Thursday, March 17, 2016
Water and Its Soundscapes
With
the arrival of March in the Upper Midwest, our longing for spring takes
on an air of desperation. The fading winter has our senses on high
alert to any sight or sound that hints of warmer temperatures, thawed
soil, and green growth. Often, the first indications of spring in
Wisconsin are aural instead of visual: an unseasonably warm day in late
February has us awake to the sound of long-absent birdsong, a group of
school children splash in a puddle born of quickly melting sidewalk ice,
or we hear the tinkling sounds of ice breaking away on a frozen skating
pond. All this has the water librarians thinking about the soundscapes
of water, and compelling resources available that invite us to immerse
ourselves in audio.
Thursday, February 18, 2016
Our Traveling STEM Kits
Did you know the Water Library has STEM kits to checkout for your use in your library or preschool?The water-themed STEM kits are for teachers and librarians that work with children ages three through nine and combine literacy and science into one story time extravaganza. Included in the kits are read aloud books, ideas for a "science chat", craft ideas, songs, and for fun - science experiments and activities.
We have two STEM kits so far: JUMP AROUND WITH FROGS! (all about native Wisconsin Frogs and Toad) and DOES IT SINK OR FLOAT? (all about boats and boating and buoyancy).
The kits are available for checkout directly from Wisconsin Water Library by contacting us at askwater@aqua.wisc.edu or (608) 262 - 3069.The kits have already started to travel. We created a Google Map to show you where they've been so far around Wisconsin.
If you would like them to travel to your library or school, please let us know! We'd be happy to loan you one!
Happy reading!
Wednesday, December 2, 2015
Giving thanks
Last week, in honor of the Thanksgiving holiday, we gave thanks to the Friends' of UW Madison Libraries for their recent grant to purchase books about environmental economics.Some of the titles we purchase include:
Economic Valuation of River Systems by Fred J. Hitzhusen.
Environmental Economics for Watershed Restoration edited by Hale W. Thurston, Matthew T. Heberling, Alyse Schrecongost.
Environmental Economics: In Theory & Practice by Nick Hanley.
How big is your water footprint? by Paul Mason.
Sustainable water use and management: examples of new approaches and perspectives edited by Walter Leal Filho and Vakur Sümer, Link.
Water Ecosystem Services: A Global Perspective edited by Julia Martin-Ortega.
If you are interested in borrowing any of these titles, let us know. And if you have any suggestions for other acquisitions on social science, we'd love to hear from you.
Please email us at askwater at aqua.wisc.edu.
Monday, October 5, 2015
Sigrid's Five Things
In honor of #BannedBooksWeek, here are Sigrid's Five Things for October 2:
1. PEN America has curated a wonderful series of essays in honor of Banned Books Week 2015 that put banned and challenged books in a global context, both culturally and socio-politically.
http://www.pen.org/banned-books-2015
2. Poets.org examines thirteen significant poems, poetry collections, and poets that have been censored and banned throughout history.
https://www.poets.org/poetsorg/text/banned-books
3. The American Library Association (ALA) not only provides a list of the most frequently challenged books of 2014, but provides links to banned/challenged classic books, a list of the 100 most frequently challenged books by decade, and more, here:
http://www.ala.org/bbooks/frequentlychallengedbooks
4. In August 2015, in tandem with The Guardian’s “Dangerous Books Weekend” co-hosted with Amnesty International, The Guardian put together a series of quotes taken from authors, novels and activists celebrating the defense of our right to read:
http://www.theguardian.com/childrens-books-site/2015/aug/29/banned-books-quotes-dangerous-books
5. Datavizblog.org offers a series of visually stunning and useful Inforgraphics (!) on banned books:
http://datavizblog.com/2015/09/26/infographics-banned-and-challenged-books/
Enjoy!
Monday, February 2, 2015
Tales about Lake Michigan!
We combed our library collection for books about beautiful Lake Michigan. Here is a reading list to get your started. If you have any additions, please let us know! You can always askwater aqua.wisc.edu.
Maggie and her parents move to the small town of Gill Creek just as the last summer visitors are leaving and the first body of a murdered teen is found floating in Lake Michigan, in this mystery/romance set in a wintry Door County. (Age 12 and older)
Under My Nose by Lois Ehlert
Children acquainted with artist Lois Ehlert's books realize she loves color, flowers, color, birds, color, being out of doors, color, the changing seasons, color....This slim little book allows a peek at some of Ehlert's childhood family pictures. Color photos show Ehlert at work in her studio and outside in Milwaukee, where she lives near Lake Michigan, and much more. The steps involved in creating a book are shown and summarized. They learn about Ehlert's interest in Latin American folk art, her advice to young artists and writers, and her love of children and books for children. Organized like other books in the same series, Under My Nosecontains an inviting format, easy reading and an inside view of a popular artist and author. (Ages 7-12)
Mystery of the Fog Man by Carol Farley
Thirteen-year-olds Larry and Kip have their hands full untangling the mysterious sudden appearances and disappearances of the Fog Man and solving the theft of a large sum of money from the ferry Wolverine. This mystery, set in Ludington, involves the car ferries which crossed Lake Michigan.
The Day the Great Lakes Drained Away by Charles Ferguson Barker
Explore what would happen if all of the water drained from the Great Lakes and what their lake floors might look like under all that water.
Papa’s Mechanical Fish by Candace Flemming
"Have you ever wondered what it's like to be a fish?" Papa—who is based on the real-life inventor Lodner Phillips—creates a submarine that can take his family for a trip to the bottom of Lake Michigan.
