Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday: First read alouds in a Grade 4 & 5 classroom

Posted on August 24, 2016 by carriegelson

Last year when I taught a Grade 2 & 3 class, I made a list of titles I might initially share to grow curiosity, introduce new concepts and spread the love of nonfiction picture books.

This year I am teaching Grade 4 & 5 in a new-to-me school and again, I have been going through my shelves thinking about first read alouds. At this point, I am less concerned about content and thinking more about exposing students to a variety of nonfiction titles so that their ideas about nonfiction picture books can grow. I want to also introduce them to a variety of genres, prolific authors and nonfiction series so that they can plan some of their future independent reading. In all of this reading, I want there to be room for questions, laughter and much discussion. Here are ten titles that I have placed in a pile to possibly share in our first month together.

Chasing Cheetahs: The Race to Save Africa’s Fastest Cats written by Sy Montgomery with photographs by Nic Bishop

Kids love cheetahs. But what is the story of their endangered status and what is being done about it? That is the story that this title showcases – in particular the story of Laurie Marker and the work she does at theCheetah Conservation Fund (CCF)‘s African headquarters in Nambia. This is a Scientist in the Field title – a series ideal for young scientists, naturalists and kids with questions.

Dorothea’s Eyes by Barb Rosenstock with illustrations by Gérard DuBois

Nonfiction picture book biographies are some of my favourite titles to share. They are full of information and inspiration. I think this fantastic biography of photographer Dorothea Lange will generate interest in other biographies.

How to Swallow a Pig: Step-by-Step Advice from the Animal Kingdom by Steve Jenkins and Robin Page

This title is particularly interesting because of the “how to” aspect. Of course it is also a great model for instructional writing. Additional information is always rich in Jenkins/Page titles. Jenkins and Page have collaborated on multiple nonfiction titles. All have huge kid appeal.

Tooth by Tooth: Comparing Fangs, Tusks, and Chompers written by Sara Levine and illustrated by T.S. Spookytooth

“What kind of animal would you be if your teeth were long enough to stick out of your mouth, even when it was closed?” This is one of many questions posed in this informative and engaging book. Students love to guess and check and this title allows for a lot of that.

What if you had Animal Ears!? written by Sandra Markle and illustrated by Howard McWilliam

This series is lots of fun. It gets kids talking and asking questions. They can later read more of the series on their own or with a buddy. Markle writes lots of great nonfiction. Win. Win. Win to share this one.

Pink is for Blobfish: Discovering the World’s Perfectly Pink Animals written by Jess Keating with illustrations by David DeGrand

Just the cover captures interest but you need to open the book for the full impact. Lots of weird and interesting = perfect for curious minds. Jess Keating also writes middle grade novels – some are sitting on my book shelf and I predict they will be very popular after we share this title. And then there are the videos on her Youtube channel: Animals for Smart People

Feathers Not Just for Flying written by Melissa Stewart and illustrated by Sarah S. Brannen

Such a beautifully written and organized book – almost like a nature journal or a scrap book. Perfect as an interactive read aloud experience.Allows the reader to consider and learn about many uses for feathers. Melissa Stewart has written many nonfiction titles in my collection. Students will know her by name by year’s end (or sooner).

Separate is Never Equal: Sylvia Mendez & Her Family’s Fight for Desegregation by Duncan Tonatiuh

Nonfiction picture books introduce us to situations, history and struggles we may no nothing or little about. Such an important story about a family’s fight for their children’s equal education.

I, Fly The Buzz About Flies and How Awesome They Are written by Bridget Heos and illustrated by Jennifer Plecas

We can laugh a lot as we learn. This book showcases this perfectly!

Ubiquitous: Celebrating Nature’s Survivors poems by Joyce Sidman and illustrated by Beckie Prange

Poet and artist celebrate nature’s successes. Who has been around for a long time and continues to thrive? Introduced in order of their evolutionary arrival, read poems and facts about such creatures as the squirrel, ants, geckos and diatoms. Fascinating and a lyrical experience all at once. Blending of art, poetry and nonfiction. I love to share nonfiction poetry and hope this is a form of writing that we will explore this year in Writer’s Workshop.

Thanks to Alyson from Kid Lit Frenzy for the inspiration to read and share more nonfiction picture books in 2016. Follow the link to Alyson’s blog to read about more nonfiction books you need to read!

