My elder daughter loves Science and Geography even though these subjects are not taught in Singapore schools for kids aged 7 to 8. Good thing we home-ed eh? *S*
We have been reading about rainforests and highly recommend Lynne Cherry’s The Great Kapok Tree. Lynne Cherry is a highly acclaimed author whose award-winning books promote love and respect for the earth. We love all her books and her signature illustrations with detailed borders.
Younger readers might like The Umbrella by Jan Brett. We’ve read also The Magic Tree House’s Afternoon on the Amazon – to be honest, I don’t really like The Magic Tree House series (they are twaddle-ish, no?) but I like the study guides. I am looking into getting The Vanishing Rainforest by Richard Platt – my children love his Diary books.
Here are a few free curriculum downloads/lesson plan ideas on rainforests:
- Homeschool Share’s The Great Kapok Tree Unit Study
- Homeschool Share’s The Umbrella Unit Study
- Jan Brett’s Colouring Pages – look under The Umbrella for colouring sheets of animals and pages for a rainforest mural
- Kathi Mitchell’s Page on Rainforests for Kids
- Kiddy House – All About Rainforests for kids and teachers
- Liza’s Reef – Hope for the Rainforests teacher resources
- Lynne Cherry’s page on The Great Kapok Tree and rainsforests
- Mayan Rainforest Curriculum
- Part of Something Big
- Rainforest Action Network – there is a teacher’s lounge from where you can download lesson ideas and a kit.
- Rainforest Alliance’s Learning Site
- Rainforest Challenge Curriculum
- Rainforest Foundation’s Teacher Resources
- The Prince’s Rainforests Project for Schools – check out the teachers’, parents’ and kids’ sections
Here are some other interesting links I found about environmental/global issues :
- For All Kids – free ant lesson plan
- Friends of the Earth
- Global Cool Foundation’s Project Genie – with free book!
- Global Dimension – guide to lots of lesson plans
- Globe Programme
- Heifer International
- Mr Greeny
- One World’s Kids’ Channel with Tiki the Penguin
- Oxfam’s list of lesson plans – includes bullying, world trade, poverty and climate change
- Phoenix Zoo
- Roots & Shoots: Project Blue – water resources
- Water Aid – more water resources
- We Are What We Do – school resources
- WWF’s School Resources