FREE Teachers Guides Make Using Nonfiction in the Classroom Less Scary
Reprinted from October
With
Halloween just around the corner, I’m going to offer a solution to something
some teachers find scary: incorporating nonfiction into their teaching. With
the adoption of the Common Core http://www.corestandards.org/ in 46 states, there is a strong
movement to use more nonfiction in the classroom. But how, exactly, should
teachers do this?
The most
common way that I’ve seen nonfiction used in classrooms is as a resource for students
to find information to include in subject-area reports. There is nothing wrong
with this, but many books written by Interesting Nonfiction for Kids (I.N.K.)
authors and others are far more than a list of facts on a subject and can be
used to do so much more. Our books are designed to inspire, engage, enlighten,
challenge, and deepen understanding. We wrote them to open kids’ eyes to the
world around them and to encourage kids’ to ask questions about their world. So
really, what we are trying to do with our books is very much aligned with what
great teachers are already trying to do with their classrooms.
The best news
of all is that many authors have thought deeply about how their books could be
used in the classroom and have created teachers’ guides that offer discussion
questions, writing prompts, hands-on activities, individual and group projects,
theater scripts and more. But there is no organized way, as far as I can see,
to get these powerful resources to teachers.
So here is a start:
What follows is a list of free teachers’ guides available for
some of the best children’s nonfiction books out there. PLEASE share this list
with a teacher you know, forward it, repost it, tweet it, share it on Facebook,
etc. And please let me know about great teachers’ guides for nonfiction that
you wrote or know about. If I get a lot of additions, I’d be happy to post
another, larger, even more inclusive list.
Happy teaching
and Happy Halloween!
Elizabeth
Rusch
The books and teachers’ guides are
organized by subject area and then by grade level (preK-12) within subject
area. So a subject-area teacher can find his or her section and a grade-level
teacher can look for the grade-appropriate books in each subject area. Some
books cross subject areas and so are listed under more than one category.
SOCIAL STUDIES/HISTORY
On This Spot: An Expedition Back
Through Time
By Susan E. Goodman
Subject
areas: Life sciences, animals, adaptation, prehistoric times and creatures,
ecosystems, Earth science, natural history, U.S. history, geography
Grade
levels: K and up
Teachers’
guide: http://www.susangoodmanbooks.com/?page_id=2436
Guide
includes: Cross-curricular activities in art, language arts, math,
science and especially history (historical changes and adaptations); and,
personal, historical, social and societal timelines.
One
World, One Day
By Barbara Kerley
Subject
areas: global awareness, other cultures
Grade
levels: K - 4
Teachers’
guide: http://www.barbarakerley.com/Site/Teachers_Guide__Global_Awareness.html
Guide
includes: diary of a school day; hopscotch around the world with bar
graph follow-up
A
Little Peace
By Barbara Kerley
Subject
areas: global awareness, other cultures, peace
Grade levels: K - 4
Teachers’
Guide: http://www.barbarakerley.com/Site/Teachers_Guide__Global_Awareness.html
Guide
includes: school-related peace projects (peace posters;
Welcome-To-School packet)
You
and Me Together: Moms, Dads, and Kids Around the World
By Barbara Kerley
Subject
areas: global awareness, other cultures, families
Grade
levels: K - 4
Teachers’
guide: http://www.barbarakerley.com/Site/Teachers_Guide__Global_Awareness.html
Guide
includes: creating a Thank You card for a parent; interviewing a
parent
A
Cool Drink of Water
By Barbara Kerley
Subject
areas: global awareness, other cultures, water resources
Grade
levels: K - 4
Teachers’
guide: http://www.barbarakerley.com/Site/Teachers_Guide__Global_Awareness.html
Guide
includes: making a water diary; gallons/minute water use exercise
Sandy's Circus: A Story about Alexander Calder
By Tanya Lee Stone
Subject
Area(s): American Art, Art History, Contemporary Art, Biography
Grade
Levels: K-5
Teacher's
Guide: http://www.tanyastone.com/assets/files/pdfs/Sandys%20Circus%20Reading%20Guide.pdf
Guide
Includes: Synopsis, About the Author and Illustrator, Author
Interview, Pre-Reading and Discussion Question, Cross-Curriculum project
suggestions
Additional Resources:
A
YouTube video showcasing student-made art inspired by Sandy's Circus: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zr9bbuNvezc
Elizabeth Leads the Way: Elizabeth Cady Stanton and the
Right to Vote
By Tanya Lee Stone
Subject
Area(s): American History, Women's History, Suffrage, Biography
Grade
Levels: K-8 (upper level usage because of curriculum connections
to American history)
Teacher's
Guide: http://www.tanyastone.com/assets/files/pdfs/Reading%20Guide.pdf
What
the Guide Includes: Synopsis, Author Interview,
Pre-Reading and Discussion Questions, Cross-curriculum project suggestions
The Truth About Poop
By Susan E. Goodman
Subject
areas: Health, human development, the human body, digestion,
science, animals, world history, regions/cultures
Grade
levels: 1 and up
Teachers’
guide: http://www.susangoodmanbooks.com/?page_id=2446
Guide
includes: Cross-curricular activities in language arts (vocabulary,
grammar, research skills), math and science
Saving the Whooping Crane
By Susan E. Goodman
Subject areas: Language arts, life sciences,
endangered species, birds, national history
Grade levels: 1-4
Teachers’ guide: http://www.susangoodmanbooks.com/?page_id=2485
Guide includes:
Cross-curricular activities in history, endangered species, the
scientific process, and geography by providing links to detailed lesson plans
by National Geographic, and superb downloadable booklets, slideshows, audio and
video clips, handouts, activities and teachers’ tips by Journey North.
Those
Rebels, John and Tom
By Barbara Kerley
Subject
areas: biography, history, American Independence, American
Revolution, Continental Congress, Presidents, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson,
slavery
Grade
levels: Grades 2 and up
Teacher's guide: http://www.barbarakerley.com/Site/Teachers_Guide__Biographies.html
Guide
includes: Venn diagram exercise to compare/contrast; links to historic
homes of Adams and Jefferson
The
Extraordinary Mark Twain (According to Susy)
By Barbara Kerley
Subject
areas: biography, history, women's studies, American
literature, Mark Twain
Grade
levels: Grades 2 and up
Teacher's
guide: http://www.barbarakerley.com/Site/Teachers_Guide__Biographies.html
Guide
includes: tip sheet, "Writing an Extraordinary Biography";
audio clip of author discussing and reading from the book; extension activity
(designing a place to create)
The Right Dog for the
Job: Irah’s Path from Service Dog to Guide Dog
By Dorothy
Hinshaw Patent
Subject area: Social Studies
Grade levels: Grade 2-8
Teachers’ guide: http://www.dorothyhinshawpatent.com/links.html
Guide includes: Activities for young children
The
Dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins
By Barbara Kerley
Subject
areas: biography, history, science, history of science,
paleontology, art, dinosaurs
Grade
levels: Grades 2 and up
Teacher's
guide: http://www.barbarakerley.com/Site/Teachers_Guide__Biographies.html
Guide
includes: make-a-dinsosaur puzzle; creating dinosaurs out of tin
foil; hosting a dinosaur feast; writing a letter in defense of paleontology
What
To Do About Alice?
By Barbara Kerley
Subject
areas: biography, history, women's studies, Presidents,
Theodore Roosevelt
Grade
levels: Grades 2 and up
Teacher's guide: http://www.barbarakerley.com/Site/Teachers_Guide__Biographies.html
Guide
includes: language exploration of metaphor; link to learn more about
being a kid in the White House
For the Love of Music:
The remarkable story of Maria Anna Mozart
By Elizabeth
Rusch
Subject area(s): History, music, biography, women’s
studies, language arts
Grade levels: Grades 2 and up
Teachers’ guide: http://www.elizabethrusch.com/Portals/0/For%20the%20Love%20of%20Music%20Teacher's%20Guide.pdf
Guide includes: Creative art projects, hands-on
musical games, and engaging history lessons for elementary and middle school
students. The guide features lessons on mapping the Mozart's musical tour
of Europe, writing timelines of Maria Anna Mozart's life as if she had been
alive today, linking primary source letters written by the Mozart family and
friends to scenes in For the Love of
Music, and more.