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Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday: Tooth by Tooth

Posted on May 25, 2016 by carriegelson

Recently, we went to dinner at my husband’s parents. My son had just been to the orthodontist. My father in law had just had dental surgery. I had just visited the bookstore that afternoon on route to dinner and I was thrilled to see that the latest Sara Levine book I had ordered had arrived. Of course, while waiting for dinner to finish cooking, I had to read this book aloud to my family. Of course! It was a meant to be moment – a must read book about teeth while we all had teeth on the brain. Achy teeth and bruised mouths, some of us. This book was the perfect distraction.

Because don’t you just want to know answers to some questions like these:

What would you be if your top canine teeth grew almost all the way down to your feet?
What kind of animal would you be if your teeth were long enough to stick out of your mouth, even when it was closed?
What kind of mammal would you be if you had really tall molars?

I am not going to tell you any of these answers! Go! Get the book! Some of these questions are challenging to figure out. This title is a fantastic resource in the elementary classroom: a fun and interactive read aloud with interesting guess and find out questions/answers. My entire family from the teenagers to the over eighty crowd was completely engaged!

Tooth by Tooth: Comparing Fangs, Tusks, and Chompers written by Sara Levine and illustrated by T.S. Spookytooth (Millbrook Press (Lerner) 2016)

Learn about the different kinds of teeth you have in your mouth: incisors, canines and molars. Quick, think fast – how many molars do you have? Now count them. Were you right? (Your answer should fall in the 8-20 range depending on your age) Find out how other mammals use their teeth and why they are different sizes and shapes. How are human teeth similar and different compared to other mammals? How do the teeth of herbivores, omnivores and carnivores differ?

Information in the final pages includes further reading, a detailed glossary and more about mammal teeth.

Ideal for K-7 students as a read aloud (for K-3) or read alone (Grades 4-7) .

I also highly recommend bringing it along to share at dinner parties. . . even if nobody has recently been to the dentist! 🙂

Levine and Spookytooth also collaborated on Bone by Bone: Comparing Animal Skeletons

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Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday: One Day on our Blue Planet . . . In the Antarctic

Posted on April 6, 2016 by carriegelson

If you shouldn’t fall in love with a book by its cover . . . how about its end pages? Because these are truly stunning! The front pages feature all of the animals you might find above the ice in Antarctica and the final end pages reveal many of the creatures who live below the Antarctic waters.

One Day on our Blue Planet . . . In the Antarctic by Ella Bailey (Flying Eye Books 2016)

Wander (or waddle) through the day of an Adélie penguin chick in her Antarctic home. Through the story of her day we are introduced to elements of the Antarctic landscape, penguin habits, their predators and the creatures who share their home.

Perfect for younger listeners, this is a beautiful read aloud to introduce children to the continent of Antarctica and it is sure to spark further reading and research. This would also be a wonderful mentor text for older readers to share their research on an animal as a “day in the life” format.

This book begs you to consider art projects. It is stunning on every page. Like all Flying Eye Books, the pages are high quality and the colour palette, so attractive.

Pair this title with these titles about Antarctica:

Sophie Scott Goes South by Alison Lester (published in 2012)

Shackleton’s Journey by William Grill, a stunning Flying Eye book published in 2014.

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Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday: Pink is for Blobfish

Posted on March 23, 2016 by carriegelson

It’s Wednesday – the day to share some love for a nonfiction picture book.

Pink is for Blobfish: Discovering the World’s Perfectly Pink Animals written by Jess Keating with illustrations by David DeGrand (Knopf Books for Young Readers February 2016)

This book! That cover! That gelatinous blob? I really didn’t even believe this creature on the cover was real – or at least looked like this. So I looked up images of blobfish. Yep, they really are this challenged in the aesthetically pleasing department. Author Jess Keating shares that they were voted ugliest animal in the world and I would have to agree, they are worthy of top prize. But there is a lot more to this fish than its not pretty face!

I will also say that I had a really, really hard time reading this book. Honestly, I couldn’t sit in one place and just read it because I had to keep stopping and leaping up to write down ideas of how to use this book in class. Wow, does this book have crazy amounts of classroom potential. Although, I am sure you could just put it out on display and say nothing and that cover would sell itself! I could imagine within moments it would be passed around and marvelled at in the classroom. Mr. Blobfish, you are such a cover model!

But because it is spring break and I have no children to use this book with for at least another week, I have decided to share in an enthusiastic (and maybe not so organized) way all of the ideas I had while reading it. The irony of this “blob” on the cover and all of the energy this book gave me, did not go unnoticed.

