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RE: science and preschoolers
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From: Visser-Knoth, Maeve <visser-knoth_at_smcl.org>
Date: Wed, 06 Mar 2013 17:42:19 +0000
Since science is about discovery of the natural world and preschoolers are all about discovery, I find it very easy to incorporate scientific concepts in storyhours. I keep a set of magnifying glasses in my storytime basket a nd we often pull them out and inspect something. When I read aloud "Green" by Laura Vaccaro Seeger last week, we went outside and collected lots of le aves and studied them with the magnifying glasses and sorted them into cate gories - dark dreen/light green; shiny/matte (okay, I said "not shiny"); po inty/rounded...
I agree with the approach someone already spoke about- most of our favorite read alouds are well suited to thinking about science. We have trained our selves to see a craft idea in every single book. I try and add a science id ea in just the same way.
-Maeve
Maeve Visser Knoth Youth Services Librarian San Mateo County Library Atherton Library 2 Dinkelspiel Stations Lane Atherton, Ca 94027 650-328-2422
________________________________________
From: CCBC-Net digest
Sent: Tuesday, March 05, 2013 10:09 PM To: ccbc-net digest recipients Subject: ccbc-net digest: March 05, 2013
CCBC-NET Digest for Tuesday, March 05, 2013.
1. Building on Books 2. Science for the very young 3. Re: Science for the very young 4. Re: Building on Books 5. RE: Science for the very young 6. Re: Building on Books 7. RE: Science for the very young
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Subject: Building on Books From: "K.T. Horning" Date: Tue, 05 Mar 2013 11:09:55 -0600 X-Message-Number: 1
For the first two weeks of March, we are discussing the books we use with young children in libraries and schools (and at home!) that nurture their natural interests in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). What books are you using with children? Are you engaged in any creative programming in a public library or day care center that uses nonfiction in what we used to call "the hard sciences"? What trade books are you finding to use with your K-4 classes? Are there specific authors you can recommend?
KT
-- Kathleen T. Horning Director Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC) 4290 Helen C. White Hall 600 N. Park St Madison, WI 53706 http://www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc horning_at_education.wisc.edu 608-263-3721 (phone) 608-262-4933 (fax)
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Subject: Science for the very young From: Elsa Marston Date: Tue, 05 Mar 2013 11:42:43 -0600 X-Message-Number: 2
I don't work with young children, but I can say that I'm eager to read April Pulley Sayre's books to my baby grandson, and have already sent him Helen Frost's lovely STEP GENTLY OUT.
Elsa www.elsamarston.com
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Subject: Re: Science for the very young From: Claudia Pearson Date: Tue, 05 Mar 2013 12:08:58 -0600 (GMT-06:00) X-Message-Number: 3
I highly recommend Sarah Campbell's picture books, WOLF SNAIL and GROWING P ATTERNS. She offers excellent programs which show librarians and teachers h ow to use digital images the students have taken and brought to class, or t aken with the class, which I have seen presented at the Children's Book Fes tival in Hattiesburg (she'll be there again this year).
Heather Montgomery's books THE CASE OF THE MISSING ARTIC FOX and WILD DISCO VERIES WACKY NEW ANIMALS are fun reads, and she pointed out in her recent b ook launch for WACKY ANIMALS that children are finding new animals right in their backyards - talk about something fun for kids to do! Heather is a ha nds on teacher who has worked with outdoor programs offered to schools for years, and I'm sure would have great ideas on her website about integrating her book with class room activities.
Jo Kittinger's ROSA'S BUS approaches the topic of integration from a differ ent point of view, which offers possibilities for discussing the way museu ms collect and archive and exhibit their collections, and an opportunity fo r students to share their own collections and the science/history behind th em.
Claudia Pearson
Claudia Pearson coRA SCBWI Southern Breeze Georgia - Alabama - Mississippi pearsoncrz_at_earthlink.net
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Subject: Re: Building on Books From: BudNotBuddy_at_aol.com Date: Tue, 05 Mar 2013 14:23:08 -0500 (EST) X-Message-Number: 4
I'd like to share a few favorites that nurture these interests:
ALL THE WATER IN THE WORLD by George Ella Lyon and Katherine Tillotson, Atheneum, March 2011, 40p., ISBN: 978-1-4169-7130-6,
"Everything waits for an open gate in a wall of clouds to rain sweet and loud to fill the well and start the stream." There are a lot of things that we can run out of and still go on living. Fresh water is not one of them. Here in northern California's Bay Area, w e typically get our aquifers adequately replenished each winter by the seasonal rains. But for most of California, water supply, conservation, a nd shortage is a significant and ongoing issue. And with California supplyin g a healthy chunk of the nation's food, this means that water supply is a national issue. ALL THE WATER IN THE WORLD is a great introduction to the water cycle. Related titles that are long-time favorites of mine include RAIN RAIN RIVERS by Uri Shulevitz and COME ON, RAIN! by Karen Hesse and Jon J. Muth. POND CIRCLE by Betsy Franco and Stefano Vitale, ill., McElderry Books, June 2009, 32p., ISBN: 978-1-4169-4021-0 AFTER THE KILL by Darrin Lunde and Catherine Stock, ill., Charlesbridge, July 2011, 32p., ISBN: 978-1-57091-743-1 THE WOLVES ARE BACK by Jean Craighead George and Wendell Minor, ill., Dutton, April 2008, 32p., ISBN: 0-525-47947-3 Each of these picture books lead to understanding food chains and ecosystems. POND CIRCLE is a book that shows young readers how a neighbor hood ecosystem begins with the algae in the pond and works its way up to the howling, prowling coyote. AFTER THE KILL portrays the tension between co-existing species -- predators, scavengers, and prey -- as the zebra kil led by the lioness becomes, in turn, a meal for white-backed vultures, spotted hyenas , golden jackals, male lions, small lion cubs, lappet-faced vultures, and meat-eating beetles. THE WOLVES ARE BACK details how ten adult wolves imported from Canada into Yellowstone National Park in 1995 have quickly multiplied into a series of wolf packs and have led in turn to the reestab lishment of plant and animal species not seen in Yellowstone in many decades. Another related old, old favorite that hints at food chains is JUMP FROG, JUMP. MEADOWLANDS: A WETLANDS SURVIVAL STORY by Thomas F. Yezerski, Farrar Straus Giroux, March 2011, 40p.. ISBN: 978-0-375-34913-4 This one is related to the previous three. It is a real favorite of mine:
