Professional Documents
Culture Documents
The World
of Birds
Jonathan
Elphicks oversized, coffee
table book The
World of Birds
might just be
the single avian
reference
that you always wanted, or didnt know
that you wanted. Almost half of its 600
or so lavishly-illustrated pages cover
the most important aspects of bird
biology in very accessible language. It
is not, however, for the avian faint-ofheart. Nineteen pages alone cover bird
skeletons. Another 9 discuss feathers.
The rest of the book describes each of
the 195 existing bird families. Taxonomic interests come to the fore as
new findings in DNA and molecular
research stand poised to change what
we thought about familial relationships.
However, the sequence and groupings
will be familiar to users of field guides.
This is the perfect book for advanced
high-school or college/university
ornithology students, or those wishing to dive into the world of birds and
are seeking more information than is
found in field guides. Well-organized, it
allows you to pick and choose according to your interests, and the over 1000
full-colour photos, maps and diagrams
enhance the text and highlight topics.
Still, as with the real world of birds, you
might want to approach this one with a
field guide (or two) in hand. (AC)
Firefly Books Ltd., 2014, ISBN: 978-177085-304-1 (hb), 608 pp., CDN $75.00
from (800) 387-5085, <www.fireflybooks.
com>
thorough-going
explanation
of how the
environment
can serve as
the context
for standardsbased learning.
Lieberman
explains the
importance of this framework and
how it was developed, and eventually
adopted by the state of California. In
the second half of the book, he delves
into how teachers, schools, and school
districts can plan and implement such
programs. He describes all the steps
involved in each part of the process and
shows how it can be used in particular
to rejuvenate language arts, math,
history and science education. Also
included are numerous examples of
existing programs that have already
been created with this new model of
environmental education. In short, this
is an essential book for all practitioners
and system-changers. (AL/TG)
Harvard Education Press, 2013.
ISBN-13:978-1612506296 (pb), ISBN10:1612506291 (hb), US$26.95 (pb),
US$60.00 (hb) from (888) 437-1437. <harvardeducationpress.org>
The World in
Infographics
Teaching
heavier topics to
young learners
is more effective and fun
with colourful
pictures and
diagrams. The
two books in
The World in
Infographics
series are no
exception. On
each 2 page
spread, The
Human Body
visually dissects
one element
of human anatomy while presenting
interesting facts about that element.
Those 10-14 years old would find the
detailed visual explanations about our
muscles, skin, circulation systems
Green Teacher 105
City Fish,
Country Fish
Starting
from Scratch
Who knew
that science is
a part of food
preparation? For
young aspiring
chefs in grades
4-8, Starting
from Scratch
will help them understand just that!
In her book, Sarah Elton provides
information on using your senses, and
the culture that is involved with food,
nutrition, and the science of cooking.
Each chapter gives the reader some
basic bite-sized information on topics
such as taste, culture, food science,
the basics of a recipe, equipment, meal
planning, and actual food preparation.
Simple but accurate cartoon drawings
by illustrator Jeff Kulak accompany
each topic. Another feature of this
book is that it introduces vocabulary
involved not only with cooking, but the
farming practices as well. If you have
a future foodie in your midst, start
exposing them to the science and FUN
involved with cooking. With this book,
they will become a chef for life! (SW)
Owl Kids Books, 2014, ISBN: 978-1926973-96-8 (hb), 96 pp, US/CDN$19.95
from (416) 340-2700, < www.owlkidsbooks.
com >
Dirty Teaching
Saving
Turtles
Saving Turtles
is billed as a
kids guide
to helping
endangered
creatures,
but this short
paperback is really an expos on turtle
rescue, rehabilitation and research.
Veterinarian and turtle rehab specialist,
Sue Carstairs, gives readers a verbal and
visual window on how turtles get put
back together after sustaining serious
injuries. Each two-page spread briefly
covers specific topics related to basic
turtle biology and extremes (oldest,
rarest, etc.), turtles in crisis (in the past
decade 80% of Asian freshwater turtles
have been lost for example), headstarting (including incubating, hatching and releasing baby turtles), research
being done in the field (protection), how
to educate students and get involved in
conservation. One two-pager near the
Page 45
With My Own
Two Wheels
Most Americans
see cycling as
a purely recreational activity.