Walt
Whitman: Words for America
By Barbara Kerley
Subject
areas: biography, history, poetry, poets, American Civil War,
Walt Whitman
Grade
levels: Grades 3 and up
Teacher's
guide: http://www.barbarakerley.com/Site/Teachers_Guide__Biographies.html
Guide
includes: creating poetic language; making small notebooks and then
observing/taking notes
Saving Audie: A Pit Bull
Puppy Gets a Second Chance
By Dorothy
Hinshaw Patent
Subject area: Social Studies
Grade levels: Grade 3-8
Teachers’ guide: http://www.dorothyhinshawpatent.com/links.html
Guide includes:
Comprehensive 4th grade lesson plans with questions and space
to write
Jeannette Rankin:
Political Pioneer
By
Gretchen Woelfle
Subject area(s): American History, Geography,
Contemporary Politics, Literary and Dramatic Activities
Grade levels: Grades 4 and up
Teachers’ guide: http://www.gretchenwoelfle.com/jeannette_rankin__political_pioneer_60457.htm
Guide includes: Research on women and other
political figures in 20th century politics, Vietnam War; map
Rankin’s movements; research gender politics in current local, state, and
national office; poll class members on gender politics; creative writing,
creative dramatics, research on 1960s protest songs; stage a women’s suffrage
tea party or ‘60s anti-war rally.
Write on, Mercy! The Secret Life of
Mercy Otis Warren
By Gretchen
Woelfle
Subject areas: Social Studies, American history,
women’s history
Grade levels: 4-8
Teachers’ guide: http://www.gretchenwoelfle.com/write_on__mercy__the_secret_life_of_mercy_otis_warren_113205.htm
Guide includes: Social Studies: research and
discussion of men and women of the Revolution, women in politics today,
political cartoons; Language arts: creative writing and dramatics, parts of a
book; Visual arts and crafts: symbols in portraits, painting a portrait, making
and using quill pen and ink
Generation Fix: Young
Ideas for a Better World
By Elizabeth
Rusch
Grade levels: Grades 4-12
Subject
areas: Social studies, community service, language arts
Teachers’ Guide: http://www.elizabethrusch.com/Books/AllBooks/GenerationFix/GenFixCoolStuff/GenFixDiscussteachers/tabid/101/Default.aspx
Guide Includes: Chapter-by-chapter discussion
questions
Service-learning discussion guide: http://www.elizabethrusch.com/Books/AllBooks/GenerationFix/GenFixCoolStuff/GenFixDiscussAdults/tabid/100/Default.aspx
Guide includes: Tips and questions to kick off a
classroomwide, clubwide, or schoolwide commitment to community service
See How They Run: Campaign Dreams,
Election Schemes, and the Race to the White House
By Susan E. Goodman
Subject areas: Language arts, social studies,
U.S. history, civics, government
Grade levels: 4-12
Teachers’ guide:
http://www.susangoodmanbooks.com/?pag...
Guide includes: Cross-curricular activities in
history, government, civic involvement, and language arts (key ideas and
details, integration of knowledge and ideas, research skills, option/analytic
texts, informative/explanatory texts, etc.)
Marching to the
Mountaintop—How Poverty, Labor Fights, and Civil Rights Set the Stage for
Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Final Hours
By Ann Bausum
Subject area(s): U.S. history, civil rights, labor
rights, poverty
Grade levels: Grades 5-12
Classroom resources: http://www.annbausum.com/mountaintop.html#classroom
Includes: Discussion questions and downloadable
study guide to come by 2013.
Unraveling Freedom—The
Battle for Democracy on the Home Front During World War I
By Ann Bausum
Subject area(s): U.S. history, World War I, wartime
homefront, civil liberties, free speech
Grade levels: Grades 5-12
Classroom resources: http://www.annbausum.com/unraveling.html#classroom
Includes: Discussion topics and questions about
echoes of history, presidential secrecy, and restrictions of civil liberties
during war time.
Denied, Detained,
Deported—Stories from the Dark Side of American Immigration
By Ann Bausum
Subject area(s): U.S. history, immigration policy,
World War I, Red Scare, World War II, Japanese American internment, holocaust
survivors, Mexican-American border relations
Grade levels: Grades 5-12
Classroom resources: http://www.annbausum.com/denied.html#classroom
Includes: Discussion topics on themes explored
in the book, including the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, deportations during
the Red Scare, exclusion of Jewish refugees pre-World War II, detention of
Japanese-Americans during World War II, and the exploitation of Mexican and
Mexican-American laborers.
Muckrakers—How Ida
Tarbell, Upton Sinclair, and Lincoln Steffens Helped Expose Scandal, Inspire
Reform, and Invent Investigative Journalism
By Ann Bausum
Subject area(s): U.S. history, journalism, progressive
era, muckraking, investigative reporting
Grade levels: Grades 5-12
Classroom resources on photographs: http://www.annbausum.com/muckrakers.html#behind
Includes: Step-by-step online tutorial on how
to conduct online photo research using the Prints and Photographs Reading Room
at the Library of Congress.
Classroom resources: http://www.annbausum.com/muckrakers.html#classroom
Includes: Further suggestions on how to conduct
research at and download images from the Library of Congress.
Freedom Riders—John
Lewis and Jim Zwerg on the Front Lines of the Civil Rights Movement
By Ann Bausum
Subject area(s): U.S. history, civil rights, the
Freedom Rides
Grade levels: Grades 5-12
Classroom resources: http://www.annbausum.com/freedom_rides.html#classroom
Includes: Activities and discussion topics
related to race and racism, following one’s convictions even in the face of
death, the power of song, and commitments to causes.
With Courage and
Cloth—Winning the Fight for a Woman’s Right to Vote
By Ann Bausum
Subject area(s): U.S. history, women’s rights, voting
rights, World War I, civil liberties
Grade levels: Grades 5-12
Resources: http://www.annbausum.com/courage.html
What you’ll find: Background information about the
research and writing of the book.
Dragon Bones and
Dinosaur Eggs—A Photobiography of Explorer Roy Chapman Andrews
By Ann Bausum
Subject area(s): U.S. history, exploration,
paleontology
Grade levels: Grades 5-12
Resources: http://www.annbausum.com/dragon.html
What you’ll find: Background information about the
research and writing of the book.
Our Country’s Presidents
By Ann Bausum
Subject area(s): U.S. history, U.S. Presidents,
politics
Grade levels: Grades 5-12
Resources: http://www.annbausum.com/presidents.html
What you’ll find: Background information about the
research and writing of the book.
Our Country’s First
Ladies
By Ann Bausum
Subject area(s): U.S. history, First Ladies, U.S.
Presidents
Grade levels: Grades 5-12
Resources: http://www.annbausum.com/firstladies.html
Includes: Background information about the
production of the book.
The Wind at Work: An Activity Guide to
Windmills
By Gretchen
Woelfle
Subject Areas: World history, American history,
history of science, environmental science, climate change
Grade levels: Grades 5-9
Teachers’ guide: http://www.gretchenwoelfle.com/the_wind_at_work__an_activity_guide_to_windmills_2996.htm
Teachers’ guide includes: scientific measurement, arts and
crafts, music, cooking, writing, environmental research, community action
Almost Astronauts: Thirteen Women Who Dared to Dream
By Tanya Lee Stone
Subject
Area(s): Women's History, Space Program History, Biography
Grade
Levels: 5 and up
Teachers’
guide: http://www.tanyastone.com/assets/files/AA%20Reading%20Guide.pdf
Guide
Includes: Synopsis, Author Interview, Pre-Reading and
Discussion Questions, Cross-curriculum project suggestions,and Curriculum
Standards
Additional
Resources: Mountain Lake PBS Interview with the Author: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5o-ocVhb90
CPSAN
Book TV Presentation on Almost Astronauts: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OiLvkBHHNX0
Author
Tribute in Poetry to Mercury 13 Women: http://www.tanyastone.com/assets/files/pdfs/Almost%20Astronauts%20Bonus%20Material.pdf
The Lewis and Clark Trail
Then and Now
Plants on the Trail with
Lewis and Clark
Animals on the Trail
with Lewis and Clark
By Dorothy
Hinshaw Patent
Subject areas: American history, social studies,
science
Grade levels: Grade 5-12
Lewis and Clark in the Curriculum:
http://www.dorothyhinshawpatent.com/links.html
Guide includes: Appropriate questions teachers and
students might use to learn more about topics in the book
Using Lewis and Clark in the Science
Curriculum:
http://www.dorothyhinshawpatent.com/links.html
Guide includes: Information, with page numbers, on
how the book fits into the curriculum
Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of
Faith
By Deborah
Heiligman
Subject area(s): History, Science, History of Science,
Biology, Evolution, Religion
Grade levels: Grades 6 and up
Teachers’ guide: http://media.us.macmillan.com/teachersguides/9780805087215TG.pdf
Readers' guide: http://media.us.macmillan.com/readersguides/9780312661045RG.pdf
Readers’ theater: http://deborahheiligman.com/wp-content/uploads/readerstheaterdarwins.pdf
Author's research and further reading: http://deborahheiligman.com/books/charles-and-emma/research/
MATH
How Much Is a Million?
