Customer Reviews:
Excellent for Children, Parents and Teachers!!! .......2006-08-24
I was looking for a book to help get my children aware of our environmental problems, and help me teach them in a fun and exciting way! THIS IS IT! Easy workbook style. Easy Read, Fun projects that can be adapted to children of different ages! If you are teacher of young children, this book is a must! Help the young learn now and they will grow up into the next generation that will protect our earth! This book will definitely show children how they can start solving environmental problems right now!
Teaching children to respect the Earth.......2002-07-20
Linda Schwarz, along with her illustrator Beverly Armstrong, has written an activity book for children on how to care for the earth. In simple format, she defines the basic terms and ideas used in environmental study. She then offers a number of activities for understanding these concepts. For example, she describes acid rain, then gives instructions for a project to measure the amount of acid in your own rainfall. This is a useful idea book for children's rainy day or school projects from about third grade on. In fact, this would be a handy reference book any of us could use for quick definitions and helpful illustrations. It could help us better make our points in conversations and community discussions about environmental problems and what we can do about them. (Originally reviewed in The Auroran)
Great Source for Teachers!.......2001-04-22
This is a wonderful book for teachers to have for elementary age children when having a unit on Earth Day or celebrating Earth Day. Mainly it allows many different ways that children can help save the Earth. There are several sections of the book: Energy, resources, and recycling; Air, Land, & Water; Plant & Animal Habitat; and More Ways to Make Every Day Earth Day. Each of these sections provides simple facts and information while providing ways for children to help out or be actively involved in each particular topic. At the end of the book, there is a section called Where to Write & Glossary which provides a page on how to request for information and also provides many different resources/organizations that children can write to to obtain more information. I would definitely recommend this book for teachers to use for Earth Day units but also for children to read from if they are interested in helping save the Earth.
Average customer rating:
- Great, whether you get to the rain forest or not
|
Tropical Rain Forest
Donald M. Silver
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill
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Nature's Green Umbrella (Mulberry Books)
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One Small Square: Woods
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Cactus Desert (One Small Square)
ASIN: 0070580510 |
Book Description
Bats and big cats. Armies of ants. Squawking parrots. Strangling figs. From the ground up to the tree tops, the tropical rainforest teems with life. Stunning drawings, step-by-step experiments, fun-to-do activities, and fascinating facts abound in this magical exploration of an essential ecosystem, in danger of disappearing forever. Tropical Rain Forest is a new edition to the One Samll Square Series not previously published in hardcover.
Customer Reviews:
Great, whether you get to the rain forest or not.......2002-03-14
The One Small Square series is wonderful: the concept is that you take a hypothetical square foot of an environment- woods, seashore, arctic tundra, rainforest, etc.- and explore it at all levels, from underground to the sky. Each book is extensively illustrated with all of the inter-connected layers of life- from fungus to megafauna- in the Square. On the margin of most of the 2-page spreads are activities that you can do, no matter where you live. Food chains, life cycles & seasons are explored, and the back section has an identification guide to all of the life forms presented in the book.
We took One Small Square: Tropical Rain Forest with us on a trip to the Brazilian rainforest with our 5 & 7 year olds. The book was great- for the grown ups & the kids! We used it as a guide to identify many of the animals & plants we saw, as background to help the girls understand what they were going to see, as reading on the long trips up the river. We did many of the activities- some before, some during, and some after the trip. Our guide was so impressed with it that he ordered a copy for himself, saying that it was hard to find something with so much information that was both accurate and interesting to people at many different levels of knowledge. Highly recommended!
Book Description
Three creative educators collaborated to produce this guide for classroom and home. Centered around a classrooom worm bin, this curriculum uses over 150 worm-related activities to develop problem-solving and critical-thinking skills in children grades 4-8. Rich in content in "Wormformation" paragraphs integrates science, mathematics, language arts, biology, solid waste issues, ecology, and the environment in ways that draw children into the learning process. Three sections include "The World of Worms," "Worms at Work," and "Beyond the Bin." Includes 16 appendicies, resource materials, teacher's guidelines, bibliography, glossary, and index. User has permission to photocopy for use in the classrooom
Customer Reviews:
KIDs love it and learn SO much.......2001-10-01
Fun Fun Fun. Surprisingly popular! Used with 4th, 5th grades... won over nearly every kid! really, with WORMS!
