It is hard to believe it is June. Summer is basically here. For many this school year was a mess. I know many parents are worried about how much their kids learned with all the remote learning the past two years. Every summer kids lose some of what they have learned. This summer it will be more important to keep our kids reading and learning. I am going to be sharing books that will give you extra resources to keep the kids learning all summer long in fun ways starting today. Today I am sharing part of Dover Publication's My First Science Book Series and at the end there will be a giveaway!!
Today's books are written for ages 8 to 12 or grades 3 to 6 and are science books. They are all by Donald M. Silver and Patricia J. Wynne. They are also coloring books which add some fun into the learning. Now I know you are thinking coloring books aren't for kids aged 8 to 12, but these ones are and so is the reading level in them. We will start with the newest one, My First Book About Dinosaurs.
From the Publisher:
Welcome to the amazing world of dinosaurs! Children ages 8 and up can discover where these prehistoric creatures lived, the food they ate, and what they may have looked like. Along the way, they'll encounter bone-crushing teeth, slashing claws, and spiked tails while learning fascinating facts about dinosaur eggs and fossils, moving continents, climate changes, exploding volcanoes, and even an asteroid crashing into Earth.
From Me:
Now having a daughter who never was into dinosaurs we didn't spend much time learning about them. We did have a couple of outings where we saw displays on them and have read books about them, but they have not been too much of an interest of ours. This book however is very interesting. I learned quite a bit reading it. It teaches kids while they are coloring and includes the different eras of dinosaurs, different types as well as how fossils and such have helped us piece together what we know about dinosaurs.
As you can see from the sample pages it is not your typical coloring book or even an adult coloring book. There is quite a bit of information packed into the pages with sentences here and there. This book will have kids wanting to learn more about dinosaurs and I love how they can color a page and see all the different facts while they do.
Our next book is My First Book About Our Amazing Earth. There are many times we focus on teaching about Earth. I know Hazel has learned about some aspect of it in science almost every year. We have certainly shared several resources for learning about the Earth especially for Earth Day. Did your kids learn about planet Earth or miss that unit? Want to add an Earth unit to your homeschool or class? Or just want to spice up their summer? You need to check out this book.
From the Publisher:
What is our planet made of? Why do volcanoes erupt, and where are fossils found? These and other questions are answered in this engaging, well-researched coloring book. My First Book About Our Amazing Earth explores the scientific facts behind everything from rocks and minerals to earthquakes, tsunamis, the water cycle, mountain formation, and more.Forty-six fun-to-color illustrations with easy-to-read captions make this a perfect introductory science book for children between the ages of 8 and 12. They'll explore peeling layers of rock at Yosemite National Park's Half Dome, trace the eruption of Mount St. Helens, and examine Yellowstone's famous geyser, Old Faithful. Grand Canyon fossils, space rocks, caves, and glaciers are just a few of the many fascinating topics in this entertaining and informative book.
From Me:
This book is amazing! It starts with Earth being a planet and then goes into the layers of the Earth. Then come pages on things like volcanoes, soil, rocks, fossils, minerals and mining, water, wind, caves, the moving plates and so much more! Plus there are references to different national parks through out the book. It does focus on the United States often because of these references. There are historical facts as well as science throughout the book. Plus the kids can color the page and read the little boxes and learn! It is a perfect way to teach kids some Earth Science or review it over the summer!
Our next book is My First Book About Backyard Nature: Ecology for Kids. Now if you read Crafty Moms Share last summer you may know I've become a bit obsessed with the critters in my backyard. I did a whole summer series on the birds and other animals that frequent my yard. This spring I have done some posts about some of the plants (that some may call weeds) in my yard as well. Needless to say this is my favorite of the four books I'm sharing!
