5LittleMonkeys Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 I'm writing my own science for 4th and 7th grades next year using Our Living World series by Barbara Somerville. There are 7 books covering oceans and reefs; tundra; rivers, lakes, streams and ponds; forests; deserts; grasslands; and wetlands. We will be making dioramas of each biome, lapbooks of each and will also be creating miniature biomes using aquariums, bottles and jars. I'm thinking of doing some experiments to show how plants are specifically designed to live and thrive in different biomes. Setting up a situation where we place cactus in a wetlands situation or a fern in a desert situation would model this well. Does anyone have any other ideas that would be fun? I'm working on compiling a list of documentaries, which is easy with netflix, but I need help coming up with some other living books. I wouldn't even mind a literature or biography book that might tie in somehow. Any ideas that you've used and worked well with these grades would be appreciated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momto2Cs Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 One Small Square series by Donald Silver - beautiful books John Muir: My Life with Nature Learning from Nature: Cross Curricular Activities to Foster Creative and Critical Thinking My Life with the Chimpanzees by Jane Goodall Many books by Jean Craighead George The rest of these suggestions might be good either as read alouds, or for your 7th grader... Swampwalker's Journal: A Wetlands Year, by David M. Carroll. He wrote several other books as well that look good. The Trees in my Forest, by Bernd Heinrich (warning - there is a section on tree "s~x", i.e. tree reproduction, but he phrases it as s~x). He also wrote A Year in the Maine Woods, which is a good book. A Sand County Almanac by Aldo Leopold Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5LittleMonkeys Posted February 29, 2012 Author Share Posted February 29, 2012 Oh, I had forgotten about those One Small Square books - those are beautiful. Thanks for the other suggestions too. I'll start checking my library and amazon.:001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NanceXToo Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 When we did a biome study in 5th grade, in addition to reading and writing about different biomes, we also picked a place in our area that we could go visit regularly. We went once a week for X number of weeks (you might want to go once a month since you're doing a whole year), and we'd make notes on the temperature, if there was any precipitation, and on what we smelled, sounds we heard, different things we saw. We'd try to identify different plants and trees in the area. She'd draw different plants, trees or animals that she saw there. We'd note seasonal changes. She'd touch things. We tried making tea from white pine needles. We'd just stay quiet for a while and see what we observed. That kind of thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heart'sjoy Posted March 1, 2012 Share Posted March 1, 2012 http://www.amazon.com/Tree-Life-World-African-Baobab/dp/1578050863/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1330565772&sr=8-2 http://www.amazon.com/Ancient-Ones-World-Old-Growth-Douglas/dp/1578050812/ref=pd_sim_b_5 http://www.amazon.com/Heart-Village-World-Indian-Banyan/dp/1578050804/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_7 http://www.amazon.com/Desert-Giant-World-Saguaro-Cactus/dp/1578050855/ref=pd_sim_sbs_b_5 These may be a bit too young, but we enjoyed this series. Jan Brett also has some picture books that focus on specific biomes and activity pages on her website. These might help bring in your little ones. Other favorites Tree in the Trail Seabird Mr. Popper's Penguins Owl in the Shower Call of the Wild Nathanial Bowditch Girl of the Limberlost 20,000 Leagues Under the sea Julie of the Wolves Mountain Born 21 Balloons Misty of Chincoteague Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5LittleMonkeys Posted March 1, 2012 Author Share Posted March 1, 2012 Tree in the Trail Seabird Mr. Popper's Penguins Owl in the Shower Call of the Wild Nathanial Bowditch Girl of the Limberlost 20' date='000 Leagues Under the sea Julie of the Wolves Mountain Born 21 Balloons Misty of Chincoteague[/quote'] Oh, thanks for these! I was drawing a blank on literature to add.:001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heart'sjoy Posted March 1, 2012 Share Posted March 1, 2012 Brighty of the Grand Canyon Little House in Prairie Secret Garden The Adventures of Paddy the Beaver There's another old classic, I can't remember the title; it's a boy coming of age in the Florida Everglades who raises a deer and has many adventures in nature. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5LittleMonkeys Posted March 1, 2012 Author Share Posted March 1, 2012 There's another old classic' date=' I can't remember the title; it's a boy coming of age in the Florida Everglades who raises a deer and has many adventures in nature.[/quote'] The Yearling? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Embassy Posted March 1, 2012 Share Posted March 1, 2012 I put together a biome study last school year. I have it listed here. Maybe there is something that will fit with your kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.