Independence Day – July 4th

When the 4th of July is mentioned what are the first things that come to mind? Flags, parades, fireworks, and picnics are probably it. What about nature? Does wildlife come to mind? Wildlife is not as showy as fireworks but the animals can be just as majestic. Animals have been featured on national flags, family crests, and nicknames for famous people for centuries. Project WILD’s activity “Wildlife in National Symbols” encourages kids to conduct investigations on this topic. Bald Eagles are the most well known American national symbol but can you find other symbols in nature? To make this activity more challenging look for state animal symbols. You can also imagine a mythical country and create your own animal symbol. Independence Day is a great time to step in to nature. Take your celebration outside and look for national symbols in wildlife.

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Book List
Grades PreK-2
Banting, E. 2004. Flags and Seals. Weigl Publishers, Incorporated.
Cohen, J. 2003. Bald Eagle. Lerner Publishing Group.
Dalgliesh, A. 1995. Fourth of July Story. Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing.
DeGezelle, T. 2004. American Symbols: The Great Seal of the United States. Coughlan Publishing.
Dell, P. 2004. The Bald Eagle. Capstone Press.
Douglas, L.G. 2003. The Bald Eagle. Children's Press.
Gibbons, G. 1998. Souring with the Wind: The Bald Eagle. HarperCollins Publishers.
Gieck, C. 1991. Eagles for Kids. Northword Pr.
Hodge, D. 2000. Eagles. Kids Can Press, Limited.
Keenan, S. 2004. O, Say Can You See? America's Symbols, Landmarks, And Important Words. Scholastic, Inc.
Kule, E.A. 2003. Iowa Facts and Symbols. Capstone Press.
James, K 2001. Soaring Bald Eagles. Tandem Library Books.
Morrison, G. 1998. Bald Eagle. Houghton Mifflin Company.
Minshull, E. 2002. Eaglet’s World. Albert Whitman.
Osborne, M.P. 2008. Happy Birthday America. Square Fish.
Pearl, N. 2007. Bald Eagle. Coughlan Publishing.
Sis, P. 2004. The Train of States. HarperCollins Publishers.
Soresen, L. 1994. The American Eagle. Rourke Publishing, LLC.
Yanuck, D.L. 2003. The Bald Eagle. Capstone Press.

Grades 3-5
Amato, C.A. 1996. Bald Eagle: Free Again! Barron's Educational Series, Incorporated.
Arndt, U. 2001. Fireworks, Picnics, and Flags: The Story of the Fourth of July Symbols. Houghton Mifflin Company.
Bair, D. 1999. Eagle Watching. Capstone Press.
Bateman, T. 2003. Red, White, Blue and Uncle Who?: The Story behind Some of America's Patriotic Symbols. Holiday House, Inc.
Colman, C. 2006. The Bald Eagles View of American History. Charlesbridge Publishing, Inc.
Evert, L. 2001. Eagles. T&N Children's Publishing.
Gerholdt, J. 1997. Bald Eagles. ABDO Publishing Company.
Hempstead, A. 2005. Bald Eagle. Raintree Publishers.
Hodge, D. 2000. Eagles. Kids Can Press, Ltd.
Johnson, L.C. 1992. Our National Symbols. Lerner Publishing Group.
Johnson, S.A. 1995. Raptor Rescue!: An Eagle Flies Free. Penguin Group (USA) Incorporated.
Laubach, C.M. 2002. Raptor!: A Kid's Guide to Birds of Prey. Storey Books.
Morrison, G. 1998. Bald Eagle. Houghton Mifflin/Walter Lorraine Books.
Munoz, W. 2000. The Bald Eagle Returns. Houghton Mifflin Company.
Patent, D.H. 1995. Eagles of America. Holiday House, Inc.
Patent, D.H. 1984. Where the Bald Eagles Gather. Houghton Mifflin Company.
Potts, S. 2006. The Bald Eagle. Capstone Press.
Price, A. 2002. Raptors: The Eagles, Hawks, Falcons, and Owls of North America. Rinehart P.
Priebe, M. 2000. Bald Eagle: Endangered No More. Mindfull Publishing.
Quiri, P.R. 1998. Bald Eagle. Scholastic Library Publishing.
Raven, T.M. 2005. Challenger: America's Favorite Eagle. Sleeping Bear Press.
Ryden, H. 1985. America's Bald Eagle. Penguin Young Readers Group.
Stone, L. 2003. Bald Eagles. Lerner Publishing Group.
Thames, S. 2006. Our American Symbols. Rourke Publishing, LLC.
Wechsler, D. 2003. Bald Eagles. Rosen Publishing Group, Incorporated.
West, D.C. and J.M. West. 2000. Uncle Sam and Old Glory. Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing.
Wilson, J. 1998. American Eagle: The Symbol of America. Child's World, Incorporated.
Worsley, A. 2001. Bald Eagles. Weigl Publishers, Incorporated.

Grades 6-8
Birenbaum, B. 1999. Amazing Bald Eaglet. Peartree.
Defries, C.L. 2003. Bald Eagle. Enslow Publishers, Incorporated.
Dudley, K. 2000. Bald Eagle. Sagebrush Education Resources.
Goldish, M., Hatcher, B. 2007. Bald Eagles: A Chemical Nightmare. Bearport Publishing Company, Incorporated.
Marcovitz, H. 2002. Bald Eagle. Mason Crest Publishers.
Munoz, W. 2000. The Bald Eagle Returns. Houghton Mifflin Company.
Parry-Jones, E. 2000. Eyewitness: Eagles and Birds of Prey. DK Publishing, Inc.
Patent, D.H. 2000. The Bald Eagle Returns. Clarion Books.

Grades 9-12
Breining, G. 1994. Return of the Eagle: How America Saved Its National Symbol. Falcon.