By David Schwartz
Subject
area(s): math
Grade
levels: Grades 2-5
Teachers’
guide: http://davidschwartz.com/blog/resources/mmab gets you to a free download
for The Magic of a Million Activity Book, which is a teacher guide How
Much Is a Million?
Guide
includes: A plethora of activities that build on How Much Is a
Million? and invite children to explore the number 1,000,000 and other big
numbers.
SCIENCE
From Caterpillar to Butterfly
By Deborah
Heiligman
Subject area(s): Science, biology, lifecycles
Grade levels: Pre-K to 3
Teaching activities: http://deborahheiligman.com/books/from-caterpillar-to-butterfly/
On This Spot: An Expedition Back
Through Time
By Susan E. Goodman
Subject
areas: Life sciences, animals, adaptation, prehistoric times and creatures,
ecosystems, Earth science, natural history, U.S. history, geography
Grade
levels: K and up
Teachers’
guide: http://www.susangoodmanbooks.com/?page_id=2436
Guide
includes: Cross-curricular activities in art, language arts, math,
science and especially history (historical changes and adaptations); and,
personal, historical, social and societal timelines.
Under the Snow
By Melissa
Stewart
Subject area(s): science
Grade levels: K-3
Teachers’ guide: http://peachtree-online.com/pdfs/UndertheSnowTG.pdf
Teachers’ guide includes: KWL reading guide; crosscurricular
activities in math, language art, science, social studies, art, and music;
related reading.
Readers Theater Script: http://peachtree-online.com/pdfs/UndertheSnowRT.pdf#zoom=70
Activity Pages: http://www.melissa-stewart.com/sciclubhouse/teachhome/activities.html
Behind the Book Video: http://www.melissa-stewart.com/video/index.html
When Rain Falls
By Melissa
Stewart
Subject area(s): science
Grade levels: K-3
Teachers’ guide: http://peachtree-online.com/pdfs/When_Rain_FallsTG.pdf
Teachers’ guide includes: KWL reading guide; crosscurricular
activities in math, language art, science, social studies, art, and music;
related reading.
Readers Theater Script: http://peachtree-online.com/pdfs/WhenRainFallsRT.pdf
Behind the Book Video: http://www.melissa-stewart.com/video/index.html
Activity Pages: http://www.melissa-stewart.com/sciclubhouse/teachhome/activities.html
A Place for Bats
By Melissa
Stewart
Subject area(s): science
Grade levels: K-5
Teachers guide: http://peachtree-online.com/files/private/books/383/teachers-guides/PlaceForBatsTG.pdf
Teachers’ guide includes: KWL reading guide; crosscurricular
activities in math, language art with direct links to Common core standards,
science, social studies, art, and music; related reading.
Reading Buddies Guide: http://www.melissa-stewart.com/pdf/scirdbuddies.pdf
Bat Song: http://www.melissa-stewart.com/pdf/BatSong.pdf
Activity Pages:
http://www.melissa-stewart.com/sciclubhouse/teachhome/activities.html
A Place for Frogs
By Melissa Stewart
Subject area(s): science
Grade levels: K-5
Teachers’ Guide: http://peachtree-online.com/pdfs/Place_for_Frogs_TG.pdf
Teachers’ guide includes: KWL reading guide; crosscurricular
activities in math, language art, science, social studies, art, and music;
related reading.
Reading Buddies Guide: http://www.melissa-stewart.com/pdf/scirdbuddies.pdf
Link to Nonfiction Text Structure
& Features Materials to introduce and reinforce Common Core ELA RIT #5,
which focuses on text features and structures: http://www.melissa-stewart.com/sciclubhouse/teachhome/nonfiction.html
Activity Pages: http://www.melissa-stewart.com/sciclubhouse/teachhome/activities.html
The Planet Hunter: The
story behind what happened to Pluto
By Elizabeth
Rusch
Grades: K-5
Subject areas: Science, astronomy, biography, solar
system
Teachers’ Guide: http://elizabethrusch.com/Books/AllBooks/PlanetHunter/PlanetHunterCoolStuff/tabid/89/Default.aspx
Guide Includes: Links to great NASA website, hands-on
activities such as make a crater, the real size of the planets, and the real
shape of the solar system.
The Truth About Poop
By Susan E. Goodman
Subject
areas: Health, human development, the human body, digestion,
science, animals, world history, regions/cultures
Grade
levels: 1 and up
Teachers’
guide: http://www.susangoodmanbooks.com/?page_id=2446
Guide
includes: Cross-curricular activities in language arts (vocabulary,
grammar, research skills), math and science
Saving the Whooping Crane
By Susan E. Goodman
Subject areas: Language arts, life sciences,
endangered species, birds, national history
Grade levels: 1-4
Teachers’ guide: http://www.susangoodmanbooks.com/?page_id=2485
Guide includes:
Cross-curricular activities in history, endangered species, the
scientific process, and geography by providing links to detailed lesson plans
by National Geographic, and superb downloadable booklets, slideshows, audio and
video clips, handouts, activities and teachers’ tips by Journey North.
The
Dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins
By Barbara Kerley
Subject
areas: biography, history, science, history of science,
paleontology, art, dinosaurs
Grade
levels: Grades 2 and up
Teacher's
guide: http://www.barbarakerley.com/Site/Teachers_Guide__Biographies.html
Guide
includes: make-a-dinsosaur puzzle; creating dinosaurs out of tin
foil; hosting a dinosaur feast; writing a letter in defense of paleontology
Will It Blow?: Become a
volcano detective at Mount St. Helens
By Elizabeth
Rusch
Grades: 3 and up
Subject areas:
Science, geology, volcanology
Teachers’ Guide: Please note that the book includes
hands-on activities great for use in the classroom. In addition, please see: http://www.elizabethrusch.com/Books/AllBooks/WillItBlow/WillItBlowCoolStuff/tabid/70/Default.aspx
Guide includes: Links to volcanology related
websites; Q&A with author.
Life on the Ice
By Susan E. Goodman
Subject areas: Life sciences, animals, Earth
science, polar science, geography, exploration
Grade levels: 3-6
Teachers’ guide: http://www.susangoodmanbooks.com/?page_id=2478
Guide includes: The National Science Foundation,
which included
Life on the Ice on its reading list, has
assembled a fantastic compendium of information about the polar regions
specifically for elementary school teachers.
It includes lesson plans across the curriculum from polar animals to the
people of the Arctic to water, ice, and snow to polar explorers.
The Mighty Mars Rovers:
The incredible adventures of Spirit and Opportunity
By Elizabeth
Rusch
Subject area(s): Science, astronomy, technology,
engineering
Grade levels:
Grades 4 and up
Teachers’ guide: http://elizabethrusch.com/Portals/0/The%20Mighty%20Mars%20Rovers%20Teacher%20Guide.pdf
Guide includes:
Classroom discussion questions; writing activities; egg-drop, build a
rover, drive a rover blind hands-on activities, and more.
