Ever Changing Landscape
School will begin soon, for many counties. A number of students might not return due to the natural disasters this summer. Students could feel the effects due to loss of home or friends. However, some students might not have had to deal with the natural disasters directly.
A grand total of 83 counties were declared disaster areas over the course of May and June this summer.
With this summer’s natural disasters a very troubling question has been asked.
Did we do this to ourselves?
To investigate this topic further we suggest using Project Learning Tree’s activity “Then and Now” modified to focus on the history of natural disasters effect on your community. Here are some questions to ask when researching this topic.
• Did your community expand in to a flood zone?
• How many natural disasters have affected your community?
• How has natural disasters damaged and/or changed the landscape?
Natural disasters have profound effects on the community. For a big picture use other natural disasters i.e. Alaska’s Great Tsunami/Earthquake of 1964 or Hurricane Katrina’s effect on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Closer to home is the devastating floods in Cedar Rapids and the catastrophic tornado in Parkersburg. Students can see the lasting effects of the devastating damage natural disasters can have on a community and the landscape from these well documented occurrences.
Book List
Grades PreK-2
Boyce, N., Osborne, M. 2007. Tsunami and Other Natural Disasters: A Nonfiction Companion to High Tide in Hawaii. Random House Children’s Books.
McGuire, B., Quake, D. 2007. Natural Disaster. Kingfisher.
Grades 3-5
Boyce, N., Osborne, M. 2007. Tsunami and Other Natural Disasters: A Nonfiction Companion to High Tide in Hawaii. Random House Children’s Books.
Day, T. and C. Watts. 2006. Natural Disasters (DK Eyewitness Series). DK Publishing, Inc.
McGuire, B. and D. Quake. 2007. Natural Disaster. Kingfisher.
Grades 9-12
Barry, J. 1998. Rising Tide: The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 and How it Changed America. Simon & Schuster Adult Publishing.
Brinkley, D. 2007. The Great Deluge: Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans, and the Mississippi Gulf Cost. HarperCollins Publishers.
Horne, J. 2006. Breach of Faith: Hurricane Katrina and the Near Death of a Great American City. Random House Publishing Group.
Larson, E., Cline, I. 2000. Issac’s Storm: A Man, A Time and the Deadliest Hurricane in History. Knopf Publishing Group.
McCullough, D. 1987. The Johnstown Flood. Simon & Schuster Adult Publishing.
Miller, D., Rivera, J. 2008. Hurricane Katrina and the Redefinition of a Landscape. Lexington Books
Stern, G. 2008. The Buffalo Creek Disaster: The Story of Survivor’s Unprecedented Lawsuit. Knopf Publishing Group.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Do You See What I See?
To draw nature is to interpret what you see. How do you view your surroundings? Are they a simple blur as you drive past? Do you take a moment to “smell the roses”? Nature has inspired many famous artists over the centuries. If you were a wildlife artist what animals would inspire you?
Drawing on Nature, a Project WILD activity, explores how drawing can assist learning in nature. So pick up a pen and a pad, meander through a trail or field, and find some inspiration in nature.
Book List
Grades PreK-2
Carreiro, C. 1997. Hand-Print Animal Art. Ideals Publications.
Davies, J. 2004. Boy Who Drew Birds: A Story of John James Audubon. Houghton Mifflin Company.
Lakin, P. 2002. Harold and the Purple Crayon: The Giant Garden. HarperFestival.
LeRoux-Hugon, H. 2001. I Can Draw Wild Animals. Gareth Stevens Publishing.
Ruurs, M. 2007. In My Backyard. Tundra.
Grades 3-5
Arnosky, J. 2002. Field Trips: Bug Hunting, Animal Tracking, Bird-watching, Shore Walking. HarperCollins Publishers.
Arnosky, J. 1987. Sketching Outdoors in Spring. HarperCollins Publishers.
Arnosky, J. 1988. Sketching Outdoors in Summer. HarperCollins Publishers.
Bateman, R. 2005. Bateman's Guide to Backyard Birds. Barron's Educational Series, Incorporated.
