Summer Reading List Idea for Educators, Librarians, and Families

Dr Diane Jackson Schnoor explores science and picture book connections with amazing teachers at Steve Spangler's Science in the Rockies in June.

It's summer time and it's a great time to dive into a book (and bonus points for supporting your local public library and independent bookstores). I wanted to highlight some books and ideas for you to use at home, as well as some amazing authors and illustrators for you to follow and explore:

Let's start with some water and color fun for all ages!

BOOKS TO EXPLORE:

Red Is a Dragon (Thong/Lin), Colors (Rotner/Woodhull), and Red Sings From Treetops: A Year in Color (Sidman/Zagarenski), Beautiful Blackbird (Bryan), Seven Blind Mice (Young), A Universe of Rainbows: Multicolored Poems for a Multicolored World (Esenwine/Christof)

SCIENCE MATERIALS TO GRAB:

Baby Soda Bottles & Racks - https://www.discountschoolsupply.com/stem-curriculum/stem/science/steve-spangler-science-worlds-best-plastic-test-tubes---baby-soda-bottles/p/s780078

Fizzers - Color Fizzers™ True Color Tablets - 300 Pack

IDEAS FOR PAIRING BOOKS AND PLAYFUL SCIENCE:

Color Connections: These picture books offer a multicultural perspective as we use the baby soda bottles and fizzers to play with the concept of color. Children can match the colors they create to the colors shared in the book. How did you create green? What two baby soda bottles did you have to put together?

Exploring color mixing with color mixing trays, pipettes, water, and fizzy tablets

Use the baby soda bottles, fizzers, and paper towels to begin to explore primary and secondary colors, as well as observing capillary action (how water moves between the baby soda bottles via the paper towel to create a third color). Explore color mixing using the three primary colors set up in three baby soda bottles in the stands. With pipettes, your students can take small drops of the three primary colors to see what combinations they can make to form different new colors (you can use color mixing trays or make your own with clear egg cartons). This is great for oral communication (what combinations did you use to make the new colors), sorting and patterns, fine motor skills, and executive function (working memory, inhibitory control, cognitive flexibility).

Poetry and Language Connections: Post the poems from Red Sings From Treetops: A Year in Color and A Universe of Rainbows: Multicolored Poems for a Multicolored World in your classrooms or near your exploration stations and incorporate the language into circle time as you focus on concept of word, beginning sounds, etc. Use them to explore the science of rainbows and color and as models for students crafting and sharing their own poems, either as a whole group, partnered, or individual writing experience.

Bonus: Grace Lin (Red Is a Dragon) was on Episodes 13 and 133 of the Adventures in Learning podcast and Matt Forrest Esenwine (A Universe of Rainbows: Multicolored Poems for a Multicolored World) was on Episodes 12 and 129.

The inimitable Ashley Bryan (author/illustrator of Beautiful Blackbird) many moons ago on Little Cranberry Island with my own sweet daughters.

Explore the power of color in folk literature by building connections between Beautiful Blackbird and Seven Blind Mice. How is color perceived by the characters in these stories? How could your own students weave colors into their stories and writing? You could go on a nature walk to search for colors and textures to include in your descriptions. (And if you want to check out synesthesia -- a condition where sounds or tastes have colors -- consider reading aloud The Girl Who Heard Colors (by Marie Harris and the amazing Vanessa Brantley Newton, who happens to see the world with synesthesia! You could then hop into a really fun exploration of sound and pitch -- but that's a different blog post.) With Seven Blind Mice, how did the mice use the scientific process to determine what the big mystery object was?

Color and Water Connections: We can also use the baby soda bottles and fizzers as a gateway for water exploration. Pair the book options below as you act out the stages of the water cycle; experiment with (and act out dramatically) the states of matter (solids, liquids, and gasses), and explore water conservation around the world. You can also introduce elements of the scientific process as you set up an experiment with sink and float. Young children can do research (read the books for background), form ideas and hypotheses, test them out, and graph their results (sink, float, or both). And it all starts with a fun and playful space to explore, connect, and share.

States of Matter, Sink/Float, and Erosion Connections:

Exploring Sink/Float with found objects

Fairy Science: Solid, Liquid, Gassy (Spires): When a pond dries up, fairy scientist Esther doesn't freeze under the pressure. Instead, she and her fairy friends go full steam ahead to explore the states of matter and the water cycle! 

Vivi Loves Science (Sink or Float, Wind and Water) /Libby Loves Science (States of Matter) Series (Dertling/Johannes/ Harrison/Murray) In these STEM-themed picture books, Cece, Vivi, Libby and their friends learn about solids, liquids, and gasses, how things sink or float, and the impact of wind and water on weather and erosion. Books include activities, glossary, and experiments to do at home. BONUS, Shelli R. Johannes was featured on Episode 10 of the Adventures in Learning podcast.

Conservation and Habitat Connections:In addition to water cycles, states of matter, and sink/float, water can lead to a deep dive on conservation, resources, and habitats for students of all ages. Here are a few of my favorites to get you started on your water explorations. Each of the books listed below could lead to a storytime STEM challenge where children collaborate to try to solve a problem they identify in the book.

• The Water Princess (Badiel/Verde/Reynolds): Based on supermodel Georgie Badiel's childhood, a young girl dreams of bringing clean drinking water to her African village. 

• Autumn Peltier, Water Warrior (Lindstrom/George) and 

• We Are Water Protectors (Lindstrom/Goade): These stunning companion picture books encourage young readers to walk in the footsteps of the water warriors before them.

Odder: An Otter’s Story (Applegate/Santoso): Adapted from Katherine Applegate’s bestselling novel of the same name, and inspired by the true story of a program that pairs orphaned otter pups. Odder lends itself to imaginative play centers around veterinarians, otters, and animal rescue, deep dives into conservation programs around the world, and explorations of biomes and habitats. Bonus: Katherine Applegate appeared on Episodes 51, 83, and 132 of the Adventures in Learning Podcast.

What books do you love to use to explore water, colors, and habitat? Share your ideas and best Storytime STEM activities in the comments. Let's make a playful splash this summer!