Thomas F. Yezerski incorporates concepts of geology, geography, biology, history, land use, ecology, and activism. In the latter parts of the book, in which we learn about the rebirth of the Meadowlands, Yezerski's stunnin g ink and watercolor paintings repeatedly depict the overlap of nature and man in this metropolitan area estuary: the bugs amidst the river grasses, with a bridge in the foreground occupying half of the two-page spread; a school of killifish being chased through the water (past an empty chips ba g) by a larger fish, with high tension power lines and industrial buildings in the background; a band of fiddler crabs framed around an empty, dented sod a can, with high rise apartment buildings in the background; a family of duc ks in a secluded bit of water with a NJ Transit train going by behind them. Yezerski's story, of environmentalism taking root in an urban ecosystem, concludes with a look at a class on a field trip, learning what they can d o to help heal the Meadowlands and take care of the Earth in general. In the final, memorable two-page spread, an osprey in the foreground soars above the teacher and students. Across the background, from the vantage point of the osprey, we can scan the skyline of Manhattan rising beyond the skyline of Jersey City. MEAN SOUP by Betsy Everitt, Harcourt, 1992, 32p., ISBN: 978-0-15-200227-5 PRETEND SOUP AND OTHER REAL RECIPES: A COOKBOOK FOR PRESCHOOLERS AND UP by Molly Katzen, Ten Speed, 1994, 96p., ISBN: 978-1-8836-7206-5 Cooking is a science we deal with every day. Taking some grain and turning it into a loaf of bread involves a chemical change that cannot be undone. This contrasts with physical changes such as dissolving sugar in water which, through evaporation, we can get back the sugar with which we began. All these years later, I still find MEAN SOUP to be such a total crack-up of a story: A boy who has had a bad day is brought to a better space by hi s mom who gets him to expel all of his grumpies into the soup they make. And Molly Katzen's series o f cookbooks -- which I used decades ago with bo th my children and my preschool students -- is just so kid-friendly. and then it's spring by Julie Fogliano and Erin E. Stead, ill., Neal Porter/Roaring Brook, February 2012, 32p., ISBN: 978-1-59643-624-4 and then it's spring (which just won yet another award a few days ago) is the story of this kid in wire-rims and his animal friends -- a bird, a turtle, a rabbit, a dog -- who are waiting day after day and week after we ek for the kid's newly-planted seeds to come to life. It is a tale in (woodbl ock printing and pencil) pictures and (spare, poetic) text about waiting for spring to turn the browns to greens. So you have both seasons and botany here. EARTHDANCE by Joanne Ryder and Norman Gorbaty, ill, Holt, 1996, 32p., ISBN: 978-0-8050-6231-1 After 17 years, my love for this beautiful book has only grown. In it, the reader/listener is encouraged to imagine standing tall in an empty spa ce. "Stretch your arms out wide and slowly turn around" and become the Earth
. Gorbaty uses stencils on illustration board with printing ink to create a great variety of images representing everything from the pristine wilds to the crowded urbanity of our great cities. COMMON GROUND: THE WATER, EARTH, AND AIR WE SHARE by Molly Bang, Blue Sky Press, 1997, 32p., ISBN: 978-0-590-10056-4 Molly Bang has created a whole bunch of books that fit into this topic. NOBODY PARTICULAR: ONE WOMAN'S FIGHT TO SAVE THE BAYS is one I'd certainly hope to hear mentioned during this discussion. But, for me, COMMON GROUND asks young readers the big questions about sustainability that motivate those of us who have big hopes that our grandchildren and great-grandchild ren will still have a habitable planet after we are gone. I just now paused long enough to buy another used copy on Amazon to give to my 10 year-old h ouse mate for her classroom. I've given away a load of these over the years. ME...JANE by Patrick McDonnell, Little Brown, April 2011, 40p., ISBN: 978-0-316-04546-9 Having read and reread the bo oks about Tarzan of the Apes, "Jane dreamed of a life in Africa, too... "a life living with, and helping, all animals. "At night Jane would tuck Jubilee into bed, say her prayers. and fall asleep... "to awake one day... "to her dreams come true." Fortunately for the world, Jane Goodall had a supportive mother who encouraged her daughter's curiosity and enthusiasm for learning about natu re, thereby helping make Goodall's dreams come true. In showing how this is actually the story of a real childhood, Patrick McDonnell has included sev eral pages of Goodall's own childhood sketches amidst his illustrations. It models a girl studying science, and will inspire love for learning about an d cherishing our world's precious natural heritage. underGROUND by Denise Fleming, Beach Lane, September 2012, 40p., ISBN: 978-1-4424-5882-6 And I will conclude with a shout-out for the work of Denise Fleming. Denise did an appearance for me many years ago, back in my bookstore days, demonstrating her craft of turning dyed cotto n fiber into award-winning bo ok illustrations. Last year's UNDER GROUND joins IN THE SMALL, SMALL POND an d IN THE TALL, TALL GRASS as an introduction to small, small children about the wonders of the outdoors. In underGROUND, Fleming interweaves art and poetry with science to give us a look at what is under our feet. She shows us nearly two dozen critters having to do with digging in and/or living in the ground. We see them in action as we traverse the pages of her poetic t ext and, then, learn more about them in a Creature Identification spread at the conclusion of the story.