Important book to teach responsible living and composting of school lunches!
(Unless school lunches are so bad you can't compost them... then it teaches nutrition and govt priorities!
Worms eat Our Garbage.......2000-06-09
For the ecology minded, teachers, homeschoolers or anyone interested in activites to show the importance of worms in keeping our planet clean and healthy this is an absolute must have book.. Activities for all grade levels, nicely supplement Mary Appelhof's book Worms Eat my Garbage. I have never been so excited by a book. Kids of all ages will find the subject matter fascinating, even those afraid of "slimy" things.
Customer Reviews:
Lovely storytelling.......2007-05-04
These are stories from the various First Nations. They are well told. Get this for your kids. In an age of instant media, the storyteller's art is one that is timeless, connecting us to our oral past. Make sure that it connects to our future, too.
how thunder and earthquake made ocean.......2003-10-03
I thinck this book was a litte shourt and I most whated to read it and it was very good but there needs to be more but it was good about the the village and tunder and earthquake so was ok right on the good marck so that's why I ratind it with 3 stars.
How Thunder And Earthquake Made Ocean.......2003-09-30
The reason I gave it 4 stars is that I liked the drawing
and illustration on the pictures.Also I thought it was
really creative how they traveled all around the world
to make an ocean.I really was into the book when I
was reading it.I learned from that book that you should
always try to help someone that really needs help.I also thought that it was pretty cool how Earthquake and
Thunder made ocean.If you have any qestions about
the book well don't ask me go ahead and read it your
self.
Environmentally Aware!.......2002-06-20
This book is a fascinating way to help children connect with the natural world while teaching important environmental concepts. It comes with a guide to use the book effectively, and is divided into sections of special topics. Each section contains a Native American story, discussion ideas, interesting questions, and related indoor and outdoor activities. These activities can be accomplished without expensive materials, often in or near the home or school. Oh, by the way, adults will learn from this book also!
Great for Homeschoolers.......2002-01-12
I am a homeschooling mom and I bought this book to use with my kindergartener. This is an amazing book that combines social studies and science wonderfully. It contains alot about american indian beliefs and practices, distinguishing between the many tribal groups and traditions instead of lumping them all into one large culture. It uses indian legends as a jumping off point to study the environment, how it affects us and how we affect it.
Book Description
"They assess the effectiveness of the organizing tactics employed, casting particular scrutiny on the courts as agents of social change...The authors have presented concrete examples, all the while making clear that there are no road maps for successful organizing."
— New York Law Journal
"This is an important and unusual bookÂ….It is an academic book on an important issue
—the environmental justice movement
—that is timely and relevant."
—Argumentation and Advocacy
When Bill Clinton signed an Executive Order on Environmental Justice in 1994, the phenomenon of environmental racism--the disproportionate impact of environmental hazards, particularly toxic waste dumps and polluting factories, on people of color and low-income communities--gained unprecedented recognition. Behind the President's signature, however, lies a remarkable tale of grassroots activism and political mobilization. Today, thousands of activists in hundreds of locales are fighting for their children, their communities, their quality of life, and their health.
From the Ground Up critically examines one of the fastest growing social movements in the United States, the movement for environmental justice. Tracing the movement's roots, Luke Cole and Sheila Foster combine long-time activism with powerful storytelling to provide gripping case studies of communities across the U.S--towns like Kettleman City, California; Chester, Pennsylvania; and Dilkon, Arizona--and their struggles against corporate polluters. The authors effectively use social, economic and legal analysis to illustrate the historical and contemporary causes for environmental racism. Environmental justice struggles, they demonstrate, transform individuals, communities, institutions and even the nation as a whole.
Customer Reviews:
Enviromental justice and grassroots advocacy.......2001-05-26
Anyone interested in community organizing, legal advocacy on behalf of community groups, and environmental justice work will benefit from this book's in-depth analysis of the struggles and achievements of neighborhood groups battling environmental injustice, and its valuable insights into community organizing strategies and the role of lawyers and the legal system in promoting social change. Although the authors fully acknowledge the prevalence of racism in our society and the lack of easy fixes to the problems faced by disadvantaged communities, they nevertheless convey an inspiring sense of idealism and optimism about the future possibilities for "the movement".
