Free curriculum materials

[Sarah Shealy]

Hi all,

 

I am a children's book publicist (and a mom) and I work with several authors who write environmental books for children. I also work with a classrrom teacher with her PhD in curriculum and instruction to create curriculum guides for these books that live as free downloadables on the authors' websites. Here are links for a guide for Anne Rockwell's book What's So Bad About Gasoline? Fossil Fuels and What They Do (http://www.annerockwell.com/teachers) and Chavela and the Magic Bubble by Monica Brown, a book about the rainforests of Mexico and harvesting chicle to make chewing gum (http://www.monicabrown.net/teachers/). My question is this: Is it helpful to post information and links like these in this forum? Do you want to know about new environmentally themed children's books that might be good for use in your classrooms?

 

Thanks for any and all feedback!

 

Sarah

[Terri]

I think it is very helpful to have information and links that can support environmental education. Thank you for these. As a teacher I'm always on the look out for new children's books with themes about the environment and I think recommended book lists would be a valuable resource on this site.

[Laurie Jeffries]

All information like this is helpful. I work with toddlers and would like to see more done for that age group.

[Janice Swaisgood]

I also think that information like this would prove valuable in this forum. In fact, maybe we could figure out how to start a file or something, somewhere we could start an ongoing list of books that would be good to use with kids of varying ages (I agree with Laurie too -- not enough out there for young kids) on a variety of topics that would be good platforms for discussion with them on nature, environmental issues, etc. One thing I've been searching for here in San Diego is good material (books) that is pertinent to our nearby nature/habitats. Anyone want to come up with a simple format for sharing books? Title, Author, age/grade, message, topic or locale (desert, rocky mtns., etc.) and any supporting materials (such as the websites Sarah brings up, or even .pdfs of things teachers have created to use with the book/topic. I am on leave with our young boys right now so I may not have too much to contribute, but I LOVE this idea! Thanks for getting the ball rolling, Sarah. =)
I notice you're in Coronado... San Diego I assume? I am as well! Maybe we'll meet soon. Are you part of or do you know about the San Diego Children and Nature Network?

[Sarah Shealy]

Thanks for the feedback, Laurie and Janice! For very young children, I love books by Lois Ehlert -- Growing Vegetable Soup, Planting a Rainbow, Pie in the Sky, Feathers for Lunch, etc. Lois's books always have an environmental or cultural component. I'm working on a new book now called Arbor Day Square by Kathryn O. Galbraith that's about a father and daughter on the prairie who work with their community to plant trees in the town square. Each year they plant more, the trees and the daughter grow, and soon she's picnicking with her daughter under the tree she and her dad planted years before. It's very sweet and has facts about Arbor Day at the back of the book. This book is for a bit older child or class -- I'd say 4-8 year olds. I'll definitely post about other environmental books I come across. Thanks so much! (And yes, Janice, I'm in Coronado CA. Need to know about the SD Children and Nature Network!)

[James Ryan]

Definately!! Thanks so much.
Teachers are generally busy people so to find someone who is willing to share their hard work is wonderful. That's a big part of the reason I am part of this beautiful network.
Oceans of love,
james

[Beth Diesch]

For toddlers - new curriculums available, not free though... http://www.projectwild.org/earlychildhood.htm and http://www.plt.org/cms/pages/21_21_259.html

[Patricia Rowe Gilkerson]

Yes, I think it's very helpful. I'm a preschool teacher with a Nature Club for all the preschool, pre-K and Kg groups at our center and am always looking for any good books that are out there. I have 30 minute sessions and will be looking for ideas for next year, too.
Pat

[Laura Lamarre Anderson]

I teach English as a Second Language and need books where the illustrations really match the text. The challenge for me is - simple text, complex ideas - students need basic English to read, but they are older and able to grasp deep content (grades 1 through 4). We are in the city, so I want books that bring the urban environment to life and make links to what city kids can do (recycle, support urban ecosystems, etc).
So, yes, I agree that book and resource suggestions are an important part of this forum. Keep the great ideas coming!

[Gayle Gentis]

Yes, I would use environmentally-themed children's books in my Kindergarten classroom and my country daycamp.

However, I have observed that children living within a mile of a major river have no idea of its ecosystem and the impact it has on their lives or that of the neighboring city. Therefore, I'm constantly searching for stories and books that children can relate to within their own world.

Gayle

[Laura Lamarre Anderson]

Gayle - I agree. It's good to know about the Rain Forest, but I think it's important that kids start with their own ecosystems. I think I will use field guides as a supplement to the picture books I find. Maybe the kids can write their own books.

[James Ryan]

Hi,
Hey I love the book 'All Wet All Wet' by James Skofield - I am always trying to get my daughters to pick it when they choose their books for bedtime, but alas they usually prefer 'The Gruffalo.'

The books at Wilderness Awareness School are just great - they are certainly passionate (like we are) and are certainly well worth checking out.

I am using their Kamana for Kids (naturalist training) books with my little Adventurers Club. It goes through things like - expanding awareness, hazards, water, plants, trees, birds, weather and it is all washed over with a regular dose of 'giving thanks.'

As for writing their own books - what a fantastic idea! Can you get them outside to take some photos of nature that is around? Print out the photos in colour, add a few words and there you have some little published authors - and won't mum and dad be so proud. :-)

I am creating a 'Nature Journal' with my daughters. We take photos of anything interesting - especially flowers blooming, buterflies, caterpillars, and insect eggs and nests. We keep it under month by month headings so we have a record of the year in seasons. When each year roles around we know what to expect and then go a bit deeper again.

Love this stuff,

james - australia

[Sarah Shealy]

Lynne Cherry wrote a book quite a few years back called A RIVER RAN WILD about the cleaning up of toxins in the Connecticut River in the US. That might be a good one to look for in the library for any units on river ecosystems.

James Ryan said:

Hi,
Hey I love the book 'All Wet All Wet' by James Skofield - I am always trying to get my daughters to pick it when they choose their books for bedtime, but alas they usually prefer 'The Gruffalo.'

The books at Wilderness Awareness School are just great - they are certainly passionate (like we are) and are certainly well worth checking out.

I am using their Kamana for Kids (naturalist training) books with my little Adventurers Club. It goes through things like - expanding awareness, hazards, water, plants, trees, birds, weather and it is all washed over with a regular dose of 'giving thanks.'

As for writing their own books - what a fantastic idea! Can you get them outside to take some photos of nature that is around? Print out the photos in colour, add a few words and there you have some little published authors - and won't mum and dad be so proud. :-)

I am creating a 'Nature Journal' with my daughters. We take photos of anything interesting - especially flowers blooming, buterflies, caterpillars, and insect eggs and nests. We keep it under month by month headings so we have a record of the year in seasons. When each year roles around we know what to expect and then go a bit deeper again.

Love this stuff,

james - australia