Picture books are a fantastic tool for teaching learners, and they're not just for early childhood learners. Children of all ages can benefit from hearing picture books and seeing their illustrations, and they can be especially beneficial for teaching science with your elementary-aged learners.

In today's episode, Dan Kriesberg talks about picture books for 4th graders and beyond and how he used picture books to teach even into middle school. He talks about what he looks for in quality picture books for older students and how he's used them to enhance his teaching.

You'll definitely want to hit play to hear these intriguing ideas and picture book suggestions! Also, make sure to listen to the end of the episode to hear an update about the show.

Show Notes: https://naturallyteaching.com/episode50

Email Dan Kriesberg: [email protected]

Links to resources mentioned in the episode:

• Earth Wisdom - Dan Kriesberg
• A Sense of Place: Teaching Children About the Environment with Picture Books
• Think Green, Take Action: Books and Activities for Kids
• Diversity Education In Nature
• Teach Outdoors - Teaching for All: Making Outdoor Learning Accessible and Inclusive
• Papa Bear Hikes - Diversity Education In Nature
• Talaterra - Ep116 Dan Kriesberg and Camille Simone Edwards, Diversity Education in Nature
• Keepers of the Earth by Michael J. Caduto and Joseph Bruchac
• Night Letters by Palmyra LoMonaco, illustrated by Normand Chartier
• Climbing Kansas Mountains by George Shannon, illustrated by Thomas B. Allen
• The Floating House by Scott Russell Sanders, illustrated by Helen Cogancherry
• Byrd Baylor books
• The Table Where Rich People Sit by Byrd Baylor, illustrated by Peter Parnall
• Secret Place by Eve Bunting, illustrated by Ted Rand
• My Father’s Hands by Joanne Ryder, illustrated by Mark Graham
• Who Came Down That Road by George Ella Lyon, illustrated by Peter Catalanotto

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Fine arts are a creative way to let your learners share their understanding of your curriculum. By providing opportunities for painting, sculpting, music, poetry, theatre, cinematography, photography, and more, you're providing your learners the opportunity to build their confidence, work on collaboration skills, and allow all learners to shine.

Tune in to hear descriptions for 9 fine arts examples of vernal pool and frog projects to use this spring. During the episode I share a description for each project, materials you'll need to make each project happen, preparation suggestions, and how to present the project to your learners.

Fine arts projects described in this episode include:

• Creating a frog call instrument
• Developing a skit to retell a story
• Creating props and costumes to go along with the skit
• Recording the skit and adding cinematic elements
• Sculpting a frog life cycle
• Writing a vernal pool or frog poem
• Taking photographs of vernal pools or animals
• Painting a watercolor painting next to a vernal pool
• Drawing an organism collected from a vernal pool

Resources mentioned 💚

• 46. Vernal Pool Patrol: A Citizen Science Project for Elementary Teachers and Homeschool Parents with Lindsey Harrell
• 47. 6 Vernal Pools and Frog Activities Aligned with K-5 Next Generation Science Standards
• 48. 9 Vernal Pool and Frog Books for Elementary Teachers and Homeschool Parents
• iMovie for Mac
• iMovie for Windows
• Stop Motion Studio
• Vernal Pools by MassDCR

Show Notes: https://naturallyteaching.com/episode49

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Spring is breeding season for frogs and many species use vernal pools to lay their eggs. To get your learners excited about this special time of the year, consider reading them vernal pool or frog books.

In this episode I cover 9 picture books that introduce vernal pools, how frogs use them, and frog life cycles. Press play to hear about "The Secret Pool" by Kimberly Ridley, "A Wood Frog's Life" by John Himmelman, "Salamander Sky" by Katy Farber, and more.

Resources mentioned 💚

• Teaching with Books: How to Integrate Science and Literacy for Elementary Classrooms
• Vernal Pool Visitors read aloud by Cape Cod Author Heidi Clemmer for the Brewster Ponds Coalition
• 11 Fantastic Animal Life Cycles Books By John Himmelman
• Frog Life Cycle and Grouping Mini Unit for 3rd Grade

Show Notes: https://naturallyteaching.com/episode48

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Spring is a fantastic time to explore concepts like sound waves, life cycles, biodiversity, and more. Frogs in the Northern Hemisphere take advantage of spring warmth to call for mates and move through their life cycles...and many of them do this in vernal pools.

