Everyone knows that books about how plants grow and how
animals use their unique body features and behaviors to survive can enrich
science lessons, but they can also be used lots of other ways.
animals use their unique body features and behaviors to survive can enrich
science lessons, but they can also be used lots of other ways.
Today, I’m in St. Louis at the National Science Teachers
Association’s annual conference, participating in an amazing event that was the
brainchild of science educator Carrie Launius. Thanks to months of hard work,
Carrie and her team have put together the largest gathering of children’s
science writers that I’ve ever seen. Linking Literacy is an incredible
opportunity for 30+ authors to share ideas with science educators from all over
the country.
Association’s annual conference, participating in an amazing event that was the
brainchild of science educator Carrie Launius. Thanks to months of hard work,
Carrie and her team have put together the largest gathering of children’s
science writers that I’ve ever seen. Linking Literacy is an incredible
opportunity for 30+ authors to share ideas with science educators from all over
the country.
Here are some of the Cross Curricular Connections I’ll be sharing for my
recently published books A Seed Is the
Start and Pipsqueaks, Slowpokes, and
Stinkers: Celebrating Animal Underdogs.
recently published books A Seed Is the
Start and Pipsqueaks, Slowpokes, and
Stinkers: Celebrating Animal Underdogs.
Reading
Activity: Comparing and Evaluating Texts
The Nonfiction Smackdown!, developed by Waltham,
Massachusetts, school librarian Judi Paradis, involves reading two nonfiction
books on the same topic. The books can be two narrative titles, two expository
titles, or one of each. Students evaluate and compare the titles and record
their thinking on the Nonfiction Smackdown! Worksheet. The worksheets can
be hung around the room or placed in a folder, so that classmates can use the
information to help them select books.
Activity: Comparing and Evaluating Texts
The Nonfiction Smackdown!, developed by Waltham,
Massachusetts, school librarian Judi Paradis, involves reading two nonfiction
books on the same topic. The books can be two narrative titles, two expository
titles, or one of each. Students evaluate and compare the titles and record
their thinking on the Nonfiction Smackdown! Worksheet. The worksheets can
be hung around the room or placed in a folder, so that classmates can use the
information to help them select books.
Kinesthetic
Activity: Demonstrating the Ways Seeds Move
During dispersal, seeds can fly, spin, or glide. They can also hop, creep, or shoot
through the air at incredible speeds. In this activity, students crinkle up a
piece of paper and pretend it’s a seed. Then they model all the different ways
seeds can move away from their parent plant.
Activity: Demonstrating the Ways Seeds Move
During dispersal, seeds can fly, spin, or glide. They can also hop, creep, or shoot
through the air at incredible speeds. In this activity, students crinkle up a
piece of paper and pretend it’s a seed. Then they model all the different ways
seeds can move away from their parent plant.
Writing
Activity: Observing and Describing Seeds
Activity: Observing and Describing Seeds
A seed’s external structures may provide hints about how it
disperses. This engaging activity (Kids love using a hand lens!) encourages
students to look closely, record their observations with words and pictures,
and make predictions.
disperses. This engaging activity (Kids love using a hand lens!) encourages
students to look closely, record their observations with words and pictures,
and make predictions.
Science
+ Engineering: Designing a Machine that Can Disperse Seeds Efficiently and Effectively
+ Engineering: Designing a Machine that Can Disperse Seeds Efficiently and Effectively
This activity encourages students to develop a deep
understanding of seed dispersal and then think outside the box as they design a
machine that mimics the seed’s actions.
understanding of seed dispersal and then think outside the box as they design a
machine that mimics the seed’s actions.
You can find more activity ideas in the Educator’s
Guide and Readers
Theater Script that go with this book.
Guide and Readers
Theater Script that go with this book.