Other teaching resources: http://elizabethrusch.com/MyBooks/AllBooks/TheMightyMarsRovers/TheMightyMarsRoversCoolStuff/THEMIGHTYMARSROVERSFORTEACHERS.aspx
Includes: Links to more astronomy teaching
units, links to NASA and JPL videos on Spirit, Opportunity and the newest rover
Curiosity
The Wind at Work: An Activity Guide to
Windmills
By Gretchen
Woelfle
Subject Areas: World history, American history,
history of science, environmental science, climate change
Grade levels: Grades 5-9
Teachers’s guide: http://www.gretchenwoelfle.com/the_wind_at_work__an_activity_guide_to_windmills_2996.htm
Teachers’ guide includes: scientific measurement, arts and
crafts, music, cooking, writing, environmental research, community action
Almost Astronauts: Thirteen Women Who Dared to Dream
By Tanya Lee Stone
Subject
Area(s): Women's History, Space Program History, Biography
Grade
Levels: 5 and up
Teachers’
guide: http://www.tanyastone.com/assets/files/AA%20Reading%20Guide.pdf
Guide
Includes: Synopsis, Author Interview, Pre-Reading and
Discussion Questions, Cross-curriculum project suggestions,and Curriculum
Standards
Additional
Resources: Mountain Lake PBS Interview with the Author: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5o-ocVhb90
CPSAN
Book TV Presentation on Almost Astronauts: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OiLvkBHHNX0
Author
Tribute in Poetry to Mercury 13 Women: http://www.tanyastone.com/assets/files/pdfs/Almost%20Astronauts%20Bonus%20Material.pdf
The Lewis and Clark
Trail Then and Now
Plants on the Trail with
Lewis and Clark
Animals on the Trail
with Lewis and Clark
By Dorothy
Hinshaw Patent
Subject areas: American history, social studies,
science
Grade levels: Grade 5-12
Using Lewis and Clark in the Science
Curriculum:
http://www.dorothyhinshawpatent.com/links.html
Guide includes: Information, with page numbers, on
how the book fits into the curriculum
Lewis and Clark in the Curriculum:
http://www.dorothyhinshawpatent.com/links.html
Guide includes: Appropriate questions teachers and
students might use to learn more about topics in the book
Dragon Bones and
Dinosaur Eggs—A Photobiography of Explorer Roy Chapman Andrews
By Ann Bausum
Subject area(s): U.S. history, exploration,
paleontology
Grade levels: Grades 5-12
Resources: http://www.annbausum.com/dragon.html
What you’ll find: Background information about the
research and writing of the book.
Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of
Faith
By Deborah
Heiligman
Subject area(s): History, Science, History of Science,
Biology, Evolution, Religion
Grade levels: Grades 6 and up
Teachers’ guide: http://media.us.macmillan.com/teachersguides/9780805087215TG.pdf
Readers' guide: http://media.us.macmillan.com/readersguides/9780312661045RG.pdf
Readers’ theater: http://deborahheiligman.com/wp-content/uploads/readerstheaterdarwins.pdf
Author's research and further reading: http://deborahheiligman.com/books/charles-and-emma/research/
LANGUAGE ARTS
Saving the Whooping Crane
By Susan E. Goodman
Subject areas: Language arts, life sciences,
endangered species, birds, national history
Grade levels: 1-4
Teachers’ guide: http://www.susangoodmanbooks.com/?page_id=2485
Guide includes:
Cross-curricular activities in history, endangered species, the
scientific process, and geography by providing links to detailed lesson plans
by National Geographic, and superb downloadable booklets, slideshows, audio and
video clips, handouts, activities and teachers’ tips by Journey North.
The
Extraordinary Mark Twain (According to Susy)
By Barbara Kerley
Subject
areas: biography, history, women's studies, American
literature, Mark Twain
Grade
levels: Grades 2 and up
Teacher's guide: http://www.barbarakerley.com/Site/Teachers_Guide__Biographies.html
Guide
includes: tip sheet, "Writing an Extraordinary Biography";
audio clip of author discussing and reading from the book; extension activity
(designing a place to create)
What
To Do About Alice?
By Barbara Kerley
Subject
areas: biography, history, women's studies, Presidents,
Theodore Roosevelt
Grade
levels: Grades 2 and up
Teacher's guide: http://www.barbarakerley.com/Site/Teachers_Guide__Biographies.html
Guide
includes: language exploration of metaphor; link to learn more about
being a kid in the White House
For the Love of Music:
The remarkable story of Maria Anna Mozart
By Elizabeth
Rusch
Subject area(s): History, music, biography, women’s studies,
language arts
Grade levels: Grades 2 and up
Teachers’ guide: http://www.elizabethrusch.com/Portals/0/For%20the%20Love%20of%20Music%20Teacher's%20Guide.pdf
Guide includes: Creative art projects, hands-on
musical games, and engaging history lessons for elementary and middle school
students. The guide features lessons on mapping the Mozart's musical tour
of Europe, writing timelines of Maria Anna Mozart's life as if she had been
alive today, linking primary source letters written by the Mozart family and
friends to scenes in For the Love of
Music, and more.
Walt
Whitman: Words for America
By Barbara Kerley
Subject
areas: biography, history, poetry, poets, American Civil War,
Walt Whitman
Grade
levels: Grades 3 and up
Teacher's
guide: http://www.barbarakerley.com/Site/Teachers_Guide__Biographies.html
Guide
includes: creating poetic language; making small notebooks and then
observing/taking notes
Jeannette Rankin:
Political Pioneer
By
Gretchen Woelfle
Subject area(s): American History, Geography,
Contemporary Politics, Literary and Dramatic Activities
Grade levels: Grades 4 and up
Teachers’ guide: http://www.gretchenwoelfle.com/jeannette_rankin__political_pioneer_60457.htm
Guide includes: Research on women and other political
figures in 20th century politics, Vietnam War; map Rankin’s
movements; research gender politics in current local, state, and national
office; poll class members on gender politics; creative writing, creative
dramatics, research on 1960s protest songs; stage a women’s suffrage tea party
or ‘60s anti-war rally.
See How They Run: Campaign Dreams,
Election Schemes, and the Race to the White House
By Susan E. Goodman
Subject areas: Language arts, social studies,
U.S. history, civics, government
Grade levels: 4-12
Teachers’ guide:
http://www.susangoodmanbooks.com/?pag...
Guide includes: Cross-curricular activities in
history, government, civic involvement, and language arts (key ideas and
details, integration of knowledge and ideas, research skills, option/analytic
texts, informative/explanatory texts, etc.)
Generation Fix: Young
Ideas for a Better World
By Elizabeth
Rusch
Grade levels: Grades 4-12
Subject
areas: Social studies, community service, language arts
Teachers’ Guide: http://www.elizabethrusch.com/Books/AllBooks/GenerationFix/GenFixCoolStuff/GenFixDiscussteachers/tabid/101/Default.aspx
Guide Includes: Chapter-by-chapter discussion
questions
Service-learning discussion guide: http://www.elizabethrusch.com/Books/AllBooks/GenerationFix/GenFixCoolStuff/GenFixDiscussAdults/tabid/100/Default.aspx
Guide includes: Tips and questions to kick off a
classroomwide, clubwide, or schoolwide commitment to community service
ART/MUSIC
Sandy's Circus: A Story about Alexander Calder
By Tanya Lee Stone
Subject
Area(s): American Art, Art History, Contemporary Art, Biography
Grade
Levels: K-5
Teacher's
Guide: http://www.tanyastone.com/assets/files/pdfs/Sandys%20Circus%20Reading%20Guide.pdf
Guide
Includes: Synopsis, About the Author and Illustrator, Author
Interview, Pre-Reading and Discussion Question, Cross-Curriculum project
suggestions
Additional Resources:
A
YouTube video showcasing student-made art inspired by Sandy's Circus: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zr9bbuNvezc
For the Love of Music:
The remarkable story of Maria Anna Mozart
By Elizabeth
Rusch
Subject area(s): History, music, biography, women’s
studies, language arts
Grade levels: Grades 2 and up
Teachers’ guide: http://www.elizabethrusch.com/Portals/0/For%20the%20Love%20of%20Music%20Teacher's%20Guide.pdf
Guide includes: Creative art projects, hands-on
musical games, and engaging history lessons for elementary and middle school
students. The guide features lessons on mapping the Mozart's musical tour
of Europe, writing timelines of Maria Anna Mozart's life as if she had been
alive today, linking primary source letters written by the Mozart family and
friends to scenes in For the Love of
Music, and more.