This title features a number of “pink” creatures from around the world and shares some of the wild and wacky facts about each one. Every page also includes specific information under these headings: Name, Species name, Size, Diet, Habitat, Predators and threats. Back matter is fantastic including: a colour coded map of where to find each creature featured in the book, a glossary of useful words, more resources if you want to learn more and some scientist careers to aspire to (i.e. Want to learn more about reptiles? You can be a herpetologist)

How I might/should/could/will use this book in the classroom:

Pre-reading:

Brainstorm: What are all the pink animals we can think of. (I will admit I didn’t get much further than flamingo and earth worm (are they even considered pink?))
Ask: What colours do we normally associate with animals? In our local environment? Why is that? What about in different habitats around the world? Different biospheres? Where do we see more colours? Fewer colours?
Brainstorm in small groups: Can we think of some colours and try and name a number of animals under each colour category?
Read and ask: On the inside jacket flap it begins: “Some people think pink is a pretty color. A fluffy, sparkly, princessy color.” What are your associations with the colour pink. (chart these to compare to later)

During reading:

Notice and ask: What organization do we see on each page in terms of structure, headings, lay out?
Turn and talk: After we know structure, reveal name and photograph and have students predict in turn and talk partners/small groups about information they will learn. For example: “Here is the Pinktoe Tarantula, with your turn and talk partner think about and predict: Where would we find these creatures? Who would there predators be? What do you think they eat? When we share, be prepared to support your predictions.” After student discussion and sharing, read the page and talk about what was learned, what was surprising, what was confirmed.
Turn and talk: After certain pages ask: “With your turn and talk partner, share what was the most interesting fact about this creature? What surprised you the most? What are you still wondering?”
Chart: Create a chart with these headings: Creature, Natural Predators, Threats For each page, fill this in and look at trends as you go. How many of these creatures have many predators vs few? How many are threatened because of deforestation? Pollution? Habitat loss?

After reading:

Ask: What is your favourite of all the pink animals in this book? Why do you think Jess Keating decided to use blobfish in the title Pink is for ________ Would another animals have sounded as interesting? Think about the cover with another animal. The way it would sound, the image, etc. Was blobfish the best choice?
Look again: Do we have any new words we would associate with the colour pink after reading this book? Don’t share the back cover until this time and compare your list to this list.
Look closely: Look at the map in the back pages. Where do we see the most pink creatures? What do we notice? Why?
Mini research project: Choose an animal and make a (Colour) is for __________ page using same structure as Jess Keating did in her book (with same headings, etc.) This could become a class book. Orange is for fox, White is for arctic hare, etc.
Research: What is the status of each of these creatures. Endangered? Threatened?

This title has so much potential in the classroom and I am beyond excited that it appears to be the first in a series: The World of Weird Animals. Jess Keating is just kind of generally amazing – visit her site here. And if you didn’t know . . . she has a Youtube channel: Animals for Smart People See? Amazing!

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Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday: The Way to School

Posted on March 2, 2016 by carriegelson

I walk to school (which is also my work) everyday. One of our school engineers, now retired, used to ask me the same question every time the weather was miserable. “Today? Even today you walked?” My answer always sounded the same as well: “Yes, sunshine, rain, sleet, snow, I walk.”

I walk for exercise, for my mental health, for the chance to be outside and experience the world. Yes, my way to school could be faster if I drove or took transit, but I treasure this daily walk and feel fortunate that I have the opportunity to make it each day. Thirty-five minutes that is all mine.

Not all walks to school are so pleasurable or welcome. But they are necessary. Each step speaks to serious intent and commitment to education. That is what this book of sparse text and wonderful full colour photographs depicts.

The Way to School by Rosemary McCarney with Plan International was published in September 2015 by Second Story Press. Its message is important – what matters most is that you get there. School is necessary. School is transformative. School is non-negotiable. If children have the opportunity to go to school, they will go to great lengths: wading through rivers, balancing on collapsed bridges, trailing down a mountain path . . .

This book allows us to open up some meaningful conversations with our students and ask key questions.

Do children all over the world attend school?
Can every child in a community attend?
Are there countries where some children go to school and others don’t? Why?
What might prevent them from attending?
What is the daily commute like?
If the journey is long, what can’t fit in a child’s day?
Are there dangers on a daily walk to school?
Why is education so important?
Does this make you think about school in new ways?