From the Publisher:
Winner of a 2017 Moonbeam Children's Book Award Silver Medal!Millions of creatures live in the backyard: beetles and bugs; butterflies and birds; turtles and toads; ants, earthworms, and tiny animals hidden in the grass or deep in the soil. These creatures lead busy lives, climbing trees, crawling over rocks, searching for food, and building nests. With this book's 46 pages of illustrations — each accompanied by fact-filled captions — kids can combine the fun of coloring with the fascination of discovering how all kinds of living creatures are linked together.
Realistic pictures to color depict the backyard through all four seasons and during the day and night. The captions identify different types of trees, flowers, and bushes; butterflies, moths, and birds; reptiles and amphibians; and many other plants and animals. Suitable for ages 8-11, this informative coloring book recaptures the excitement of the natural world that's right outside the back door.
From Me:
I learned things even with all the research I have been doing for my posts about my backyard. This book has information about the trees, animals, birds, plants, soil and more! Once again I love that the kids learn while coloring and the coloring is more complex than most kid coloring books. I love that this book has suggestions for going and exploring one's own backyard and in fact the last page asks them to draw their backyard. Personally I think we can teach our kids so much just by exploring the backyard and teaching them about the nature in it. I love how this book also ties in gardening and such as well. This is one of those books that makes learning fun but also teaches us that we don't have to go far to learn.
Our final book for tonight is My First Book About the Oceans. What a perfect book for the summer! Teach your kids all about the ocean and the life in it before heading to the beach! I always love books about the ocean and ocean life this time of year and have shared plenty as well as crafts to make with the treasures you find on the beach.
From the Publisher:
What's so special about the ocean? Everything! The birthplace of all life on Earth, it is the largest of the world's ecosystems, covering almost three-quarters of our planet. It produces most of the fresh water we drink and half the oxygen that we breathe. In fact, the very land we are standing on came from the ocean floor and will one day return there.In this carefully researched, fun-to-color book, you'll learn how the ocean does many wondrous things. Find out how it determines both the climate and the weather. Encounter the tiny animals and plants floating on the surface as well as the monstrous creatures lurking in the dark abyss. And most importantly, discover why a healthy ocean is essential and what you can do to help protect it.
From Me:
This book has so much packed into it. There is information about the water and tides, mountains on the moving floor, earthquakes, tsunamis and hurricanes as well as the different parts of the ocean and so much about the different sea life. There are sections on animals as well as plants and it even goes into global warming and the dangers to the ocean. I love how kids can color a page at a time and learn about the ocean. I also love the little boxes of facts about the ocean, sea life and even historical facts. This book will make summer learning more fun and of course a trip to the beach will be needed to go with it!
Now all four of these books are about Earth Science topics with a bit of biology thrown in. If these topics are not what you are looking for there are more books in this series with lots of different science topics! I know I personally would love to check out the physics and chemistry ones.
I can honestly say any of these books would be a fun and educational thing for extra summer learning! Which will you check out?
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
An accomplished science and nature illustrator, Patricia J. Wynne is the recipient of the 2008 Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor and has won awards from Parenting magazine, the John Burroughs Association, and the National Science Teachers Association. Patricia's artwork has appeared in galleries, magazines, newspapers, and more than 100 books for both children and adults. She is the illustrator of numerous successful Dover titles on science and nature, including My First Book About Outer Space and My First Book About the Body.Trained as a research scientist, Donald M. Silver has written more than 80 books for students of all ages and for teachers. His One Small Square series takes a close-up look at plants and animals where they live. He has won numerous awards including the Children's Science Writing Award in Physics and Astronomy from the American Institute of Physicists. He lives in New York City where he has worked with Patricia J. Wynne since 1981 and with whom he has co-authored numerous successful Dover titles on science and nature, including the "My First Book" series.
Giveaway:
Enter for a chance to win a set of four My First Science Books! Good luck!Three (3) winners receive:
- A copy of My First Book About Dinosaurs
- A copy of My First Book About Our Amazing Earth
- A copy of My First Book About the Oceans
- A copy of My First Book About Backyard Nature
The giveaway begins May 31, 2021, at 12:01 A.M. MT and ends June 30, 2021, at 11:59 P.M. MT.
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