOL Jr.- Arthur Meets the President– An interactive storybook which reads the whole story aloud with the pictures and focuses on important words.
  • White House 101- Facts and Fun for All Ages– This site, designed for children, includes links to information about our nation’s president and a section for teachers with lesson plans and activities.
  • PBS kids– the homepage for Arthur and his family and friends. Includes book clips, games, and interactive activities.
  • Get to know our President with this coloring page- Barack Obama.

General Information

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Teaching Life Science with Children’s Literature: Waiting for Wings

Posted on January 29, 2010 by openwidearchive

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 Introduction and Summary

Waiting for Wings, written and illustrated by Lois Ehlert, is a wonderful book for young learners that explains the life cycle of a butterfly.  With beautiful illustrations and simple explanations, Waiting for Wings is a great teacher’s resource for teaching life cycles.  We can see the butterfly start as a tiny egg, then turn into larvae, then spin into a chrysalis and finally we see the beautiful butterfly emerge.  Vivid illustrations of flowers and butterflies are in the book as well as an identification guide for students to find examples of flowers and butterflies outdoors.

Curriculum Connection

Waiting for Wings is a great resource to use for a kindergarten or first grade lesson on life cycles.  The bright illustrations are wonderful for young elementary learners.  The identification guide in the back would be great to use in a hands-on activity.  Students could go outside and identify butterflies and flowers that may be around the school yard.  (Virginia SOL K.7)

Additional Resources

  • Butterfly Unit  – Great unit on butterflies with science activities, songs, poetry, art activities, math activities and language arts activities.
  • Life Cycle of a Butterfly Booklet – Small booklet for children to cut out and label each stage of butterfly life cycle.  They can then put the pages in order and make a small booklet to keep.

General Information

Book:  Waiting for Wings
Author:  Lois Ehlert
Illustrator:  Lois Ehlert
Publisher:  Harcourt Books
Publication Date:  2001
Pages:  36
Grade Range:  K-1
ISBN:  978-0-15-202608-0

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Teaching Civics with Children’s Literature: Shh! We’re Writing the Constitution

Posted on January 28, 2010 by openwidearchive

Shh! We're Writing the Constitution

Shh!  We’re Writing the Constitution, by Jean Fritz and illustrated by Tomie dePaola,  provides an engaging summary of the events during the summer of 1787 through the ratification of the United States Constitution in 1788.  Fritz masterfully explains that, “[a]fter the Revolutionary War most people in America were glad that they were no longer British.  Still, they were not ready to call themselves Americans.”  Using easy to understand text, she walks readers through the reasons that a strong federal government was needed as well as the difficulties that delegates at the Grand Convention faced in drafting a document that would define what that government should look like.  In addition to details about the art of compromise and the final draft of the Constitution itself, Fritz shares gossipy tidbits about the delegates at the convention that humanizes the nation’s Founding Fathers and makes reading about the basis for the U.S. government interesting.  For example, “[Benjamin] Franklin came to the convention in a Chinese sedan chair carried by four prisoners from the Philadelphia jail” and Oliver Ellsworth shook “the hand of a woman who was two thousand years old.”  Readers get a feel for how even once drafted, disagreements continued and the states were slow to ratify the document.  She explains that even Benjamin Franklin “disagreed with some parts… [but] he was convinced that this was the best that they could do.”  Fritz walks readers through the arguments between the Federalists and Anti-Federalists during the almost year before the United States of America officially became a nation with the new framework for government defined by the Constitution.  The book includes the text of the Constitution of the United States for easy reference.

Curriculum Connections

Shh! We’re Writing the Constitution is an excellent book for introducing upper elementary school children to the work and effort involved in creating the U.S. Constitution as well as the key components of the Constitution itself.  Teachers can use the book to trace the history of the document’s creation, address the primary political conflicts and differences between the newly sovereign states, explore the structure of U.S. government, and the role of compromise in governance (USI.7a-b).  Depending on the reading levels of students, the book can be read aloud, in pairs, or individually.  To be most effective, teachers should plan activities that allow students to explore the difficulties in working with others to create a governing framework and to engage directly with the Constitution as a primary source document (USI.1a).

Additional Resources

General Information

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Teaching Civics with Children’s Literature: Abraham Lincoln for Kids

Posted on January 28, 2010 by openwidearchive

Abe Lincoln

Summary and Overview
Who would have ever guessed that a homely looking, depressed and underestimated man who was self-educated and was born into major poverty would soon become the greatest President of all time? In Abraham Lincoln for Kids: His Life and Times with 21 Activities , author Janis Herbert does a phenomenal job in providing little bits and pieces of information about the man responsible for creating equal rights among slaves and uniting our country during the bloodiest of all wars that we have ever faced. Filled with fun and interesting facts and activities for students and teachers, this book is a must for all students who want to explore the life of Abraham Lincoln.

Despite suffering major depression, Abraham Lincoln always provided a handshake for every one of his visitors and never hesitated to smile or laugh when around children, mostly his own. He even grew a beard at the request of a young girl who suggested it would get him more attention from the ladies and make him more handsome. He never hesitated to pay visits to the wounded soldiers in hospitals during the war and he always welcomed hundreds of visitors to the White House. Every time a person visited him, Lincoln always cracked a joke, making his visitors leave in a state of joy. Lincoln was a man on a mission and this book recounts his mission from beginning to end.