Good Night Wisconsin by Adam Gamble and Mark Jasper
A bedtime board book that takes children both on a tour of Wisconsin places and attractions (the State Capitol, Lambeau Field, the Wisconsin Dells, and others) and through the course of a day – from morning on a dairy farm to evening at a lighthouse on the shores of Lake Michigan. (Ages 2-5)
Great Ships on the Great Lakes by Catherine M. Green, Jefferson J. Gray, and Bobby Malone
Between them, Wisconsin and Minnesota have more than four thousand miles of Great Lakes shoreline. This volume explores their rich maritime history, from the Native Americans who fished, hunted, and gathered plants in birchbark canoes and dugouts, to the sailors and lighthouse keepers of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries who kept goods and people moving through the region. A final chapter on underwater archaeology brings the story up to the present day, describing the methods used to locate, explore, and conserve the Great Lakes' many shipwrecks. With archival and contemporary photographs, a timeline, and lists of resources and places to visit. (Ages 8-12)
Potawatomi Indian Summer by E. Williams Oldenburg
Children enter a cave along Lake Michigan and find themselves 300 years back in time.
Shadow of the Wolf by Gloria Whelan
In 1841 thirteen year old Libby and her family begin a new life on the shores of Lake Michigan, where her father works as a surveyor for the Ottawa Indians and Libby is reunited with her Indian friend Fawn.
The Secret Keeper by Gloria Whelan
Sixteen-year-old Ali comes face to face with murder and kidnapping during what promised to be a pleasant summer on Lake Michigan.
Lake Michigan – Fact Finders Land and Water: Great Lakes by Anne Ylvisaker
This book, part of a series on the Great Lakes, features information on how Lake Michigan was formed as well as chapters on early people, important industries, pollution and other problems, and how the lake is used today. Gr. K-3.
Outdoorsman Jerry Dennis' ode to the Great Lakes entertains and informs with the tale of his six-week schooner voyage across lakes Michigan, Superior, Erie, Huron and Ontario. Anecdotes from his childhood along the shores of Lake Michigan are intermingled with the natural history of the lakes and the effects of humans upon them. The author's love and respect for his subject will delight others with an interest in these inland seas.
Discovering Great Lakes Dunes By Elizabeth Brockwell-Tillman and Earl Wolf.
The sand dunes along the Great Lakes are the most extensive freshwater dunes in the world. Most of the dunes are along the Michigan shore, but some are in Wisconsin. This book combines beautiful color photos of the dunes plus information about their ecology.
Great Lakes Circle Tour: Reliving History Along Lake Michigan's Circle Tour Route By Bob Schmidt and Ginger Schmidt.
Even those who have lived in the Midwest all of their lives will discover new, fascinating tidbits about the cultural and historical background of the Lake Michigan area in the Schmidts' guide to circumnavigating this Great Lake.
Castle Nowhere Lake-Country Sketches By Constance Fenimore Woolson
Castle Nowhere is Constance Woolson's collection of stories set for the most part in the Great Lakes, in particular northern Lake Michigan and Lake Huron near Detroit. Several themes inhabit Woolson's writing: an environmental consciousness and concern with landscapes; an awareness of the complexities of race; and an abidingly careful eye for the shallowness that sometimes accompanies wealth or social pretensions. She also had a unique perspective as a woman who pioneered the use of controversial subjects---such as unrequited or misplaced passion---and methods in fiction during a time that valorized domesticity.
Schooner Passage: Sailing Ships and the Lake Michigan Frontier By Theodore J. Karamanski.
Karamanski tells the stories of the men and women who sailed on the schooners during the 19th and early 20th centuries, their labor issues and strikes, the role of the schooner in the maritime economy along the Lake Michigan basin, and the factors that led to the eventual demise of the schooner.
Perimeter: a contemporary portrait of Lake Michigan by Kevin J. Miyazaki
Commissioned by the Haggerty Museum of Art at Marquette University to create an artwork reflecting on the importance of freshwater, Milwaukee-based photographer Kevin J. Miyazaki embarked on a two-week, 1,800-mile drive around Lake Michigan. He traveled its perimeter, through Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan, to produce what he calls “a contemporary portrait of Lake Michigan.” Miyazaki set up his portable studio on beaches, in parks, on boat docks, and in backyards, photographing those he met along the way. From residents, environmental scientists, and artists to a Native American water rights advocate, surfers, and commercial fishermen, Lake Michigan holds a powerful place in the life of each. Many shared their thoughts with him on why this body of water is important to all.
Some like it Cold : a Sheboygan Surfin’ Safari by William Povletich
"Some Like it Cold" is the story of two brothers who surf Lake Michigan off the coast of Sheboygan, Wisconsin.
Western Great Lakes Lighthouses: Michigan and Superior By Ray Jones.
More than 60 lighthouses are included in this volume. Archival and recent photographs bring the history and significance of each lighthouse to life
Lost & found: legendary Lake Michigan shipwrecks by V. O. VanHeest
Accomplished diver and author Valerie Van Heest uses her extensive experience and Great Lakes contacts to allow readers the tragic sinking of legendary Lake Michigan ships. Spanning the ages of sail, steam and diesel, the book details discoveries shared with the author by some of the lake's most prolific wreck hunters.
Freighters of Manitowoc : the story of Great Lakes freight carrying vessels built in Manitowoc, Wisconsin by Tom Wenstadt
"Freighters of Manitowoc" chronicles the building of freight carrying vessels in Manitowoc, Wisconsin. Manitowoc was a tiny fontier town in the 1840s with river entrance on the western shore of Lake Michigan. From these small beginnings, it grew to build and deliver the largest vessels on all of the Great Lakes of the time. In the book's 356 pages, read about the builders themselves, the vessels they built, their yards, how their businesses interrelated to the town, the river, the lake and other waterways of the world.
Set against the powerful lakeshore landscape of northern Minnesota, Safe from the Sea is a heartfelt novel in which a son returns home to reconnect with his estranged and dying father thirty-five years after the tragic wreck of a Great Lakes ore boat that the father only partially survived and that has divided them emotionally ever since. When his father for the first time finally tells the story of the horrific disaster he has carried with him so long, it leads the two men to reconsider each other. Meanwhile, Noah's own struggle to make a life with an absent father has found its real reward in his relationship with his sagacious wife, Natalie, whose complications with infertility issues have marked her husband's life in ways he only fully realizes as the reconciliation with his father takes shape. Peter Geye has delivered an archetypal story of a father and son, of the tug and pull of family bonds, of Norwegian immigrant culture, of dramatic shipwrecks and the business and adventure of Great Lakes shipping in a setting that simply casts a spell over the characters as well as the reader.
