NOTE TO EDUCATORS Extension Activities for Educators also available.

TIME TO READ!

BEFORE WE READ, LETS LOOK AT...

The Cover: By looking at the cover, what can you predict about the genre of

this book? Is it fiction or non-fiction? What kind of animal is on the cover?

The Pictures: Each page of this book contains non-fiction text features. Show students how the author uses a table of contents, photographs, types of print, inserts, an index, and a glossary to help us learn about animals and their habitats. Flip through the pages and point out the different text features.

Prior Knowledge: What are text features and how do we use them? (See Non-Fiction Text Features handout in Extension Activities.)

Vocabulary: The vocabulary will vary from page to page.

Purpose for Reading: To identify text features in a non- fiction book and use them as we learn about animals and their habitats.

WHILE WE READ

MONITORING COMPREHENSION

For each page, ask what animal is featured.

What new facts does this page tell you about the animal?

Which text features is the author using on this page?

Does the photograph help you learn about the animal?

LETS THINK ABOUT

Our Purpose: How did the text features in the book help you understand what we read today?

Extending Our Thinking: Ask these open-ended questions: How are non-fiction and fiction books alike? How are they different? Which kind of book do you like better? Were there any animals in the book youd never seen before? Why do you think the author included them?

A RIF GUIDE FOR EDUCATORS

Themes: Animals, Habitats

Grade Level: K to 2nd grade

Book Brief: A fun, informative book with colorful pictures and interesting facts about a variety of animals.

Author: Catherine D. Hughes

Content Connections:Science, Geography, Math

Little Kids First Big Book of AnimalsNATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC

A RIF GUIDE FOR PARENTS AND FAMILIES

Themes: Animals, Habitats Grade Level: K to 2nd grade Book Brief: A fun, informative book with colorful pictures and interesting facts about a variety of animals.

Author: Catherine D. Hughes

TIME TO READ!

RELATED ACTIVITIES

ON THE HUNT Materials: cotton balls, perfume or scented oil

Many animals, like the lion, use their sense of smell to find prey. Spray perfume on several cotton balls. Hide them around the room within your childs reach. Have your child pretend to be a lion and use smell to find the prey. Is this easier or harder than the ways humans find food?

EDIBLE OCEANSIngredients: blue gelatin, water, fruit snacks or canned fruit, clear cups, whipped topping

Help your child mix gelatin according to package directions. Fill each cup 1/2 full of mixture. Place fruit snacks in the cup. Fill the rest of the way with

mixture. Let set in refrigerator. Top with whipped topping and enjoy! While you eat, explain that real sea foam (the whipped topping) is made of dissolved organic matter, like algae and plankton.

HABITATS AT HOMEWhat animal habitats can you find near your home? Perhaps a spider has built its home where you can see its web, or a bird has nested in a nearby tree. Go on a habitat hunt and list the animals or animal homes you find. Be careful to only observe and not disturb any homes!

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

OTHER BOOKS BY NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC National Geographic Little Kids First Big Book of Space, Catherine D. Hughes (2012), National Geographic Little Kids First Big Book of Why, Amy Shields (2011), Nat Geo Wild Animal Atlas: Earths Astonishing Animals and Where They Live (2002).

Before reading, make predictions: What animals do you think will be in this book? What animal is on the cover?

While reading, make connections: Have you seen this animal before? Where?

After reading, ask questions:

Could any of the animals in the book make a good pet?

Would it be able to live in the same habitat you live in?

Could you feed it?

Little Kids First Big Book of AnimalsNATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC

SCIENCE, COMMUNICATIONFRIENDS OF THE FORESTMaterials: pictures of forest animals, tape

Let students find out which friend of the forest they represent! Tape a picture of a different forest animal on each students back (without letting that student see). Each student must ask yes or no questions to figure out the type of animal. Encourage students to take notes if needed to help organize the information they gather. (This can be performed as a whole group, small group, or partner activity.)

TECHNOLOGY, SCIENCE OCEANS OF SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES Compare the marine animals from the text with animals from popular kids movies, like Finding Nemo, Dolphin Tales, etc. How are the animals in the movies like those in the book? How are they different? Make a comparison chart on the board.

Expand student background knowledge about octopuses by watching: video.nationalgeographic.com/video/kids/animals-pets-kids/wild-detectives -kids/wd-ep1-octopus

ENGINEERING, SCIENCE, MATH DESERT ANIMAL DESIGN CHALLENGEMaterials: scrap materials (paper, bits of cloth, paper towel tubes, brads, paper clips, etc.), scissors, glue

Put students in small groups. Have each group choose a desert animal.

Challenge: Build a model of the animal. Make sure that your animal can be identified by distinguishing characteristics. Make sure a part of it can move. Draw or make a desert habitat for your animal.

RIF EXTENSION ACTIVITIES FOR EDUCATORS

ART, SCIENCE POLAR PAINTINGMaterials: small paper cups, water, craft stick, foil, powered tempera paint, paper plates

Pre-activity preparation: Fill cups with about 1.5 of water. Cover with foil; poke a craft stick through the foil like a popsicle stick. Freeze overnight.

Activity: Give each student a plate with 2 different colors of powdered paint. Have students peel their cups from around their ice bergs. Have them paint by moving the ice berg around the paper plate with the craft stick. Observe whats happen-ing to the ice. What colors are being made? How long does it take for the ice to melt?

