Naturally Educational » 6-8 (Early Elementary)
Over 12 Picture Books About Dinosaurs
There are a lot of picture books featuring dinosaurs but only a handful that use an entertaining story to share facts about dinosaurs. Most of the books I found are either illustrated non-fiction or stories that just happen to involve dinosaurs without sharing much factual information. Here are some of my favorites. I’m Bad and I’m Big!, by Kate McMullan: Even the youngest dino-fans will enjoy these two tales. McMullan captures the voice of these two … Read entire article »
Filed under: 0-3 (Babies and Toddlers), 3-5 (Preschool), 5-6 (Kindergartners), 6-8 (Early Elementary), Featured, Science
4 Picture Books About Hurricanes #Irene
Here are some Picture Books About Hurricanes for kids. I didn’t have the foresight to check these out of the library this week before Irene shut everything down. So, the descriptions are from the publisher. I will update this post once we’ve had a chance to read these Hurricane books for kids. Hurricane by David Wiesner: The morning after a hurricane, two brothers find an uprooted tree which becomes a magical place, transporting them on adventures … Read entire article »
Filed under: 5-6 (Kindergartners), 6-8 (Early Elementary), Featured, Science, Weather
Constellations: Stars in Your Eyes and in the Skies
As far back as we know, people have looked at the night skies and seen pictures in the stars. Before modern navigation technology, it was essential for ship’s captains to know their stars. Now, it is still a lot of fun to find the constellations in the night sky. This simple activity is a fun way to learn more about the constellations. Materials an image of the stars in a constellation (We used the constellation connect the dots … Read entire article »
Filed under: 3-5 (Preschool), 3-5 (Preschool), 5-6 (Kindergarten), 5-6 (Kindergarten), 5-6 (Kindergartners), 6-8 (Early Elementary), 6-8 (Early Elementary), 6-8 (Early Elementary), 9-11 (Elementary), Featured, History and Culture, Mathematics, Science, Smart Summer Challenge
Picture Books About Maps
We usually turn to books for research and to reinforce themes. Since the children are already familiar with maps from our travels and nature hikes, we are ready to delve deeper into cartography and study up on maps. Here are a few picture books we’ve found that work well with our study of maps. What are your favorites? As the Crow Flies: A First Book of Maps: This is a clever introduction to the concept … Read entire article »
Filed under: 3-5 (Preschool), 5-6 (Kindergartners), 6-8 (Early Elementary), Featured, Geography, Smart Summer Challenge, Visual-Spacial
5 Picture Books About Summer
Summer Beat, by Betsy Franco, explores the rhythms of summer in onomatopoeic verse. The kids really related to the breezy feeling of summer freedom. The sound words are fun for my beginning reader and my son loves the fireworks display at the end! Summer Is Summer, by Phillis and David Gershator, follows a group of multicultural friends as they enjoy the sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and sensations of summer. The simple, spare text paired with … Read entire article »
Filed under: 0-3 (Babies and Toddlers), 1-2 (Toddlers), 3-5 (Preschool), 3-5 (Preschool), 5-6 (Kindergarten), 5-6 (Kindergartners), 6-8 (Early Elementary), 6-8 (Early Elementary), Featured, Science, Summer, Weather
7 Picture Books for Father’s Day
Mama Mama/Papa Papa (0-3) is a beautifully illustrated board book for babies about why little animal babies love their parents. One side shows all the helpful and loving things dads do for their tiny offspring. Flip the book over for moms and this is really two-stories-in-one. Human children will recognize all the tender care parents give to babies throughout the animal kingdom. The rhyming text is delightfully evocative of the bond between parents and … Read entire article »
Filed under: 0-3 (Babies and Toddlers), 3-5 (Preschool), 5-6 (Kindergartners), 6-8 (Early Elementary), Featured
Memorial Day Picture Books
Memorial Day is coming up. While we’re preparing for barbecues and family time, we take a moment to think of the men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation. Any subject involving death is a tough one to broach with young children. For most families, the idea of memorializing our soldiers is very abstract. For others, though, it is all too real as thousands of soldiers have died in … Read entire article »
Filed under: 3-5 (Preschool), 5-6 (Kindergartners), 6-8 (Early Elementary), Featured, History and Culture
Growing Bean Plants
It is that time of year when kids grow like weeds and everything is verdant, sprouting and budding. We’ve been studying the water cycle and now we are learning about the plants the grow after the early spring showers. Question: How do seeds become plants? My daughter hypothesized that they need light and water and that the roots would come out first. Materials: seeds (we planted beans since they sprout so quickly) glass jar (so you can observe the growth) potting soil … Read entire article »
Filed under: 3-5 (Preschool), 3-5 (Preschool), 5-6 (Kindergarten), 5-6 (Kindergartners), 6-8 (Early Elementary), 6-8 (Early Elementary), 9-11 (Elementary), Ecology, Featured, Science, Spring, Summer
Papel Picado for Cinco de Mayo
Cinco de Mayo commemorates the victory over the French military at Puebla. Although the date has limited significance in Mexico, it has become a time to celebrate Mexican heritage in the United States. Interest in Cinco de Mayo increased during the Chicano movement of the 1940s. We made a papel picado banner to decorate our home in preparation for Cinco de Mayo. Materials: colorful tissue paper or thin construction paper scissors, punches glue or tape cord or string Directions: 1. Fold the paper in … Read entire article »
Filed under: 3-5 (Preschool), 3-5 (Preschool), 3-5 (Preschool), 5-6 (Kindergarten), 5-6 (Kindergarten), 5-6 (Kindergartners), 6-8 (Early Elementary), 6-8 (Early Elementary), 6-8 (Early Elementary), Featured, History and Culture
Earth Day Books for Kids
Many of our crafts involve re-purposed / recycled materials and now that we are in full spring swing we are closely connected with the new growth going on outdoors. We also enjoy picture books that address Earth Day directly or environmentalism in a more general way. Here are a few of our favorites: The Lorax, by Dr. Seuss, is the classic children’s story of the damage one person’s greed (the entrepreneurial Oncler) can do to the … Read entire article »
Filed under: 3-5 (Preschool), 3-5 (Preschool), 5-6 (Kindergarten), 5-6 (Kindergartners), 6-8 (Early Elementary), 6-8 (Early Elementary), Ecology, Featured, Spring, Volunteering
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About the Author
Candace Lindemann is a published children’s writer and educational consultant. She holds a B.A. from Yale University and an M.Ed. from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
Working with school districts around the country and some of the most well-known companies in the education industry, Candace creates custom strategies, textbooks, and lesson plans. Her articles have appeared in print and online.
While Candace’s degrees prepared her for a career in education, she’s found that the best preparation for parenting is on the job training.
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