Starvation Lake: A Mystery by Bryan Gruley
After crossing an ethical line while writing an investigative series for the Detroit Times, reporter Gus Carpenter has returned to his hometown of Starvation Lake, Mich., to work for the local paper. Evidence surfaces that the town's legendary hockey coach, Jack Blackburn, was murdered. Carpenter's reopening of the case, which has personal resonance for him, shakes all sorts of skeletons loose.
The Echoes of L’arbre Croche by Donald Johnston
When a ship sinks off the coast of Beaver Island in Michigan, the intertwining lives of the characters unlock the mystery of the disappearance of another ship twenty years earlier, in a riveting whodunit set on the stormy waters of the Great Lakes.
Freshwater Boys: Stories by Adam Schuitema
Michigan native Schuitema's debut collection contains 11 short stories set in and around the Great Lakes in Michigan. Michigan landscapes and lakes serve as central characters in the stories. Men and boys collide in Michigan's woods, dunes and lakesides in a struggle to understand what it means to be a man. Lake Michigan and the concept of a "third coast" figure prominently in these well-written and engaging stories.
Watermarks: poems from the coast of Keweenaw by Barbara Simila
In Watermarks: Poems from the Coast of Keweenaw, Simila provides a collection of thirty-one poems about life in Michigan's Copper Country.
Haunted Lake Michigan by Frederick Stonehouse
The hauntings have reached Lake Michigan! A continuation of the Haunted Lakes series, Haunted Lake Michigan features the research of Great Lakes historian (and accidental ghostchaser) Frederick Stonehouse. In this volume, he relates the tales of lost maritime spirits and cursed ships, sea monsters, UFOs, ghostly echoes of Prohibition-era murders and a deliciously horrible host of other hauntings in, on and around Lake Michigan.
Children/Teen
The Vanishing Season by Jodi Lynn AndersonMaggie and her parents move to the small town of Gill Creek just as the last summer visitors are leaving and the first body of a murdered teen is found floating in Lake Michigan, in this mystery/romance set in a wintry Door County. (Age 12 and older)
Under My Nose by Lois Ehlert
Children acquainted with artist Lois Ehlert's books realize she loves color, flowers, color, birds, color, being out of doors, color, the changing seasons, color....This slim little book allows a peek at some of Ehlert's childhood family pictures. Color photos show Ehlert at work in her studio and outside in Milwaukee, where she lives near Lake Michigan, and much more. The steps involved in creating a book are shown and summarized. They learn about Ehlert's interest in Latin American folk art, her advice to young artists and writers, and her love of children and books for children. Organized like other books in the same series, Under My Nosecontains an inviting format, easy reading and an inside view of a popular artist and author. (Ages 7-12)
Mystery of the Fog Man by Carol Farley
Thirteen-year-olds Larry and Kip have their hands full untangling the mysterious sudden appearances and disappearances of the Fog Man and solving the theft of a large sum of money from the ferry Wolverine. This mystery, set in Ludington, involves the car ferries which crossed Lake Michigan.
The Day the Great Lakes Drained Away by Charles Ferguson Barker
Explore what would happen if all of the water drained from the Great Lakes and what their lake floors might look like under all that water.
Papa’s Mechanical Fish by Candace Flemming
"Have you ever wondered what it's like to be a fish?" Papa—who is based on the real-life inventor Lodner Phillips—creates a submarine that can take his family for a trip to the bottom of Lake Michigan.
Good Night Wisconsin by Adam Gamble and Mark Jasper
A bedtime board book that takes children both on a tour of Wisconsin places and attractions (the State Capitol, Lambeau Field, the Wisconsin Dells, and others) and through the course of a day – from morning on a dairy farm to evening at a lighthouse on the shores of Lake Michigan. (Ages 2-5)
Great Ships on the Great Lakes by Catherine M. Green, Jefferson J. Gray, and Bobby Malone
Between them, Wisconsin and Minnesota have more than four thousand miles of Great Lakes shoreline. This volume explores their rich maritime history, from the Native Americans who fished, hunted, and gathered plants in birchbark canoes and dugouts, to the sailors and lighthouse keepers of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries who kept goods and people moving through the region. A final chapter on underwater archaeology brings the story up to the present day, describing the methods used to locate, explore, and conserve the Great Lakes' many shipwrecks. With archival and contemporary photographs, a timeline, and lists of resources and places to visit. (Ages 8-12)
Potawatomi Indian Summer by E. Williams Oldenburg
Children enter a cave along Lake Michigan and find themselves 300 years back in time.
Shadow of the Wolf by Gloria Whelan
In 1841 thirteen year old Libby and her family begin a new life on the shores of Lake Michigan, where her father works as a surveyor for the Ottawa Indians and Libby is reunited with her Indian friend Fawn.
The Secret Keeper by Gloria Whelan
Sixteen-year-old Ali comes face to face with murder and kidnapping during what promised to be a pleasant summer on Lake Michigan.
Lake Michigan – Fact Finders Land and Water: Great Lakes by Anne Ylvisaker
This book, part of a series on the Great Lakes, features information on how Lake Michigan was formed as well as chapters on early people, important industries, pollution and other problems, and how the lake is used today. Gr. K-3.
Adult
The Living Great Lakes: Searching for the Heart of the Inland Seas by Jerry DennisOutdoorsman Jerry Dennis' ode to the Great Lakes entertains and informs with the tale of his six-week schooner voyage across lakes Michigan, Superior, Erie, Huron and Ontario. Anecdotes from his childhood along the shores of Lake Michigan are intermingled with the natural history of the lakes and the effects of humans upon them. The author's love and respect for his subject will delight others with an interest in these inland seas.
Discovering Great Lakes Dunes By Elizabeth Brockwell-Tillman and Earl Wolf.
The sand dunes along the Great Lakes are the most extensive freshwater dunes in the world. Most of the dunes are along the Michigan shore, but some are in Wisconsin. This book combines beautiful color photos of the dunes plus information about their ecology.
