Author Lori Mortensen talks about her new picture book, Away with Words, the Daring Story of Isabella Bird, illustrated by Kirsty Caldwell.
A fabulous collection of 21+ picture books about eggs - fiction and non-fiction - to enjoy with children in preschool, kindergarten and elementary school.
Birds, with their songs, flight and feather, fill children with awe. Perhaps it’s a robin…
These non fiction picture books cover biography, science, math, social studies, animals, and behavior.
These Penguin Books will make a great addition to your Penguin or Winter units. And, your students will love to learn all about these flightless birds.
A storytime featuring one of my most favorite birds - storytime theme: peacocks! With fewer titles available this lesson plan proved tricky!
Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday Here at Teach Mentor Texts we are always looking for more ways to support teachers! We've found that teachers seem to be constantly on the lookout for great nonfiction. We know we are! To help with this undying quest for outstanding non-fiction, we are excited to participate in Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday hosted by Kid Lit Frenzy and The Nonfiction Detectives. Every Wednesday, you'll find a non-fiction review here - although it may not always be a picture book review. Please visit Kid Lit Frenzy to see what non-fiction others have to share, too. Title: Look Up! Bird-Watching in Your Own Backyard Author: Annette LeBlanc Cate Illustrator: Annette LeBlanc Cate Publisher: Candlewick Press Publication Date: March 12th, 2013 Genre/Format: Non-Fiction/Picture Book GoodReads Summary: You don’t have to own binoculars and know a bunch of fancy Latin names to watch birds! No matter where you live, they’re in your neighborhood — just look up. This conversational, humorous introduction to bird-watching encourages kids to get outdoors with a sketchbook and really look around. Quirky full-color illustrations portray dozens of birds chatting about their distinctive characteristics, including color, shape, plumage, and beak and foot types, while tongue-in-cheek cartoons feature banter between birds, characters, and the reader ("Here I am, the noble spruce grouse. In a spruce grove. Eatin’ some spruce. Yep."). Interactive and enjoyable tips bring an age-old hobby to new life for the next generation of bird-watchers. What Jen Thinks: I know I say this all the time, but it's true: I fall in love with non-fiction all over again with every new great non-fiction book that I read. This is another non-fiction book that doesn't disappoint. I do have to say that this book is very busy but still very engaging and accessible for readers. From the beginning, Annette talks to readers as they listen to her story of falling in love with bird-watching. There's a little, sketched Annette right there in the book talking to the readers. I love that! First thing, she addresses the misconception that bird-watching is boring. What a great time to stop and think about how Annette really is asking readers to engage in bird-watching and how the entire book is persuading while also informing. She starts with the why by addressing any counter-arguments one might have and then she goes ahead and tells you exactly how to do it so that can't be an excuse either. It's great! As I read, I realized how this book can be used when talking about brainstorming ideas for writing. So many kids either love to draw or would rather draw than write and Annette asks readers to go out and draw. Go out and see what stories there are to be told just by observing what is all around you. I like to have students do this with their writer's notebooks. We talk about having a writer's eye and how when you put yourself in that frame of mind, stories seem to be all over the place. To go even beyond the writing process, this activity could be linked to or compared to the work that scientists do. Kids can think like scientists and notice what they observe. I can see how this book can be used to connect science and literacy and to help kids recognize this natural connection. One of my favorite books is Okay For Now by Gary D. Schmidt. Any time I read anything about birds, I think of Doug Swieteck and his fascination with Audobon's drawings of birds. I never knew that the Audobon Society was named after a man who drew birds until I read Okay For Now. I think readers who like this book would like reading Doug's story and I also think readers who enjoy Okay For Now might then like to go and observe and draw some of their own birds. I will never ever look at a bird the same after reading both of these books. It also reminds me of Me...Jane by Patrick McDonnell which is about Jane Goodall and how her observing as a child became her life's work. This book can be about so much more than watching birds when you think of all the great texts you can connect it with! What Kellee Thinks: What a great way to get kids out and about in nature even if they don't live in a rural area. Cate does a wonderful job making bird-watching sound exciting and adds a lot of personality to the book. She also promotes sketching the birds you see and the observations you make which is a great way to introduce observing to anyone. I recently sat with my father looking out his window in Chattanooga watching the birds come to his bird feeder. We had a TN bird guide as a reference and spent almost an hour seeing which birds were visiting his home. This book, with a bird guide of a kid's area would result in a great afternoon