Lincoln has been quoted more than any other president in U.S. history and this book lists several of his most famous quotes, including:

“Let us not be slandered from our duty by false accusations against us, nor frightened from it by menaces of destruction to the government nor of dungeons to ourselves. Let us have faith that right makes right, and in that faith, let us, to the end, dare to do our duty as we understand it!”

“We begin by declaring that all men are created equal. But now from the beginning we have run down to the other declaration, that for some men to enslave others is a ‘sacred right of self-government.'”

Curriculum Connections:

This book presents an enormous amount of information about the contributions contributions that Abraham Lincoln made to the American Public during the 56 years he was here on Earth (2.11, 3.11b). With this book, students learn that Lincoln was not just a homely looking man with a beard, mole and untidy black hair; students learn that Lincoln was one of our greatest leaders of all time, striving for the virtues of honesty, respect and genuineness. This book is an excellent learning tool for students not only in the classroom but in the outside world as well. Students learn a lot of life lessons with this book that they should adhere to very seriously.

Additional Resources:

Abraham Lincoln Online This unique website provides unlimited amounts of information about Abraham Lincoln. An interesting facet of this website is entitled “Today in Lincoln’s Life,” which allows students to step back in time to the days of Abraham Lincoln.

Abraham Lincoln for Primary Children: Perfect for elementary school students, this website is dedicated to Abraham Lincoln and provides fun and interesting activities for kids. With this website, students can take an Abe Lincoln treasure hunt, view photos of Lincoln and even test their knowledge of Lincoln with an Abe Lincoln quiz. Also a great website for teachers to plan their activities.

Apples4the Teacher:  Filled with puzzles, photographs, games and stories featuring our greatest president, this website provides hours of nonstop entertainment for both teachers and students.

General Information:

Book: Abraham Lincoln for Kids: His Life and Times with 21 Activities

Author: Janis Herbert

Publisher: Chicago Review Press

Publication Date: 2007

Pages: 160

Grade Range: 3-6

ISBN: 978-1556526565

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Teaching Civics with Children’s Literature: Too Many Tamales

Posted on January 27, 2010 by openwidearchive

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Too Many Tamales by Gary Soto and illustrated by Ed Martinez is a story about a little girl named Maria, who is helping her mother and father cook tamales for their Christmas party.  It begins with Maria and the mother kneading the masa, and Maria being very proud of herself for helping her mother cook.

“She felt grown-up, wearing her mother’s apron. Her mother has even let her wear lipstick and perfume.”

As they were kneading Maria’s mother placed her diamond ring on the kitchen counter. Without her permission, Maria wears her mother’s ring and then later loses it while making tamales. Once their family starts arriving, Maria is so excited to see her cousins, she forgets about the ring.  They run upstairs and start cutting out pictures from newspapers and magazines of all the presents they want for Christmas. As Maria cuts out a picture of a pearl necklace she thinks, “The ring!” Needless to say, all the cousins eat their fair share of tamales in search for the ring.  They have no luck, so Maria is forced to tell her mother what happened. She is very upset and scared to go to her mother, but she knew what she had to do.  Maria’s mother, wearing the ring, knew exactly what Maria was about to tell her.  She already knew Maria had learned her lesson from wearing her ring, so without punishment, Maria’s mother let her know that is was OK. The story ends with the entire family cooking a second batch of tamales for their family Christmas party.

Curriculum Connections
This book is a great example of authority and power.  It allows you to introduce authority and power as vocabulary words in your classroom.  Maria knew she had done wrong by losing her mother’s ring, and was forced to tell her what happen.  Even though Maria’s mother had the ring, she knew by not letting Maria know that she would learn her lesson. The mother is the one with the power and authority, she is the one who sets the rules for their house. When using this book in a classroom, you can explain to your students why certain rules are made, and how they are there to protect you. Maria’s mother has a set of rules for her house to protect their property and themselves. By using this book in your classroom, it allows your students to see an at-home situation that they can relate to.  The class discussion about power and authority in their homes could then lead into a discussion about power and authority at school. As the teacher you explain to the students who has the authority at school (i.e. principal, vice-principal, and teachers). This allows the students to connect the story to their own classroom and school (SOLs K.8, 1.10).

Additional Resources

  • Too Many Tamales activities This website has it all! It has activities, lesson plans, unit plans, all using this book. You can find plenty of great ideas here.
  • 3rd Grade Unit Plan Even though I recommended this book be used in kindergarten and first grade, here is a website that allows you to bring this book into the third grade. There are great activities in this website that allow the students to use their thinking and reasoning skills.
  • Civic Responsibility and Education Here you will find an article written by Chak Sopheap. This is his reflection after visiting an elementary school in Japan.

Book: Too Many Tamales
Author: Gary Soto
Illustrator: Ed Martinez
Publisher: G. P. Putnam’s Sons
Publication Date: 1993
Grade Range: K-1
ISBN: 0-399-22146-8

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