Great Lakes Circle Tour: Reliving History Along Lake Michigan's Circle Tour Route By Bob Schmidt and Ginger Schmidt.
Even those who have lived in the Midwest all of their lives will discover new, fascinating tidbits about the cultural and historical background of the Lake Michigan area in the Schmidts' guide to circumnavigating this Great Lake.
Castle Nowhere Lake-Country Sketches By Constance Fenimore Woolson
Castle Nowhere is Constance Woolson's collection of stories set for the most part in the Great Lakes, in particular northern Lake Michigan and Lake Huron near Detroit. Several themes inhabit Woolson's writing: an environmental consciousness and concern with landscapes; an awareness of the complexities of race; and an abidingly careful eye for the shallowness that sometimes accompanies wealth or social pretensions. She also had a unique perspective as a woman who pioneered the use of controversial subjects---such as unrequited or misplaced passion---and methods in fiction during a time that valorized domesticity.
Schooner Passage: Sailing Ships and the Lake Michigan Frontier By Theodore J. Karamanski.
Karamanski tells the stories of the men and women who sailed on the schooners during the 19th and early 20th centuries, their labor issues and strikes, the role of the schooner in the maritime economy along the Lake Michigan basin, and the factors that led to the eventual demise of the schooner.
Perimeter: a contemporary portrait of Lake Michigan by Kevin J. Miyazaki
Commissioned by the Haggerty Museum of Art at Marquette University to create an artwork reflecting on the importance of freshwater, Milwaukee-based photographer Kevin J. Miyazaki embarked on a two-week, 1,800-mile drive around Lake Michigan. He traveled its perimeter, through Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan, to produce what he calls “a contemporary portrait of Lake Michigan.” Miyazaki set up his portable studio on beaches, in parks, on boat docks, and in backyards, photographing those he met along the way. From residents, environmental scientists, and artists to a Native American water rights advocate, surfers, and commercial fishermen, Lake Michigan holds a powerful place in the life of each. Many shared their thoughts with him on why this body of water is important to all.
Some like it Cold : a Sheboygan Surfin’ Safari by William Povletich
"Some Like it Cold" is the story of two brothers who surf Lake Michigan off the coast of Sheboygan, Wisconsin.
Western Great Lakes Lighthouses: Michigan and Superior By Ray Jones.
More than 60 lighthouses are included in this volume. Archival and recent photographs bring the history and significance of each lighthouse to life
Lost & found: legendary Lake Michigan shipwrecks by V. O. VanHeest
Accomplished diver and author Valerie Van Heest uses her extensive experience and Great Lakes contacts to allow readers the tragic sinking of legendary Lake Michigan ships. Spanning the ages of sail, steam and diesel, the book details discoveries shared with the author by some of the lake's most prolific wreck hunters.
Freighters of Manitowoc : the story of Great Lakes freight carrying vessels built in Manitowoc, Wisconsin by Tom Wenstadt
"Freighters of Manitowoc" chronicles the building of freight carrying vessels in Manitowoc, Wisconsin. Manitowoc was a tiny fontier town in the 1840s with river entrance on the western shore of Lake Michigan. From these small beginnings, it grew to build and deliver the largest vessels on all of the Great Lakes of the time. In the book's 356 pages, read about the builders themselves, the vessels they built, their yards, how their businesses interrelated to the town, the river, the lake and other waterways of the world.
Adult Fiction
Safe from the Sea by Peter GeyeSet against the powerful lakeshore landscape of northern Minnesota, Safe from the Sea is a heartfelt novel in which a son returns home to reconnect with his estranged and dying father thirty-five years after the tragic wreck of a Great Lakes ore boat that the father only partially survived and that has divided them emotionally ever since. When his father for the first time finally tells the story of the horrific disaster he has carried with him so long, it leads the two men to reconsider each other. Meanwhile, Noah's own struggle to make a life with an absent father has found its real reward in his relationship with his sagacious wife, Natalie, whose complications with infertility issues have marked her husband's life in ways he only fully realizes as the reconciliation with his father takes shape. Peter Geye has delivered an archetypal story of a father and son, of the tug and pull of family bonds, of Norwegian immigrant culture, of dramatic shipwrecks and the business and adventure of Great Lakes shipping in a setting that simply casts a spell over the characters as well as the reader.
Starvation Lake: A Mystery by Bryan Gruley
After crossing an ethical line while writing an investigative series for the Detroit Times, reporter Gus Carpenter has returned to his hometown of Starvation Lake, Mich., to work for the local paper. Evidence surfaces that the town's legendary hockey coach, Jack Blackburn, was murdered. Carpenter's reopening of the case, which has personal resonance for him, shakes all sorts of skeletons loose.
The Echoes of L’arbre Croche by Donald Johnston
When a ship sinks off the coast of Beaver Island in Michigan, the intertwining lives of the characters unlock the mystery of the disappearance of another ship twenty years earlier, in a riveting whodunit set on the stormy waters of the Great Lakes.
Freshwater Boys: Stories by Adam Schuitema
Michigan native Schuitema's debut collection contains 11 short stories set in and around the Great Lakes in Michigan. Michigan landscapes and lakes serve as central characters in the stories. Men and boys collide in Michigan's woods, dunes and lakesides in a struggle to understand what it means to be a man. Lake Michigan and the concept of a "third coast" figure prominently in these well-written and engaging stories.
Watermarks: poems from the coast of Keweenaw by Barbara Simila
In Watermarks: Poems from the Coast of Keweenaw, Simila provides a collection of thirty-one poems about life in Michigan's Copper Country.
Haunted Lake Michigan by Frederick Stonehouse
The hauntings have reached Lake Michigan! A continuation of the Haunted Lakes series, Haunted Lake Michigan features the research of Great Lakes historian (and accidental ghostchaser) Frederick Stonehouse. In this volume, he relates the tales of lost maritime spirits and cursed ships, sea monsters, UFOs, ghostly echoes of Prohibition-era murders and a deliciously horrible host of other hauntings in, on and around Lake Michigan.