activity and great conversation. Read Together: Grades 1 and up Read Alone: Grades 2 - 4 Read With: Robin, Where Are You? by Harriet Ziefert, Little Bird Germano Zullo, Those Darn Squirrels! by Adam Rubin, She's Wearing a Dead Bird on Her Head! by Kathryn Lasky, Okay For Now by Gary D. Schmidt, Me...Jane by Patrick McDonnell Snatch of Text: "...spending time outside observing life and drawing in a sketchbook can help you see the world in a whole new way. You've always known that the birds and the trees and the insects and the rocks were there...but when you take the time to sit and patiently draw them, you do more than see them: you experience them. You feel yourself more connected to the natural world, more at home in it." (p. 3) "Birds will show you a whole world of brown! Look closely and you will soon be a connoisseur of this color. Study our bird color wheel and see how brown can be almost black...dark like tree bark or mottle like leaves...lovely russety-red or almost pink...golden like autumn grass...dusty and gray and plain as a mouse...or pale as sand... Be a birdbrain: Why do you think so many birds are so many different kinds of brown, with all manners or streaks and spots? Can you think of any advantages for brown birds?" (p. 13) Reading Strategies to Practice: Activating Background Knowledge, Making Connections, Asking Questions, Using Non-Fiction Text Features Writing Strategies to Practice: Writing Process, Expository, Descriptive, Onomatopoeia, Metaphor, Simile, Word Choice, Persuasive Writing Prompts: After observing nature outside your school or house, write about what you noticed and how it made you feel to stop and connect with your surroundings. Write a descriptive piece using your five sense to bring to life what you observed or heard. Topics Covered: Integration - Science - Birds, Birds, Exploration, Observation, Discovery, Drawing, 5 Senses Jen *hearts* It: Kellee *hearts* It: and
Nestled between rolling hills and misty valleys of the Eastern United States lies a region that's not just a geographical expanse, but a tapestry of tales spun with threads of tradition, resiliences, and a touch of the mystical. Welcome to Appalachia, a land where the mountains are older than the trees (literally!). The Appalachian Mountains
These Penguin Books will make a great addition to your Penguin or Winter units. And, your students will love to learn all about these flightless birds.
Recommendations of duck and duckling books for babies through early elementary age. Nonfiction & fiction books for a duck or duckling unit. Includes a discussion of which books are Montessori friendly.
Kindergarten blog about learning though play, investigation, our environment, sensory activities, art, books, and being outside.
Each year, I pour over stacks of picture books. I love looking at the illustrations and enjoying the storytelling. I use stacks of picture books to unwind and find a place of calm when all else is crazy. Some picture books make me smile and some make me laugh and some make me think long after I fini
Why do birds have so many feathers? How do you birdwatch? What are some mythologies featuring birds? These bird books for kids cover it all.
Teach your students about Frida Kahlo with these easy Frida Kahlo activities. Project ideas, book recommendations, videos and more!
January seems to be a popular time to study polar animals and lands. If you plan to focus on penguins anytime soon, check out my review of books about penguins for kids. Or to be more
Hey! Just finished up my Owls & Woodland Animals Unit! I will be giving away a copy to 3 of you AmAzInG followers tomorrow! If you haven't e...
Provides educators with resources and recommendations for using picture books with upper elementary and middle school students.
We love seasonal children’s books and keep them right next to our nature table to enjoy throughout the season. Winter themed children’s books are always some of our favorites! Follow our Winter Crafts and Learning Pinterest board! We have a seasonal book area in our home located right near our nature table. (Having the seasonal books nearby allows …
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…In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer. And that makes me happy. For it says that no matter how hard the world pushes against me, within me, there’s something stronger – something better, pushing right back. - quote by Albert Camus None of these pictures...
14 books about owls for kids with description and review. Includes both fiction and non-fiction children's books about owls.
The BEST fall activities for the classroom and teachers. Plan your autumn lesson plans with these arts & crafts, fall science and STEM activities, literacy and math ideas kids will love!
A fun, informative take-along guide that will help children identify 15 birds. Kid will also learn how and where birds build their homes and all about their young. Plus the guide features activities that are fun and easy to do. There's also a seven-page scrapbook for drawings and notes.\nThis fascinating series turns ordinary walks into adventures. Children learn to identify a variety of different plant, animal and insect species. -- Helps children identify different species. -- Includes scrapbook pages, for notes or drawings. -- Features detailed true-to-life illustrations.
Dive into the enchanting world of turtles with our curated collection of turtle books for kids! Explore our top turtle books today to ignite a love for reading and nature in your child's heart!
