Catherine+Behrens

Desert, Forest, and Arctic Mammals Books

Children’s Fiction Arnosky, J. (2005) **Coyote Raid in Cactus Canyon**. Putnam Juvenile. 31 pages. Tempe Public Library.
 * Fiction (animal)
 * __SUMMARY:__ This animal story features a gang of young coyotes in a desert canyon. The coyotes move through the canyon stumbling upon and intimidating many other desert animals, such as the cottontail and the wren. The gang continues to frighten the desert animals until they come across a rattlesnake that sends them running out of the canyon and for the hills. This leaves the other desert animals relieved and grateful to the rattlesnake.
 * __INTEGRATION:__ This story could easily be integrated into a kindergarten, first grade, or second grade classroom. This story could be used in the area of science after students had been introduced to some of the animals living in a desert habitat. The book uses a story to illustrate how animals in a desert canyon environments interact with one another and can even be used as in introduction to predators and prey living in a desert habitat. Students can examine the predators and prey of a coyote and one other desert animal from the story. This book is also a good book to discuss bullies. The teacher can lead students in a discussion about how the coyotes used fear to bully the other desert animals and did not stop until the brave rattle snake stood up to them. Students can then write about a time they stood up for someone else.

Lowell, S. (1991) **The Three Little Javelinas**. Northland Pub. 32 pages. Private collection.
 * Fiction (fable)
 * __SUMMARY:__ This story is a spinoff of the classic tale, The Three Little Pigs. Set in the Southwest, instead of living in houses built from straw, sticks, and bricks, these javelinas live in houses made of tumbleweeds, saguaro ribs, and adobe bricks. Similar to the original tale, the three javelinas try to escape from a hungry coyote. This fable contains the same moral from the original story, but incorporates it in a new and interesting way.
 * __INTEGRATION:__ This story could easily be integrated into a kindergarten or first grade curriculum. Teachers can use this story and the original tale of The Three Little Pigs to compare and contrast. Students can also use this story in a study of story elements; they can look at the setting, characters, and plot. In addition, this book can be used as an introduction to a writing activity where students write their own spinoff of a classic fairytale. Students can choose a fairytale they know and write a modern version. This could entail writing a complete story with a beginning, middle and end, or even just drawing pictures to tell their tale. This book can be used in many subjects from social studies, to reading, and writing.

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Children’s Non Fiction Arvetis, C., & Palmer, C. (1993) **Deserts**. Rand McNally for Kids. 32 pages. Tempe Public Library.
 * Non Fiction (informational)
 * __SUMMARY:__ This informational text is a compilation of facts regarding the desert and the plants and animals that live there. The illustrations and animals in the book provide the information via speech bubbles. The bottom margins of the pages contain more detailed information. Information in the text includes facts about desert temperatures, water in the desert, and plant and animal adaptations. The back of the book also contains a word list with vocabulary words and definitions that appear throughout the text.
 * __INTEGRATION:__ The text can be used in a first, second, or third grade classroom in the areas of reading, writing, science, and art. Teachers can use this text as an introduction to desert habitats. Students can then create a desert landscape using watercolors. Once dry, students could draw, cut, and paste desert animals onto their landscape. Finally, like in the text, students would create speech bubbles with information and facts they have learned about the desert.

Caputo, C. A. (2012) **Mammals**. Scholastic. 32 pages. Tempe Public Library.
 * Non Fiction (informational)
 * __SUMMARY:__ This text contains introductory information about mammals. This beginning level book is divided into three chapters: Meet the Mammals, Marvelous mammals, and Mammal Munchies. Coupled with colorful photographs, the text describes various mammals that live in diverse habitats. These mammals include beavers, bears, polar bears, whales, and wolves. Almost every page contains a box with a term and definition. The book also has a glossary and index.
 * __INTEGRATION:__ This information text can be integrated into a first or second grade curriculum. Teachers can use this book as a way to teach what a mammal is and to show the numerous animals that are mammals. Also, the book can teach students what attributes and behaviors categorize an animal as a mammal. For science, students can do an animal sort where they have to categorize animals as mammals or not mammals. They then can verbally justify their answers, incorporating conversation and vocabulary. Students can even write about themselves and the attributes and behaviors they have that make them a mammal.

Freeman, M. S. (1999) **Black Bears**. Pebble Books. 24 pages. Tempe Public Library.
 * Non Fiction (informational)
 * __SUMMARY:__ This beginning level informational text is all about black bears. The book contains information about what black bears do, what they look like, the habitat they live in, and the food they eat. The back of the book has a page full of words to know and their definitions as well as resources for teachers and parents. These resources include additional books about bears and websites containing information and black bears. The simple text and single sentence pages are perfect for beginning readers.
 * __INTEGRATION:__ This beginning reader is perfect for kindergarten or first grade. Teachers can use the book to teach students basic facts about black bears and the habitat they live in. This book is a great resource for a science and writing activity. Students can then make flip books in the shape of a black bear where they can record all the facts they learn about black bears throughout the week, starting with this book. The book would contain important words to know, sentences about what black bears are, have, and can do as well as their favorite facts they have learned.