Tuesday, October 7, 2014
A Bibliography for Middle Schoolers
We just shared the following bibliography with a local middle school teacher who is having WATER as his classroom theme all this year. If you are looking for something for your middle schooler, this is a good place to start. If you need a different book recommendation, send an email to askwater@aqua.wisc.edu.
Happy reading!
Easy Readers
Cole, Joanna, and Bruce Degen. The Magic School Bus At the Waterworks. New York: Scholastic Inc., 1986.
Cole, Joanna, and Bruce Degen. The Magic School Bus On the Ocean Floor. New York: Scholastic, 1992.
Locker, Thomas. Water Dance. Orlando: Harcourt, 1997.
Van Allsburg, Chris. The Wreck of the Zephyr. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1983.
Chapter Books
Hamilton, Virginia, and Jerry Pinkney. Drylongso. San Diego: Harcourt Brace, 1997.
Henkes, Kevin. Bird Lake Moon. New York, NY: Greenwillow Books, 2008.
Hiaasen, Carl. Flush. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2005.
Park, Linda Sue. A Long Walk to Water: a Novel. New York: Clarion Books, 2010.
Philbrick, Nathaniel. Revenge of the Whale: the True Story of the Whaleship Essex.New York: G.P. Putnam, 2002.
Rhodes, Jewell Parker. Ninth Ward. New York: Little, Brown and Co., 2010.
Richards, James. Three Rivers Rising: a Novel of the Johnstown Flood.
Biographies
Bang, Molly. Nobody Particular: One Woman's Fight to Save the Bays. New York: Henry Holt and Co., 2000.
Berne, Jennifer and Eric Puybaret. Manfish: a Story of Jacques Cousteau. San Francisco [CA]: Chronicle Books, 2008.
Cohen, Sheila. Gaylord Nelson: Champion for Our Earth. Madison, WI: Wisconsin Historical Society Press, 2010.
Lawlor, Laurie, and Laura Beingessner. Rachel Carson and Her Book That Changed the World. New York: Holiday House, 2012.
Nivola, Claire A. Life in the Ocean: the Story of Oceanographer Sylvia Earle. New York: Frances Foster Books, Farrar Straus Giroux, 2012.
Non-Fiction
Ballard, Robert D. Exploring the Titanic. New York: Scholastic, 1988.
Jenkins, Steve. Down, Down, Down: a Journey to the Bottom of the Sea. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2009.
McKinney, Barbara Shaw, and Michael S Maydak. A Drop around the World. Nevada City, Calif.: Dawn Publications, 1998.
Pringle, Laurence. Ice! The Amazing History of the Ice Business. Honesdale, Pennsylvania : Calkins Creek, 2012.
Wargin, Kathy-Jo, and Gijsbert van Frankenhuyzen. The Edmund Fitzgerald: Song of the Bell. Chelsea, Mich.: Sleeping Bear Press, 2003.
Wick, Walter. A Drop of Water: a Book of Science and Wonder. New York: Scholastic, 1997.
Happy reading!
Easy Readers
Cole, Joanna, and Bruce Degen. The Magic School Bus On the Ocean Floor. New York: Scholastic, 1992.
Locker, Thomas. Water Dance. Orlando: Harcourt, 1997.
Van Allsburg, Chris. The Wreck of the Zephyr. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1983.
Chapter Books
Hamilton, Virginia, and Jerry Pinkney. Drylongso. San Diego: Harcourt Brace, 1997.Henkes, Kevin. Bird Lake Moon. New York, NY: Greenwillow Books, 2008.
Hiaasen, Carl. Flush. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2005.
Park, Linda Sue. A Long Walk to Water: a Novel. New York: Clarion Books, 2010.
Philbrick, Nathaniel. Revenge of the Whale: the True Story of the Whaleship Essex.New York: G.P. Putnam, 2002.
Rhodes, Jewell Parker. Ninth Ward. New York: Little, Brown and Co., 2010.
Richards, James. Three Rivers Rising: a Novel of the Johnstown Flood.
Biographies
Berne, Jennifer and Eric Puybaret. Manfish: a Story of Jacques Cousteau. San Francisco [CA]: Chronicle Books, 2008.
Cohen, Sheila. Gaylord Nelson: Champion for Our Earth. Madison, WI: Wisconsin Historical Society Press, 2010.
Lawlor, Laurie, and Laura Beingessner. Rachel Carson and Her Book That Changed the World. New York: Holiday House, 2012.
Nivola, Claire A. Life in the Ocean: the Story of Oceanographer Sylvia Earle. New York: Frances Foster Books, Farrar Straus Giroux, 2012.
Non-Fiction
Ballard, Robert D. Exploring the Titanic. New York: Scholastic, 1988.
Jenkins, Steve. Down, Down, Down: a Journey to the Bottom of the Sea. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2009.
McKinney, Barbara Shaw, and Michael S Maydak. A Drop around the World. Nevada City, Calif.: Dawn Publications, 1998.
Pringle, Laurence. Ice! The Amazing History of the Ice Business. Honesdale, Pennsylvania : Calkins Creek, 2012.Wargin, Kathy-Jo, and Gijsbert van Frankenhuyzen. The Edmund Fitzgerald: Song of the Bell. Chelsea, Mich.: Sleeping Bear Press, 2003.
Wick, Walter. A Drop of Water: a Book of Science and Wonder. New York: Scholastic, 1997.
Thursday, July 3, 2014
Fizz, Boom, Read: Exploring Environmental Science!
Need more ideas for your library's "Fizz, Boom, Read!" summer reading program?
Here is another book available for check-out from UW MAdison's Water Library that could help you pair children's and young adult literature with STEM art projects, crafts and experiments.
Exploring Environmental Science with Children and Teens by Eileen G. Harrington
Environmental science is a crucial, and too often missed, part of STEM curriculum. This unique and informative book provides ideas for environmental science programming in schools and libraries. Exploring Environmental Science with Children and Teens provides brilliant ideas for craft, team projects and observation activities. One section even outlines step-by-step advice for creating and sustaining an ongoing "green-themed" book clubs in your library.
