Smithsonian Discover: Earth
Author: Dorothea DePrisco
Silver Dolphin Books (March 3, 2015)
Audience: Ages 8 and up
Nonfiction * Science * Earth
ndiebound
About the book:
With Smithsonian Discover: Earth, kids can take a tour of Earth’s fiery core, scale Mount Everest, scuba-dive in the Great Barrier Reef, and hunker down during a hurricane, all without ever leaving the safety of their living rooms. A must-have for any kid who calls Earth home, this engaging book contains three sections: Amazing Earth (all about the inside and outside of the planet), the Blue Planet (covering awesome oceans, raging rivers, and great lakes), and Wild Weather (which explains the science of weather and goes inside natural disasters). Each page contains science presented simply, and facts backed by the museum professionals of the Smithsonian.
The compelling content is only the tip of the iceberg (only a tenth of which floats above the ocean’s surface, as you’ll learn). This engaging title also delivers hands-on activities like you would find at the Smithsonian. Bound right into the book are 12 Earth fact cards, a large double-sided map of the world, and materials to construct a three-dimensional paper globe. Though we walk its surface every day, Smithsonian Discover: Earth will surely teach kids that Earth is one fascinating planet!
Smithsonian Sticker Creations: Under the Sea
Author: Emily Rose Oachs
Silver Dolphin Books (July 14, 2015)
Audience: Ages 5 and up
Nonfiction * Ocean * Sea Life
ndiebound
About the book:
With Smithsonian Sticker Creations: Under the Sea, young explorers will embark on an underwater adventure to learn about life beneath the waves.Smithsonian Sticker Creations: Under the Sea’s hands-on format allows children ages 5 and up to explore the amazing diversity of the sea while interacting with more than 175 reusable stickers and 5 oversized deluxe dimensional stickers. After learning about their favorite sea creatures, children can create their own underwater scene by placing the stickers in the removable framed ocean scene. The beautifully illustrated sticker activity book gives young ocean explorers a creative opportunity to learn about all types of incredible sea creatures!
Grades K-1
Author: Ruth Strother
Audience: Ages 5 and up
Category: Science
Indiebound
Curious minds will find hundreds of fascinating facts inSmithsonian Everything You Need to Know: Grades K-1. The flip-top box is packed with 275 fact cards covering categories such as Earth and space, plants and animals, geography, history, and health. Whether it’s the number of teeth in a great white shark’s mouth or how a rainbow forms, kids ages 5–7 will learn a variety of information in a tactile and engaging manner. Each flip of a card not only showcases beautiful color photographs and illustrations paired with a fact, but also presents a new learning moment. With this packed-full box of facts, kids are given an extra opportunity to learn all they need to know for early science, social studies, and history exploration in a fun format that’s sure to engage eager young minds.
Grades 2-3
Author: Ruth Strother
Audience: Ages 7 and up
Category: Science * Education and Learning
ndiebound
How many rings are there around Saturn? What causes an earthquake? How many bones are in a giraffe’s neck? WithSmithsonian Everything You Need to Know: Grades 2-3, kids ages 7-9 will learn exciting and interesting facts about Earth and space, plants and animals, geography, history, and health. Each of the 275 fact cards includes colorful photos and illustrations coupled with a fascinating fact. From the solar system to George Washington to volcanoes, each fact card presents educational material in an innovative and engaging format. Inquisitive kids will have hours of fun discovering everything their young minds need to know in this interest-packed fact card set.
Grades 4-5
Author: Ruth Strother
Audience: Ages 9 and up
Category: Science - History - Nature - Education and Learning
Indiebound
How long is the Amazon River? Who was the first president to have a telephone in the White House? With Smithsonian Everything You Need to Know: Grades 4-5, kids will learn exciting and fascinating facts about the U.S. presidents, weather, outer space, and much more. Each of the 275 tabbed fact cards includes colorful photos and illustrations paired with interesting facts. Whether it’s Abraham Lincoln or tornadoes, each fact card presents a new learning moment. Curious kids will learn about the world around them, past and present, in this loaded fact card box.
My thoughts on the materials:
Recently, I received an inquiry to review some materials and I am picky about what I accept. However, I loved the sound of these Smithsonian materials published through Silver Dolphin Books.
Unlike the expository read alouds, I shared last week, these materials are very different. The quality of the books and cards were sturdy and well done. Similar to National Geographic, the illustrations, photographs, and layouts are outstanding. And where I often recommend something for both the classroom and school library, these materials I recommend for home or classroom.
The Smithsonian Discover series are oversized spiral bound books that are chockfull of facts and information about various topics. They can be shared by two or three children and read together or simply enjoyed by an individual child. The series will require multiple readings and will draw children in again and again.
The Smithsonian Sticker Creation books are also oversized books but with the addition of reusable stickers. Still lots of facts in each book and bright colorful photographs and fascinating facts will keep readers engaged. These by far outshine those old colorforms I played with as a child. A wonderful gift book that can be enjoyed by a child over and over again. There are also several books in this series.
Finally the Everything You Know Series contain 275 large cards on sturdy paper. These can be read through or explored in whatever order a child is interested in reading them or by a couple of children playing a game together or by the teacher pulling one card at a time to discuss the content. I would have definitely geeked out over these as a child.
As we get closer to the holiday season consider picking any of these as gifts for a child in your life or for your classroom use.
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