Court, R. 2005. How to Draw Things In Nature. The Child’s World, Inc.
Hammond, L. 2000. Lee Hammonds Big Book of Drawing. North Light Books.
Harpster, S. 2006. Pencil, Paper, Draw!: Animals. Sterling Publishing.
Harpster, S. 2008. Pencil, Paper, Draw!: Flowers. Sterling Publishing.
Hultgren, K. 1993. The Art of Animal Drawing: Construction, Action, Analysis, Caricature. Dover Publications.
Kranz, L. 2002. My Nature Book: A Journal and Activity Book for Kids. T&N Children's Publishing.
Lasky, K. 1992. Think Like an Eagle: At Work with a Wildlife Photographer. Little, Brown & Company.
Levin, F. 2001. 1-2-3 Draw Wild Animals: A Step-by-Step Guide. Peel Productions, Inc.
Mason, M.E. 2005. John Audubon: Young Naturalist. Patria Press, Inc.
Raham, R.G. 1996. Explorations in Backyard Biology: Drawing on Nature in the Classroom. Libraries Unlimited.
Rines, F. 2006. Landscape Drawing in Pencil. Dover Publications.
Rines, F. 2007. How to Draw Trees. Dover Publications.
Ross, M.E. 1997. Wildlife Watching with Charles Eastman. Lerner Publishing Group.
Walsh, P. 2006. Wild Animals. Heinemann Raintree.
Grades 6-8
Anderson, P. 1995. John James Audubon: Wildlife Artist. Scholastic Library Publishing.
Court, R. 2005. How to Draw Things In Nature. The Child’s World, Inc.
Hammond, L. 2004. Lee Hammonds Big Book of Drawing. North Light Books.
Harding, J. 2005. On Drawing Trees and Nature: A Classic Victorian Manual with Lessons and Examples. Dover Publications.
Hultgren, K. 1993. The Art of Animal Drawing: Construction, Action, Analysis, Caricature. Dover Publications.
Huntley, M. 2008. Draw Nature. A&C Black Publishers, LTD.
Monroe, C. 2006. The Wonders of Nature Sketchbook: Learn about Nature and How to Draw It. Storytime Press, Inc.
Montgomery, R.G. 2001. The Living Wilderness. Caxton Press.
Rines, F. 2007. How to Draw Trees. Dover Publications.
Temple, K. 2005. Drawing: The Only Drawing Book You’ll Ever Need to Be the Artist You’ve Always Wanted to Be. Sterling Publishing.
Grades 9-12
Hammond, L.2004. Lee Hammonds Big Book of Drawing. North Light Books.
Hultgren, K. 1993. The Art of Animal Drawing: Construction, Action, Analysis, Caricature. Dover Publications.
La Tourrette, J. 1997. Watching Wildlife: The National Wildlife Federation Guide to Observing Animals in the Wild. Henry Holt & Company, Incorporated.
Rines, F. (2007). How to Draw Trees. Dover Publications.
To draw nature is to interpret what you see. How do you view your surroundings? Are they a simple blur as you drive past? Do you take a moment to “smell the roses”? Nature has inspired many famous artists over the centuries. If you were a wildlife artist what animals would inspire you?
Drawing on Nature, a Project WILD activity, explores how drawing can assist learning in nature. So pick up a pen and a pad, meander through a trail or field, and find some inspiration in nature.
Book List
Grades PreK-2
Carreiro, C. 1997. Hand-Print Animal Art. Ideals Publications.
Davies, J. 2004. Boy Who Drew Birds: A Story of John James Audubon. Houghton Mifflin Company.
Lakin, P. 2002. Harold and the Purple Crayon: The Giant Garden. HarperFestival.
LeRoux-Hugon, H. 2001. I Can Draw Wild Animals. Gareth Stevens Publishing.
Ruurs, M. 2007. In My Backyard. Tundra.
Grades 3-5
Arnosky, J. 2002. Field Trips: Bug Hunting, Animal Tracking, Bird-watching, Shore Walking. HarperCollins Publishers.
