Rainforest

World Rainforest Day is celebrated on June 22. It was started on June 22nd, 2017 by Rainforest Partnership. It was launched to raise awareness and encourage action to protect the world’s rainforests.

There are two types of rainforests (temperate rainforests and tropical rainforests). Tropical rainforest are located about 10 degrees north and south of the equator. An example is the Amazon rainforest. Temperate rainforest are located in only certain areas around the world. Two examples of a temperate rainforest are the Hoh Rainforest and the Valdivian rainforest. The Hoh Rainforest is located in Washington state in the United States. The Valdivian temperate rainforest is located in Chile and parts of Argentina. Learn more about rainforest from the below websites.

These are some of the photos I took at the Hoh Rainforest. We visited this rainforest on June 25, 2015. At the time I did not know that World Rainforest Day is celebrated on June 22nd.

It looks like the above photo is of an eagle soaring high in the skies. It might be a bald eagle or some other type of eagle. View other animals at Olympic National Park: Animals.

Watch a live stream video at World Rainforest Day or on World Rainforest Live Stream | YouTube.

Facts
Rainforest | mbgnet.net

Rainforest and Amazon Facts | National Geographic

Rainforest Animals and Plants
11 Amazing Rainforest Animals

Animal Facts Encyclopedia: Rainforest Animals

The Animal Spot Rainforest

Tropical Rainforest Animals and Plants with Pictures and Names

Rainforest Books
Over In The Rain Forest This book uses the common song, "Over In The Meadow".  A great way to introduce different animals that live in the rain forest and to reinforce numbers (1-10).

The Great Kapok Tree: A Tale of the Amazon Rain Forest by Lynne Cherry

The Umbrella by Jan Brett

Coloring
The Umbrella Coloring Mural

Dramatic Play

Play different rainforest sounds or animal sounds (or music).

Pretend you are in a rainforest. Hear the rain falling from the sky (Play an audio). See the tall tree ... See the ... flying above you. Can you hear the sound it is making? (Play an audio of that animal.)  Hear the wings flapping. Pretend to flap your wings. Walk like a ... The ... monkey is going from tree to tree.  Pretend you are moving from tree to tree. Oh, it grabbed a ... What color is the ...? Pretend to eat a ...  Shh.  Here comes a ...  Be very quiet. Don't move. Oh, there he goes. You can walk now.

Basically, use your imagination.

Drama
A Rainforest Adventure: The Play

Virtual Resources
Amazon Interactive | eduweb

NATURE: Amazon Rainforest: An Interactive Experience

Virtual Rainforest by Gerald R. Urquhart

Videos
Explore the Rainforest! | Ecology for Kids

Rainforest Animals for Children – Jungle Animal Sounds and Rainforest Wildlife | Kiddopedia  - This video has animal sounds and information about 40 different animals.

Virtual Field Trip - Amazon Rainforest | YouTube

Story Videos
A Trip to the Rainforest

Resources
Characteristics of the Tropical Equatorial Rainforest -- There is a video on this page.

Rainforest Alliance

Giving and Receiving: Eric Carle Visit - Mister Rogers' Neighborhood

On this episode, author and illustrator, Eric Carle visits.

Mister Rogers' Neighborhood Talks About Giving and Receiving 1721

Story Corner: Eric Carle Reads - Mister Rogers' Neighborhood

This is a clip from Mister Rogers' Neighborhood where Eric Carle reads From Head to Toe.

The full episode is located at the below link. It shows more detail how Eric Carle creates his artwork for "From Head to Toe".

Mister Rogers' Neighborhood Talks About Giving and Receiving 1721

Spot & Eric Hill

Spot's First Walk is one of my favorite books that I enjoyed reading to my children when they were younger (a long time ago). It is written by Eric Hill.

Fun with Spot - Includes an interview with Eric Hill, Eric Hill fact file, and Fun & Games,
Here is the actual link of the interview with Eric Hill in 2007. Want to learn how to draw Spot? You can see Eric Hill draw spot at 2:33 in the interview.

Read Aloud
Eric Hill reads 'Where's Spot?'

