I've got a learning theme I want to cover and a list a mile long of the books I want to read!
I am always amazed at how hard it is to narrow down a book for a weekly or monthly theme-- there are so many great books out there that I want to share with my kiddos.... and you!
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We have been having a great time participating in the Poppins Book Nook the past few months!
You can find out more about the Poppins Book Nook here, but participating has been a such a fun way to create go along activities for much loved books and/or books we've never thought to read before!
Here's what we have done thus far:
- The Giraffe that went to Paris Storybook Activities for Where in the World?
- Design Your Own Monster Truck for Planes, Trains, and Automobiles!
- How Many Spots Does a Leopard Have? Storybook Math Activities for Folktales
Coming up at the end of June, we'll be sharing a book and activity (or two) for the theme: The Great Outdoors.
Favorite Children's Books About Trees
When I think of The Great Outdoors I think of nature-- specifically trees!
Here's a list of 9 great books if your kiddos always keep asking, What Kind of Tree is That? and Why Do Leaves Turn Colors? and How Does a Tree Get So Big? and Who Lives in a Tree? Etc. Etc.!
Diane Burns
A take along field guide so you can name the trees around you.
The illustrations show you what the tree, bark, and seeds look like.
A great resource for your next outdoor adventure exploring trees!
The book also shares some fun activities to do, too-- like, Make a Leaf Mobile and Pine cone Bird feeder!
Clyde Robert Bulla
"A tree is a plant. A tree is the biggest plant that grows."
This 30-page book is part of the Let's Read and Find Out About Series.
It is a simple and enjoyable read for the younger children looking at an apple tree across the seasons.
I Can Name 50 Trees Today!: All About Trees
Bonnie Worth
My kiddos love the Cat in the Hat!
We actually own several of The Cat in the Hat Learning Library books-- as we do this one!
Playful rhyming text and colorful pictures teach children the most common trees and how to identify them in a fun way.
Gail Gibbons
At the end of Tell Me, Tree you are encouraged to make your own Tree Identification Book, which I think is a fun nature project to make and keep; in fact, I remember I made one in 5th or 6th grade!
Tell Me, Tree is another guide to a the wide variety of trees around us.
You will read a brief overview of the different kind of trees, seeds, bark, leaves, roots, etc.
Jennifer Ward
The Busy Tree is full of beautiful and colorful pictures of all that goes on in a tree.
To us it is like a tall statue, but inside and around there are a lot of things happening!
The book is full of rhyming text that is sure to engage your children.
From the roots to the leaves, the tree is busy providing shelter and/or food to the insects and animals nearby.
Jim Arnosky
It's fun to learn an overview of trees when Crinkleroot is your guide!
Crinkleroot walks you through the forest showing beautiful colorful sketches of Deciduous and Conifer trees, different types of forests, and a few pages exploring a trees shape and trunk.
Janice May Udry
A Tree is Nice won the Caldecott Award in 1957.
The illustrations are more vintage-like compared to illustrations today, but it seems like it would be a lovely picture book to introduce the concept of how beautiful and important trees are.
The Secret Life of Trees, Level 2: Beginning to Read Alone (DK READERS)
Chiara Chevalier
The Secret Life of Trees is a Level 2 Eyewitness Reader; an excellent overview for a reader in 1st-3rd grade.
The book uses real illustrations and is full of facts like, Did you know a pine cone can help you forecast the weather?
And that bark on the tree tells its age? I think I'll be having my son read this one!
Debbie S. Miller
Are Trees Alive? all began with a little one being curious about the trees around her-- How do they breathe? They don't have noses?
The book explains in a simple and beautiful way that trees and humans are connected and similar in a lot of ways.
The illustrations are engaging and visit many cultures around the world.
At the end of the book, the author includes some more information on each of the trees illustrated throughout the book.
Are you familiar with any of these? Find any new books to check out on your next library visit? Hop you have fun in the great outdoors exploring trees!
I'm also excited to announce that today is the start of our ABC's of Nature series! 25 other bloggers are joining me share a nature themed activity one letter at a time. Head on over to Powerful Mothering to read A is for Ants!
If you follow along with the Poppins Book Nook, Enchanted Homeschooling Mom has put together a lapbook just for your The Great Outdoors book adventure(s). Check it out!
See you June 30th!
I'd love for you to follow along so you never miss out on one of our fun activities we share at School Time Snippets!