Arnosky, J. 1987. Sketching Outdoors in Spring. HarperCollins Publishers.
Arnosky, J. 1988. Sketching Outdoors in Summer. HarperCollins Publishers.
Bateman, R. 2005. Bateman's Guide to Backyard Birds. Barron's Educational Series, Incorporated.
Court, R. 2005. How to Draw Things In Nature. The Child’s World, Inc.
Hammond, L. 2000. Lee Hammonds Big Book of Drawing. North Light Books.
Harpster, S. 2006. Pencil, Paper, Draw!: Animals. Sterling Publishing.
Harpster, S. 2008. Pencil, Paper, Draw!: Flowers. Sterling Publishing.
Hultgren, K. 1993. The Art of Animal Drawing: Construction, Action, Analysis, Caricature. Dover Publications.
Kranz, L. 2002. My Nature Book: A Journal and Activity Book for Kids. T&N Children's Publishing.
Lasky, K. 1992. Think Like an Eagle: At Work with a Wildlife Photographer. Little, Brown & Company.
Levin, F. 2001. 1-2-3 Draw Wild Animals: A Step-by-Step Guide. Peel Productions, Inc.
Mason, M.E. 2005. John Audubon: Young Naturalist. Patria Press, Inc.
Raham, R.G. 1996. Explorations in Backyard Biology: Drawing on Nature in the Classroom. Libraries Unlimited.
Rines, F. 2006. Landscape Drawing in Pencil. Dover Publications.
Rines, F. 2007. How to Draw Trees. Dover Publications.
Ross, M.E. 1997. Wildlife Watching with Charles Eastman. Lerner Publishing Group.
Walsh, P. 2006. Wild Animals. Heinemann Raintree.
Grades 6-8
Anderson, P. 1995. John James Audubon: Wildlife Artist. Scholastic Library Publishing.
Court, R. 2005. How to Draw Things In Nature. The Child’s World, Inc.
Hammond, L. 2004. Lee Hammonds Big Book of Drawing. North Light Books.
Harding, J. 2005. On Drawing Trees and Nature: A Classic Victorian Manual with Lessons and Examples. Dover Publications.
Hultgren, K. 1993. The Art of Animal Drawing: Construction, Action, Analysis, Caricature. Dover Publications.
Huntley, M. 2008. Draw Nature. A&C Black Publishers, LTD.
Monroe, C. 2006. The Wonders of Nature Sketchbook: Learn about Nature and How to Draw It. Storytime Press, Inc.
Montgomery, R.G. 2001. The Living Wilderness. Caxton Press.
Rines, F. 2007. How to Draw Trees. Dover Publications.
Temple, K. 2005. Drawing: The Only Drawing Book You’ll Ever Need to Be the Artist You’ve Always Wanted to Be. Sterling Publishing.
Grades 9-12
Hammond, L.2004. Lee Hammonds Big Book of Drawing. North Light Books.
Hultgren, K. 1993. The Art of Animal Drawing: Construction, Action, Analysis, Caricature. Dover Publications.
La Tourrette, J. 1997. Watching Wildlife: The National Wildlife Federation Guide to Observing Animals in the Wild. Henry Holt & Company, Incorporated.
Rines, F. (2007). How to Draw Trees. Dover Publications.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Sounds of Summer
Imagine you are camping, it is night time and everyone has finally gone to sleep. The camp is quiet. You strain your ears for sound. What summer night time noises would you hear? Chirp, Chirp. Chirp, Chirp. Crickets!
Did you know crickets are in the same genus as grasshoppers and only the male crickets sing? Air temperature also affects the speed of the chirping, the higher the temperature at night the faster they chirp. How do crickets protect themselves? What do they eat? Where do they live?
Discover Project WILD’s “Grasshopper Gravity” activity under the stars and explore the world of crickets.
Book List
Grades PreK-2
Allen, J. 2002. Are You a Grasshopper?. Kingfisher.
Archambault, J. 2006. The Leaping Grasshopper. Jitterbug Books.