Harrington's excellent book is unique as a manual for guiding children and young adults to become actively involved in environmental and citizen science long after they have left the library or classroom. In addition to craft and story-time ideas, Harrington includes learning outcomes for activities, information for young people to get involved in large-scale citizen science projects and tips for doing projects as a family.
Here is another book available for check-out from UW MAdison's Water Library that could help you pair children's and young adult literature with STEM art projects, crafts and experiments.
Exploring Environmental Science with Children and Teens by Eileen G. Harrington
Environmental science is a crucial, and too often missed, part of STEM curriculum. This unique and informative book provides ideas for environmental science programming in schools and libraries. Exploring Environmental Science with Children and Teens provides brilliant ideas for craft, team projects and observation activities. One section even outlines step-by-step advice for creating and sustaining an ongoing "green-themed" book clubs in your library.Harrington's excellent book is unique as a manual for guiding children and young adults to become actively involved in environmental and citizen science long after they have left the library or classroom. In addition to craft and story-time ideas, Harrington includes learning outcomes for activities, information for young people to get involved in large-scale citizen science projects and tips for doing projects as a family.
Another notable section includes information so students can start their own environmental action clubs. The book encourages students to pick a passion, such as campaigning for composting or another pressing community issue, and form the club from that point. This section helps give educators ideas for inspiring young people to get active in their own communities.
An excellent book for this year's "Fizz, Boom, Read!" Summer Reading Program!
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
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 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
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.
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| The "Be a Friend to Trees" theme includes picture book pairings and more. |
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| 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
Thursday, May 29, 2014
Book Review - Education and the Environment
The Water Library continuously acquires books about integrating STEM curriculum into the classroom and more generally into our work with preschool outreach. Throughout June the Aqualog will be reviewing some of the newest STEM-based curriculum books.
Education and the Environment by Gerald A. Lieberman is a forward-thinking publication designed to help educators introduce students to environmental education across subject curriculum.
Lieberman, a curriculum expert and founding director of the State Education and Environment Roundtable, provides guidance for integrating environmental education into subjects such as communication arts, mathematics, science, and history through the use of "community investigations and service learning." Lieberman's novel approach to environmental education emphasizes connections between communities in nature and their relationship with human activities. The book provides ample information to help educators connect "academic content with local investigations" for a truly unique environmental education experience that gives students an understanding of the issues in their own communities.
Education and the Environment is available for loan at UW-Wisconsin's Water Library and can be requested online through Library Catalog.Please email askwater [at] aqua.wisc.edu
Education and the Environment by Gerald A. Lieberman is a forward-thinking publication designed to help educators introduce students to environmental education across subject curriculum.
Lieberman, a curriculum expert and founding director of the State Education and Environment Roundtable, provides guidance for integrating environmental education into subjects such as communication arts, mathematics, science, and history through the use of "community investigations and service learning." Lieberman's novel approach to environmental education emphasizes connections between communities in nature and their relationship with human activities. The book provides ample information to help educators connect "academic content with local investigations" for a truly unique environmental education experience that gives students an understanding of the issues in their own communities. Education and the Environment is available for loan at UW-Wisconsin's Water Library and can be requested online through Library Catalog.Please email askwater [at] aqua.wisc.edu
Friday, April 18, 2014
National [Water] Poetry Month
The Water Library would like to celebrate National Poetry Month by presenting some of our favorite water-related poems.
Here are links to a few favorites. We will post more throughout the next two weeks of April!
Enjoy!
Tuesday, March 18, 2014
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 ; )
Monday, March 17, 2014
Book Review! On a Farther Shore: The Life and Legacy of Rachel Carson, Author of Silent Spring
Throughout March, The Water Library's book display is highlighting books featuring female explorers, environmentalists, scientists and scientific activists for Women's History Month.
On a Farther Shore: The Life and Legacy of Rachel Carson by William Souder was published in 2013 and made an excellent addition to The Water Library's collection.
Rachel Carson made environmentalism a topic of discussion in the United States with the publication of her book Silent Spring, but her life and writing spanned far beyond that single publication. Souder's biography carefully traces the many events of Carson's life that inextricably linked her to a deep sense of compassion and curiosity for the Earth. The narrative details the post-World War II fear that led to the overuse and promotion of chemicals in everyday life alongside Carson's burgeoning interest in fisheries and ecology. From the first paragraphs of On a Farther Shore there is a sense of the incredible impact Carson had on the popular conception of environmentalism: The book opens with a description of a press conference delivered by John F. Kennedy in 1962 when Kennedy alluded to Carson's book Silent Spring in response to the inquiries of a news reporter.
Souder writes, "In this brief exchange something new came into the world, for this was a cleaving point--the moment when the gentle, optimistic proposition called 'conservation' began its transformation into the bitterly divisive idea that would come to be known as 'environmentalism.'"
William Souder's On a Farther Shore: The Life and Legacy of Rachel Carson is a compelling read. Souder offers great insight into the origins of environmental activism and the roots of Rachel Carson's legacy.
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
Teaching all about the Great Lakes!
The library is currently researching Great Lakes teaching material for a library patron. There are so many great resources out there that might be of interest to our readers... here is just a sampling:
GREAT LAKES LITERARY PRINCIPLES: From Ohio Sea Grant, eight essential principles and fundamental concepts for Great Lakes learning which support an understanding of the Great Lakes’ influences on you and your influence on the Great Lakes. Link.
FRESH AND SALT CURRICULUM: Fresh and Salt is a collection of activities connecting Great
Lakes and ocean science topics to enhance teacher capabilities for
accessing science information in Great Lakes and ocean sciences.
Designed to be used by teachers in grades 5-10, this exemplary
collection provides teachers with an interdisciplinary approach to
ensure students achieve optimum science understanding of both Great
Lakes and Ocean Literacy Principles. A varied range of instructional
modes is offered, including data interpretation; experimentation;
simulation; interactive mapping; and investigation. Link.
NOAA EDUCATION RESOURCES - GREAT LAKES ECO-SYSTEMS: Very complete and detailed look at materials for use in teaching about the Great Lakes on a variety of topics from invasive species to hazards to watershed science. Link.
