Use these fantastic books to support your instruction!
The Moon Seems to Change. By Franklyn Branley. Illus. by Franklyn M. Branley. Gr. 1-3.
Because the moon revolves around Earth, it seems to grow and shrink. Children can read about the phenomena of the moon’s phases and with an experiment using an orange, a pencil, and a flashlight, they can see why the moon looks different at different times of the month. ‘A welcome addition to science collections for young children.’
- Phases of the Moon. By Gillia M. Olson. Illus. by Miller & Jo. (1998). Gr. 1-3. Simple text and photographs introduce moon phases, including why they occur and what they are called.
- What Makes Day and Night? By Franklyn Branley. (1999). Bt Bound Publishers. (0808523775 ). Gr. 1-3.
Branley presents an illustrated explanation of Earth's rotation in a straightforward manner for ages 7–8. The text includes an experiment to demonstrate the concept of day and night. Accompanied by NASA photographs and Dorros’s colorful, lively drawings, the text explains the Earth’s rotation in clear and simple terms. An experiment using a lamp as the ‘sun’ further clarifies the principles introduced.’
Tales of the Shimmering Sky: Ten Global Folktales with Activities from the Tales Alive! series. By
Susan Milford. (1996). Williamson Publishing. (1885593015). Gr. 3-6.
This anthology of 10 beautifully illustrated folktales from around the world for ages 7–12 includes historical, scientific, and geographical facts about seasons and weather, along with activities and crafts that reinforce these concepts.
Why The Tides Ebb and Flow. By Marc Brown. 1979. Houghton Mifflin. 40 pages. (9780395283783). Gr. 1-4).
In this folktale explaining why the sea has tides, an old woman threatens to pull the rock from the hole in the ocean floor.
Scholastic Question & Answer: What Makes an Ocean Wave? By Melvin Berger and Gilda Berger. Illus. by John Rice. 2001. Scholastic. 48 pages. (0439148820). Gr. 1-4.Questions and answers about oceans & ocean life. From simple questions like "Which is the largest ocean?" to more complex ones like "What causes high tides?", this book delivers the answers kids want.
Oceans. By Seymour Simon. (2006). Harper Collins. (0060889993). Gr. 1-5.
Exceptional nonfiction for children about the oceans from two of the most trusted names in science education: Seymour Simon and the Smithsonian Institution.
Our Planet Earth. By Claire Llewellyn. (1998). 73 pages. (0733606172). Gr. K-5.A simple and fact-filled guide to planet Earth uses photographs and interest-building drawings to explore such topics as mountains, oceans, weather, and plant and animal life.
Every Season. By Anne Love Woodhull. (2007). 32 pages. (1-59643-136-9). Gr. K-3.
Every season brings special things to notice in nature, not to mention special things to do, from planting in spring to swimming in summer, picking pumpkins in fall to sledding in winter. The cycle of the seasons and many things to appreciate about each time of year are celebrated in a shining photoessay featuring images of diverse children engaging in an array of seasonal activities. A spare, lyrical text in the voice of a child comments on the many things to see and do at each time of year, creating an endless cycle of reasons for loving each season. © Cooperative Children's Book Center
Red Sings from Treetops: A Year in Colors. By Sidman, Joyce. Illus. by Pamela Zagarenski.
(2009). 32 pages. (978-0-547-01494-4)
Link to: Podcast featuring this book
"In FALL...Brown, / fat and glossy, rises in honking flocks. / Brown rustles and whispers underfoot... Red splashes fall trees / seeps into every vein / of every five-fingered leaf... Yellow grows wheels / and lumbers / down the block, blinking: / Warning--classrooms ahead." Joyce Sidman uses rich and vivid imagery as she describes colors in terms of sights and sounds and activities of the seasons. The result is a lyrical picture book that is a delight to read or hear, and a natural launching point to inspire descriptive writing. Sidman's observations are playfully acute, with associations that will surprise and delight readers and listeners as they juxtapose familiarity and inventiveness. "In Summer / White clinks in drinks. Yellow melts / everything it touches... / smells like butter, / tastes like salt."
Branley presents an illustrated explanation of Earth's rotation in a straightforward manner for ages 7–8. The text includes an experiment to demonstrate the concept of day and night. Accompanied by NASA photographs and Dorros’s colorful, lively drawings, the text explains the Earth’s rotation in clear and simple terms. An experiment using a lamp as the ‘sun’ further clarifies the principles introduced.’
Red Sings from Treetops: A Year in Colors. By Sidman, Joyce. Illus. by Pamela Zagarenski.