MATH, TECHNOLOGY, SCIENCE AFRICAN GRASSLAND ATHLETESThe grasslands in Africa are home to many speedy animals. Pick 3 and put them in an imaginary race! Use the text and other resources to find their average speeds to see who would win. Who would come in 2nd and 3rd? Show your findings with a poster, model, short story, or comic strip.

WRITING, VOCABULARY NON-FICTION THINK-TAC-TOE(For older or advanced students.) Give the kids a little challenge and choice with the attached think-tac-toe activity sheet. Each column of activities includes tiered choices for student differentiation. You decide how many squares students complete!

STEAM-THEMED: SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, ART, MATH

Little Kids First Big Book of AnimalsNATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC

ACTIVITY OPTIONS Individual students can choose an activity to complete.

Student pairs or cooperative groups can work together on a choice of their own.

Educator can assign an activity for an individual, pairs, or groups.

WHO KNEW?From the book, choose 4 words that are new to you. Divide your paper into 4 squares. In each square, write the word, its definition, how you would define it, and a sentence using it. You may also want to draw a picture to help you remember.

NO MORE CAPTIONSPublishers have decided that it costs too much to print captions! Write a persuasive letter to book publishers telling them why captions are important. Be sure to give reasons or examples to support your argument!

INDEX IT!Create an index page for a topic that interests you. If you wrote a book on that topic, what main ideas would you include? (If I picked ice cream as my topic, my index might include: cones, flavors, history, toppings.) Think of at least 15 words for your indexremember to put them in alphabetical order!

FIND IT AND FOLD IT!Choose 4 words from the book. Fold your paper in half hot dog style. Use scissors to cut 3 slits on one side so you have 4 flaps. Write each word on the outside of a flap. Under the flap, write the words definition and a sentence. Draw a picture of each word on the back of the paper.

PERSUADE A PEERWe have a new student who is having trouble picking out non-fiction books to read. Write a letter to that student explaining how to use the title, cover, and table of contents to tell what a book will be about.

IF YOU KNOW IT, BE A POET!

Pick a text feature from the book. Write an acrostic poem to describe that feature and how it helps you understand what you read.

Example: Make sense Arrange things Put things in context Show me where I am

CUBE TOSSChoose 6 words from the glossary to write on a blank cube. (Cube pattern: www.mathisfun.com/geometry/cube-model.html.) With a partner, take turns rolling the cube. For each word you roll: say it, define it, and use it in a sentence.

ORGANIZE YOUR FINDINGS

Make 3 columns on your paper. Fill in each with the followinginformation from the book:

Column 1: 3 subjects you want to learn more about. Column 2: The page #s where you can find the information. Column 3: Something you learned about each subject.

COMPARE IT!Use a Venn Diagram to compare the table of contents to the index of a non-fiction text. Which topics are in the index only, which are in the table of contents, and which are in both?

NON-FICTION THINK-TAC-TOE

TIME TO READ!

Before reading: This is a great book for children to explore different animals and their habitats. You may want to choose one habitat at a time and read only about the animals in that section.

RELATED ACTIVITIES

GRASSLAND GROWTH (AGES 5-9)Materials: plastic cups, soil, grass seed, paint, brush, paper, scissors

Plant some grass seed in a clear cup of soil and water lightly. Once the grass sprouts, cut it to about 1 tall. Using a paint brush, gently brush the blade tips with paint. Observehow the grass grows. Does it grow from the top or the bottom? Why would this be helpful for the animals in the grasslands habitat? Make some small animal drawings, cut them out, and hide them in your grass.

OCEAN MURALS (AGES 5-9)Materials: bulletin board paper, crayons, blue paint, water, paint brushes

Let children show their creative sides by drawing their favorite ocean animals in crayon on the large

paper. Dilute blue paint with water and use paint brushes to paint the entire paper. The paint wont stick to the wax in the crayons, so the ocean animals will pop!

DEADLY IN THE DESERT (AGES 5-9)Materials: construction paper strips (red, black, yellow), glue sticks

The desert coral snake is a venomous snake often confused with the harmless king snake. Teach children this rhyme to remember which snake is dangerous: red touch yellow, kill a fellow; red touch black, venom it lacks. Have children use paper strips to make a paper chain coral snake. Begin with black and alternate with a yellow, red, yellow, black pattern. Once completed, add eyes and mouth to one end.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

OTHER BOOKS BY NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC National Geographic Little Kids First Big Book of Space, Catherine D. Hughes (2012), National Geographic Little Kids First Big Book of Why, Amy Shields (2011), Nat Geo Wild Animal Atlas: Earths Astonishing Animals and Where They Live (2002).

TECHNOLOGY LINK FOR KIDSwww.rif.org.kids

A RIF GUIDE FOR COMMUNITY COORDINATORS

Themes: Animals, Habitats Grade Level: K to 2nd grade Book Brief: A fun, informative book with colorful pictures and interesting facts about a variety of animals.

Author: Catherine D. Hughes

Little Kids First Big Book of AnimalsNATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC

National-Geographic-Little-Kids-First-Big-Book-of-Animals_A-RIF-Guide-for-EducatorsNational-Geographic-Little-Kids-First-Big-Book-of-Animals_A-RIF-Guide-for-Parents-and-FamiliesNational-Geographic-Little-Kids-First-Big-Book-of-Animals_RIF-Extension-Activities-for-EducatorsNattional-Geographic-Little-Kids-Big-Book-of-Animals_A-RIF-Guide-for-Community-Coordinators