Do you have a favorite resource? We'd love to hear about it. Just send a message to askwater at aqua.wisc.edu.
FRESH AND SALT CURRICULUM: Fresh and Salt is a collection of activities connecting Great
Lakes and ocean science topics to enhance teacher capabilities for
accessing science information in Great Lakes and ocean sciences.
Designed to be used by teachers in grades 5-10, this exemplary
collection provides teachers with an interdisciplinary approach to
ensure students achieve optimum science understanding of both Great
Lakes and Ocean Literacy Principles. A varied range of instructional
modes is offered, including data interpretation; experimentation;
simulation; interactive mapping; and investigation. Link.Do you have a favorite resource? We'd love to hear about it. Just send a message to askwater at aqua.wisc.edu.
Friday, January 24, 2014
Our Big Fat Winter Experiment
On January 21st The Water Library conducted a snow-science-themed story time. The experiment to accompany the stories is called 'Blubber Gloves.'
'Blubber Gloves' is an experiment designed to simulate how blubber works to protect some mammals (like seals) from freezing during the winter. It is also a great use of all that Crisco-brand shortening you have lying around....
To conduct this experiment:
'Blubber Gloves' experiment video...
Put about 2 cups of Crisco (or other vegetable shortening) into a gallon-size zipper bag.
Put your hand into a separate gallon-size zipper bag and insert your bagged hand into the bag of shortening.
Spread the shortening evenly between the two bags, avoiding the topmost portion of the bags
Fold over the lip of the inside and outside bags and then duct tape around the folded lips
Have children put their hands into a bucket/bowl of ice water without any kind of glove until it becomes uncomfortably cold
Have children then put on the Blubber Glove and see how long they can hold their hand in the ice water
Here is a photo of the experiment in action from a blog called 'Frog-tasticfirstgrade.blogspot.com'
'Blubber Gloves' is an experiment designed to simulate how blubber works to protect some mammals (like seals) from freezing during the winter. It is also a great use of all that Crisco-brand shortening you have lying around....
To conduct this experiment:
'Blubber Gloves' experiment video...
Put about 2 cups of Crisco (or other vegetable shortening) into a gallon-size zipper bag.
Put your hand into a separate gallon-size zipper bag and insert your bagged hand into the bag of shortening.
Spread the shortening evenly between the two bags, avoiding the topmost portion of the bags
Fold over the lip of the inside and outside bags and then duct tape around the folded lips
Have children put their hands into a bucket/bowl of ice water without any kind of glove until it becomes uncomfortably cold
Have children then put on the Blubber Glove and see how long they can hold their hand in the ice water
Here is a photo of the experiment in action from a blog called 'Frog-tasticfirstgrade.blogspot.com'
And here is another photo from 'Msbrownsgrade2class.blogspot.com'
Thursday, January 2, 2014
Fulfill New Year's Resolutions at The Water Library!
Resolve to....
Camp in the winter wilderness with Paradise Below Zero by Calvin Rutstrum!
Originally published in 1968, this book is perfect for people seeking adventure during winter break. Calvin Rutstrum's classic guide to winter-weather camping advises on the basics like mittens and footwear, but also advises on advanced techniques and equipment.
Learn to ice fish with Ice Fishing Secrets by Al Linder, Dough Stange, & Dave Genz
And/Or Fishing on Ice by Noel Vick
Both books cover ice-fishing techniques for beginning-advanced fishermen. These books have detailed information about species, locations and water patterns for freshwater angling. Helpful recommendations about equipment are also key in both books.
Appreciate children's literature with The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
The Snowy Day is a favorite winter tale loved by millions. Keats adeptly captures the wonder of childhood discoveries with his bright story and matching artwork. This book is the 1963 Caldecott winner.
Learn more about science with The Story of Snow by Mark Cassino with Jon Nelson, Ph.D.
The Story of Snow highlights real images of snow crystals and snowflakes in order to answer questions about how snow forms. A great book for snow enthusiasts and snow-hating children alike. BONUS: Instructions for catching snowflakes also included.
Camp in the winter wilderness with Paradise Below Zero by Calvin Rutstrum!
Originally published in 1968, this book is perfect for people seeking adventure during winter break. Calvin Rutstrum's classic guide to winter-weather camping advises on the basics like mittens and footwear, but also advises on advanced techniques and equipment.
Learn to ice fish with Ice Fishing Secrets by Al Linder, Dough Stange, & Dave Genz
And/Or Fishing on Ice by Noel Vick
Both books cover ice-fishing techniques for beginning-advanced fishermen. These books have detailed information about species, locations and water patterns for freshwater angling. Helpful recommendations about equipment are also key in both books.
Appreciate children's literature with The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
The Snowy Day is a favorite winter tale loved by millions. Keats adeptly captures the wonder of childhood discoveries with his bright story and matching artwork. This book is the 1963 Caldecott winner.
Learn more about science with The Story of Snow by Mark Cassino with Jon Nelson, Ph.D.
The Story of Snow highlights real images of snow crystals and snowflakes in order to answer questions about how snow forms. A great book for snow enthusiasts and snow-hating children alike. BONUS: Instructions for catching snowflakes also included.
Tuesday, November 26, 2013
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
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.
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
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| Photo taken from Amazon.com page about this book. |
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.
Thursday, November 21, 2013
Secrets and Surprises at Chicago's Famed Shedd Aquarium
There is a secret life thriving behind the scenes of Chicago's famed Shedd Aquarium.
Though they often go unseen, the aquarium's library and archive play crucial roles in supporting Shedd's aquatic creatures. The library recently reopened in a new location after being closed for nearly 9 months.
Here are some surprising facts I learned by going "behind the scenes" of the Shedd Aquarium with Manager of Information Services and Archive, Alisun DeKock:
1. Hops grown in Shedd's sustainable gardens were turned into a limited-run beer called 'Penguin Hops' by Chicago's Revolution Brewing. During its initial run, one dollar was donated to Shedd Aquarium for every beer sold, which equated to a $2,500.00 donation.