With
Halloween just around the corner, I’m going to offer a solution to something
some teachers find scary: incorporating nonfiction into their teaching. With
the adoption of the Common Core http://www.corestandards.org/ in 46 states, there is a strong
movement to use more nonfiction in the classroom. But how, exactly, should
teachers do this?
The most
common way that I’ve seen nonfiction used in classrooms is as a resource for students
to find information to include in subject-area reports. There is nothing wrong
with this, but many books written by Interesting Nonfiction for Kids (I.N.K.)
authors and others are far more than a list of facts on a subject and can be
used to do so much more. Our books are designed to inspire, engage, enlighten,
challenge, and deepen understanding. We wrote them to open kids’ eyes to the
world around them and to encourage kids’ to ask questions about their world. So
really, what we are trying to do with our books is very much aligned with what
great teachers are already trying to do with their classrooms.
The best news
of all is that many authors have thought deeply about how their books could be
used in the classroom and have created teachers’ guides that offer discussion
questions, writing prompts, hands-on activities, individual and group projects,
theater scripts and more. But there is no organized way, as far as I can see,
to get these powerful resources to teachers.
So here is a start:
What follows is a list of free teachers’ guides available for
some of the best children’s nonfiction books out there. PLEASE share this list
with a teacher you know, forward it, repost it, tweet it, share it on Facebook,
etc. And please let me know about great teachers’ guides for nonfiction that
you wrote or know about. If I get a lot of additions, I’d be happy to post
another, larger, even more inclusive list.
Happy teaching
and Happy Halloween!
Elizabeth
Rusch
The books and teachers’ guides are
organized by subject area and then by grade level (preK-12) within subject
area. So a subject-area teacher can find his or her section and a grade-level
teacher can look for the grade-appropriate books in each subject area. Some
books cross subject areas and so are listed under more than one category.
SOCIAL STUDIES/HISTORY
On This Spot: An Expedition Back
Through Time
By Susan E. Goodman
Subject
areas: Life sciences, animals, adaptation, prehistoric times and creatures,
ecosystems, Earth science, natural history, U.S. history, geography
Grade
levels: K and up
Teachers’
guide: http://www.susangoodmanbooks.com/?page_id=2436
Guide
includes: Cross-curricular activities in art, language arts, math,
science and especially history (historical changes and adaptations); and,
personal, historical, social and societal timelines.
One
World, One Day
By Barbara Kerley
Subject
areas: global awareness, other cultures
Grade
levels: K - 4
Teachers’
guide: http://www.barbarakerley.com/Site/Teachers_Guide__Global_Awareness.html
Guide
includes: diary of a school day; hopscotch around the world with bar
graph follow-up
A
Little Peace
By Barbara Kerley
Subject
areas: global awareness, other cultures, peace
Grade levels: K - 4
Teachers’
Guide: http://www.barbarakerley.com/Site/Teachers_Guide__Global_Awareness.html
Guide
includes: school-related peace projects (peace posters;
Welcome-To-School packet)
You
and Me Together: Moms, Dads, and Kids Around the World
By Barbara Kerley
Subject
areas: global awareness, other cultures, families
Grade
levels: K - 4
Teachers’
guide: http://www.barbarakerley.com/Site/Teachers_Guide__Global_Awareness.html
Guide
includes: creating a Thank You card for a parent; interviewing a
parent
A
Cool Drink of Water
By Barbara Kerley
Subject
areas: global awareness, other cultures, water resources
Grade
levels: K - 4
Teachers’
guide: http://www.barbarakerley.com/Site/Teachers_Guide__Global_Awareness.html
Guide
includes: making a water diary; gallons/minute water use exercise
Sandy's Circus: A Story about Alexander Calder
By Tanya Lee Stone
Subject
Area(s): American Art, Art History, Contemporary Art, Biography
Grade
Levels: K-5
Teacher's
Guide: http://www.tanyastone.com/assets/files/pdfs/Sandys%20Circus%20Reading%20Guide.pdf
Guide
Includes: Synopsis, About the Author and Illustrator, Author
Interview, Pre-Reading and Discussion Question, Cross-Curriculum project
suggestions
Additional Resources:
A
YouTube video showcasing student-made art inspired by Sandy's Circus: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zr9bbuNvezc
Elizabeth Leads the Way: Elizabeth Cady Stanton and the
Right to Vote
By Tanya Lee Stone
Subject
Area(s): American History, Women's History, Suffrage, Biography
Grade
Levels: K-8 (upper level usage because of curriculum connections
to American history)
Teacher's
Guide: http://www.tanyastone.com/assets/files/pdfs/Reading%20Guide.pdf
What
the Guide Includes: Synopsis, Author Interview,
Pre-Reading and Discussion Questions, Cross-curriculum project suggestions
The Truth About Poop
By Susan E. Goodman
Subject
areas: Health, human development, the human body, digestion,
science, animals, world history, regions/cultures
Grade
levels: 1 and up
Teachers’
guide: http://www.susangoodmanbooks.com/?page_id=2446
Guide
includes: Cross-curricular activities in language arts (vocabulary,
grammar, research skills), math and science
Saving the Whooping Crane
By Susan E. Goodman
Subject areas: Language arts, life sciences,
endangered species, birds, national history
Grade levels: 1-4
Teachers’ guide: http://www.susangoodmanbooks.com/?page_id=2485
Guide includes:
Cross-curricular activities in history, endangered species, the
scientific process, and geography by providing links to detailed lesson plans
by National Geographic, and superb downloadable booklets, slideshows, audio and
video clips, handouts, activities and teachers’ tips by Journey North.
Those
Rebels, John and Tom
By Barbara Kerley
Subject
areas: biography, history, American Independence, American
Revolution, Continental Congress, Presidents, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson,
slavery
Grade
levels: Grades 2 and up
Teacher's guide: http://www.barbarakerley.com/Site/Teachers_Guide__Biographies.html
Guide
includes: Venn diagram exercise to compare/contrast; links to historic
homes of Adams and Jefferson
The
Extraordinary Mark Twain (According to Susy)
By Barbara Kerley
Subject
areas: biography, history, women's studies, American
literature, Mark Twain
Grade
levels: Grades 2 and up
Teacher's
guide: http://www.barbarakerley.com/Site/Teachers_Guide__Biographies.html
Guide
includes: tip sheet, "Writing an Extraordinary Biography";
audio clip of author discussing and reading from the book; extension activity
(designing a place to create)
The Right Dog for the
Job: Irah’s Path from Service Dog to Guide Dog
By Dorothy
Hinshaw Patent
Subject area: Social Studies
Grade levels: Grade 2-8
Teachers’ guide: http://www.dorothyhinshawpatent.com/links.html
Guide includes: Activities for young children
The
Dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins
By Barbara Kerley
Subject
areas: biography, history, science, history of science,
paleontology, art, dinosaurs
Grade
levels: Grades 2 and up
Teacher's
guide: http://www.barbarakerley.com/Site/Teachers_Guide__Biographies.html
Guide
includes: make-a-dinsosaur puzzle; creating dinosaurs out of tin
foil; hosting a dinosaur feast; writing a letter in defense of paleontology
What
To Do About Alice?
By Barbara Kerley
Subject
areas: biography, history, women's studies, Presidents,
Theodore Roosevelt
Grade
levels: Grades 2 and up
Teacher's guide: http://www.barbarakerley.com/Site/Teachers_Guide__Biographies.html
Guide
includes: language exploration of metaphor; link to learn more about
being a kid in the White House
For the Love of Music:
The remarkable story of Maria Anna Mozart
By Elizabeth
Rusch
Subject area(s): History, music, biography, women’s
studies, language arts
Grade levels: Grades 2 and up
Teachers’ guide: http://www.elizabethrusch.com/Portals/0/For%20the%20Love%20of%20Music%20Teacher's%20Guide.pdf
Guide includes: Creative art projects, hands-on
musical games, and engaging history lessons for elementary and middle school
students. The guide features lessons on mapping the Mozart's musical tour
of Europe, writing timelines of Maria Anna Mozart's life as if she had been
alive today, linking primary source letters written by the Mozart family and
friends to scenes in For the Love of
Music, and more.