Richie Partington, MLIS Richie's Picks _http://richiespicks.com_ (http://richiespicks.com/) BudNotBuddy_at_aol.com Moderator _http://groups.yahoo.com/group/middle_school_lit/_ (http://groups.yahoo.com/middle_school_lit/) _
In a message dated 3/5/2013 9:15:01 A.M. Pacific Standard Time, horning_at_education.wisc.edu writes:
For the first two weeks of March, we are discussing the books we use with young children in libraries and schools (and at home!) that nurture their natural interests in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). What books are you using with children? Are you engaged in any creative programming in a public library or day care center that uses nonfiction in what we used to call "the hard sciences"? What trade books are you finding to use with your K-4 classes? Are there specific authors you can recommend?
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Subject: RE: Science for the very young From: "Payne, Rachel" Date: Tue, 05 Mar 2013 14:55:47 -0500 X-Message-Number: 5
What a great topic! At BPL we recently had a wonderful workshop for staff on Science Activities for Preschoolers led by the wonderful Lynn Cole of th e Queens Library Discovery Center. She basically said that many of our fav orite storytime books already have STEM going on and can lead into fun acti vities and discussions. Here are a few of her examples and after the sessi on I thought of a few of my own:
Balance Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin and John Archambault, illustrated by Lois Ehlert Activity idea: Set up a low balance beam (or even tape on the floor) and ta lk about what helps us balance
Sound Bark, George by Jules Feiffer The Little Little Girl with the Big Big Voice by Kristen Balouch Activity idea: Make an air cannon (http://pbskids.org/dragonflytv/superdoit /air_cannon.html)
Reflection Kitten's First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes Activity idea: Pass around a child-safe mirror after you read the story
Animal patterns and camouflage We're Going on a Lion Hunt by David Axtell Wild About Books by Judy Sierra, illustrated by Marc Brown Activity idea: Match pictures of animals with different patterns to various striped, spotted, or solid patterns found on fabrics.
I really loved Lynn’s approach and I think it was an “ah-ha !” moment for many BPL staff members and me. Science and math are everywhere!
Also, BPL we have created some preschool math and science kits to be pilote d in 20 of our branches. Each kit has books, an experiment or activity, an d take home sheets related to a variety of math and science concepts to be used by families in the branch or by staff in programs. We are launching t hem very soon! If anyone is interested in the materials we created for thi s project, let me know and I can send them your way.
Also, our Ready, Set, Kindergarten! expanded web content on our First Five Years page should be ready to launch in the next few days. We have created simple tip sheets on Every Child Ready to Read practices as well as math a nd science in English, Spanish, Chinese, Urdu, Arabic, and Bengali (and we hope to add Haitian Creole and French soon). I will be happy to share that with interested folks as well once it is up and running.
Best, Rachel
Rachel Payne в”‚ Coordinator, Early Childhood Services Brooklyn Public Library в”‚ Youth and Family Services 10 Grand Army Plaza в”‚ Brooklyn, NY 11238 Tel: 718.230.2233 в”‚ Fax: 718.230.2784 r.payne_at_brooklynpubliclibrary.org
BPL's sites for children & teens: http://www.brooklynpubliclibrary.org/kids _teens.jsp Resources for parents & teachers at BPL: http://www.brooklynpubliclibrary.o rg/parents_teachers.jsp
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Subject: Re: Building on Books From: "Stohr-Hunt, Tricia" Date: Tue, 05 Mar 2013 20:38:28 +0000 X-Message-Number: 6
My preservice teachers and I spend a lot of time looking at books and autho rs during my course on pedagogy and content for teaching science. We review series and publishers that are kid and science friendly, as well as author s that do this well. Here are some of the authors I highlight with them.
Melissa Stewart – A prolific writer across a range of nonfiction topics, Melissa's work engenders high interest from my students and the kids they w ork with.
Caroline Arnold and Sandra Markle – I put these two together because they generally write books that concentrate on specific animals. I find their b ooks to be nicely detailed and clearly presented.