Environmental Justice.......2001-03-17
The story tells about history and environment racism. It has a very good idea of racism. It also talks about environmental justice. People would like this book. Two thumbs and eight fingers up!
Understanding Environmental Justice.......2001-03-17
For those people who want a wide-ranging introduction to the environmental justice movement and its legal arm, this is the place to turn. Written by a movement lawyer activist and a legal academic, this book captures the social and legal evolution of the environmental justice movement in a way that highlights the work of the communities themselves. Vigorously written, the book would be worth the price just for the chapter on transformative politics and its comprehensive annotated bibliography. A must have.
Book Description
Provides 32 detailed, interdisciplinary environmental science lessons with complete directions for use, including summary, introduction, materials needed, preparation and step-by-step teaching directions plus worksheets and background sheets. Organized into six topical units covering Land Use Issues ... Wildlife Issues ... Water Issues ... Atmospheric Issues ... Energy Issues ... Human Issues.
Customer Reviews:
Terrific Teacher Resource.......2007-04-21
This book is packed with hands on activities and includes student and teacher background information - very useful stuff! I have used it with middle school kids and other people in my district have found it useful at the high school level. Covers full range of environmental concerns including global warming and energy issues.
Easy to Use and Workable.......2004-01-19
Contains lots of labs, many of which I had not seen before online or in other sources. Can be used in middle grades or high school. Every thing you need is there. Explanations for the teacher are more than sufficient. No guesswork. Is applicable to every science field - earth science, chemisty, biology, etc. A good buy.
A great activity book for studying environmental problems.......1999-01-17
The book is divided into the various environmental problems which exist in the United States, and has activities revolving around each problem. The book's basic assertion is that the rise in population is the real reason for all of the environmental problems that exist today, which is, in my opinion, is correct. As a result, I generally use the section on population first to bring home that concept, and then cover the other environmental problems. It is an excellent resource for teaching environmental science or the environmental part of Biology. The book emphasizes activities which show the student what they can do about each problem, and at least makes them aware of what is happening if there is nothing that they can directly do. This book could also be used by social science teachers covering the environment since it emphasizes using discussion groups to derive some of the answers about the various problems. The book, also, is easy to use since it has recommendations in the book how the teacher can execute each activity, and has a list of expected answers to questions you may assign as homework or classwork.
Average customer rating:
- Amazing amount of info and inspiration & [good] price!
- Great details
|
One Small Square: Woods
Donald M. Silver , and
Patricia Wynne
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Backyard
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Cactus Desert (One Small Square)
ASIN: 0070579334 |
Book Description
The woods are full of puzzles to be solved, clues to be found. Inspired by this book's hints and fun-filled experiments and activities, and using only simple equipment, young readers unlock the closely guarded secrets of the woodsfrom the strange meetings of lazy butterflies, to the miraculous "walking" of a twig, to the riddle of why the leaves turn color and fall. One small square at a time, these "detectives" plunge deeper and deeper into ancient mysterieswithout ever getting lost. Beautifully illustrated, Woods offers a picture field guide, a glossary-index, and a resource list.
Customer Reviews:
Amazing amount of info and inspiration & [good] price!.......2002-10-27
What a gem! I was surprised when I discovered this book. The gist of the book is for the child (or adult) to mark off a square space in the woods and begin exploring and learning. This book is a real integration of activities, suggested observations, and fact. The learner is to explore, dig, look, observe and investigate every inch of this square area. While suggesting the learner look for this or that, the author provides factual information about various findings. The book goes into a lot of detail and there are many things that the author thinks may be found. I bet that the learner won't find everything that is mentioned but that is OK, at least the reader can experience it in reading about it in the book if it is missed "in real life".
The book starts off in autumn, assuming the learner begins in the fall and in an area of deciduous trees. A small sampling of what is addressed in this book is why trees lose their leaves, how trees store energy and make energy, examples of camouflage with animals, migration of birds and butterflies, insects, spiders and their webs, lizards and mammals big and small. As the book progresses winter then spring then summer is discussed.