Walt
Whitman: Words for America
By Barbara Kerley
Subject
areas: biography, history, poetry, poets, American Civil War,
Walt Whitman
Grade
levels: Grades 3 and up
Teacher's
guide: http://www.barbarakerley.com/Site/Teachers_Guide__Biographies.html
Guide
includes: creating poetic language; making small notebooks and then
observing/taking notes
Saving Audie: A Pit Bull
Puppy Gets a Second Chance
By Dorothy
Hinshaw Patent
Subject area: Social Studies
Grade levels: Grade 3-8
Teachers’ guide: http://www.dorothyhinshawpatent.com/links.html
Guide includes:
Comprehensive 4th grade lesson plans with questions and space
to write
Jeannette Rankin:
Political Pioneer
By
Gretchen Woelfle
Subject area(s): American History, Geography,
Contemporary Politics, Literary and Dramatic Activities
Grade levels: Grades 4 and up
Teachers’ guide: http://www.gretchenwoelfle.com/jeannette_rankin__political_pioneer_60457.htm
Guide includes: Research on women and other
political figures in 20th century politics, Vietnam War; map
Rankin’s movements; research gender politics in current local, state, and
national office; poll class members on gender politics; creative writing,
creative dramatics, research on 1960s protest songs; stage a women’s suffrage
tea party or ‘60s anti-war rally.
Write on, Mercy! The Secret Life of
Mercy Otis Warren
By Gretchen
Woelfle
Subject areas: Social Studies, American history,
women’s history
Grade levels: 4-8
Teachers’ guide: http://www.gretchenwoelfle.com/write_on__mercy__the_secret_life_of_mercy_otis_warren_113205.htm
Guide includes: Social Studies: research and
discussion of men and women of the Revolution, women in politics today,
political cartoons; Language arts: creative writing and dramatics, parts of a
book; Visual arts and crafts: symbols in portraits, painting a portrait, making
and using quill pen and ink
Generation Fix: Young
Ideas for a Better World
By Elizabeth
Rusch
Grade levels: Grades 4-12
Subject
areas: Social studies, community service, language arts
Teachers’ Guide: http://www.elizabethrusch.com/Books/AllBooks/GenerationFix/GenFixCoolStuff/GenFixDiscussteachers/tabid/101/Default.aspx
Guide Includes: Chapter-by-chapter discussion
questions
Service-learning discussion guide: http://www.elizabethrusch.com/Books/AllBooks/GenerationFix/GenFixCoolStuff/GenFixDiscussAdults/tabid/100/Default.aspx
Guide includes: Tips and questions to kick off a
classroomwide, clubwide, or schoolwide commitment to community service
See How They Run: Campaign Dreams,
Election Schemes, and the Race to the White House
By Susan E. Goodman
Subject areas: Language arts, social studies,
U.S. history, civics, government
Grade levels: 4-12
Teachers’ guide:
http://www.susangoodmanbooks.com/?pag...
Guide includes: Cross-curricular activities in
history, government, civic involvement, and language arts (key ideas and
details, integration of knowledge and ideas, research skills, option/analytic
texts, informative/explanatory texts, etc.)
Marching to the
Mountaintop—How Poverty, Labor Fights, and Civil Rights Set the Stage for
Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Final Hours
By Ann Bausum
Subject area(s): U.S. history, civil rights, labor
rights, poverty
Grade levels: Grades 5-12
Classroom resources: http://www.annbausum.com/mountaintop.html#classroom
Includes: Discussion questions and downloadable
study guide to come by 2013.
Unraveling Freedom—The
Battle for Democracy on the Home Front During World War I
By Ann Bausum
Subject area(s): U.S. history, World War I, wartime
homefront, civil liberties, free speech
Grade levels: Grades 5-12
Classroom resources: http://www.annbausum.com/unraveling.html#classroom
Includes: Discussion topics and questions about
echoes of history, presidential secrecy, and restrictions of civil liberties
during war time.
Denied, Detained,
Deported—Stories from the Dark Side of American Immigration
By Ann Bausum
Subject area(s): U.S. history, immigration policy,
World War I, Red Scare, World War II, Japanese American internment, holocaust
survivors, Mexican-American border relations
Grade levels: Grades 5-12
Classroom resources: http://www.annbausum.com/denied.html#classroom
Includes: Discussion topics on themes explored
in the book, including the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, deportations during
the Red Scare, exclusion of Jewish refugees pre-World War II, detention of
Japanese-Americans during World War II, and the exploitation of Mexican and
Mexican-American laborers.
Muckrakers—How Ida
Tarbell, Upton Sinclair, and Lincoln Steffens Helped Expose Scandal, Inspire
Reform, and Invent Investigative Journalism
By Ann Bausum
Subject area(s): U.S. history, journalism, progressive
era, muckraking, investigative reporting
Grade levels: Grades 5-12
Classroom resources on photographs: http://www.annbausum.com/muckrakers.html#behind
Includes: Step-by-step online tutorial on how
to conduct online photo research using the Prints and Photographs Reading Room
at the Library of Congress.
Classroom resources: http://www.annbausum.com/muckrakers.html#classroom
Includes: Further suggestions on how to conduct
research at and download images from the Library of Congress.
Freedom Riders—John
Lewis and Jim Zwerg on the Front Lines of the Civil Rights Movement
By Ann Bausum
Subject area(s): U.S. history, civil rights, the
Freedom Rides
Grade levels: Grades 5-12
Classroom resources: http://www.annbausum.com/freedom_rides.html#classroom
Includes: Activities and discussion topics
related to race and racism, following one’s convictions even in the face of
death, the power of song, and commitments to causes.
With Courage and
Cloth—Winning the Fight for a Woman’s Right to Vote
By Ann Bausum
Subject area(s): U.S. history, women’s rights, voting
rights, World War I, civil liberties
Grade levels: Grades 5-12
Resources: http://www.annbausum.com/courage.html
What you’ll find: Background information about the
research and writing of the book.
Dragon Bones and
Dinosaur Eggs—A Photobiography of Explorer Roy Chapman Andrews
By Ann Bausum
Subject area(s): U.S. history, exploration,
paleontology
Grade levels: Grades 5-12
Resources: http://www.annbausum.com/dragon.html
What you’ll find: Background information about the
research and writing of the book.
Our Country’s Presidents
By Ann Bausum
Subject area(s): U.S. history, U.S. Presidents,
politics
Grade levels: Grades 5-12
Resources: http://www.annbausum.com/presidents.html
What you’ll find: Background information about the
research and writing of the book.
Our Country’s First
Ladies
By Ann Bausum
Subject area(s): U.S. history, First Ladies, U.S.
Presidents
Grade levels: Grades 5-12
Resources: http://www.annbausum.com/firstladies.html
Includes: Background information about the
production of the book.
The Wind at Work: An Activity Guide to
Windmills
By Gretchen
Woelfle
Subject Areas: World history, American history,
history of science, environmental science, climate change
Grade levels: Grades 5-9
Teachers’ guide: http://www.gretchenwoelfle.com/the_wind_at_work__an_activity_guide_to_windmills_2996.htm
Teachers’ guide includes: scientific measurement, arts and
crafts, music, cooking, writing, environmental research, community action
Almost Astronauts: Thirteen Women Who Dared to Dream
By Tanya Lee Stone
Subject
Area(s): Women's History, Space Program History, Biography
Grade
Levels: 5 and up
Teachers’
guide: http://www.tanyastone.com/assets/files/AA%20Reading%20Guide.pdf
Guide
Includes: Synopsis, Author Interview, Pre-Reading and
Discussion Questions, Cross-curriculum project suggestions,and Curriculum
Standards
Additional
Resources: Mountain Lake PBS Interview with the Author: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5o-ocVhb90
CPSAN
Book TV Presentation on Almost Astronauts: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OiLvkBHHNX0
Author
Tribute in Poetry to Mercury 13 Women: http://www.tanyastone.com/assets/files/pdfs/Almost%20Astronauts%20Bonus%20Material.pdf
The Lewis and Clark Trail
Then and Now
Plants on the Trail with
Lewis and Clark
Animals on the Trail
with Lewis and Clark
By Dorothy
Hinshaw Patent
Subject areas: American history, social studies,
science
Grade levels: Grade 5-12
Lewis and Clark in the Curriculum:
http://www.dorothyhinshawpatent.com/links.html
Guide includes: Appropriate questions teachers and
students might use to learn more about topics in the book
Using Lewis and Clark in the Science
Curriculum:
http://www.dorothyhinshawpatent.com/links.html
Guide includes: Information, with page numbers, on
how the book fits into the curriculum
Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of
Faith
By Deborah
Heiligman
Subject area(s): History, Science, History of Science,
Biology, Evolution, Religion
Grade levels: Grades 6 and up
Teachers’ guide: http://media.us.macmillan.com/teachersguides/9780805087215TG.pdf
Readers' guide: http://media.us.macmillan.com/readersguides/9780312661045RG.pdf
Readers’ theater: http://deborahheiligman.com/wp-content/uploads/readerstheaterdarwins.pdf
Author's research and further reading: http://deborahheiligman.com/books/charles-and-emma/research/
MATH
How Much Is a Million?