Barkan, J. 2007. Little Cricket’s Song. Readers Digest Children’s Publishing, Incorporated.
Berger, M. 1999. Chirping Crickets. HarperCollins Children’s Books.
Bosca, F. 2006. The Three Grasshoppers. Purple Bear Books, Incorporated.
Carle, E. 1997. Very Quiet Cricket. Penguin Young Readers Group.
Caudill, R. 2004. Pocketful of Cricket. Holt, Henry Books for Young Readers.
Collins, B. Insect’s Body, Vol 1. HarperCollins Publishers.
Green, E. 2006. Crickets. Bellwether Media.
Hall, M. 2004. Crickets. Coughlan Publishing.
Howe, J. 1994. I Wish I Were a Butterfly. Harcourt Children’s Books.
Lobel, A. 1986. Grasshopper on the Road (I Can Read Book Series: Level 2). HarperCollins Publishers .
Loewen, N. 2005. Chirp, Chirp!: Crickets in Your Backyard. Coughlan Publishing
Loewen, N. 2003. Hungry Hoppers: Grasshoppers in Your Backyard. Coughlan Publishing.
Spinelli, E., Berger. M. 1998. Chirping Crickets, Vol. 2. Harper Collins Children’s Books.
Wheeler, Lisa. 2003. Old Cricket. Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing.
Grades 3-5
Collins, B. Insect’s Body, Vol 1. HarperCollins Publishers.
Green, E. 2006. Crickets. Bellwether Media.
Goldish, M., Brown. B. 2008. Leaping Grasshoppers. Bearport Publishing Company, Incorporated.
Hall, M. 2004. Crickets. Coughlan Publishing.
Lobel, A. 1986. Grasshopper on the Road (I Can Read Book Series: Level 2). HarperCollins Publishers .
Lockwood, S. 2007. Grasshoppers. Child’s World, Incorporated, The.
Miller, S. 2001. Grasshoppers and Crickets of North America. Scholastic Library Publishing.
Ross, M. 2002. Cricketology. Lerner Publishing Group.
Scholl, E. 2004. Grasshopper (Bug Series). Gale Group.
Spinelli, E., Berger. M. 1998. Chirping Crickets, Vol. 2. Harper Collins Children’s Books.
Grades 6-8
Jacobs, L. 2003. Wild Wild World: Crickets. Gale Group.
Perry, P. 1995. Fiddlehoppers: Crickets, Katydids, and Locust. Scholastic Library Publishing.
Imagine you are camping, it is night time and everyone has finally gone to sleep. The camp is quiet. You strain your ears for sound. What summer night time noises would you hear? Chirp, Chirp. Chirp, Chirp. Crickets!
Did you know crickets are in the same genus as grasshoppers and only the male crickets sing? Air temperature also affects the speed of the chirping, the higher the temperature at night the faster they chirp. How do crickets protect themselves? What do they eat? Where do they live?
Discover Project WILD’s “Grasshopper Gravity” activity under the stars and explore the world of crickets.
Book List
Grades PreK-2
Allen, J. 2002. Are You a Grasshopper?. Kingfisher.
Archambault, J. 2006. The Leaping Grasshopper. Jitterbug Books.
Barkan, J. 2007. Little Cricket’s Song. Readers Digest Children’s Publishing, Incorporated.
Berger, M. 1999. Chirping Crickets. HarperCollins Children’s Books.
Bosca, F. 2006. The Three Grasshoppers. Purple Bear Books, Incorporated.
Carle, E. 1997. Very Quiet Cricket. Penguin Young Readers Group.
Caudill, R. 2004. Pocketful of Cricket. Holt, Henry Books for Young Readers.
Collins, B. Insect’s Body, Vol 1. HarperCollins Publishers.
Green, E. 2006. Crickets. Bellwether Media.
Hall, M. 2004. Crickets. Coughlan Publishing.
Howe, J. 1994. I Wish I Were a Butterfly. Harcourt Children’s Books.
