Picture Books to Celebrate Earth Day

Calling all picture book readers with a passion for the environment and an appreciation for the great outdoors! Earth Day is on April 22nd,  and you do not need a green thumb to make a special home for these books in your classroom. I have put together a list of my favourite Earth Day books! 

Each of these books helps your students celebrate the beauty of this planet and all the creatures who inhabit it while learning how we can nurture and protect it for generations to come. After all, we are all just spinning through space on this big blue planet together, so let’s show it love and care this Earth Day (and every day)!

My Friend Earth

This beautiful celebration of the natural world is also a timely rallying cry for positive action for saving Planet Earth.

What a Waste  

In this informative book on recycling for children, you will find everything you need to know about our environment. The good, the bad and the incredibly innovative. From pollution and litter to renewable energy and plastic recycling. 

Wangari's Trees of Peace

This picture book is based on the true story of Wangari Maathai, an environmental and political activist in Kenya and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004. 

  

Luna & Me 

This is the story of Julia Butterfly Hill and Luna, the redwood tree she lived in for two years, never once coming down. That is, not until Luna's future was safe.

The Tree Lady

Unearth the true story of green-thumbed pioneer and activist Kate Sessions, who helped San Diego grow from a dry desert town into a lush, leafy city known for its gorgeous parks and gardens.

Thank You, Earth 

Through stunning photographs and a poetic text structured as a simple thank-you note to Earth, this nonfiction picture book is a stunning exploration of the beauty and complexity of the world around us. 

Note: Eclectech Educator uses affiliate links.  As such, Eclectech Educator earns a commission of the purchase of the picture books through these links.

Earth Day

In April, it’s starting to feel like springtime, as the chill of winter is leaving and temperatures are warming up. Although it is still cool in the night in Saskatchewan, the amount of daily sunshine hours is on the rise. Nice, sunny walks and the return of the birds are particular delights of April. While I dream of long, sunny days at the lake, let's focus on another nature delight of April - Earth Day! 

Are you ready for Earth Day? Earth Day is celebrated every year on April 22nd to raise awareness and support for environmental protection. To help you and your students celebrate, check out my Earth Day resource. It has informational slides, 3 student readers, an Earth Day flip book, an Earth craft, and activities. Students will learn about climate change, plastic pollution and other global concerns, and ways to help the planet. Everything is planned - your lesson is prepared and the activities are ready to be distributed.

Earth Day 2024 Lesson Slides, Reading Passages, Writing Activities and Craft

$4.00

Solar Eclipse

Happy spring, dear friends! The beauty and energy of springtime can finally be found in Saskatchewan. The snow is quickly melting, the sun is shining, and we are now able to take walks in the fresh breeze without cumbersome toques and mittens. 

Does the freshness and vitality of spring invigorate you as well? Here at Eclectech Educator, we are busy planning for April events, including the solar eclipse, Earth Day, Eid-ul-Fitr, and Poetry Month.

Mark your calendars and prepare to witness a celestial event of awe-inspiring beauty – the April 8th Solar Eclipse! On this magical day, the moon will pass between the Earth and the sun, casting its shadow upon our planet and momentarily dimming the sun's brilliant rays. 

To help your students understand this celestial event, check out my NEW resource! The Solar Eclipse 2004 resource includes an informational slide presentation, a student reader, comprehension questions, a flip book, and a craft. 

WHAT IS INCLUDED?

 ⭐ Information Slide Set - The slides describe how a solar eclipse occurs, the types of eclipses, photos, and safety during an eclipse. 

 ⭐ Student Reader - A three-page reader for students to read about solar eclipses. 

 ⭐ Comprehension Questions - Worksheets for students to complete after reading. 

 ⭐ Activity - Students answer the prompts in this five-page flip book to show their learnings about solar eclipses. 

 ⭐ Craft - A craft for students to make and then model what happens during a solar eclipse.

Solar Eclipse 2024 Information Slides, Student Reader, Activities, and Craft

$4.00

Spring is a time of growth, renewal, and endless inspiration - and the Eclectech Educator store is embracing it! Each resource in my Reading Skills and Strategies series is undergoing a major refresh. Each features five center activities, a student print recording booklet, and an answer key. Take a look at some of the updated resources!

Fact and Opinion Reading Skill Activities, Centers, Task Cards, and Worksheets

$3.50

Author's Purpose Activities, Anchor Charts, Centers, Task Cards, and Worksheets

$3.50

Finding Theme Activities, Anchor Charts, Centers, Worksheets, and Task Cards

$3.50

Easter Freebie

Get ready to celebrate Easter, as it's just around the corner! 🐰🌷 

I have a FREE gift for you! These Easter gift cards are perfect to send to your students. There are three different templates to choose from. Two templates feature an outline of a bunny which is perfect to tape a chocolate or marshmallow treat to give to your kids. The third template can be distributed to your students as a card or be attached to a different gift, such as a basket or Easter eggs.