By contrast, the
documentary
With My Own
Two Wheels
focusses on the power of bicycles to
change lives. In the film, we meet
individuals in five countries who have
gained access to a much broader range
of resources and services than they
would otherwise have without bikes.
For example, a Zambian health worker
Spirit Bear
50 Games for
Going Green
exemplifies how well this husband and wife team combine words and pictures to convey simple yet vital nature
stories. Aimed at children aged four to ten, this book
would appeal particularly to those living in urban areas.
While capturing the life cycle of a seed, it helps children
dream about what they may one day become. The words
and text play off each other in a delightful way: what the
seed describes as a cave for example, is illustrated as a
parking structure. Though it is not mentioned in words,
we see in the pictures a group of neighbors converting an
empty lot into a community garden. The end result is a
powerful and fulfilling story, deceptively simple on the
page. (CKH)
Dawn Publications, 2014, ISBN: 978-1-58469-497-7 (pb), 32
pp., US$8.95, from (530) 274-7775, < www.dawnpub.com >
Old Manhattan
Has Some Farms:
E-I-E-I-Grow!
Page 47
448 Great
Things to Do in
Nature Before
You Grow Up
is here to help
educators including parents get kids
outside. Authors
Stacy Torino
and Ken Keffer were inspired to write
the book by a 9 year old boys list of
outdoor activities he hoped to experience before he reached adulthood.
From that initial idea the authors compiled a collection of simple outdoor
activities including running barefoot
on the beach in the springtime, eating
veggies straight from the garden in
summer, hanging upside down from a
tree in the fall and building a snow fort
in winter. Divided by season, many of
the activities require minimal planning and materials. Each half-page
activity is broken down into three
parts; the basics, a challenge and
did you know or tips and tricks.
With all included activities, challenges
and recipes, this book makes you want
to jump up and run outside to play.
Preschool children all the way through
high school students would enjoy the
activity suggestions that the book
recommends. (AL/AS)
Falcon Guides, 2013. ISBN-13: 978-07627-8352-6 (pb) 205 pp., US $18.95 from
<www.falcon.com>
Outdoor Classrooms:
A Handbook for School Gardens
Before
the World
Was Ready:
Stories
of Daring
Genius in
Science
This is an
inspirational
and comedic introduction to eight of the
worlds foremost scientists of all time.
As told by Claire Eamer and illustrated
by Sa Boothroyd, Before the World
Was Ready shares the story of scientists
whose ideas were originally rejected
and are now accepted as fact. Scientists featured in this lighthearted book
include Rachel Carson, Copernicus,
Charles Darwin and Nikola Tesla. Some
of the originally rejected ideas include
the importance of hand washing to
prevent the spread of disease, theories
of electricity and the earliest ideas preceding the modern computer. Humorous color illustrations combined with
playful explanations will trick children
into learning how, when and why
important scientific discoveries came
to be. Along with these facts, children
ages 9-12 year olds will learn the main
message of the book which is the importance of persistence. (AL/AS)
Annick Press, 2013, ISBN 978-1-55451536-3 (hb), 125 pp., US/CAN $24.95, from
(416) 221-4802, <www.annickpress.com>
vation is pleasantly
described within
chapters tracing
the fantastic adventures that took him
from Scotland to
Wisconsin, Canada
to Florida, and finally to his beloved
true home in the
Sierra Nevada mountain range. Muirs
love of all things wild led to his relentless petitioning to the United States
Congress to create The Natural Park
Bill. The illustrator, Stan Fellows, has
added drama and excitement to Muirs
endeavors with sweeping watercolors
sure to delight and inspire the youngest of readers. A must read for budding
middle school environmentalists. (AL)
Candlewick Press, 2006, ISBN 9780-7636-6470-1 (hb), 45 pp., US$14.99
CDN$17.00 from (617) 661-3330, <www.
candlewick.com>
INTERACTIVE EDUCATION
CURICULUM BASED
GREAT DISCOVERIES
Unique perspectives on rethinking education in light of environmental and other global problems.
Practical articles describing what successful outdoor educators, teachers and schools are doing.
Cross-curricular, ready-to-use activities for youth of all ages.
Reviews of dozens of new books, kits, games and other teaching resources
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