Lobel, A. 1986. Grasshopper on the Road (I Can Read Book Series: Level 2). HarperCollins Publishers .
Loewen, N. 2005. Chirp, Chirp!: Crickets in Your Backyard. Coughlan Publishing
Loewen, N. 2003. Hungry Hoppers: Grasshoppers in Your Backyard. Coughlan Publishing.
Spinelli, E., Berger. M. 1998. Chirping Crickets, Vol. 2. Harper Collins Children’s Books.
Wheeler, Lisa. 2003. Old Cricket. Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing.
Grades 3-5
Collins, B. Insect’s Body, Vol 1. HarperCollins Publishers.
Green, E. 2006. Crickets. Bellwether Media.
Goldish, M., Brown. B. 2008. Leaping Grasshoppers. Bearport Publishing Company, Incorporated.
Hall, M. 2004. Crickets. Coughlan Publishing.
Lobel, A. 1986. Grasshopper on the Road (I Can Read Book Series: Level 2). HarperCollins Publishers .
Lockwood, S. 2007. Grasshoppers. Child’s World, Incorporated, The.
Miller, S. 2001. Grasshoppers and Crickets of North America. Scholastic Library Publishing.
Ross, M. 2002. Cricketology. Lerner Publishing Group.
Scholl, E. 2004. Grasshopper (Bug Series). Gale Group.
Spinelli, E., Berger. M. 1998. Chirping Crickets, Vol. 2. Harper Collins Children’s Books.
Grades 6-8
Jacobs, L. 2003. Wild Wild World: Crickets. Gale Group.
Perry, P. 1995. Fiddlehoppers: Crickets, Katydids, and Locust. Scholastic Library Publishing.
Wednesday, July 09, 2008
Ants on a Twig
Imagine that you are an ant! What would it be like to carry ten times your weight? What would your adventure be? Would you meet new friends while you collect leaves or would you save the day by protecting ant pupa from invading insect armies?
Project WILD’s activity “Ants on a Twig” is a great activity for kids of all ages, even the kids at heart. Ants have fascinated kids through the years. Observing insects in their natural habitat can be great experiences. Have kids sit on a log and watch the insects interact. Ask what they learned from watching the insects react to the change in their environment. You can also do an insect scavenger hunt by finding the type of food certain ants would eat or by finding different species of ants. Please remember to respect the insects’ habitat and take care to avoid harmful insects.
Book List
Grades PreK-2
Ashley, S., Nations, S. 2003. Ants. Gareth Stevens Publishing.
Beech, L. 1996. Magic School Bus Gets Ants in Its Pants. Perma-Bound Books.
Brenner, B. 1996. Thinking About Ants. Mondo Publishing.
Hoose, P. and H Hoose. 1998. Hey, Little Ant. Ten Speed Press.
Humphries, T. 2004. Are You an Ant? Kingfisher.
Micucci, C. 2006. The Life and Times of the Ant. Houghton Mifflin Company.
Pinczes, E. 1999. One Hundred Hungry Ants. Houghton Mifflin Company.
Rockwell, A. 2001. Bugs Are Insects. Harper Collins Publishers.
Seuss, Dr. 1999. On Beyond Bugs: All About Insects. Random House Children’s Books.
Stockdale, S. 1999. Nature’s Paintbrush: The Patterns and Colors Around You. Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing.
Grades 3-5
Ashley, S. and S. Nations. 2003. Ants. Gareth Stevens Publishing.
Dorros, A. 1988. Ant Cities. Harper Collins Publishers.
Fowler, A. 1998. Inside an Ant Colony. Scholastic Library Publishing.
Hodge, D. 2004. Ants. Kids Can Press, Limited.
Holldobler, B. 1998. Journey to the Ants: A Story of Scientific Exploration. Harvard University Press.
Hoose, P., Hoose, H. 1998. Hey, Little Ant. Ten Speed Press.
Micucci, C. 2006. The Life and Times of the Ant. Houghton Mifflin Company.
Parramon, J.M. and M.A. Julivert. 1991. Fascinating World of Ants. Barron's Educational Series, Incorporated.