Nicola Davies – I think Nicola is a genius and love her books illustrated by Neil Layton and published by Walker Books (Poo: A Natural History of th e Unmentionable, Extreme Animals: The Toughest Creatures, What's eating y ou? Parasites: the Inside Story, Just the Right Size: Why Big Animals are B ig and Little Animals are Little)
Brenda Guiberson – Also a favorite who has written across a range of topi cs.
I'll also echo the comment about April Pulley Sayre and say that her books are accessible and so interesting.
Steve Jenkins – I haven't met a kid yet that isn't fascinated by his art or the content of his books. He writes across a range of ages, and even my middle schooler still pulls his books out to read.
Nic Bishop – A photographer with a PhD, it doesn't get much better in ter ms of content and presentation.
Jim Arnosky – I've been a fan for a long time. His art is terrific and he knows his way around the nature world.
I could go on, and there are lot of "old favorites (Seymour Simon, Gail Gib bons, etc.) that I've missed, as well as some poets (Marilyn Singer, Dougla s Florian) that do science really well.
Can't wait to read more! Best, Tricia
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Dr. Patricia M. Stohr-Hunt Chair, Education Department 28 Westhampton Way Suite 309 North Court University of Richmond, VA 23173
My Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/pstohrhu/ Math/Science Blog: http://bookishways.blogspot.com Poetry Blog: http://missrumphiuseffect.blogspot.com/ My Home Page: http://blog.richmond.edu/pstohrhu/
Teachers open the door, but you must enter by yourself. -- Chinese Proverb
On 3/5/13 12:09 PM, "K.T. Horning" wrote:
For the first two weeks of March, we are discussing the books we use with young children in libraries and schools (and at home!) that nurture their natural interests in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). What books are you using with children? Are you engaged in any creative programming in a public library or day care center that uses nonfiction in what we used to call "the hard sciences"? What trade books are you finding to use with your K-4 classes? Are there specific authors you can recommend?
KT
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Subject: RE: Science for the very young From: Claudia Haines Date: Tue, 05 Mar 2013 14:30:32 -0900 X-Message-Number: 7
Great topic! I am beginning to incorporate more STEAM (STEM plus art) into storytimes and will focus primarily on that during the preschool component of our summer program. It helps parents and I appreciate great books in a w hole new way.
At our library I see kids in general seem to browse science and non-fiction more for interest reading these days instead of searching the stacks solel y for class required research. Incorporating science for the very young hel ps introduce this idea of science being interesting and fun to kids from an early age and fosters a love of science, etc.
Claudia
Claudia Haines
Youth Services
Homer Public Library
chaines_at_cityofhomer-ak.gov
www.cityofhomer-ak.gov/library
Facebook: Teens_at_HPL or Homer Public Library
907.435.3176 (direct)
907.235.3180 (main)
From: Payne, Rachel
Sent: Tuesday, March 05, 2013 10:56 AM To: ccbc-net_at_ccbc.education.wisc.edu Subject: RE:
Science for the very young
What a great topic! At BPL we recently had a wonderful workshop for staff on Science Activities for Preschoolers led by the wonderful Lynn Cole of th e Queens Library Discovery Center. She basically said that many of our fav orite storytime books already have STEM going on and can lead into fun acti vities and discussions. Here are a few of her examples and after the sessi on I thought of a few of my own:
Balance Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin and John Archambault, illustrated by Lois Ehlert
Activity idea: Set up a low balance beam (or even tape on the floor) and ta lk about what helps us balance
Sound
Bark, George by Jules Feiffer
The Little Little Girl with the Big Big Voice by Kristen Balouch
Activity idea: Make an air cannon (http://pbskids.org/dragonflytv/superdoit /air_cannon.html )
Reflection
Kitten's First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes
Activity idea: Pass around a child-safe mirror after you read the story
Animal patterns and camouflage
We're Going on a Lion Hunt by David Axtell
Wild About Books by Judy Sierra, illustrated by Marc Brown
Activity idea: Match pictures of animals with different patterns to various striped, spotted, or solid patterns found on fabrics.
I really loved Lynn’s approach and I think it was an “ah-ha !” moment for many BPL staff members and me. Science and math are everywhere!
Also, BPL we have created some preschool math and science kits to be pilote d in 20 of our branches. Each kit has books, an experiment or activity, an d take home sheets related to a variety of math and science concepts to be used by families in the branch or by staff in programs. We are launching t hem very soon! If anyone is interested in the materials we created for thi s project, let me know and I can send them your way.
Also, our Ready, Set, Kindergarten! expanded web content on our First Five Years page should be ready to launch in the next few days. We have created simple tip sheets on Every Child Ready to Read practices as well as math a nd science in English, Spanish, Chinese, Urdu, Arabic, and Bengali (and we hope to add Haitian Creole and French soon). I will be happy to share that with interested folks as well once it is up and running.