Proceeds form the sale of this book are donated to the I am a Girl Fund. I took this book out from the library but will be buying my own copy.

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Nonfiction 10 for 10: Travel the world

Posted on February 18, 2016 by carriegelson

I am not sure how many of you have read the The Bear Report by Thyra Heder. It is a beautiful, playful and imaginative title. And Olafur, a polar bear, is a transformative Arctic tour guide. Transformative and inspirational. This book got me thinking about how much we learn when we travel. And then I started thinking about how much we learn when we travel in a book.

And so, yes, it makes sense that a not really nonfiction book starts my post about some incredible nonfiction titles. Titles that let us travel to new places and learning through their pages. I feel that these titles do a particularly fantastic job of capturing a sense of place.

Nonfiction Ten for Ten: Travel the World

Thank you to Cathy Mere from Reflect and Refine, Mandy Robek of Enjoy and Embrace Learning and Julie Balen of Write at the Edge for hosting this meme. Click here to read all of the top ten lists shared.

This is my fourth year participating in this meme.

In the first year of #nf10for10 I shared favourite nonfiction titles – many that I have used with my class over the last few years in a variety of ways.

In the second year, I chose to focus on nonfiction picture book biographies that feature inspiring women.

Last year, I shared nonfiction titles that allow us to think about something from a completely new or different perspective.

This year my theme is about travelling the world and learning about place and more via the pages of a nonfiction picture book. These are ten (“ahem” eleven) of my favourite nonfiction titles. If I have blogged about them before, I have shared the link.

Travel to Chengdu, China when you read Jasper’s Story: Saving Moon Bears written by Jill Robinson and Marc Bekoff; illustrated by Gijisbert van Frankenhuyzen (published 2013)

Jasper’s story is one you just might not know and all of us should. A terrible instance of animals being captured and imprisoned so that their bile can be extracted for use in traditional Asian medicine. Jasper is a bear that was rescued by Jill Robinson (the author) and her Animals Asia team and brought to a sanctuary in China. He had been held in a cage for 15 years and was very weak and injured from so many years of cruel captivity.

Travel the World

Travel to Puerto Rico when you read Parrots Over Puerto Rico by Cindy Trumbore and Susan L. Roth (published in 2013) Winner of the 2014 Sibert Medal

So often when we hear about animals on the brink of extinction, there is no happy ending story to share. Here, we have a story of hope and promise. Through much hard work the endangered parrots of Puerto Rico are once again flying through the treetops. Both captive bred parrots and wild flocks are being supported by the Puerto Rican Parrot Recovery Program. Gorgeous collage images invite you into the treetops with these beautiful birds.

Parrots over Puerto Rico

Travel to Antarctica when you read Sophie Scott Goes South by Alison Lester (published in 2012)

This book defies categorization. It is a fictional story of young Sophie Scott travelling to Mawson Station in Antarctica with her father who is the captain of an icebreaker, the Aurora Australis. But it is based on the author’s real experience of travelling to Antarctica. And it is full of all kinds of facts about icebergs, icebreakers, life in a research station, Antarctic animals and the history of Antarctic exploration. I’m calling it an information story book and placing it under the nonfiction umbrella.

_sophie-scott-goes-south-copy-1337598376

and Shackleton’s Journey by William Grill, (published in 2014)

Such a story of adventure, misadventure, perseverance and survival.

shackletons-journey

Travel to Australia when you read Big Red Kangaroo written by Claire Saxby and illustrated by Graham Byrne (first published by Walker Books Australia in 2013, first U.S. edition 2015 by Candlewick Press)

The illustrations are so unique. Dry, dust seems to float off the page. I feel like I am under a hot sun, staring at wide expanse of dry grass, with little green. There is absolute mood in these pictures. Action, drama in the simmering Australian climate. Limited colours and striking lines. A fantastic book that celebrates both kangaroos and the Australian landscape.

big red kangaroo

Travel to wooded areas of California when you read Redwoods by Jason Chin (published in 2009)

It’s not just that redwood trees are majestic, this book brings some kind of added magic to learning about these forest giants. Part fantasy, part nonfiction – this title by Chin is a magical information story book. Learn about each level of the tree from small sapling to the canopy hundreds of feet off the ground in a redwood tree over 350 feet tall!