Pinczes, E. 1999. One Hundred Hungry Ants. Houghton Mifflin Company.
Poole, A. 2000. Ant and the Grasshopper. Holiday House, Inc.
Tschinkel, W. 2006. The Fire Ants. Harvard University Press.
Winner, C. 2004. Everything Bug: What Kids Really Want to Know About Insects and Spiders. T&N Children’s Publishing.
Grades 6-8
Tschinkel, W. 2006. The Fire Ants. Harvard University Press.
Grades 6-8
Holldobler, B. 1998. Journey to the Ants: A Story of Scientific Exploration. Harvard University Press.
Tschinkel, W. 2006. The Fire Ants. Harvard University Press.
Grades 9-12
Holldobler, B. 1998. Journey to the Ants: A Story of Scientific Exploration. Harvard University Press.
Imagine that you are an ant! What would it be like to carry ten times your weight? What would your adventure be? Would you meet new friends while you collect leaves or would you save the day by protecting ant pupa from invading insect armies?
Project WILD’s activity “Ants on a Twig” is a great activity for kids of all ages, even the kids at heart. Ants have fascinated kids through the years. Observing insects in their natural habitat can be great experiences. Have kids sit on a log and watch the insects interact. Ask what they learned from watching the insects react to the change in their environment. You can also do an insect scavenger hunt by finding the type of food certain ants would eat or by finding different species of ants. Please remember to respect the insects’ habitat and take care to avoid harmful insects.
Book List
Grades PreK-2
Ashley, S., Nations, S. 2003. Ants. Gareth Stevens Publishing.
Beech, L. 1996. Magic School Bus Gets Ants in Its Pants. Perma-Bound Books.
Brenner, B. 1996. Thinking About Ants. Mondo Publishing.
Hoose, P. and H Hoose. 1998. Hey, Little Ant. Ten Speed Press.
Humphries, T. 2004. Are You an Ant? Kingfisher.
Micucci, C. 2006. The Life and Times of the Ant. Houghton Mifflin Company.
Pinczes, E. 1999. One Hundred Hungry Ants. Houghton Mifflin Company.
Rockwell, A. 2001. Bugs Are Insects. Harper Collins Publishers.
Seuss, Dr. 1999. On Beyond Bugs: All About Insects. Random House Children’s Books.
Stockdale, S. 1999. Nature’s Paintbrush: The Patterns and Colors Around You. Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing.
Grades 3-5
Ashley, S. and S. Nations. 2003. Ants. Gareth Stevens Publishing.
Dorros, A. 1988. Ant Cities. Harper Collins Publishers.
Fowler, A. 1998. Inside an Ant Colony. Scholastic Library Publishing.
Hodge, D. 2004. Ants. Kids Can Press, Limited.
Holldobler, B. 1998. Journey to the Ants: A Story of Scientific Exploration. Harvard University Press.
Hoose, P., Hoose, H. 1998. Hey, Little Ant. Ten Speed Press.
Micucci, C. 2006. The Life and Times of the Ant. Houghton Mifflin Company.
Parramon, J.M. and M.A. Julivert. 1991. Fascinating World of Ants. Barron's Educational Series, Incorporated.
Pinczes, E. 1999. One Hundred Hungry Ants. Houghton Mifflin Company.
Poole, A. 2000. Ant and the Grasshopper. Holiday House, Inc.
Tschinkel, W. 2006. The Fire Ants. Harvard University Press.
Winner, C. 2004. Everything Bug: What Kids Really Want to Know About Insects and Spiders. T&N Children’s Publishing.
Grades 6-8
Tschinkel, W. 2006. The Fire Ants. Harvard University Press.
Grades 6-8
Holldobler, B. 1998. Journey to the Ants: A Story of Scientific Exploration. Harvard University Press.
Tschinkel, W. 2006. The Fire Ants. Harvard University Press.
Grades 9-12
Holldobler, B. 1998. Journey to the Ants: A Story of Scientific Exploration. Harvard University Press.
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