Best,
Rachel
Rachel Payne в”‚ Coordinator, Early Childhood Services
Brooklyn Public Library в”‚ Youth and Family Services
10 Grand Army Plaza в”‚ Brooklyn, NY 11238
Tel: 718.230.2233 в”‚ Fax: 718.230.2784
r.payne_at_brooklynpubliclibrary.org
BPL's sites for children & teens: http://www.brooklynpubliclibrary.org/kids _teens.jsp Resources for parents & teachers at BPL: http://www.brooklynpubliclibrary.o rg/parents_teachers.jsp
Date: Wed, 06 Mar 2013 17:42:19 +0000
Since science is about discovery of the natural world and preschoolers are all about discovery, I find it very easy to incorporate scientific concepts in storyhours. I keep a set of magnifying glasses in my storytime basket a nd we often pull them out and inspect something. When I read aloud "Green" by Laura Vaccaro Seeger last week, we went outside and collected lots of le aves and studied them with the magnifying glasses and sorted them into cate gories - dark dreen/light green; shiny/matte (okay, I said "not shiny"); po inty/rounded...
I agree with the approach someone already spoke about- most of our favorite read alouds are well suited to thinking about science. We have trained our selves to see a craft idea in every single book. I try and add a science id ea in just the same way.
-Maeve
Maeve Visser Knoth Youth Services Librarian San Mateo County Library Atherton Library 2 Dinkelspiel Stations Lane Atherton, Ca 94027 650-328-2422
________________________________________
From: CCBC-Net digest
Sent: Tuesday, March 05, 2013 10:09 PM To: ccbc-net digest recipients Subject: ccbc-net digest: March 05, 2013
CCBC-NET Digest for Tuesday, March 05, 2013.
1. Building on Books 2. Science for the very young 3. Re: Science for the very young 4. Re: Building on Books 5. RE: Science for the very young 6. Re: Building on Books 7. RE: Science for the very young
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Subject: Building on Books From: "K.T. Horning" Date: Tue, 05 Mar 2013 11:09:55 -0600 X-Message-Number: 1
For the first two weeks of March, we are discussing the books we use with young children in libraries and schools (and at home!) that nurture their natural interests in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). What books are you using with children? Are you engaged in any creative programming in a public library or day care center that uses nonfiction in what we used to call "the hard sciences"? What trade books are you finding to use with your K-4 classes? Are there specific authors you can recommend?
KT
-- Kathleen T. Horning Director Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC) 4290 Helen C. White Hall 600 N. Park St Madison, WI 53706 http://www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc horning_at_education.wisc.edu 608-263-3721 (phone) 608-262-4933 (fax)
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Subject: Science for the very young From: Elsa Marston Date: Tue, 05 Mar 2013 11:42:43 -0600 X-Message-Number: 2
I don't work with young children, but I can say that I'm eager to read April Pulley Sayre's books to my baby grandson, and have already sent him Helen Frost's lovely STEP GENTLY OUT.
Elsa www.elsamarston.com
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: Re: Science for the very young From: Claudia Pearson Date: Tue, 05 Mar 2013 12:08:58 -0600 (GMT-06:00) X-Message-Number: 3
I highly recommend Sarah Campbell's picture books, WOLF SNAIL and GROWING P ATTERNS. She offers excellent programs which show librarians and teachers h ow to use digital images the students have taken and brought to class, or t aken with the class, which I have seen presented at the Children's Book Fes tival in Hattiesburg (she'll be there again this year).
Heather Montgomery's books THE CASE OF THE MISSING ARTIC FOX and WILD DISCO VERIES WACKY NEW ANIMALS are fun reads, and she pointed out in her recent b ook launch for WACKY ANIMALS that children are finding new animals right in their backyards - talk about something fun for kids to do! Heather is a ha nds on teacher who has worked with outdoor programs offered to schools for years, and I'm sure would have great ideas on her website about integrating her book with class room activities.
Jo Kittinger's ROSA'S BUS approaches the topic of integration from a differ ent point of view, which offers possibilities for discussing the way museu ms collect and archive and exhibit their collections, and an opportunity fo r students to share their own collections and the science/history behind th em.
Claudia Pearson
Claudia Pearson coRA SCBWI Southern Breeze Georgia - Alabama - Mississippi pearsoncrz_at_earthlink.net
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: Re: Building on Books From: BudNotBuddy_at_aol.com Date: Tue, 05 Mar 2013 14:23:08 -0500 (EST) X-Message-Number: 4
I'd like to share a few favorites that nurture these interests:
ALL THE WATER IN THE WORLD by George Ella Lyon and Katherine Tillotson, Atheneum, March 2011, 40p., ISBN: 978-1-4169-7130-6,
"Everything waits for an open gate in a wall of clouds to rain sweet and loud to fill the well and start the stream." There are a lot of things that we can run out of and still go on living. Fresh water is not one of them. Here in northern California's Bay Area, w e typically get our aquifers adequately replenished each winter by the seasonal rains. But for most of California, water supply, conservation, a nd shortage is a significant and ongoing issue. And with California supplyin g a healthy chunk of the nation's food, this means that water supply is a national issue. ALL THE WATER IN THE WORLD is a great introduction to the water cycle. Related titles that are long-time favorites of mine include RAIN RAIN RIVERS by Uri Shulevitz and COME ON, RAIN! by Karen Hesse and Jon J. Muth. POND CIRCLE by Betsy Franco and Stefano Vitale, ill., McElderry Books, June 2009, 32p., ISBN: 978-1-4169-4021-0 AFTER THE KILL by Darrin Lunde and Catherine Stock, ill., Charlesbridge, July 2011, 32p., ISBN: 978-1-57091-743-1 THE WOLVES ARE BACK by Jean Craighead George and Wendell Minor, ill., Dutton, April 2008, 32p., ISBN: 0-525-47947-3 Each of these picture books lead to understanding food chains and ecosystems. POND CIRCLE is a book that shows young readers how a neighbor hood ecosystem begins with the algae in the pond and works its way up to the howling, prowling coyote. AFTER THE KILL portrays the tension between co-existing species -- predators, scavengers, and prey -- as the zebra kil led by the lioness becomes, in turn, a meal for white-backed vultures, spotted hyenas , golden jackals, male lions, small lion cubs, lappet-faced vultures, and meat-eating beetles. THE WOLVES ARE BACK details how ten adult wolves imported from Canada into Yellowstone National Park in 1995 have quickly multiplied into a series of wolf packs and have led in turn to the reestab lishment of plant and animal species not seen in Yellowstone in many decades. Another related old, old favorite that hints at food chains is JUMP FROG, JUMP. MEADOWLANDS: A WETLANDS SURVIVAL STORY by Thomas F. Yezerski, Farrar Straus Giroux, March 2011, 40p.. ISBN: 978-0-375-34913-4 This one is related to the previous three. It is a real favorite of mine:
Thomas F. Yezerski incorporates concepts of geology, geography, biology, history, land use, ecology, and activism. In the latter parts of the book, in which we learn about the rebirth of the Meadowlands, Yezerski's stunnin g ink and watercolor paintings repeatedly depict the overlap of nature and man in this metropolitan area estuary: the bugs amidst the river grasses, with a bridge in the foreground occupying half of the two-page spread; a school of killifish being chased through the water (past an empty chips ba g) by a larger fish, with high tension power lines and industrial buildings in the background; a band of fiddler crabs framed around an empty, dented sod a can, with high rise apartment buildings in the background; a family of duc ks in a secluded bit of water with a NJ Transit train going by behind them. Yezerski's story, of environmentalism taking root in an urban ecosystem, concludes with a look at a class on a field trip, learning what they can d o to help heal the Meadowlands and take care of the Earth in general. In the final, memorable two-page spread, an osprey in the foreground soars above the teacher and students. Across the background, from the vantage point of the osprey, we can scan the skyline of Manhattan rising beyond the skyline of Jersey City. MEAN SOUP by Betsy Everitt, Harcourt, 1992, 32p., ISBN: 978-0-15-200227-5 PRETEND SOUP AND OTHER REAL RECIPES: A COOKBOOK FOR PRESCHOOLERS AND UP by Molly Katzen, Ten Speed, 1994, 96p., ISBN: 978-1-8836-7206-5 Cooking is a science we deal with every day. Taking some grain and turning it into a loaf of bread involves a chemical change that cannot be undone. This contrasts with physical changes such as dissolving sugar in water which, through evaporation, we can get back the sugar with which we began. All these years later, I still find MEAN SOUP to be such a total crack-up of a story: A boy who has had a bad day is brought to a better space by hi s mom who gets him to expel all of his grumpies into the soup they make. And Molly Katzen's series o f cookbooks -- which I used decades ago with bo th my children and my preschool students -- is just so kid-friendly. and then it's spring by Julie Fogliano and Erin E. Stead, ill., Neal Porter/Roaring Brook, February 2012, 32p., ISBN: 978-1-59643-624-4 and then it's spring (which just won yet another award a few days ago) is the story of this kid in wire-rims and his animal friends -- a bird, a turtle, a rabbit, a dog -- who are waiting day after day and week after we ek for the kid's newly-planted seeds to come to life. It is a tale in (woodbl ock printing and pencil) pictures and (spare, poetic) text about waiting for spring to turn the browns to greens. So you have both seasons and botany here. EARTHDANCE by Joanne Ryder and Norman Gorbaty, ill, Holt, 1996, 32p., ISBN: 978-0-8050-6231-1 After 17 years, my love for this beautiful book has only grown. In it, the reader/listener is encouraged to imagine standing tall in an empty spa ce. "Stretch your arms out wide and slowly turn around" and become the Earth
. Gorbaty uses stencils on illustration board with printing ink to create a great variety of images representing everything from the pristine wilds to the crowded urbanity of our great cities. COMMON GROUND: THE WATER, EARTH, AND AIR WE SHARE by Molly Bang, Blue Sky Press, 1997, 32p., ISBN: 978-0-590-10056-4 Molly Bang has created a whole bunch of books that fit into this topic. NOBODY PARTICULAR: ONE WOMAN'S FIGHT TO SAVE THE BAYS is one I'd certainly hope to hear mentioned during this discussion. But, for me, COMMON GROUND asks young readers the big questions about sustainability that motivate those of us who have big hopes that our grandchildren and great-grandchild ren will still have a habitable planet after we are gone. I just now paused long enough to buy another used copy on Amazon to give to my 10 year-old h ouse mate for her classroom. I've given away a load of these over the years. ME...JANE by Patrick McDonnell, Little Brown, April 2011, 40p., ISBN: 978-0-316-04546-9 Having read and reread the bo oks about Tarzan of the Apes, "Jane dreamed of a life in Africa, too... "a life living with, and helping, all animals. "At night Jane would tuck Jubilee into bed, say her prayers. and fall asleep... "to awake one day... "to her dreams come true." Fortunately for the world, Jane Goodall had a supportive mother who encouraged her daughter's curiosity and enthusiasm for learning about natu re, thereby helping make Goodall's dreams come true. In showing how this is actually the story of a real childhood, Patrick McDonnell has included sev eral pages of Goodall's own childhood sketches amidst his illustrations. It models a girl studying science, and will inspire love for learning about an d cherishing our world's precious natural heritage. underGROUND by Denise Fleming, Beach Lane, September 2012, 40p., ISBN: 978-1-4424-5882-6 And I will conclude with a shout-out for the work of Denise Fleming. Denise did an appearance for me many years ago, back in my bookstore days, demonstrating her craft of turning dyed cotto n fiber into award-winning bo ok illustrations. Last year's UNDER GROUND joins IN THE SMALL, SMALL POND an d IN THE TALL, TALL GRASS as an introduction to small, small children about the wonders of the outdoors. In underGROUND, Fleming interweaves art and poetry with science to give us a look at what is under our feet. She shows us nearly two dozen critters having to do with digging in and/or living in the ground. We see them in action as we traverse the pages of her poetic t ext and, then, learn more about them in a Creature Identification spread at the conclusion of the story.
