Pairing Picture Books with Science Experiments

The 2014 theme for the Wisconsin Public Library summer reading program is "Fizz, Boom, Read." This theme has the potential to promote the power of observation and experimentation in everyday life.

The Water Library's outreach efforts to Head Start and 4K programs in Wisconsin includes pairing picture books with art projects and science experiments. The Water Library actively collects materials to encourage the integration of science into literature and art for children and has great resources available for developing "Fizz, Boom, Read" story times in your library.

Books to help you develop your own science "Picture-Perfect Pairings":

Picture Perfect Science is a series of great curriculum books designed to align story-time themes with science experiments and standards-based science lessons published by the NSTA (National Science Teachers Association) Press.

The Picture Perfect books are divided into themes and provide descriptions of picture books, grade levels, activities and experiments for each theme. The books also provide topics for discussions and journal entries. The variety of activities helps children to discover science through multi-sensory engagement and reflect on their experiences.

The "Be a Friend to Trees" theme includes picture book pairings and more.

Journal entry and discussion topic prompts will help library patrons engage in the theme.

 The Water Library offers three of the books in the series, including:

Expanded 2nd Edition Picture-Perfect Science

More Picture-Perfect Science Lessons

Even-More Picture-Perfect Science Lessons

Weather Wheels at Ho Chunk Nation Head Start

The librarians from UW-Wisconsin's Water Library recently did some STEM story time and outreach activities with the students at Ho Chunk Nation's Head Start Program in Baraboo, WI. 

The theme was rain, as part of the water cycle, and the students did a "weather wheel" craft. One student colored their weather wheel almost entirely with pink, purple and yellow marker. When asked the types of weather days the drawings represented the student responded by pointing to each picture and saying: 

"This is a really nice day, this is a pretty day, this is a beautiful day and this is a cloudy day!"

Either this student does not actually live in Wisconsin, or she has a very positive outlook about the long winter. 

You might even say this student has a very sunny disposition ; ) 

Best Children's Water Books for the Holidays

Here is a list of some of the best water resource books for children right in time for the holidays. UW-Wisconsin's Water Library has all the books listed available for check out! Request these books for a holiday story time or buy one from a local bookstore for a last-minute gift!

1. If You Want to See a Whale by Julie Fogliano illus. by Erin Stead

If You Want to See a Whale is Julie Fogliano's prosaic tribute to the wonder of childhood paired with Erin Stead's masterful artwork. Fogliano's directions for seeing a whale are charming when they insist, "If you want to see a whale you will need a window...and an ocean." This book is a soothing introduction to imaginative play centered around ocean life. Stead's artwork features pelicans, pirate ships, lighthouses and other water-themed delights. Poetry and ocean life will make this a book your children will cherish for years. As a bonus, it is also available for the Kindle. 

Starred Reviews for If You Want to See a Whale from Kirkus Reviews, Publisher's Weekly and Booklist. 

2. Water in the Park: A Book About Water and the Times of Day by Emily Jenkins illus. by Stephanie Graegin

If a bustling New York City park could talk, what would it say? Emily Jenkins' book explores the unexpected day-to-day routine of a pond and other features of a busy park located in Brooklyn, NY. This simple, but unique, story will introduce young children to the concepts of the water cycle from sunrise to sunset--from first dog wading in the park's pond to last toddler to hurry out of the rainy playground. Older children will enjoy finding subtle surprises in Stephanie Graegin's detailed pencil and watercolor illustrations. A wonderful book for introducing children to many water-related science concepts. 

Starred reviews for Water in the Park from Booklist and BCCB. 

3. Rain by Linda Ashman illus. by Christian Robinson

Photo taken from Amazon.com page about this book.

World's collide when a crotchety old man, intent on rainy day misery, has his hat returned by a frog-imitating young whipper-snapper. Linda Ashman's succinct text paired with Christian Robinson's colorful illustrations make for a soothing story time during any weather. Rain shows the readers that dealing with different weather is all a matter of perspective. A great introduction to lessons on the topic of weather, rain, the water cycle or humidity.

4. 999 Frogs Wake Up by Ken Kimura

Reading about frogs waking up from a long winter nap will have the youngest readers longing for springtime. Ken Kimura's whimsical book follows these frogs as they journey to wake up all of the swamp animals. Along the way they try to avoid the scary snake! The design of this book's illustrations are stunningly simple yet beautiful. An excellent choice for frog and swamp enthusiasts in every family. Also a great companion to Kimura's 999 Tadpoles.

National Environmental Education Week

Fittingly, we follow National Library Week with National Environmental Education Week! This year's theme is Greening STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics): The Environment as Inspiration for 21st Century Learning. It's a great way to learn about STEM education and gear up for Earth Day, too!

You can get involved by visiting the National Environmental Education Foundation website,
where you can access STEM planning toolkits, including one about water! Visit the Water Library as well; our curriculum development and kids collections include planning materials and more for water and environmental science educators.

Science Sites for Kids!

Educators are looking for ways to make STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education more interesting and appealing to students. Many students lose interest in these subjects as they grow older- a problem that could become crucial in future generations.

Check out the websites below to help promote STEM education to the students in your life:

Sid the Science Kid
Sid the Science Kid uses comedy to promote technology and science education for preschoolers. Check out show clips online- including fun interviews with robotics engineers, astronauts, and chemists. Kids learn the role science plays in their everyday lives, like how can openers were developed by engineers, how planes fly, and more.

NASA Space Place
NASA Space Place is a kid-friendly site that provides activities and projects- helping kids learn that science, technology, and space education can be fun.

Energy Quest
Energy Quest is a fun, interactive site, from the California Energy Commission, aiming to educate kids about sustainability and conservation.

Great Science for Girls
Great Science for Girls is a five year initiative from the National Science Foundation to broaden and sustain girls' interest in STEM. GSG will reach out to afterschool centers, providing resources like curriculum development, a website, and technical assistance.

For further information, visit the National Science Foundation's Resources for STEM Education.