CCSS and the Big Picture

            This summer I taught an online webinar on Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for High School for The Principal Center’s program titled Smarter Online Common Core Educator Roundtable (SOCCER.)   I approached the topic from the author’s point of view.    

Long before I committed to teach this webinar, I’d printed out the CCSS.  I fully intended to give the topic careful consideration.  I’d even thumbed through them several times.   I told myself I’d go through the standards and get a handle on what the fuss was all about.  But every time I looked at the thick stack of pages, I’d think about all the other things I needed to do and I’d do them instead.    

As the webinar date approached, I faced a very real deadline.  I had five hours of time to fill—one hour a day for five days.  There is nothing like a deadline to provide the necessary motivation.  I picked up my highlighter, ink pen, and the hefty stack of Common Core State Standards and went to work.    

When I begin research on a new book, initially I get a general understanding of the topic, and then I concentrate on specifics.  Studying the CCSS was the same way.  First I needed to understand the “big picture” of the Common Core.  I studied the standards, I compared the standards, I highlighted the standards, I made notes on the standards, I read the overviews, I consulted the exemplar texts—you get the picture.  After a while, I made sense of them.  By the time of the webinar, I could help others make some sense of them.  Maybe some of the “big picture” details I learned will help you too.

The CCSS were created to ensure that American high school graduates are prepared for college level work (without remedial classes) or the workforce.  Also to ensure that American students are prepared to compete in the global marketplace.   

Before the CCSS were put into place, education standards varied from state to state.  In our mobile society, common standards across the country were needed to make sure a student who moved from one state to another would not be left behind or be too far ahead academically.  Common standards were needed make sure every American student would receive the best education possible no matter where they live.  A student who attends school in a large city and a student who attends school in a small rural community both need a high quality education.  In order for students all across the country to receive the same quality education, the CCSS established what each of them should know by the time they graduate from High School.   The idea is that each student will learn the skill sets set forth in each grade level, which will be the foundation for the skills added the next year.  The standards for 11-12 grades represent the skills every American student should have when they graduate and go out into the world. 

According to the CCSS Myth vs. Fact page, the text complexity high school students are reading now does not match the text complexity they will face in college or the work place.   Therefore, the goal of the CCSS is to build a “staircase” of reading complexity throughout a student’s educational experience.    Reading informational text is needed to teach students how to do close reading of text, how to think deeply about the text, and how to participate in discussions to gain greater understanding of the text.

The CCSS do not dictate how a teacher teaches those skills.  The teachers and school systems will decide how they will teach these skills required by the CCSS.  Teachers will build lessons for their class just like they always have.  They will have the freedom to choose complex informational books that are appropriate for their classrooms.  Perhaps the biggest change for some is that CCSS requires every teacher to teach literacy alongside their content areas (this includes teachers of social studies, history, science and technical subjects).   

The CCSS brings with it a renewed focus on informational text.  The standards require teachers to use complex, literary nonfiction books in the classroom.  This is good news for those of us who write books that fit this need.  Perhaps now, amazing nonfiction books will take their rightful place in educating students to succeed in a nonfiction world.    

What do I think after studying the Common Core State Standards?  In a word:  WELCOME! 

Carla Killough McClafferty

www.carlamcclafferty.com

FREE Teachers’ Guides Make Using Nonfiction in the Classroom Less Scary

(Evil laugh here in honor of Halloween: WAAA-ha-ha-ha-ha-ah!)

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 Standards 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 4^th 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 20^th 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/?page_id=2456

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 20^th 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/?page_id=2456

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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