Richie Partington, MLIS Richie's Picks _http://richiespicks.com_ (http://richiespicks.com/) BudNotBuddy_at_aol.com Moderator _http://groups.yahoo.com/group/middle_school_lit/_ (http://groups.yahoo.com/middle_school_lit/) _
In a message dated 3/5/2013 9:15:01 A.M. Pacific Standard Time, horning_at_education.wisc.edu writes:
For the first two weeks of March, we are discussing the books we use with young children in libraries and schools (and at home!) that nurture their natural interests in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). What books are you using with children? Are you engaged in any creative programming in a public library or day care center that uses nonfiction in what we used to call "the hard sciences"? What trade books are you finding to use with your K-4 classes? Are there specific authors you can recommend?
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Subject: RE: Science for the very young From: "Payne, Rachel" Date: Tue, 05 Mar 2013 14:55:47 -0500 X-Message-Number: 5
What a great topic! At BPL we recently had a wonderful workshop for staff on Science Activities for Preschoolers led by the wonderful Lynn Cole of th e Queens Library Discovery Center. She basically said that many of our fav orite storytime books already have STEM going on and can lead into fun acti vities and discussions. Here are a few of her examples and after the sessi on I thought of a few of my own:
Balance Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin and John Archambault, illustrated by Lois Ehlert Activity idea: Set up a low balance beam (or even tape on the floor) and ta lk about what helps us balance
Sound Bark, George by Jules Feiffer The Little Little Girl with the Big Big Voice by Kristen Balouch Activity idea: Make an air cannon (http://pbskids.org/dragonflytv/superdoit /air_cannon.html)
Reflection Kitten's First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes Activity idea: Pass around a child-safe mirror after you read the story
Animal patterns and camouflage We're Going on a Lion Hunt by David Axtell Wild About Books by Judy Sierra, illustrated by Marc Brown Activity idea: Match pictures of animals with different patterns to various striped, spotted, or solid patterns found on fabrics.
I really loved Lynn’s approach and I think it was an “ah-ha !” moment for many BPL staff members and me. Science and math are everywhere!
Also, BPL we have created some preschool math and science kits to be pilote d in 20 of our branches. Each kit has books, an experiment or activity, an d take home sheets related to a variety of math and science concepts to be used by families in the branch or by staff in programs. We are launching t hem very soon! If anyone is interested in the materials we created for thi s project, let me know and I can send them your way.
Also, our Ready, Set, Kindergarten! expanded web content on our First Five Years page should be ready to launch in the next few days. We have created simple tip sheets on Every Child Ready to Read practices as well as math a nd science in English, Spanish, Chinese, Urdu, Arabic, and Bengali (and we hope to add Haitian Creole and French soon). I will be happy to share that with interested folks as well once it is up and running.
Best, Rachel
Rachel Payne в”‚ Coordinator, Early Childhood Services Brooklyn Public Library в”‚ Youth and Family Services 10 Grand Army Plaza в”‚ Brooklyn, NY 11238 Tel: 718.230.2233 в”‚ Fax: 718.230.2784 r.payne_at_brooklynpubliclibrary.org
BPL's sites for children & teens: http://www.brooklynpubliclibrary.org/kids _teens.jsp Resources for parents & teachers at BPL: http://www.brooklynpubliclibrary.o rg/parents_teachers.jsp
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Subject: Re: Building on Books From: "Stohr-Hunt, Tricia" Date: Tue, 05 Mar 2013 20:38:28 +0000 X-Message-Number: 6
My preservice teachers and I spend a lot of time looking at books and autho rs during my course on pedagogy and content for teaching science. We review series and publishers that are kid and science friendly, as well as author s that do this well. Here are some of the authors I highlight with them.
Melissa Stewart – A prolific writer across a range of nonfiction topics, Melissa's work engenders high interest from my students and the kids they w ork with.
Caroline Arnold and Sandra Markle – I put these two together because they generally write books that concentrate on specific animals. I find their b ooks to be nicely detailed and clearly presented.
Nicola Davies – I think Nicola is a genius and love her books illustrated by Neil Layton and published by Walker Books (Poo: A Natural History of th e Unmentionable, Extreme Animals: The Toughest Creatures, What's eating y ou? Parasites: the Inside Story, Just the Right Size: Why Big Animals are B ig and Little Animals are Little)
Brenda Guiberson – Also a favorite who has written across a range of topi cs.