Geography
and Math Activities: Maps & Stats PosterBecause Pipsqueaks,
Slowpokes, and Stinkers: Celebrating Animal Underdogs includes some
little-known animals from all over the world (okapi, zorilla, hoatzin, naked
mole rat), my editor and I thought it would be useful to create a visual
that highlights where they live and provides some key stats, such as size,
weight, habitat. This poster
can be used to discuss the relationship between geography and climate. Students
can also compare the animals in various ways and make bar graphs highlighting
their differences.
and Math Activities: Maps & Stats PosterBecause Pipsqueaks,
Slowpokes, and Stinkers: Celebrating Animal Underdogs includes some
little-known animals from all over the world (okapi, zorilla, hoatzin, naked
mole rat), my editor and I thought it would be useful to create a visual
that highlights where they live and provides some key stats, such as size,
weight, habitat. This poster
can be used to discuss the relationship between geography and climate. Students
can also compare the animals in various ways and make bar graphs highlighting
their differences.
Writing
Activity: Exploring Animal Body Features and Behaviors
Activity: Exploring Animal Body Features and Behaviors
Option A: Invite children to
draw a picture of the animal they think should get the Coolest Characteristic
Award and then write a few sentences explaining why.
draw a picture of the animal they think should get the Coolest Characteristic
Award and then write a few sentences explaining why.
Option B: Encourage students to
draw a picture of the animal that surprises them the most or that they like or
connect with the most, and then write a few sentences explaining why.
draw a picture of the animal that surprises them the most or that they like or
connect with the most, and then write a few sentences explaining why.
Reading
Activity: Identifying Main Ideas and Supporting Details
Activity: Identifying Main Ideas and Supporting Details
The students at Pownal Elementary School in Pownal, Maine,
introduced me to this activity idea. After working as a class to identify the
book’s main idea, their teacher wrote it on a piece of paper and hung it on the
wall. Then each student used words and pictures to highlight one of the book’s
supporting details.
introduced me to this activity idea. After working as a class to identify the
book’s main idea, their teacher wrote it on a piece of paper and hung it on the
wall. Then each student used words and pictures to highlight one of the book’s
supporting details.
Kinesthetic
Activity: Students Put Themselves in Another Animal’s “Shoes”
Encourage
students to imagine how other creatures, such as a Galapagos tortoise, survive
in the world. What would it be like to have claws instead of fingers and a
heavy shell on your back? To find out, invite students to create physical
models of animals’ key body features and move through the classroom as that
animal would.
Activity: Students Put Themselves in Another Animal’s “Shoes”
Encourage
students to imagine how other creatures, such as a Galapagos tortoise, survive
in the world. What would it be like to have claws instead of fingers and a
heavy shell on your back? To find out, invite students to create physical
models of animals’ key body features and move through the classroom as that
animal would.
Writing
Activity: Crafting Voice in Nonfiction
Activity: Crafting Voice in Nonfiction
My website includes a half dozen video mini-lessons for
teaching the craft of nonfiction writing. The newest draws on examples from Pipsqueaks, Slowpokes, and Stinkers:
Celebrating Animal Underdogs and Seashells: More than a Home to show simple
ways students can use word choice and punctuation to craft a strong voice, be
it lively or lyrical, that matches their approach to a topic.
teaching the craft of nonfiction writing. The newest draws on examples from Pipsqueaks, Slowpokes, and Stinkers:
Celebrating Animal Underdogs and Seashells: More than a Home to show simple
ways students can use word choice and punctuation to craft a strong voice, be
it lively or lyrical, that matches their approach to a topic.
You can find more activity ideas in the Educator’s
Guide and Readers
Theater Script that go with this book.
Guide and Readers
Theater Script that go with this book.
And for even more engaging ideas for integrating science,
reading, and writing, check out Perfect
Pairs: Using Fiction & Nonfiction to Teach Life Science. There’s one
book with 20+
lessons for K-2 and another book with 20+ lessons
for grades 3-5.
reading, and writing, check out Perfect
Pairs: Using Fiction & Nonfiction to Teach Life Science. There’s one
book with 20+
lessons for K-2 and another book with 20+ lessons
for grades 3-5.
Have a great weekend, Everyone!
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