Gambell, R. (1989) **Whales**. Mallard Press. 45 pages. Tempe Public Library.
 * Non Fiction (informational)
 * __SUMMARY:__ This text, while much more advanced is full of incredible and vibrant pictures and photographs. The text and photographs describe numerous facts about whales. These facts include information about whale migration, food and feeding, life in the ocean, and the conservation of whales. The photographs within the story illustrate the behaviors of whales, the environment in which they live, and vividly show their appearance.
 * __INTEGRATION:__ If using the photographs and captions within the text, this book is ideal for students in first through third grade. This story can be integrated into reading and writing. The text contains a wonderful example of a content page and an index; these can be used to teach the elements of a nonfiction book. Students can then write about what they have learned about whales throughout the week, compile their writing, and create a table of contents and index for their student-made book.

Macken, J. E. (2006) **Coyotes**. Weekly Reader Early Learning Library. 24 pages.Tempe Public Library.
 * Non Fiction (informational)
 * __SUMMARY:__ This book is an informational text that contains many facts regarding coyotes. The book discusses topics such as where coyotes live, what they look like, what they eat, and the various things they can do. While the book does not go in depth into any of these topics, it provides a number of common concepts and uses facts to lay a groundwork of knowledge.
 * __INTEGRATION:__ This book would be perfect for any first, second, or third grade classroom.The book can be integrated into the areas of science, reading and writing. For students who are just learning to read, a teacher can read this book aloud and use it as an introduction for a study about coyotes or desert animals. For more advanced students or students in a higher grade level, this book contains a repetitive text that would be a perfect read before delving into a more rigorous text about coyotes. It could provide students with background knowledge on the animal before learning about it more in-depth.

Marsh, T. J., Ward, J., & Spengler, K. (1998) **Way Out in the Desert.** Rising Moon. 32 pages. Tempe Public Library.
 * Non Fiction (informational)
 * __SUMMARY:__This animal story uses bright illustrations and sing-songy text to show various plants and animals that call the Sonoran Desert home. Some of these animals include the horned toad and its baby and the tarantula. Within the story, each illustration also hides a numeral to teach students how to count.
 * __INTEGRATION:__This book would be perfectly integrated into a kindergarten or first grade class. Students in a kindergarten class can use this story for a math activity. Students can draw the number of animals described in the story to teach them numbers 1-10. They can then use their illustrations to help them count, enforcing one-to-one correspondence. This story can also be used in science; the story describes how some desert animals use cactuses as their home. The teacher can use this story as an introduction into a lesson about how animals use different plants in the desert to help them survive. Students can learn about the different plants animals use for homes, food, or protection.

Murray, Julie. (2005) **Black Bears**. ABDO Publishing Company. 24 pages. Balsz Elementary Library.
 * Non Fiction (informational)
 * __SUMMARY:__ This informational text serves as an introduction to the black bear. As a beginning level book, it contains simple that provides information and facts about black bears. Along with a table of contents and index, the book contains information about the history of black bears, their physical characteristics, and behavior. The book also describes the forest habitat in which these bears live. This book is great for beginning readers.
 * __INTEGRATION:__ Considering its simple and concise text, this book can be used in a kindergarten or first grade classroom. Teachers can use this book to teach their students about the habitat in which black bears live and how they interact with their environments and surroundings. Using what students have learned from this book, teachers can implement an activity that integrates art and writing. Students can use tissue paper and glue to collage a black bear template. If crumpled and not flattened completely, the tissue paper will add texture to their bear. When dry, students can flip over their masterpiece and write a couple sentences about what they learned about black bears. During the week, the teacher can also do a math activity using gummy bears as counters.

Norman, M. D. (2010) **Poles apart: Life at the Ends of the Earth**. Wild Dog Books. 31 pages. Tempe Public Library.
 * Non Fiction (informational)
 * __SUMMARY:__ This book takes a look into the north pole and the Arctic habitat. The author comparison the Arctics unique environment to other habitats. The text also provides information regarding the survival strategies of the creatures that live in the Arctic. The book mentions polar bears, killer whales, and other mammals living within that habitat. At the end of the book, there is a glossary of terms used throughout the test. In addition, its large photographs are perfect for a read aloud.
 * __INTEGRATION:__ This book can be used in a first or second grade classroom. Teachers can use this book to help inform students about the arctic and the components of that habitat. Teachers can then conduct a geography and math lesson. Students can be given a map of the world. With assistance, students will locate where the Arctic is and then where they live. Students will then estimate how far they think they live from the arctic and write it down. The teacher can reveal at the end of the activity how far the arctic actually is.