Tune in to hear descriptions for 6 vernal pools and frog activities aligned with Next Generation Science Standards for grades K-5. During the episode I share the standard that inspired the activity, how the activity relates to vernal pools and frogs, and a description of how to implement the activity with your learners. And make sure to listen all the way through the episode; you may find yourself inspired to adapt one of these activities or use an activity for a different grade level.

Vernal pools and frog activities described in this episode include:

• Kindergarten: Creating a vernal pool protection plan
• 1st Grade: Watching videos of frogs calling
• 2nd Grade: Conducting an ecosystem survey
• 3rd Grade: Dipping for animal life stages
• 4th Grade: Playing a frog call game
• 5th Grade: Designing a scientific collection tool

Resources mentioned 💚

• Episode 6: 5 Outdoor Education Safety Tips for Teaching Outside
• Episode 32: 6 Fun Winter Activities Aligned with K-5 Next Generation Science Standards
• Wood Frog Calling
• Western Chorus Frog Calling
• Toad vibrations create amazing ripples on water (a short, but sooo good)
• Episode 45: 6 Earth Day Projects for Elementary Teachers and Homeschool Parents
• Episode 46: Vernal Pool Patrol: A Citizen Science Project for Elementary Teachers and Homeschool Parents with Lindsey Harrell
• Citizen Science Lab: Vernal Pools - Citizen Science Projects for 5th Graders

Show Notes: https://naturallyteaching.com/episode47

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Vernal pools are a little-known secret, but are an amazing spring phenomenon. These unique wetlands are made from snow melt and spring rains and are only around for short time. But in their short time, they are home to special organisms and are crucial for the survival of many species.

In today's episode, Lindsey Harrell explains the Vernal Pool Patrol, a community science opportunity in Michigan. She starts with an explanation of what vernal pools are, how they benefit nature, where to find vernal pools near you, what kind of equipment you might want, and more.

If you're interested in taking part in this community science project, but you're not sure what to expect, make sure to listen to the end of the episode. Today's nature note is my firsthand experience surveying a pool with the Vernal Pool Patrol.

Show Notes: https://naturallyteaching.com/episode46

Email Lindsey Harrell: [email protected]

Links to Vernal Pool Patrol resources:

• Vernal Pool Patrol Landing Page
• Vernal Pool Patrol Training Page
• Identification Resources
• Vernal Pool Michigan Map
• Michigan Vernal Pool Partnership
• Michigan Vernal Pools Research Fund

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Earth Day is coming up in just under a month and it's a great holiday to incorporate science activities into your celebrations! Many Earth Day activity lists suggest the same ideas over and over, so I'm here to give you some unique projects to do with your learners this year.

Tune in to hear descriptions for 6 Earth Day projects aligned with Next Generation Science Standards for grades K-5. During the episode I share the standard that inspired the project, how the project relates to Earth Day, and a description of how to implement the project in your classroom or at home.

Make sure you listen all the way through the episode; you may find yourself inspired to adapt one of these projects or use one for a different grade level.

Earth Day projects describe in this episode include:

• Kindergarten: Designing trash picker-uppers
• 1st Grade: Solving the problem of staying warm in a car
• 2nd Grade: Designing a way to clean water
• 3rd Grade: Creating a wetland mitigation model
• 4th Grade: Developing non-renewable and renewable resource saving punch cards
• 5th Grade: Participating in the iNaturalist citizen science project

Resources mentioned 💚

• Episode 6: 5 Outdoor Education Safety Tips for Teaching Outside
• The Day the Trash Came Out to Play by David M. Beadle, illustrated by Laurie A. Faust
• The Mess That We Made by Michelle Lord, illustrated by Julia Blattman
• Earth Day Engineers Water Mini Unit for 2nd Grade (STEM and ELA Activities)
• Earth Day Engineers Habitat Mini Unit for 3rd Grade (STEM and ELA Activities)
• Episode 15: 6 Citizen Science Projects for Elementary Students
• 18 Kids Earth Day Books to Inspire Elementary Students This Year
• A List of Earth Day Activities Elementary Students Will Love This Year

Show Notes: https://naturallyteaching.com/episode45

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If you're looking for a way to practice your math concepts in a real-world context this spring, this is the podcast episode for you!

Tune in to hear descriptions for 6 elementary math activities for spring aligned with Common Core State Standards for grades K-5. During the episode I share the standard that inspired the activity, how the activity relates to the spring season, and a description of how to implement the activity with your learners.