The illustrations are drawn and in color (just like the cover), these are not photographs. There are loads of details in the drawings. At the back is an illustrated guide to creatures grouped by their classification (leaves, mammals, fungi) and an index.
The learner is encouraged to do creative projects such as leaf and trunk rubbings. Also keeping a nature journal or notebook to record the findings is recommended.
I am surprised that so much information and creative ideas packed into this small and very inexpensive book. This is one in a series of "one small square" books and I plan to buy more to use in our homeschooling adventure. Now this is science!
Great details.......2000-03-30
This book provides a small instant field trip to those students who might not have access to woods. It gives incredible details of what goes on in one small square of woods. For those who have access to wooded areas for exploration...safety tips are included as well as supplies needed for collecting data while exploring. I teach second grade and use all of the Small Square books in my teaching.
Book Description
Spark children's imagination with over 90 environment-friendly activities. These instantaneous art and nature activities encourage the understanding and appreciation of the earth and other living things.
Customer Reviews:
wonderful help with the gradual transition.......2006-06-12
While this book is chock-full of ideas which any homeschooling family can use, or anyone who spends time with small children for that matter, I think its best fit is for the preschool teacher in a traditional classroom. I bought it after having quite a library of Waldorf books and didn't find it as useful, but after having read through it several times over, I can definitely see its niche -- and it does a tremendous job once you have it in the right slot. If you are already working with children and have decided to gradually transform your classroom into a Waldorf environment, this book is absolutely the one to buy. Combine it with A Child's Seasonal Treasury by Betty Jones and you'll have a Waldorf kindy classroom in a bottle. (Betty Jones includes lots of verses, rhymes, fingerplays, and other movement activities plus art and recipes but doesn't give much of a context for how they are done -- while this book covers mainly handwork projects but gives more help with making the transition. They complement each other perfectly.)
Carol Petrash, a warm and inspiring writer, takes you by the hand at the beginning of Autumn. With ideas for how to gradually transform your classroom environment, she introduces each season and has you start making changes -- first a little in Autumn, then more ideas for Winter, continuing on with new changes in Spring, and so on -- and shares her ideas for "Bringing Nature In" (self-explanatory) and "Supplying the Missing Links" (which focuses on re-establishing connections that children are missing with the natural world, such as how butter is made), both recurring categories throughout the book.
She also gives general craft ideas organized by season throughout the book (such as Wheat Weaving, Leaf Crowns, Lanterns, Star Windows, Finger Knitting, May Baskets, Shooting Star Streamer Balls, Walnut Boats, Paper Birds) but "Bringing Nature In" and "Supplying the Missing Links" are the real heart of the book -- and what makes it such a gem. Some examples are Creating a Seasonal Garden, From Wheat to Bread, Pumpkins, Indian Corn, Beeswax, Butter, Wool, Gardening with Children, Building Playhouses Outdoors, Berries, and Basket Weaving. For each, she gives several ideas so you really get to explore the topic. Instead of just one activity, it is more like a "weekly theme" on Berries, perfect for how a classroom teacher would use this book. She even includes a sample field trip slip.
If you're familiar with Waldorf there's not a lot here that will be new, but if you are just starting out, this books covers a lot of ground at a very reasonable pace -- and a reasonable price. Instead of tearing your hair out trying to replace all your children's toys at once and learning how to bake from scratch, etc., try this book and let it slowly help you find your way. Enjoy this year of change, and by the summer you'll be proudly observing the transformation in your home and in your lives and you will take much pleasure and pride in watching your children grow, learn, and flourish.
We LOVE this book!.......2001-04-30
This is such a Wonderful Book! It has Easy and Fun ideas for crafts to do with children! Everything from making a small fairy garden with real grass, to Easter crafts, to interesting Harvest time crafts! We have had this book for a few weeks now, and have enjoyed making three of the projects so far! My seven year old daughter adores sitting and reading this book to get ideas for us to work on together next! We own several craft books...But this one is by far the easiest and most creative for children to use! I love the fact that everything is nature based! A must buy, for nature loving families!