Palmer, S. (1989) **Polar Bears**. Rourke Enterprises. 24 pages. Tempe Public Library.
 * Non Fiction (informational)
 * __SUMMARY:__ This text contains an abundant amount of information about polar bears. As shown in the table of contents, the book has information about the physical characteristics of a polar bear, where they live, their senses, hunting prey, what they eat, living in the ocean, baby polar bears, and the polar bear family. At the end of the text, there is a glossary containing key words use in the book as well as an index.
 * __INTEGRATION:__ This book can be used in a kindergarten or first grade class. While the text is not for beginning readers, it is written in a concise manner that makes it a good informational book for a read aloud. Students can use cotton balls and glue to decorate a polar bear template. Students can cut out the polar bear, glue it onto blue construction paper, and glue down stretched out cotton balls to look like snow. As a writing component, students can compare their senses to those of a polar bear, as describes in the text.

Serafini, K. J. (2002) **Saguaro Moon: A Desert Journal**. Dawn Publications. 32 pages. Tempe Public Library.
 * Non Fiction (informational)
 * SUMMARY: This informational text is written in a journal format from the perspective of a naturalist. The book discusses nature in a desert habitat, specifically the Sonoran Desert. The naturalist in the book discusses seeing gila monsters, observing scorpions, and harvesting saguaro flowers. There are many more desert animals and plants that are introduced. The book even includes article clippings and poems written by the author that were inspired by the desert.
 * __INTEGRATION:__ This book can be easily integrated into a kindergarten, first, second, and even third grade classroom. The book allows a wonderful opportunity to integrate both science and writing together. The teacher can use the book as an introduction and sample of a nature journal. Students can then create their own nature journals about the environment that surrounds then. Students can explore the school campus and field to make observations, collect samples of plants, and draw pictures of the things they see. They can then write journal entries about what they observed and compile all the things they have collected. Students can even learn about poetry and write their own poetry inspired by the observations they make, just like the author.

Storad, Conrad. (2009) **Javelinas**. Lerner Publishing Group. 48 pages. Balsz Elementary Library.
 * Non Fiction (informational)
 * __SUMMARY:__ In this beginning level text, students learn about javelinas. The information in the book is written in a simple and concise manner that is easy for young students to comprehend. Information and presented in the book include facts about a javelina's physical characteristics, habitat, and behaviors. The book also contains an index and glossary with vocabulary words and child friendly definitions. At the end of the book, there is a note to adults that provides suggestions for activities while reading the book,questions to ask, and how to introduce the index.
 * __INTEGRATION:__ This text can be used in a first grade, second grade, or third grade class. Teachers can use the book in reading and grammar as a way to prompt students to identify key details in a story. Students can be vocabulary detectives during the reading of the book. Prior to the reading the teacher will tell students some words to look for while reading the story; students will then search for the words while you read together. The teacher and students can talk about what they words mean and how they are used in the sentence. Also, students can look and see if any of the words have more than one meaning.

Swanson, Dawn. (1998) **Whales**. Gareth Stevens Publishing. 32 pages. Balsz Elementary Library.
 * Non Fiction (informational)
 * SUMMARY: This text provides information about whales using vivid photographs and beginning level text. The book not only provides definitions for a whale and mammals, but it also describes how large whales are, how they swim, and life under the sea. At the end of the book, the reader is also provided with numerous resources. These resources include additional books about whales and internet sites that provide facts and information regarding whales.
 * INTEGRATION: This informational text can be used in the areas of writing and science in a kindergarten or first grade class. After reading the story and learning about whales, students can conduct a science experiment to find out the role blubber plays in keeping a whale warm. With the assistance of a teacher, students would time how long they can put their hand in ice water. They would then do it a second time with a glove on their hand in a bag of Crisco. Students would then see they can keep their hand in the water for longer when they use the Crisco. Students can then write about their experience comparing what they did to how blubber keeps a whale warm in the cold water.

Thomson, S. L., & Chin, J. (2010) **Where Do Polar Bears Live?**. Collins. 37 pages. Tempe Public Library.
 * Non Fiction (informational)
 * SUMMARY: This informational text examines the affects our planet's warming climate has on the polar bears in a way that is easy for children to understand. The book explains how the warming climate is causing the polar ice caps to melt; this is problematic for the polar bears living in the Arctic who need ice to survive. The book asks a couple important questions: why is the ice melting and what can be done to protect the Arctic environment? The book uses finding from scientists to explain the questions asked and to describe the environment and conditions in which polar bars currently live.
 * __INTEGRATION:__ This book could be used in a first, second, or third grade classroom and can be most easily integrated into science. Students can so a study on the Arctic habitat and the affects global warming has had on that part of the earth. Students can also learn about the other animals that are affected by the melting ice caps and what is causing them to melt. Students can then write about what they think would happen if all the ice caps melted or what they think we can do to help stop them from melting.