Simply download the PDF to grab the freebie.

Need more Easter fun? I am thrilled to showcase a resource tailored to make your Easter preparations easier and more delightful than ever. It is a secular resource, so it is a good fit for all students. 

Easter Bunnies, Eggs, and Symbols Digital Slides, Activities, and Games

$4.50

Spring Vibes

Spring is finally here! I am waiting for the last of the snow to melt and the muddy trails to dry. Some of the trails on my morning runs have been treacherous and sloppy. Soon, birds will be chirping and longer days of sunshine will arrive. While waiting, I have been busy developing and improving my store products. Let's take a look at what is new!

My Reading Skills and Strategies series continues to be my focus - each resource is getting an improved layout, refreshed games, and better graphics. Each resource will still feature five activities, anchor charts, a student recording book, and an answer key. Perfect as center activities, whole class tasks, small group work, or as an assessment tool. 

 Each center activity includes: 

 ⭐ Title Page 

 ⭐ Direction Page

 ⭐ Activity Materials 

 ⭐ Student Recording Sheet 

 ⭐ Answer Key 

 This week, I finished revamping Setting Of A Story in which student explore the setting of a fictional text. This literary element helps to only only identify when and where a story takes place, but to also initiate the main backdrop and mood for a story. Check out this resource and others in the series by clicking on the covers below.

Setting Of A Story Fiction Elements Activity Centers, Worksheets, & Task Cards

$4.00

Teaching Theme In Fiction Activities, Centers, Worksheets, and Task Cards

$3.50

Context Clues Reading Centers, Activities, Task Cards, Games, and Worksheets

$3.50

Get ready to celebrate Easter, as it's just around the corner! 🐰🌷 I am thrilled to showcase a resource tailored to make your Easter preparations easier and more delightful than ever. It is a secular resource, so it is a good fit for all students. And I have not forgotten about April's Fool's Day! Check out my resource full of fun, silly, and harmless tricks and activities to play on your students! It is sure to cause giggles!

Easter Bunnies, Eggs, and Symbols Digital Slides, Activities, and Games

$4.50

April Fools' Day Digital Slides, Games, Activities, & Pranks to Fool Students

$4.00

Helping Students Read

Comprehension is the ultimate goal of reading. It involves making meaning from text. The reader is able to process what is read, integrate it with what they already know, and understand it.

How can teachers help students?

In order to read with comprehension, readers must be able to read with some proficiency and then receive explicit instruction in reading comprehension strategies. 

But, what are reading comprehension strategies?

Comprehension strategies involve readers actively thinking about the text in order to understand. It is not identifying answers to questions, but actions that help readers figure out and synthesize their reading.  There are several reading comprehension strategies that proficient readers use to understand text: 

1. Activating Schema (Prior Knowledge) 
2. Asking Questions
3. Visualizing
4. Determining Importance 
5. Making Inferences 
6. Synthesizing
7. Self-Monitoring

Where does a teacher start?

I have created several resources to help teachers help their students become effective, strategic, and metacognitive learners with strong reading comprehension skills. Strong readers use a variety of strategies as they read to construct meaning from the text. Teachers can strengthen their students’ reading by providing instruction and practice in varied reading skills to develop their comprehension strategies. 

Teachers may wish to start, or revisit, these three reading skills. Each resource features FIVE activity centers, student recording booklet, answer key, and anchor charts. Perfect as centers, whole class activities, small group work, or as assessment tools. 

Click on the links beneath the covers to learn more!

Author's Purpose

Fiction Vs. Nonfiction

Context Clues

 

What Scares You?

I hope this post finds you well and in the spirit of the season!

With Halloween just around the corner, I am excited to announce the arrival of some bewitching teaching resources that are sure to bring a ghoulishly good time to your classroom.

WHAT IS SCARY?

In the spirit of the Halloween season, I wanted to focus on what scares us. Today, I want to open up about one thing that truly scares me as a teacher, and I believe many of you can relate to this fear. The fear I am talking about isn't a phobia of spiders or heights; it's the fear of I might not be doing enough.

As educators, we constantly strive to provide the best learning experiences for our students. We worry that we may not have all the answers, or that we might not fully understand a concept ourselves. This fear can be daunting, but it's essential to remember that nobody knows everything. Instead, let's focus on fostering a culture of curiousity and learning in our classrooms, demonstrating that it is okay not to have all the answers. 

For me, the fear of burnout is my biggest scare. The demands of teaching can be physically and emotionally draining, and the fear of burnout of running my store is real. I worry that teachers' passion for my resources might wane over time. To conquer this fear, I had to refocus on self-care and maintain a healthy work-life balance. 

In closing, let us remember that it's okay to be scared and to acknowledge our fears as teachers. What's important is how we respond to these fears.