2. The library boasts 30+ VHS tapes in its collection, which DeKock points to with pride. On a serious note, the library boasts more than 6,000 books and 80 active periodical subscriptions. DeKock described the newly acquired database access as "A real boon to the researchers at the aquarium." Researchers, aquarists, tour guides, and trainers use the library resources.
3. John G. Shedd is rumored to have said, "Live your life clean and upright. So live that you not having to fear from publicity." Much easier advice to follow in a pre-Facebook world. The archive housed at the aquarium features extensive materials on John G. Shedd's personal and professional life. The archive also has documents from the early planning stages of the aquarium, which highlights letters exchanged between Shedd and founders of other aquariums and zoos.
4. Much like Chicago's Field Museum and Adler Planetarium, the fortune amassed for creation of the aquarium came from Chicago's once-booming catalogue industry.
5. The aquarium integrates iPads into exhibits to display information about different species. This is less expensive than the old custom-built information kiosks (remember those?) and iPads are easier to replace and their content is easier to modify. And guess who writes the informative content for the iPad displays? Shedd's own librarian, Alisun DeKock.
6. There is an incredible Great Lakes exhibit featuring lots of touchscreens and interactive exhibits, including a sturgeon-petting station. They also have a sea lamprey and other invasive species on display.
7. Alisun's pick for favorite creature at the Shedd Aquarium? The Seadragon.
8. My picks for favorite creatures at the Shedd Aquarium? Caiman Lizard, Seahorses, Bubbler Jellies.
9. January is an offseason for visitors to the Chicago area, so plan your Shedd Aquarium trip for the new year and avoid the crowds!
Though they often go unseen, the aquarium's library and archive play crucial roles in supporting Shedd's aquatic creatures. The library recently reopened in a new location after being closed for nearly 9 months.
Here are some surprising facts I learned by going "behind the scenes" of the Shedd Aquarium with Manager of Information Services and Archive, Alisun DeKock:
1. Hops grown in Shedd's sustainable gardens were turned into a limited-run beer called 'Penguin Hops' by Chicago's Revolution Brewing. During its initial run, one dollar was donated to Shedd Aquarium for every beer sold, which equated to a $2,500.00 donation.
2. The library boasts 30+ VHS tapes in its collection, which DeKock points to with pride. On a serious note, the library boasts more than 6,000 books and 80 active periodical subscriptions. DeKock described the newly acquired database access as "A real boon to the researchers at the aquarium." Researchers, aquarists, tour guides, and trainers use the library resources.
3. John G. Shedd is rumored to have said, "Live your life clean and upright. So live that you not having to fear from publicity." Much easier advice to follow in a pre-Facebook world. The archive housed at the aquarium features extensive materials on John G. Shedd's personal and professional life. The archive also has documents from the early planning stages of the aquarium, which highlights letters exchanged between Shedd and founders of other aquariums and zoos.
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| Epigrams, Maxims and Miscellaneous by John G. Shedd--quotes and quips that show Shedd's personal philosophies and thoughts can be found in the archive. |
5. The aquarium integrates iPads into exhibits to display information about different species. This is less expensive than the old custom-built information kiosks (remember those?) and iPads are easier to replace and their content is easier to modify. And guess who writes the informative content for the iPad displays? Shedd's own librarian, Alisun DeKock.
6. There is an incredible Great Lakes exhibit featuring lots of touchscreens and interactive exhibits, including a sturgeon-petting station. They also have a sea lamprey and other invasive species on display.
7. Alisun's pick for favorite creature at the Shedd Aquarium? The Seadragon.
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| The name fits. |
9. January is an offseason for visitors to the Chicago area, so plan your Shedd Aquarium trip for the new year and avoid the crowds!
The Water Library had a great experience visiting the Shedd Aquarium. A special THANKS to Alisun DeKock for showing us all the secrets and surprises.
Friday, October 18, 2013
The 5 Famous Works of Art Mimicked at Ho Chunk Nation Head Start
The 5 famous works of art [unintentionally] mimicked by Ho Chunk Nation Head Start children during an outreach event.
1. Head of a Woman, Pablo Picasso--1960
Picasso's version:
2. The Scream, Edvard Munch--1910
Munch's version:
3. Apparition of Face and Fruit Dish on a Beach, Salvador Dali--1938
Dali's version:
4. Mona Lisa, Leonardo da Vinci--1517
da Vinci's Version:
5. The Son of Man, René Magritte--1964
Magritte's version:
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
Wisconsin Science Festival
The Wisconsin Science Festival is a state-wide celebration of curiosity, meant to engage all members of the community in scientific activities. This year, the 2013 Wisconsin Science Festival featured many exhibits including a Cave Tour, Birds in Art, and the Discovery Expo at the Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery.
The Discovery Expo featured an 'Ask the Science Librarian' event so, of course, The Water Library was there to show off their sea lamprey (aka double-dog dare children to touch the lamprey's teeth) and teach young people how to use a dichotomous key to identify Wisconsin fish.
Many librarians from other University of Wisconsin science libraries, including the Ebling Health Sciences Library and Steenbock Library, joined The Water Library.
Many of the participants were able to answer trivia questions before the science librarian was able to answer. One young man, already a skilled fisherman, was able to identify every fish species on flashcards at the booth without even using the dichotomous key. The future of scientific discovery could be found everywhere during the Science Festival.
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| The "Ask a Science Librarian" booth and the 2013 Wisconsin Science Festival, in all its glory. |
The Discovery Expo featured an 'Ask the Science Librarian' event so, of course, The Water Library was there to show off their sea lamprey (aka double-dog dare children to touch the lamprey's teeth) and teach young people how to use a dichotomous key to identify Wisconsin fish.
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| Anne Moser, head librarian at The Water Library, teaches a student how to use a dichotomous key. "Think like a scientist" she says. |
Many librarians from other University of Wisconsin science libraries, including the Ebling Health Sciences Library and Steenbock Library, joined The Water Library.
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| Ann Combs from the Ebling Health and Sciences Library answers questions on practically every topic. |
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| Honey, we shrunk the scientists. |
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