This book is GREAT!!.......1998-01-06
As a homeschooling mother, I'm always looking for simple, easy learning activities that can benefit my children from preschool age to late elementary. Earthways is one of the best books I've seen on this topic. The activities are geared toward younger children (preschool/early elementary), but even my pre-teen enjoys the varied activities.
Average customer rating:
- Not what I expected, but not bad
- Vital, but strangely incomplete
- Good introduction for general science readers
- Interesting Book About Our Sun and its Effect on Earth
|
The 23rd Cycle
Sten Odenwald
Manufacturer: Columbia University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0231120788 |
Book Description
On March 13, 1989, the entire Quebec power grid collapsed, automatic garage doors in California suburbs began to open and close without apparent reason, and microchip production came to a halt in the Northeast; in space, communications satellites had to be manually repointed after flipping upside down, and pressure readings on hydrogen tank supplies on board the Space Shuttle Discovery peaked, causing NASA to consider aborting the mission. What was the cause of all these seemingly disparate events? Sten Odenwald gives convincing evidence of the mischievous -- and potentially catastrophic -- power of solar storms and the far-reaching effects of the coming "big one" brewing in the sun and estimated to culminate in the twenty-third cycle in the year 2001 and beyond. When the sun undergoes its cyclic "solar maximum," a time when fierce solar flares and storms erupt, fantastic auroras will be seen around the world. But the breathtaking spectacles will herald a potentially disastrous chain of events that merit greater preparation than Y2K. Is anyone listening?
The 23rd Cycle traces the previously untold history of solar storms and the ways in which they were perceived by astronomers -- and even occasionally covered up by satellite companies. Punctuated with an insert containing dramatic color images showing the erupting sun, the book also includes a history of the record of auroral sightings, accounts of communications blackouts from the twentieth century, a list of industries sensitive to solar storms, and information about radiation and health issues.
Customer Reviews:
Not what I expected, but not bad.......2003-10-23
When I saw the title of this book, I had images of butterfly diagrams, an adequate amount of astrophysics and space physics, etc. However, the book's subtitle, "Learning to Live with a Stormy Star" was a much better clue as to the book's contents. Although some stellar/space science is briefly discussed, the main theme of the book is centered on sociological hardships, financial losses, research budgets, business interests, etc., all pertaining to our periodically stormy sun. Especially highlighted are: the survival of expensive satellites in space during less than ideal space weather, the sociological effects of their loss and the effects of this weather on power grids on earth. But my unfulfilled expectations and resulting disappointment should not result in a poor rating for this book. It is well written, very informative and seems to thoroughly cover, I think, what it was apparently intended to cover - hence my rating of 4 stars.
Vital, but strangely incomplete.......2003-03-14
I am recommending this book to everyone. I am quite convinced by Odenwald's data and studies I have encountered prior to this epochal book that our goverments need to take seriously what the good doctor is warning us about. The threat of unprecedented super-solar flares and Coronal Mass Ejections from our unsteady star, ones that could blank out power-grids, destroy communications satellites and possibly fry increasingly vunerable microchips is something every thinking person should consider.
Nevertheless, despite the five star rating I gave, I was appalled at the meager three-page index, the (in a few places) inaccurate bibliography and the many errata, typoes and copy-edit mistakes in the text. Everyone who buys or reads this book needs to heed this caveat and go to the website; and there are useful updates as well.
Nonetheless, I see the need for urgency in rushing it into press, but do not see why a Ph.D (who probably finds his lay contacts amusing) and a respected publisher like Columbia University Press would allow errors that are usually -- allegedly -- reserved for the much reviled and controversial Print On Demand books. I urge Dr. Odenwald and his publisher to provide us with a revised edition (with, important material to make the 23rd Cycle even a greater book and more complete than it currently is) as soon as feasible.
Good introduction for general science readers.......2001-07-16
Interesting topic, though I judged the coverage to be uneven. Readers wanting an update about solar physics will be disappointed by a lack of details; but this can be supplemented by a visit to NASA’s solar physics Web pages.... Policy-makers should be impressed by the real and potential economic fallout from massive solar plasma discharges; but some of Odenwald’s detailed examples illustrate a coincidental rather than true cause-and-effect relation of solar events to Earth-based calamities. The Exon Valdez disaster is discussed at length before being dismissed, and is referenced later. Several pages detail inconveniences due to a power blackout in the D.C. area which had nothing to do with unusual solar activity. I found these references obtuse — I would have greatly preferred to see more information about the sun.