I'll also echo the comment about April Pulley Sayre and say that her books are accessible and so interesting.
Steve Jenkins – I haven't met a kid yet that isn't fascinated by his art or the content of his books. He writes across a range of ages, and even my middle schooler still pulls his books out to read.
Nic Bishop – A photographer with a PhD, it doesn't get much better in ter ms of content and presentation.
Jim Arnosky – I've been a fan for a long time. His art is terrific and he knows his way around the nature world.
I could go on, and there are lot of "old favorites (Seymour Simon, Gail Gib bons, etc.) that I've missed, as well as some poets (Marilyn Singer, Dougla s Florian) that do science really well.
Can't wait to read more! Best, Tricia
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Dr. Patricia M. Stohr-Hunt Chair, Education Department 28 Westhampton Way Suite 309 North Court University of Richmond, VA 23173
My Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/pstohrhu/ Math/Science Blog: http://bookishways.blogspot.com Poetry Blog: http://missrumphiuseffect.blogspot.com/ My Home Page: http://blog.richmond.edu/pstohrhu/
Teachers open the door, but you must enter by yourself. -- Chinese Proverb
On 3/5/13 12:09 PM, "K.T. Horning" wrote:
For the first two weeks of March, we are discussing the books we use with young children in libraries and schools (and at home!) that nurture their natural interests in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). What books are you using with children? Are you engaged in any creative programming in a public library or day care center that uses nonfiction in what we used to call "the hard sciences"? What trade books are you finding to use with your K-4 classes? Are there specific authors you can recommend?
KT
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Subject: RE: Science for the very young From: Claudia Haines Date: Tue, 05 Mar 2013 14:30:32 -0900 X-Message-Number: 7
Great topic! I am beginning to incorporate more STEAM (STEM plus art) into storytimes and will focus primarily on that during the preschool component of our summer program. It helps parents and I appreciate great books in a w hole new way.
At our library I see kids in general seem to browse science and non-fiction more for interest reading these days instead of searching the stacks solel y for class required research. Incorporating science for the very young hel ps introduce this idea of science being interesting and fun to kids from an early age and fosters a love of science, etc.
Claudia
Claudia Haines
Youth Services
Homer Public Library
chaines_at_cityofhomer-ak.gov
www.cityofhomer-ak.gov/library
Facebook: Teens_at_HPL or Homer Public Library
907.435.3176 (direct)
907.235.3180 (main)
From: Payne, Rachel
Sent: Tuesday, March 05, 2013 10:56 AM To: ccbc-net_at_ccbc.education.wisc.edu Subject: RE:
Science for the very young
What a great topic! At BPL we recently had a wonderful workshop for staff on Science Activities for Preschoolers led by the wonderful Lynn Cole of th e Queens Library Discovery Center. She basically said that many of our fav orite storytime books already have STEM going on and can lead into fun acti vities and discussions. Here are a few of her examples and after the sessi on I thought of a few of my own:
Balance Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin and John Archambault, illustrated by Lois Ehlert
Activity idea: Set up a low balance beam (or even tape on the floor) and ta lk about what helps us balance
Sound
Bark, George by Jules Feiffer
The Little Little Girl with the Big Big Voice by Kristen Balouch
Activity idea: Make an air cannon (http://pbskids.org/dragonflytv/superdoit /air_cannon.html )
Reflection
Kitten's First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes
Activity idea: Pass around a child-safe mirror after you read the story
Animal patterns and camouflage
We're Going on a Lion Hunt by David Axtell
Wild About Books by Judy Sierra, illustrated by Marc Brown
Activity idea: Match pictures of animals with different patterns to various striped, spotted, or solid patterns found on fabrics.
I really loved Lynn’s approach and I think it was an “ah-ha !” moment for many BPL staff members and me. Science and math are everywhere!
Also, BPL we have created some preschool math and science kits to be pilote d in 20 of our branches. Each kit has books, an experiment or activity, an d take home sheets related to a variety of math and science concepts to be used by families in the branch or by staff in programs. We are launching t hem very soon! If anyone is interested in the materials we created for thi s project, let me know and I can send them your way.
Also, our Ready, Set, Kindergarten! expanded web content on our First Five Years page should be ready to launch in the next few days. We have created simple tip sheets on Every Child Ready to Read practices as well as math a nd science in English, Spanish, Chinese, Urdu, Arabic, and Bengali (and we hope to add Haitian Creole and French soon). I will be happy to share that with interested folks as well once it is up and running.
Best,
Rachel
Rachel Payne в”‚ Coordinator, Early Childhood Services
Brooklyn Public Library в”‚ Youth and Family Services
10 Grand Army Plaza в”‚ Brooklyn, NY 11238
Tel: 718.230.2233 в”‚ Fax: 718.230.2784
r.payne_at_brooklynpubliclibrary.org
BPL's sites for children & teens: http://www.brooklynpubliclibrary.org/kids _teens.jsp Resources for parents & teachers at BPL: http://www.brooklynpubliclibrary.o rg/parents_teachers.jsp
---Received on Wed 06 Mar 2013 05:42:19 PM CST