Spot's First Walk - Reading with Miss Sara and Friends

The Little Mouse, The Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear Book Ideas

One of my favorite children's book is called, The Little Mouse, The Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear. It was written by Don and Audrey Wood. It was illustrated by Don Wood. Don Wood was born on May 4 in the United States. To read more about this author, visit: Don Wood: Scholastic.

The Little Mouse, The Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear Book Ideas

Literature
Recommended grades for this book are Preschool, Kindergarten, 1st grade, and 2nd grade. Of course, adults enjoy reading this book too. :0)

Read the book or have it read to you by visiting the below YouTuber.

Read Aloud
The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry and The Big Hungry Bear | Reading with Miss Sara and Friends - YouTube
Note: Her YouTube channel was created in March 2020. She has the comments turned off.

Snack Ideas
Eat strawberries like the mouse did in the book.

Crafts
- Draw a mouse eating a strawberry. Add any detail to your drawing.
- Draw yourself eating a strawberry with or without the mouse.

Language Arts
- Look for different parts of speech in the book. You can list them on the board, white board, etc. For example, the below words you will find these words in the title of the book.
- Create an activity for the age of the children.

The following words are adjectives: little, big, hungry, red, ripe
The following words are nouns: mouse, bear, strawberry
The following word is a conjunction: and
The following word is a determiner: the

For Grade 1, the typical course of study includes adjectives and nouns.

Skill: Use and identify common, proper, and possessive nouns
- You can talk about common nouns that are found in this book (mouse, bear, strawberry, etc.).

- What type of noun is the word...?

Resources:
Core Standards: ELA: Language: Grade 1

Other grades are listed at World Book Typical Course of Study for the different subjects.

Science
I will add ideas to this section at a later time.

* Research on the below nouns that are found in this book.

Strawberries
Mouse
Bear

Math
I will add ideas to this section at a later time.

Oh, the Places You'll Go!

Another one of my favorite Dr. Seuss books is called Oh, the Places You'll Go!. This is a perfect book for everyone to know the places will go. It is great for those that are graduating in 2020 during this time of the COVID-19. You can go many places, just do it.

Hop on Pop

I love Dr. Seuss children's books. Hop on Pop is one of my favorite Dr. Seuss books. It is read by Martin Freeman.

Owls

There are many type of owls. Some owls are nocturnal (which means they are active during the night). Some owls are diurnal (which means they are active during the day). Three diurnal owls include the Northern hawk-owl, Burrowing Owl, and the Snowy Owl. There might be other owls that are active during the day but you will need to research to find those owls.

Owls
AllAboutBirds (CornellLab)
Owls | Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
Owls | Oregon
Living With Wildlife: Owls | Washington

Barn Owl
AllAboutBirds: Barn Owl

Barred Owl
AllAboutBirds: Barred Owl
Wikipedia: Barred Owl

Burrowing Owl
Burrowing Owls - Athene cunicularia Facts, photos, and owl calls (sounds).
All About Birds: Burrowing Owl
Wikipedia: Burrowing Owl

Great Horned Owl
AllAboutBirds: Great Horned Owl

Horned Owl/Eagle Owl
Owl hooting - YouTube

Snowy Owl
Coloring.ws: Snowy Owl
All About Birds: Snowy Owl
Wikipedia: Snowy Owl

Spotted Owl
AllAboutBirds: Spotted Owl

Owl Cams
Great Horned Owl Cam - AZGFD
Watch Live Barred Owls! Wild Birds Unlimited Barred Owl Cam | Cornell Lab - YouTube

Owl Documentaries
Experiment! How Does An Owl Fly So Silently? | Super Powered Owls | BBC - YouTube
Great Horned Owl on the Hunt | Nat Geo Wild - YouTube

Reading or Story Time
Children enjoy reading books or have books read to them.

Here are some books you can find online or at your local library.

Owl Babies by Martin Waddell (A popular children's book.)
[Read Aloud] Owl Babies by Martin Waddell - YouTube
Owl Babies Picture Book Animation - YouTube

Little Owl's Night Board Book by Divya Srinivasan
Little Owl's Night - Animated - YouTube

Guardians of Ga'Hoole Book Series by Kathryn Lasky

DVDs
You can even watch the movie, Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'hoole.