By David Schwartz
Subject
area(s): math
Grade
levels: Grades 2-5
Teachers’
guide: http://davidschwartz.com/blog/resources/mmab gets you to a free download
for The Magic of a Million Activity Book, which is a teacher guide How
Much Is a Million?
Guide
includes: A plethora of activities that build on How Much Is a
Million? and invite children to explore the number 1,000,000 and other big
numbers.
SCIENCE
From Caterpillar to Butterfly
By Deborah
Heiligman
Subject area(s): Science, biology, lifecycles
Grade levels: Pre-K to 3
Teaching activities: http://deborahheiligman.com/books/from-caterpillar-to-butterfly/
On This Spot: An Expedition Back
Through Time
By Susan E. Goodman
Subject
areas: Life sciences, animals, adaptation, prehistoric times and creatures,
ecosystems, Earth science, natural history, U.S. history, geography
Grade
levels: K and up
Teachers’
guide: http://www.susangoodmanbooks.com/?page_id=2436
Guide
includes: Cross-curricular activities in art, language arts, math,
science and especially history (historical changes and adaptations); and,
personal, historical, social and societal timelines.
Under the Snow
By Melissa
Stewart
Subject area(s): science
Grade levels: K-3
Teachers’ guide: http://peachtree-online.com/pdfs/UndertheSnowTG.pdf
Teachers’ guide includes: KWL reading guide; crosscurricular
activities in math, language art, science, social studies, art, and music;
related reading.
Readers Theater Script: http://peachtree-online.com/pdfs/UndertheSnowRT.pdf#zoom=70
Activity Pages: http://www.melissa-stewart.com/sciclubhouse/teachhome/activities.html
Behind the Book Video: http://www.melissa-stewart.com/video/index.html
When Rain Falls
By Melissa
Stewart
Subject area(s): science
Grade levels: K-3
Teachers’ guide: http://peachtree-online.com/pdfs/When_Rain_FallsTG.pdf
Teachers’ guide includes: KWL reading guide; crosscurricular
activities in math, language art, science, social studies, art, and music;
related reading.
Readers Theater Script: http://peachtree-online.com/pdfs/WhenRainFallsRT.pdf
Behind the Book Video: http://www.melissa-stewart.com/video/index.html
Activity Pages: http://www.melissa-stewart.com/sciclubhouse/teachhome/activities.html
A Place for Bats
By Melissa
Stewart
Subject area(s): science
Grade levels: K-5
Teachers guide: http://peachtree-online.com/files/private/books/383/teachers-guides/PlaceForBatsTG.pdf
Teachers’ guide includes: KWL reading guide; crosscurricular
activities in math, language art with direct links to Common core standards,
science, social studies, art, and music; related reading.
Reading Buddies Guide: http://www.melissa-stewart.com/pdf/scirdbuddies.pdf
Bat Song: http://www.melissa-stewart.com/pdf/BatSong.pdf
Activity Pages:
http://www.melissa-stewart.com/sciclubhouse/teachhome/activities.html
A Place for Frogs
By Melissa Stewart
Subject area(s): science
Grade levels: K-5
Teachers’ Guide: http://peachtree-online.com/pdfs/Place_for_Frogs_TG.pdf
Teachers’ guide includes: KWL reading guide; crosscurricular
activities in math, language art, science, social studies, art, and music;
related reading.
Reading Buddies Guide: http://www.melissa-stewart.com/pdf/scirdbuddies.pdf
Link to Nonfiction Text Structure
& Features Materials to introduce and reinforce Common Core ELA RIT #5,
which focuses on text features and structures: http://www.melissa-stewart.com/sciclubhouse/teachhome/nonfiction.html
Activity Pages: http://www.melissa-stewart.com/sciclubhouse/teachhome/activities.html
The Planet Hunter: The
story behind what happened to Pluto
By Elizabeth
Rusch
Grades: K-5
Subject areas: Science, astronomy, biography, solar
system
Teachers’ Guide: http://elizabethrusch.com/Books/AllBooks/PlanetHunter/PlanetHunterCoolStuff/tabid/89/Default.aspx
Guide Includes: Links to great NASA website, hands-on
activities such as make a crater, the real size of the planets, and the real
shape of the solar system.
The Truth About Poop
By Susan E. Goodman
Subject
areas: Health, human development, the human body, digestion,
science, animals, world history, regions/cultures
Grade
levels: 1 and up
Teachers’
guide: http://www.susangoodmanbooks.com/?page_id=2446
Guide
includes: Cross-curricular activities in language arts (vocabulary,
grammar, research skills), math and science
Saving the Whooping Crane
By Susan E. Goodman
Subject areas: Language arts, life sciences,
endangered species, birds, national history
Grade levels: 1-4
Teachers’ guide: http://www.susangoodmanbooks.com/?page_id=2485
Guide includes:
Cross-curricular activities in history, endangered species, the
scientific process, and geography by providing links to detailed lesson plans
by National Geographic, and superb downloadable booklets, slideshows, audio and
video clips, handouts, activities and teachers’ tips by Journey North.
The
Dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins
By Barbara Kerley
Subject
areas: biography, history, science, history of science,
paleontology, art, dinosaurs
Grade
levels: Grades 2 and up
Teacher's
guide: http://www.barbarakerley.com/Site/Teachers_Guide__Biographies.html
Guide
includes: make-a-dinsosaur puzzle; creating dinosaurs out of tin
foil; hosting a dinosaur feast; writing a letter in defense of paleontology
Will It Blow?: Become a
volcano detective at Mount St. Helens
By Elizabeth
Rusch
Grades: 3 and up
Subject areas:
Science, geology, volcanology
Teachers’ Guide: Please note that the book includes
hands-on activities great for use in the classroom. In addition, please see: http://www.elizabethrusch.com/Books/AllBooks/WillItBlow/WillItBlowCoolStuff/tabid/70/Default.aspx
Guide includes: Links to volcanology related
websites; Q&A with author.
Life on the Ice
By Susan E. Goodman
Subject areas: Life sciences, animals, Earth
science, polar science, geography, exploration
Grade levels: 3-6
Teachers’ guide: http://www.susangoodmanbooks.com/?page_id=2478
Guide includes: The National Science Foundation,
which included
Life on the Ice on its reading list, has
assembled a fantastic compendium of information about the polar regions
specifically for elementary school teachers.
It includes lesson plans across the curriculum from polar animals to the
people of the Arctic to water, ice, and snow to polar explorers.
The Mighty Mars Rovers:
The incredible adventures of Spirit and Opportunity
By Elizabeth
Rusch
Subject area(s): Science, astronomy, technology,
engineering
Grade levels:
Grades 4 and up
Teachers’ guide: http://elizabethrusch.com/Portals/0/The%20Mighty%20Mars%20Rovers%20Teacher%20Guide.pdf
Guide includes:
Classroom discussion questions; writing activities; egg-drop, build a
rover, drive a rover blind hands-on activities, and more.