And make sure to listen all the way through the episode; you may find yourself inspired to adapt one of these activities or use an activity for a different grade level.

Elementary math activities described in this episode include:

• Kindergarten: Counting flower petals
• 1st Grade: Measuring spring sprouts
• 2nd Grade: Telling sunrise and sunset times on clocks
• 3rd Grade: Finding the volume of objects using displacement
• 4th Grade: Counting sap drips and multiplying by 2 digit numbers
• 5th Grade: Mystery patterns with partners

Resources mentioned 💚

• Episode 6: 5 Outdoor Education Safety Tips for Teaching Outside
• Science Activity Index
• Episode 41: Teaching Elementary Math Outside with Lauren MacLean
• Episode 42: 6 Fun Spring Activities Aligned with K-5 Next Generation Science Standards
• Episode 43: 9 Spring Picture Books to Help You Introduce Seasonal Signs, Plants, and Animals 
• Time and Date
• The Old Farmer’s Almanac
• Maple Tree Tapping - Sap Dripping video

Show Notes: https://naturallyteaching.com/episode44

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Spring is about to begin, so now is a good time to start scoping out spring picture books to help you teach seasonal concepts. Picture books are a great way to explore the changing of the seasons in words and pictures.

In this episode I cover 9 picture books that introduce the signs of the season, plants, and animals in spring. Press play to hear about "Spring Thaw" by Steven Schnur, "Abracadabra, It’s Spring" by Anne Sibley O’Brien, "Worm Weather" by Jean Taft, "Bloom Boom!" by April Pulley Sayre, and more.

Resources mentioned 💚

• Spring Picture Book Companion for Kindergarten
• A Fantastic Spring Picture Book List for Elementary Teachers with 20 Titles
• Tapping Into Learning: 15 Maple Syrup Books for Elementary Science
• Teaching with Books: How to Integrate Science and Literacy for Elementary Classrooms
• Worm Weather Picture Book Companion for Kindergarten
• Episode 16: 10 Fall Picture Books to Introduce Seasonal Signs, Falling Leaves, and Animals in Autumn

Show Notes: https://naturallyteaching.com/episode43

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Spring is a season of growth, rebirth, and rejuvenation. The plants and animals feel energized, and so do we. We all missed that sun and the warmer temperatures. So let's make the season work for you by including fun spring activities in your schedule!

Tune in to hear descriptions for 6 fun spring activities aligned with Next Generation Science Standards for grades K-5. During the episode I share the standard that inspired the activity, how the activity relates to the spring season, and a description of how to implement the activity in your classroom. And make sure to listen all the way through the episode; you may find yourself inspired to adapt one of these activities or use an activity for a different grade level.

Fun spring activities described in this episode include:

• Kindergarten: A Hummingbird’s Needs Survey
• 1st Grade: Engineering a Solution to Stay Dry in Rain
• 2nd Grade: Phenology Study with Ephemeral Flowers
• 3rd Grade: Dimorphism Flag Tag
• 4th Grade: Flooding Solution Models
• 5th Grade: Maple Sap to Maple Syrup Relay Race

Resources mentioned 💚

• Episode 6: 5 Outdoor Education Safety Tips for Teaching Outside
• Episode 17: 6 Fun Fall Activities Aligned with K-5 Next Generation Science Standards
• Episode 20: 6 Animal Migration Activities for the Elementary Classroom
• Hummingbird Migration Project
• Miss Maple’s Seeds Book Companion for 2nd Grade
• Naturally Teaching Activity Index

Show Notes: https://naturallyteaching.com/episode42

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If you've been wanting to take your elementary math outside but you're not sure where to start, then this is the podcast episode for you!

In today's episode, Lauren MacLean explains a typical day in nature with learners, the benefits of learning math outside, activity types for teaching math in nature, a realistic view of using math manipulatives outside, documenting learner progress, SO MANY examples, and more.

Make sure to listen all the way to the end of the episode because today's Teaching Tip is a list of 11 nature-based picture books that are all about mathematical concepts.

Show Notes: https://naturallyteaching.com/episode41

Connect with Lauren MacLean

• Email Lauren: [email protected]
• Teach Outdoors website
• Teach Outdoors podcast
• Nature's Path: A Year of Monthly Sparks
• Sitting With Nature: An Educator's Guide to Sit Spots
• Me and My Sit Spot
• Me and My Sit Spot for Early Learners
• Me and My Sit Spot - French Translation
• Sit Spot Classroom Kit

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