Still, the book’s final chapter is particularly illuminating, detailing current activities and difficulties for space weather researchers seeking project funding in competition with higher profile but much less utilitarian activities such as cosmology. This is followed by several interesting “notes” which provide a few more details about certain chapter topics. The last few pages quote astronomers describing stars seemingly similar to our sun which periodically emit massively greater plasma discharges, enough to literally fry our little world in an instant. Why is our sun different? This is really getting interesting! You turn the page, and that’s it — end of story.
Odenwald’s intent is to increase awareness about real and potential economic and personal safety issues related to variable solar activity. His book serves as a useful starting point for interested general science readers. Those seeking in-depth coverage of this topic will need to look elsewhere, starting with papers and documents listed in the lengthy bibliography.
Interesting Book About Our Sun and its Effect on Earth.......2001-03-04
If I could give this book three and a half stars I would, but since I think some people could find it more interesting than I did, I gave it four starts.
This book describes the sun's eleven-year cycle of highs and lows in sun spot activity. While the mechanism, which produces these sun spots, is not well understand, what well known is that the sun produces vast amounts of high energy particles (radiation), both continuously and in bursts which ultimately affects the Earth's magnetic field and life on Earth. The book focused on how past solar magnetic storms have affected the power grid system and the geostationary satellites. Finally, the author makes some predictions on the upcoming solar maximum in the year 2001 and its potential for life on Earth. I should point out that the author is an astronomer and makes his predictions based on data and past experiences and not is some doomsayer trying to make a quick buck.
There are also several extremely interesting chapters on the effects of solar magnetic storms on the modern day life. One chapter shows that in 1989, a solar magnetic storm shut down a good portion of the Canadian electrical power grid, leaving some people without power for several days. The chapter on the effects of radiation on the human body was very enlightening. For example, this chapter shows that living in high altitude location like Denver was similar to receiving several chest X-rays a year. Also, radiation from cosmic sources was significantly greater than that received from living next to a nuclear power plant.
One area that was overlooked in this was the effect of sun spot activity on global warming or cooling. It is well known that a mini ice age that occurred several centuries ago coincided with a lack of sun spot activity.
Customer Reviews:
A great book for anyone who has kids........1998-11-25
A great book to have if you have kids or spend time with kids. Has great activities for children of all ages (and even adults). Not only have I gotten great ideas for things to do with my young son from this book, I have also learned alot myself. Every parent and teacher on my shopping list is going to get a copy of this book for Christmas this year.
Books:
- Earth System History
- Earth, Water, Fire, and Air: Essential Ways of Connecting to Spirit
- Eiger Dreams: Ventures Among Men and Mountains
- El Otono Del Patriarca / The Autumn Of The Patriarch
- Elemental South: An Anthology of Southern Nature Writing
- Embracing Heaven & Earth: The Liberation Teachings of Andrew Cohen
- Essentials of Oceanography (8th Edition)
- Food Chains in a Desert Habitat (The Library of Food Chains and Food Webs)
- Forest Food Chains
- Gene Worship: Moving Beyond the Nature/Nurture Debate over Genes, Brain, and Gender
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Hell and High Water: Global Warming--the Solution and the Politics--and What We Should Do
- Fancy Nancy and the Posh Puppy
- Antler, Bone, Horn & Hide: Projects You Can Make at Home
- Blood in the Sand: A Shocking True Story of Murder, Revenge, and Greed in Las Vegas
- Differentiated Instructional Strategies: One Size Doesn't Fit All
- Fall of the Sith Empire
- Dung Beetle Ecology
- Resumes, Cover-Letters and Interviewing: Setting the Stage for Success
- Changes in Leisure Time
- Nauru Business Intelligence Report
50 Simple Things Kids Can Do to Save the Earth
Recycle!: A Handbook for Kids
Where Does the Garbage Go?: Revised Edition (Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science 2)
Garbage and Recycling (Young Discoverers: Environmental Facts and Experiments)
Why Should I Recycle? (Why Should I? Books)