Other teaching resources: http://elizabethrusch.com/MyBooks/AllBooks/TheMightyMarsRovers/TheMightyMarsRoversCoolStuff/THEMIGHTYMARSROVERSFORTEACHERS.aspx
Includes: Links to more astronomy teaching
units, links to NASA and JPL videos on Spirit, Opportunity and the newest rover
Curiosity
The Wind at Work: An Activity Guide to
Windmills
By Gretchen
Woelfle
Subject Areas: World history, American history,
history of science, environmental science, climate change
Grade levels: Grades 5-9
Teachers’s guide: http://www.gretchenwoelfle.com/the_wind_at_work__an_activity_guide_to_windmills_2996.htm
Teachers’ guide includes: scientific measurement, arts and
crafts, music, cooking, writing, environmental research, community action
Almost Astronauts: Thirteen Women Who Dared to Dream
By Tanya Lee Stone
Subject
Area(s): Women's History, Space Program History, Biography
Grade
Levels: 5 and up
Teachers’
guide: http://www.tanyastone.com/assets/files/AA%20Reading%20Guide.pdf
Guide
Includes: Synopsis, Author Interview, Pre-Reading and
Discussion Questions, Cross-curriculum project suggestions,and Curriculum
Standards
Additional
Resources: Mountain Lake PBS Interview with the Author: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5o-ocVhb90
CPSAN
Book TV Presentation on Almost Astronauts: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OiLvkBHHNX0
Author
Tribute in Poetry to Mercury 13 Women: http://www.tanyastone.com/assets/files/pdfs/Almost%20Astronauts%20Bonus%20Material.pdf
The Lewis and Clark
Trail Then and Now
Plants on the Trail with
Lewis and Clark
Animals on the Trail
with Lewis and Clark
By Dorothy
Hinshaw Patent
Subject areas: American history, social studies,
science
Grade levels: Grade 5-12
Using Lewis and Clark in the Science
Curriculum:
http://www.dorothyhinshawpatent.com/links.html
Guide includes: Information, with page numbers, on
how the book fits into the curriculum
Lewis and Clark in the Curriculum:
http://www.dorothyhinshawpatent.com/links.html
Guide includes: Appropriate questions teachers and
students might use to learn more about topics in the book
Dragon Bones and
Dinosaur Eggs—A Photobiography of Explorer Roy Chapman Andrews
By Ann Bausum
Subject area(s): U.S. history, exploration,
paleontology
Grade levels: Grades 5-12
Resources: http://www.annbausum.com/dragon.html
What you’ll find: Background information about the
research and writing of the book.
Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of
Faith
By Deborah
Heiligman
Subject area(s): History, Science, History of Science,
Biology, Evolution, Religion
Grade levels: Grades 6 and up
Teachers’ guide: http://media.us.macmillan.com/teachersguides/9780805087215TG.pdf
Readers' guide: http://media.us.macmillan.com/readersguides/9780312661045RG.pdf
Readers’ theater: http://deborahheiligman.com/wp-content/uploads/readerstheaterdarwins.pdf
Author's research and further reading: http://deborahheiligman.com/books/charles-and-emma/research/
LANGUAGE ARTS
Saving the Whooping Crane
By Susan E. Goodman
Subject areas: Language arts, life sciences,
endangered species, birds, national history
Grade levels: 1-4
Teachers’ guide: http://www.susangoodmanbooks.com/?page_id=2485
Guide includes:
Cross-curricular activities in history, endangered species, the
scientific process, and geography by providing links to detailed lesson plans
by National Geographic, and superb downloadable booklets, slideshows, audio and
video clips, handouts, activities and teachers’ tips by Journey North.
The
Extraordinary Mark Twain (According to Susy)
By Barbara Kerley
Subject
areas: biography, history, women's studies, American
literature, Mark Twain
Grade
levels: Grades 2 and up
Teacher's guide: http://www.barbarakerley.com/Site/Teachers_Guide__Biographies.html
Guide
includes: tip sheet, "Writing an Extraordinary Biography";
audio clip of author discussing and reading from the book; extension activity
(designing a place to create)
What
To Do About Alice?
By Barbara Kerley
Subject
areas: biography, history, women's studies, Presidents,
Theodore Roosevelt
Grade
levels: Grades 2 and up
Teacher's guide: http://www.barbarakerley.com/Site/Teachers_Guide__Biographies.html
Guide
includes: language exploration of metaphor; link to learn more about
being a kid in the White House
For the Love of Music:
The remarkable story of Maria Anna Mozart
By Elizabeth
Rusch
Subject area(s): History, music, biography, women’s studies,
language arts
Grade levels: Grades 2 and up
Teachers’ guide: http://www.elizabethrusch.com/Portals/0/For%20the%20Love%20of%20Music%20Teacher's%20Guide.pdf
Guide includes: Creative art projects, hands-on
musical games, and engaging history lessons for elementary and middle school
students. The guide features lessons on mapping the Mozart's musical tour
of Europe, writing timelines of Maria Anna Mozart's life as if she had been
alive today, linking primary source letters written by the Mozart family and
friends to scenes in For the Love of
Music, and more.
Walt
Whitman: Words for America
By Barbara Kerley
Subject
areas: biography, history, poetry, poets, American Civil War,
Walt Whitman
Grade
levels: Grades 3 and up
Teacher's
guide: http://www.barbarakerley.com/Site/Teachers_Guide__Biographies.html
Guide
includes: creating poetic language; making small notebooks and then
observing/taking notes
Jeannette Rankin:
Political Pioneer
By
Gretchen Woelfle
Subject area(s): American History, Geography,
Contemporary Politics, Literary and Dramatic Activities
Grade levels: Grades 4 and up
Teachers’ guide: http://www.gretchenwoelfle.com/jeannette_rankin__political_pioneer_60457.htm
Guide includes: Research on women and other political
figures in 20th century politics, Vietnam War; map Rankin’s
movements; research gender politics in current local, state, and national
office; poll class members on gender politics; creative writing, creative
dramatics, research on 1960s protest songs; stage a women’s suffrage tea party
or ‘60s anti-war rally.
See How They Run: Campaign Dreams,
Election Schemes, and the Race to the White House
By Susan E. Goodman
Subject areas: Language arts, social studies,
U.S. history, civics, government
Grade levels: 4-12
Teachers’ guide:
http://www.susangoodmanbooks.com/?pag...
Guide includes: Cross-curricular activities in
history, government, civic involvement, and language arts (key ideas and
details, integration of knowledge and ideas, research skills, option/analytic
texts, informative/explanatory texts, etc.)
Generation Fix: Young
Ideas for a Better World
By Elizabeth
Rusch
Grade levels: Grades 4-12
Subject
areas: Social studies, community service, language arts
Teachers’ Guide: http://www.elizabethrusch.com/Books/AllBooks/GenerationFix/GenFixCoolStuff/GenFixDiscussteachers/tabid/101/Default.aspx
Guide Includes: Chapter-by-chapter discussion
questions
Service-learning discussion guide: http://www.elizabethrusch.com/Books/AllBooks/GenerationFix/GenFixCoolStuff/GenFixDiscussAdults/tabid/100/Default.aspx
Guide includes: Tips and questions to kick off a
classroomwide, clubwide, or schoolwide commitment to community service
ART/MUSIC
Sandy's Circus: A Story about Alexander Calder
By Tanya Lee Stone
Subject
Area(s): American Art, Art History, Contemporary Art, Biography
Grade
Levels: K-5
Teacher's
Guide: http://www.tanyastone.com/assets/files/pdfs/Sandys%20Circus%20Reading%20Guide.pdf
Guide
Includes: Synopsis, About the Author and Illustrator, Author
Interview, Pre-Reading and Discussion Question, Cross-Curriculum project
suggestions
Additional Resources:
A
YouTube video showcasing student-made art inspired by Sandy's Circus: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zr9bbuNvezc
For the Love of Music:
The remarkable story of Maria Anna Mozart
By Elizabeth
Rusch
Subject area(s): History, music, biography, women’s
studies, language arts
Grade levels: Grades 2 and up
Teachers’ guide: http://www.elizabethrusch.com/Portals/0/For%20the%20Love%20of%20Music%20Teacher's%20Guide.pdf
Guide includes: Creative art projects, hands-on
musical games, and engaging history lessons for elementary and middle school
students. The guide features lessons on mapping the Mozart's musical tour
of Europe, writing timelines of Maria Anna Mozart's life as if she had been
alive today, linking primary source letters written by the Mozart family and
friends to scenes in For the Love of
Music, and more.
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