Redwoods by Jason chin

Travel to the Galapágos Islands when you read Galapágos George written by Jean Craighead George and illustrated by Wendell Minor (published in 2014)

This was a powerful read aloud in my classroom last year. This title let us talk about extinction. It allowed students to grasp the true vulnerability of so many species. We read this after reading various books about endangered animals. Reading about a special creature that actually became extinct prompted both outrage and sadness. “So many animals could disappear because of humans . . . ” one child observed solemnly.

Galapagos George

Travel to Ghana when you read about Emmanuel Ofusu Yeboah in Emmanuel’s Dream: The True Story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah written by Laurie Ann Thompson and illustrated by Sean Qualls (published in 2015)

An inspirational biography of Emmanuel Ofusu Yeboah who rode across Ghana (more than 400 miles) to raise money for and awareness about people living with disabilities. A story of persistence, endurance and the human spirit.

Emmanuel's Dream- The True Story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah

Travel back to Cuba in the 1930s and learn about when you read Drum Dream Girl Dreaming: How One Girl’s Courage Changed Music written by Margarita Engle and illustrated by Rafael López (published in 2015)

Millo Castro Zaldarriaga dreamed of drumming but this was not a dream for girls. This beautifully illustrated story gives us a peek into the colours of Cuba and the persistent dream of one girl to play her music.

Drum Dream Girl

Travel to Minnesota in the wintertime Winter Bees and Other Poems of the Cold by Joyce Sidman and Rick Allen (published in 2014)

What about animals who must survive long winters where snow is not a novelty but a part of life? Is the snow a burden? A hardship? How do they survive? How do they adapt to the long winter months? These are questions that children will find answers to in this stunning collection of poems, lino cut prints and informative paragraphs.

winter bees

Travel to Iceland when you read Puffling Patrol by Ted and Betsy Lewin (published in 2012)

An incredible story of two children on the island of Heimaey in Iceland who take part on the Puffling Patrol to assist young pufflings making their way to the sea. Unfortunately we learn in the back pages that the puffling population in Iceland is rapidly declining.

Pufflng Patrol 2

What are some of your favourite nonfiction titles that honour place?

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday: B is for Bear

Posted on February 17, 2016 by carriegelson

This week I found B is for Bear: A Natural Alphabet by Hannah Viano (October 2015) and was absolutely charmed by it. Striking art work and all things lovely and wonderful from the natural world of North America. Part alphabet book, part celebration of nature, many parts simple beauty.

Each page holds an upper case word for the letter represented and a simple, descriptive sentence of additional information along with a stunning image (these are paper cuttings!)

For example:

“Standing still on one leg, an EGRET watches the water closely, waiting for his dinner to swim by.”

Some wonderful things selected P for PEBBLE, Q for QUEEN ANNE’s LACE, R for RAINSTORM

I particularly loved this book because it got me thinking about how to use it in the classroom. Last week Melissa Stewart wrote a post wondering about doing research with elementary students. “Is there a fun way to do research?” she asks. She has more posts to come (yippee!) but I have been thinking about this question a lot. I’ve been thinking about letting research first be part of a discovery, expressive process. Something that involves art, creativity, poetry, creating images while being a part of the process of wondering and finding new information. And then, what to do with it?

I love the idea of some simple pieces – like art work inspired by a book like this. Create an image of something, share a fact discovered by a little bit of reading or exploring a website or . . . Think about what fact feels the most important and how to share it.

Wouldn’t you like to create an alphabet book linked to a particular place – a country, a province (or state), a city, a neighbourhood? And include a number of interesting pieces of art with extra information. A piece of beautiful art and a simple, carefully crafted sentence. Seems like the ideal marriage of beginning fact finding and information honouring.

Already thinking of a book like this for my class to do on our neighbourhood . . . And about where we might find more information about things we might want to highlight . . .

I love books that both enrich and inspire – accessible and lovely mentor texts to imitate. This is a beautiful one indeed.

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Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday: The nonfiction effect

Posted on February 10, 2016 by carriegelson

While nonfiction titles are read and shared all year in my room, I often do a specific “push” of nonfiction titles in January of each school year and make sure that one day a week in Reading Workshop, we spend some quality time exploring nonfiction titles. This year, our Reading Workshop routines are a little different to match this group of readers and I wasn’t sure how to launch our nonfiction celebrations.

At the end of January I realized the best thing to do would be to begin sharing nonfiction titles in an already routine way: through our Wednesday a.m. book sharing circles. So . . . last week, I pulled some tried and true titles and these books travelled child to child in three sharing circles.