Owl Crafts
Felt Owl Pattern
Flying Owl and A Home for Mr. Owl: Summer Reading 2012 Storytime Brainstorming
Harry Potter Party Owl Balloons
Paper Plate Owl Craft: Mommy Savers
Snowy Owl Winter Craft - This uses a shower sponge (loofah) for the owl's body using white craft paint. You use construction paper for the owls eyes (yellow, white, and black), black for the beak and feet, and brown for the branch the owl is sitting on..  

Coloring Pages
abcteach: Owl Coloring Pages
AFUNK: Owl Coloring Book
Coloring.ws
CyberSleuth Kids: Owl Coloring Page
Owl Coloring Page @ Preschool Coloring Book

Masks
Zoomboomafoo: Moonface the Barn Owl Mask 

Puppets
Colorful Shape Owl Craft for Kids
Paper Bag Animal Puppet - A Fun Owl Craft for Kids 
Snowy Owl Paper Bag Puppet Craft

Raccons

A raccoon is a nocturnal animal. They love to hunt for food at night..

Books
Raccoons and Ripe Corn by Jim Arnosky
The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn  
A Pocket Full of Kisses by Audrey Penn

eBooks
I wrote two Corn eBooks
They are for the alphabet and numbers 0-25.
You can use it with the book Raccoons and Ripe Corn by Jim Arnosky.

Raccoon Facts, Photos

Procyon lotor (Linnaeus); Raccoon
 
Raccoon Activities
AFUNK: Raccoon Coloring Book
First-School: Raccoon Theme Preschool Activities and Crafts

Dr. Seuss

Theodor ("Ted") Seuss Geisel (known as Dr. Seuss) was born on March 2, 1904 in Massachusetts.

I will be adding more resources to this post.

Be Kind to Animals Week

I was searching for "May animals of the month". I learned that this week is Be Kind to Animals Week. For 2020 it is from May 3-9. Be Kind to Animals Week was initiated in 1915 by the American Humane Association. It has been celebrated for 105 years. Read more about it at.
Commemorating a Century of "Be Kind to Animals Week" 1915-2015: American Humane Assoication Kindness 100

Links
Be Kind to Animals Week®

Storyline Online

StorylineOnline

Strega Nona Book Ideas

Strega Nona was written and illustrated by Tomie dePaola.

Language Arts
Watch: Strega Nona read by Mary Steenburgen

Social Studies & Geography
Research to find to find which country Calabria is located in Italy.
Locate it on a map.
Learn more about Italy.

Abiyoyo Book Ideas

Abiyoyo is a famous children's book. Pete Seeger is the author of this book.

Book Background
You can read the background of this book.

Geography
Learn where South Africa is located on a map or globe South Africa. Talk about South Africa.

Music
Learn about the ukulele. Show photos of a ukulele. Talk about it.

Learn the Abiyoyo song

You can listen to Pete Seeger sing the lullaby.
Play it as many times as you like to your students (or children).

To read more about where the Abiyoyo song comes from, go to: What do you want to know about Abiyoyo?. This link includes two recordings of South African musicians playing different African instruments. The instruments that are played by these men are the uhadi and umrhubhe, and the Kalumbu.

Literature
Read or listen to the Abiyoyo story being read.
Pete Seeger Reads 'Abiyoyo' on Reading Rainbow

Physical Activity
As you listen to the story, Abiyoyo, dance like Abiyoyo. Stand in place and stomp your feet.

Crafts
Draw your very own Abiyoyo, the giant.
Make Abiyoyo into your own giant character!

Ukulele Music Craft
This is on our blog.

Lesson Ideas
Abiyoyo Lessons with Printables
Book Extension Ideas: Abiyoyo | Scholastic

Planting a Rainbow

Happy National Find a Rainbow Day!!!! It is celebrated on April 3.

Here are some activities you can do with your children, students, nieces, nephews, etc. sometime with what is going on in the world right now with the Coronavirus.

Activities
Locate or create a rainbow.


Crafts
Draw or paint a rainbow.

History
Read more about National Find a Rainbow Day at the below link.
National Find a Rainbow Day

Planting a Rainbow of Flowers Art Activity
Painting a rainbow of flowers : Lois Ehlert style

Read Aloud
Planting a Rainbow by Lois Ehlert

If you do not want any distractions from YouTube, go to the below link.
Planting a Rainbow by Lois Ehlert | quietube