Level 1B Nature Study

materamabilis.org/ma/subjects/science/level-1b-nature-study/

North American Animal Life, Landscapes, and Ecosystems

A year’s study of the natural world with a two term emphasis on tide pools.

Time requirement: One lesson weekly (with an optional second lesson using The Burgess
Seashore Book) and one nature walk/study weekly.

Teacher involvement: Read aloud and wonder together!

Pagoo by Holling C. Holling

Nature Anatomy by Julia Rothman

This gorgeous book offers hundreds of beautiful pieces of art illustrating countless concepts,
collections, and observations throughout the natural world. We have scheduled it to
accompany the science and geography lessons throughout Level 1. It is not essential, but as
a single book, it does a lot of heavy lifting!

Ocean Anatomy by Julia Rothman

If you love Nature Anatomy, you might like using Ocean Anatomy to accompany your studies
of Tidepool Life in Terms 2 and 3

Crinkleroot’s Guide to Knowing Animal Habitats by Jim Arnosky

Out of print but available as a kindle book, this book gives an overview of all the habitats
covered in Term 1.

Lots of Library Books!

An extensive list of nature books accompanies the plans for Term 1. Use what is available to
you.

Optional Extra Reading: The Burgess Seashore Book by Thornton Burgess (spread
throughout the year at approximately a chapter a week)

TERM 1:
North American Animals and Landscapes

References to topics found in Nature Anatomy and picture books that go along with those
topics are listed for each Lesson below. Don’t feel you need to follow this strictly as a
schedule.

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One way to approach this study would be to request what you can from the library
throughout the term, and as books become available, put them in a basket. For this lesson
time, choose a book from the basket, read it together, and then use the Nature Anatomy
references to supplement your reading.

There is no wrong way to do it. Just read and explore the wonders of animals and their
habitats together!

Lesson 1:

Nature Anatomy: “Animals in the Neighborhood” & “Anatomy of a Bat” pp. 132-135
From the library:
Raccoons and Ripe Corn (Arnosky)
Stella-Luna (Cannon)
Rabbits in Raindrops (Arnosky)

Lesson 2:

Nature Anatomy: “Tree Squirrels” “Ground Squirrels” “Bears” and “The Animal
Underground” pp. 136-139
From the library:
Blueberries for Sal (McCloskey)
Over and Under the Snow (Messner)
Bear Snores On (Wilson)

Lesson 3:

Nature Anatomy: “”Snakes” “Lizards” “Salamander” “Turtles” pp. 142-143 & 152-153
From the library:
Frogs, Toads, Lizards, and Salamanders (Parker)
The Salamander Room (Mazer)
The Day Jimmy’s Boa Ate the Wash (Noble)
Over in the Meadow (illus. by Keats)
The Frog Book (Jenkins)
All About Alligators (Arnosky)
All About Lizards (Arnosky)

Lesson 4:

Nature Anatomy: North American Landscapes: Deserts pp. 126-127

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 From the library:
A Desert Scrapbook: Dawn to Dusk in the Sonoran Desert (Wright-Frierson)
Cactus Hotel (Guiberson)
Don’t Call Me a Pig: A Javelina Story (Storad)
The Three Little Javelinas (Lowell)
Roxaboxen (McLerran)

Lesson 5:

Nature Anatomy: “Wild Cats” “Wild “Dogs” “Animals with Antlers and Horns” pp. 144-
147
From the library:
Tomten and the Fox (Lindgren)
The Buffalo Are Back (George)
All About Deer (Arnosky)

Lesson 6:

Nature Anatomy: “North American Landscapes: Grasslands” pp. 126-127 “Sedges,

Rushes, Grasses” pp.82-83
From the library:
The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush (de Paola)
The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses (Goble)
The Buffalo Are Back (George)

Lesson 7:

Nature Anatomy: “North American Landscapes: Swamp” “Sphagnum Bog” pp. 126-
127
From the library:
Explore a Spooky Swamp (Messner)

Lesson 8:

Nature Anatomy: “Aquatic Mammals” “Beaver Dam” pp. 148-151

From the library:
Turtle’s Race with Beaver (Bruchac)
Otters Underwater (Arnosky)

Lesson 9:

Nature Anatomy: “Ecosystem of a Pond” pp. 194-195

From the library:
Over and Under the Pond (Cortesi)
Pond (Morrison)

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Lesson 10:

Nature Anatomy: “Marine Mammals” pp. 156-159

From the library:
Sam the Sea Cow (Jacobs)
Big Blue Whale (Davies)
All About Manatees (Arnosky)

Lesson 11:

1. Nature Anatomy: “North American Landscapes: Sandy Shore, Rocky Coast, and
Moist Coastal Forest” pp. 126-127
2. From the library:
One Morning in Maine (McCloskey)

Lesson 12: Catch-up/Exams

TERMS 2-3: Pagoo

The story of Pagoo in Tide Pool Town presents a perfect early opportunity for the practice of
notebook “keeping.” Charlotte Mason educator, Celeste Cruz, has some lovely examples of
her childrens’ notebooking while reading Pagoo on her blog, Joyous Lessons.

TERM 2
Week 1:

Pagoo Ch. 1 Pagoo Might be a Hermit Crab

Week 2:

Pagoo Ch. 2 Shifting Tides and Changing Hides

Nature Anatomy: “Tidal Zone Ecosystem” pp. 204-205

Week 3:

Pagoo Ch. 3 Pagoo is a Hermit Crab!

Nature Anatomy: “On the Sand” p. 211

Week 4:

Pagoo Ch. 4 At the Ringside

Nature Anatomy: “Seashells by the Seashore” pp. 212-213

Week 5:

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 Pagoo Ch. 5 A Ride and a Fall Far, Far From Home
Video: Mussel Colony

Week 6:

Pagoo Ch. 6 A Starfish and a Few Barnacles

Video: Starfish Walking on Glass
Video: Starfish Walking across Sand

Week 7:

Pagoo Ch. 7 Room and Board, Travel Included

Video: Sea-Stars Eating Mussels

Week 8:

Pagoo Ch. 8 Around Snail Cousins’ Rock

Nature Anatomy: “Some Seaweed” pp. 214-215

Week 9:

Pagoo Ch. 9 In, Out, Up with Traveling Towers

Nature Anatomy: “Fantastic Saltwater Fish” pp. 206-207
Video: Clam Digs into Sand
Video: Clever Seagull Cracks a Shell

Week 10:

Pagoo Ch. 10 Houses are Scarce in Tide-Pool Towns

Week 11:

Another book you may have not had time for in Term 1!

Week 12: Catch-up/Exams

TERM 3

Week 1:

Pagoo Ch. 11 A Concrete Tile Can Crawl Both Ways

Video: Hermit Crab House-Hunting

Week 2:

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 Pagoo Ch. 12 Hermit House From an Ancient Jungle
Video: Brittle Sea Star Dancing
Video: Sea Cucumber

Week 3:

Pagoo Ch. 13 The Grotto of Eating Trees

Nature Anatomy: “On the Sand” p.210
Video: Anemone Killer Fish Traps
Video: Comb Jellies and a Hydroid Medusa (Medusa at 1:42)

Week 4:

Pagoo Ch. 14 Among the Crabs, a Shy Masked Lady

Nature Anatomy: “On the Sand” 220-221
Video: Decorator Crabs Make High Fashion at Low Tide
Video: Dresser Crab Camouflage

Week 5:

Pagoo Ch. 15 Pagoo Takes a Shell—Keeps It, Too

Video: Footage of hermit crab changing shells (with anemones!)

Week 6:

Pagoo Ch. 16 Death Trap!

Video: Tidepools – Oregon Coast

Week 7:

Pagoo Ch. 17 A Fright, a Frolic, and a Farewell

Video: Hermit Crab Group Fighting for the Shell

Week 8:

Pagoo Ch. 18 Down to the Depths of Deep Hole

Week 9:

Pagoo Ch. 19 Can This Be the End of Pagoo?

Video: Coconut Octopus Uses Tools to Snatch Crab
Video: Octopus Houdini

Week 10:

Pagoo Ch. 20 Endless Rhythm of an Old, Old Sea

Video: Moray Eel Eats Octopus

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Week 11:

Another book you may have not had time for in Term 1!

Week 12: Catch-up/Exams

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