In the past couple of months, there has been a wave of deadly tornadoes that have ravaged the mid-west. There have been floods that have caused small communities to abandon their homes. Here at home (Rio Grande Valley), hurricane season has just started. These weather conditions have been all over the news and have dominated most of our conversations lately. I have chosen the topic of weather for an elementary age group. The theme title is “Mother Nature at Work.” Young children often listen to adults talk about weather conditions and the fear spreads. I feel it’s important for students to learn about weather and climate conditions. I have included nonfiction titles and picture book titles with great hands-on activities. Student activities and interactive web sites follow these titles which can be shared with students, teachers, and parents.
Alan, R. (2007). Cloud cover. New Hampshire: Heinemann Library.
This title includes other bibliographical references such as: What is the sun?- Day and Night? – etc. Cloud Cover provides an introduction to clouds, explaining what clouds are by looking at the different types. Students will learn about the effects clouds have the weather. In this series young readers will learn the different aspects of measuring and forecasting the weather. Measurement tools and systems used by professional meteorologists are explained and adapted for student experimentation. Each volume is clearly illustrated with color photos and charts. This book received a Horn Book Award in 2008.
Bassett, J. (2010). Experiments with weather and climate. Wisconsin: Gareth Stevens Publishing.
This series is related to elementary science curricula and offers a comprehensive look at a wide variety of science concepts. Each volume includes experiments graded by difficulty, the learning goals for each experiment, and a list of necessary materials. The books are written in an easy-to-understand, straightforward style with helpful real-life photographs. Students who need simple experiments or those who need more advanced projects will find this series helpful. The background information will be useful for students doing research as well. These books are visually attractive and well-organized.
Birch, R. (2009). Earth’s climate. New York: Marshall Cavendish Benchmark.
Fleishar, P. (2011). Doppler radar, satellites, and computer models: the science of weather forecasting. MN: Lerner Publications.
This book includes bibliographical references and discusses the tools and techniques used by meteorologists to predict weather. The chapters are well organized and contain clear explanations. The layouts of its pages contain plenty of captioned photos and diagrams. The author also includes interesting facts and suggestions for observations readers can record in their own backyard. This series would be attractive to students interested in weather and would work well for reports. It would be a nice addition to any library collection that is lacking up to date information about weather.
Lay, K. (2011). Attack of the giant flood. MN: Magic Wagon Publications.
Wendy and her three friends, Austin, Dennis, and Jessica, form a club to study the weather. The titles will appeal to young adult readers because the fictional characters are involved in suspenseful adventures and use their knowledge of weather facts to save the day. For example, in Hurricane Harry the friends devise an ingenious plan to save a little dog caught in hurricane flood waters. Text in later titles mentions events in earlier titles; therefore students should start with the first book in the series. This series will inspire youngsters to learn more about the weather. Each book ends with a "Did You Know?" section that lists facts and a section with easy to duplicate science experiments.
Levete, S. (2010). Catastrophic weather. ID: Crabtree Publications.
These books have a great deal of information. The left-hand side of each chapter spread addresses a specific topic and includes a box with a quote from a group or an individual active in environmental protection. The text is displayed on the left and includes a boxed "case study" that serves as an example for the point being made in the main narrative. On some pages, a "Fact bank" provides several bullet-pointed tidbits, or a pink box addresses a question such as, "What Can be Done?" All of these elements are set on top of a faintly printed, full-spread background illustration.
Mattern, J. (2010). Can lightning strike the same place twice? : and other questions about Earth, weather, and the environment. MN: Lerner Publications.
This book is designed to inform readers about weather conditions and what causes them to occur. Real photographs are included that attract readers of all ages. Illustrations are vivid and informational. Different size and color in font seems to grab the readers’ attention. Teachers may also correlate this book reading and language arts.
Orr, T. (2011). Experiment with weather. Michigan: Cherry Lake Publishing.
Captivating illustrations will attract young scientists with bold vocabulary as they read and explore. This interesting book will guide students through science “Do it yourself” experiments. It offers an overview of the scientific method and provides instructions for three experiments which teach about weather. As students read, they will come across questions about what they have read and learned as they complete the experiments. Young readers and will be captivated with its vivid cartoon like illustrations. Teachers and librarians may display this book for science fair projects and research.
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Parker, S. (2009). Climate. New York: QEB Publications.
This series examines the changes in the world that are affecting our way of life. Simple facts and well-defined concepts make suggestions to readers about how to make a difference. Students will enjoy this appealing layout and the information can spark further research on the topics. Teachers and librarians could also use the books' design and format as a model for student projects. Either digitally or on paper, students could make fantastic presentations using a similar design. This book has received a Horn Book Award and a Wilson’s Children Award in 2010.
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Royston, A. (2009). Climate change. New Hampshire: Heinemann Library.This series takes important world-wide issues and makes them easy to read, understandable, and engaging. Each issue is brought to life with thought-provoking, objective information. Large photos and interesting statistical facts accompany the text. These sections may give teachers ideas for writing prompts, discussion starters, mini-lessons, reports, and community service projects. The large font and news article format are complete with subheadings and bold vocabulary words, which are easily located in the glossary. These high interest topics will accommodate readers of all skill levels and ages, and should be in every library and classroom.
Web Sites for Extended Activities:
http://illiniweather.com/pages/kids_weather_links.htm
http://www.edheads.org/activities/weather/
http://pbskids.org/sid/weatherwheel.html
Activities:
Students can create power points after research/ investigations.
Students can present an experiment from their favorite book.
Students can create and present a "Safety List" that will help the community.
Students can act out a skit as "young meteorologists".
Students can create poster or a poem of a weather experience.
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