Picture Book (Science): Habitat Spy (by Cynthia Kieber-King)

Summary of Habitat Spy:  

This tour begins in a backyard on the East Coast and journeys to 13 different habitats until reaching the Pacific Ocean.  Children will explore other diverse places, such as meadow, pond, forest, river, swamp, cave, bog, plains, mountains, desert, and beach.  The text on each page follows the same format—a short rhyming invitation to discover a new, exciting place.  Here are a couple samples: 

Let’s spy in the cave…

algae spread,

spiders knit,

swallows nest,

bats flit.

Let’s spy in the desert…

saguaros prick,

scorpions sneak,

cactus wrens poke,

foxes peek.

Cynthia Kieber-King’s text identifies only a few of the incredible plants, animals, and insects on the 2-page spread, allowing for the readers to discover many on their own.  (The Sylvan Dell’s Teacher Guide for the book provides a master list.)  All the habitats are fluttering and swimming with life.  In the bog, a turtle emerges from the water and a duck forages for food while on the plains bison are grazing and butterflies are flitting.   Each time through the book, readers (and observers) will find new things to discover and to discuss.

Evaluation:

Christina Wald has done a remarkable job replicating the incredible plants and creatures in their native environments. The picturesque illustrations draw readers into each habitat where they can count and identify the living things.  Young children can practice sorting animals into categories, such as those with fur or with feathers and ones that fly or crawl.  Habitat Spy, along with the teaching guide, offers opportunities to teach older students about invertebrates and vertebrates (reptiles, birds, mammals, fish, and amphibians).  The pleasurable text is primarily made up of nouns and verbs.  Children can learn about these parts of speech and create their own text following the format provided (as seen in book samples above).  Use the book as a spring board to begin to observe and to record observations in outdoor places.  Take a journal to a park, a lake, or a wooded area.  Talk, draw, and write about your surroundings.  Habitat Spy is an outstanding introduction into the study of habitats.  It is sure to take inquisitiveness and learning to new heights. 

For more excellent teaching opportunities, check out the teaching guide and book’s page at the Sylvan Dell website. 

Picture Book (Math): Sort It Out by Barbara Mariconda

Summary of Sort It Out:  

Packy, a pack rat, comes home to his mother and sister with a wagon load of items he found.  His mother instructs him to sort them out and put them away.   Packy marvels at his diverse collection of trinkets and carefully ponders how he will organize them.  In rhyming couplets, he reveals the common attributes he finds in groups of items from his treasure.  Here is a sneak peak!

The turtle, the clover, the skinny string bean,

he placed in a pile made of things that are…green.

The turtle, the egg, and the acorn that fell,

these are all things with a hard outer…shell.

After going through several possible combinations, he realizes that many of his trinkets have vanished.  Baffled, he tells his mom about the missing items.   The next page reveals what happened to them!

Evaluation:

Sort It Out is an enjoyable math “mystery.”  The first time I read it out loud to my son, I was caught up in the playful rhyme and pleasing text.  As a result, the final outcome or “mystery” was a delightful surprise.  My son and I went back and re-examined Sherry Rogers’ adorable illustrations to discover the “clues.”   I love that multi-dimensional aspect of the book.  Barbara Mariconda’s Sort It Out is an ideal set or lead in to a preschool or kindergarten math lesson on sorting.  I love the rhyming couplets.  Not only do they provide a teaching opportunity in rhyming words and sorting, but also in predicting skills.  The final rhyme (and also the way the items are sorted) is not revealed right away.  Instead, it is in a little box on the next page.  Parents or teachers can cover up the word with a finger or sticky note.  Then, allow the child to predict what the word might be.   Whether they are correct or not, they are sure to delight in solving the “mystery.” 

More Teaching Opportunities:

As with all their amazing books, Sylvan Dell provides an across-the-curriculum teacher’s activity guide as well as other resources on their website, including a preview of this outstanding teaching resource.