[Lill Posts: 651 Status: Offline]

I'm starting up a local Science and Book Club for home-schoolers. Most of the program is going to based off a nature conservation program called Project Wild. I'd also like to choose some books to go along with it. Of course, I thought of things like Hatchet and My Side of the Mountain, but I'd also like to include some newer books. And if there are some written by blueboarders that would be cool.


Thanks!

[rab Posts: 683 Status: Offline WWW]

Lill---I can't recommend the Scientists in the Field series strongly enough. It has some outstanding titles by various authors with gorgous photographs. New titles keep coming out. Many deal with wildlife, such as The Tarantula Scientist and The Frog Scientist. There's one on dolphins, one on snakes, etc, etc. If you go to Amazon and type in the series title, you should be able to find them. Or maybe Houghton Mifflin has them listed on their site. Although some of the older students might think they look too young, once they start reading the books, I'll bet they'll be hooked by the information, the photos, and the stories.

[Lill Posts: 651 Status: Offline]

Thanks!

[JulieM Posts: 809 Status: Offline WWW]

Since you asked, I have written a number of wildlife books for children. You can access my website (with details of the books) under my avatar, on the left.
Best of luck with the club. It sounds fun!

[Alison Stevens Posts: 44 Status: Offline WWW]

Lill, where are you located? I've been trained in Project Wild, and one of the things that was important to my state's coordinator (and with which I completely agree) is the importance of place-based learning. Look for books that highlight the local flora and fauna. I have a degree in ecology, so if you're not sure about the local ecosystems for your area, let me know. I might be able to give you some more directed help.

[Lill Posts: 651 Status: Offline]

Thanks Alison and Julie.

Julie, I'll let you know. Two of my friends who are planning to be involved with this have been trained in Project Wild. I also have Aquatic Wild and Flying Wild.

We aren't following the curriculum very closely since we are only meeting once a month from Sept. to Dec.

I live in the Coastal Bend of Texas.

[KateMessner Posts: 304 Status: Offline WWW]

CITIZEN SCIENTISTS by Loree Griffin Burns would be perfect! It's MG nonfiction and encourages kids to contribute to real-life projects where they're gathering data and sending to scientists who are working on long-term research projects. TOUCHING SPIRIT BEAR and ALABAMA MOON would be great novels to look at, too.

[Barbara Etlin Posts: 2,352 Status: Offline WWW]

HOOT by Carl Hiaasen (tween novel, ecology theme, Newbery Honor).

[Lill Posts: 651 Status: Offline]

Thanks for the suggestions!  My plan is to do introduce a book at each meeting by reading a first chapter and giving some suggestions
for book activities. The kids can either read that book or choose another and bring in their project at the next meeting.

I'd like to do a lot of outdoor stuff, but since we are only meeting once a month I can't predict the weather. Plus it can still be stifling hot
here through October .. although it might be cooling down a bit in November .. plus we have concerns about red tide in the fall and hurricane season
isn't quite yet over in the early fall.

These are all helpful. I'm trying to have the curriculum all mapped out as much as possible by the end of this month, so that parents can
see exactly what we're planning to do.

[Helen Posts: 250 Status: Offline WWW]

You may have already compiled your list, but this was one of our favorite resources:

Keeping a Nature Journal: Discover a Whole New Way of Seeing the World Around You
Clare Walker Leslie  and  Charles E. Roth
(It's available on Amazon and B&N)

[anita Posts: 403 Status: Offline I love kids' books! WWW]

You might take a look at Take A Walk books.

http://www.takeawalk.com/

anita

[Alison Stevens Posts: 44 Status: Offline WWW]

Hi Lill, I don't know of anything specific to the coastal bend, but Texas has lots of great ecosystems to work with. Everyone else's book suggestions are great... maybe also Carl Hiaason's FLUSH.

The class sounds terrific--I'd love to hear how it goes!

[Natalie Posts: 820 Status: Offline Flying the Dragon, Charlesbridge 2012 WWW]

Wendelin Van Draanen's FLIPPED is one of my favorites for an upper middle grade audience. While the story is set in a suburban neighborhood, a big chunk of the plot is centered around one of the main character's attempts to save an old tree from being cut down. This same character also raises chickens in her backyard. If you need something on the topic of activism and ways in which kids might become involved in issues close to home (and heart), this is a great title.