** Teacher Resources ** Berger, M., & Berger, G. (2013) **Discovering My World: Under the Sea Whales**. Scholastic. 16 pages. Private Collection.
 * Non Fiction (informational)
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">__SUMMARY:__ While this informational text is short and a beginning reader, it covers all the basic facts about whales. These facts include where whales live, what they look like, what they eat, and some interesting facts about what they can do. The book also uses kid friendly language to define terms such as mammal and baleen.
 * __<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">INTEGRATION: __<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This book is perfect for kindergarten or first grade. Teachers can use this book as an introduction to whales since it covers many topics in a way that is easy for students to understand. This story can be integrated into reading, writing, and science. Teachers can ask students to recall key details from the text and then have them complete a writing activity where they write their favorite fact they learned. Students can also do a compare contrast between whales and fish. How are they different, how are they similar? This would help students understand the differences between animals that are mammals and animals that are not.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Berger, M., & Berger, G. (2013) **Discovering My World: Forest Animals Beavers**. Scholastic. 16 pages. Private Collection.
 * Non Fiction (informational)
 * =====<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">__SUMMARY:__ This text, also a beginner reader, is a wonderful introduction to beavers. The book incorporates information about where beavers live, what they eat, what they look like, and some of the behaviors they exhibit. This story also defines vocabulary terms, such as dam, using kid friend language. =====
 * __INTEGRATION:__ Considering the level of the content in the text, this story could be used with kindergarten or first grade. Teachers can use this book as a way to introduce beavers since it incorporates vocabulary and facts that are written in a way that is easy for students to understand. Teachers can integrate this story into their writing and science curriculum. Students can use popsicle sticks, or even twigs collected from outside, to try and build their own dams like a beaver. Students can they write about the experience and explain how they build their dam and if it was easy or hard.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Berger, M., & Berger, G. (2013) **Discovering My World: Forest Animals Bears**. Scholastic. 16 pages. Private Collection.
 * Non Fiction (informational)
 * __SUMMARY:__ This text is the perfect introductory text to learn about bears that live in the forest. The book describes they types of bears that live in forests and the food they eat. It also uses simple language and vocabulary terms to describe hibernation and the appearance of a bear. The author does an excellent job of providing a well-rounded, but basic text on forest bears.
 * __INTEGRATION:__ This beginner reader can be used in a kindergarten or first grade classroom. Teachers can use the story as a read aloud to introduce the kinds of bears that live in forest habitats. The text can be used in the areas of writing, science, and conversation and vocabulary. After learning about polar bears, students can write or draw a compare and contrast about bears that live in the arctic, polar bears, and forest bears. Students can then split into two groups and debate which bear is better, polar bears or forest bears, using the facts they have learned. This gives students an opportunity to use their writing skills and cultivate their reasoning and debating skills.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Bronin, Andrew. (1972) **The Desert: What Lives There**. Longmans Canada Limited. 14 pages. Balsz Elementary Library.

 * Non Fiction (informational)
 * __SUMMARY:__ This text describes how a variety of plants and animals have adapted to live in a hot and dry desert habitat. While the story is older, it incorporates many great and interesting facts. The book is also full of rich vocabulary such as the names of the plants and animals and the kinds of adaptations they have made.
 * __INTEGRATION:__ This book can be integrated into a first, second, or third grade classroom in the areas of writing and science. After learning about the adaptations of desert plants and animals, students can write about a kind of adaptations they would make for themselves in order to survive if they had to live in the middle of the hot dessert.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Lindeen, Carol. (2004) **Life in a Polar Region**. Capstone Press. 24 pages. Balsz Elementary Library.

 * Non Fiction (informational)
 * __SUMMARY:__ This uses photographs and text to introduce the Arctic habitat. It describes the environment, plants, and animals that live in the polar region, including mammals such as polar bears and arctic foxes. Adaptations that plants and animals in the Arctic make are also described. The text within the book is at a beginning level and easy for young students to comprehend.
 * __INTEGRATION:__ The book can be used in a first or second grade class. The teachers can focus on the adaptations plants and animals implement in the arctic while reading the story. Similar to the writing activity for one of the desert books, students can write about adaptations they would make for themselves in order to survive in the arctic. Students can then go back and see how the adaptations they chose differ depending on the environment they are for.