Stories of the Earth

The child’s excitement for the new and unknown and for the process of discovery is a gift to be nurtured - a gift that will sustain humanity and the health of the planet on which it depends.

- - Rachel Carson

Fragile – Handle with Care by Ronn Akins

is a collection of language-based, illustrative learning activities built on the child’s inherent fascination with living things. Research supports strengthening the child’s connection to nature with daily interaction and exploration outdoors; and bringing nature indoors through an everyday, integrated curriculum that supports and extends the young learner’s interests and discoveries. The Stories of the Earth collection is an integration of natural science and language concepts. Each activity notes read alouds that enhance the child’s wonder-filled connection to the natural world, and spark dialogue between adult and child.

Our literature base – The human brain loves story. Using works of fiction and creative non-fiction as classroom read alouds engages the child’s interests, bringing information and knowledge to life for young learners. To that end, at least one work of fiction or creative non-fiction is suggested for each of the Stories of the Earth activities.

Nature Nomenclature Nature Classification Cycles of Nature Sequencing Build a Nature Story Show All

The Mangrove Ecosystem

14 laminated 3-part cards with facts on reverse of the picture card.

Meadow Life Classification

14 laminated and labeled full color illustrations of meadow animals and plants, plus category labels.

Jack O’Lantern-to seed-to pumpkin

A recycling story in 8 laminated sequencing cards.

Raindrops to Rainbows

6 laminated cards depicting the sequence of a rainstorm.

Saguaro Cactus Timeline

8 sequencing cards plus labeled control boards. Ready to laminate.

Honeybee Life Cycle

6 laminated cards depicting the larval life cycle of the honeybee, plus labeled control cards.

Sunflower Life Cycle

6 laminated cards depicting the life cycle of the sunflower from seed to seed.

The World of Honeybees

9 laminated 3-part cards with facts on reverse of picture card.

Pond Animals

Animal life in, on and around a pond: 8 laminated 3-part cards with facts on reverse of picture card.

The Redwood Forest

10 laminated 3-part cards with facts on reverse of picture card.

Desert Life and the Saguaro Cactus

12 laminated 3-part cards with facts on reverse of the picture card.

On a Sandy Beach Lotto

Two laminated full-color lotto boards with 9 illustrations each, and 18 laminated cards for matching. Includes identification chart.

Water Cycle Stories

Three, illustrated, 4-card stories to sort and sequence; plus water cycle nomenclature labels with definitions on reverse. Laminated.

Life on a Coral Reef

This activity invites the child to build a short story on coral reefs using illustrative sentence starters and movable parts of speech. Laminated.

Meadow Wonder

This activity invites the child to build a story about meadow life using illustrative sentence starters and movable parts of speech. Laminated.

Desert Days and Nights

This activity invites the child to build a short story about animals in the desert using illustrative sentence starters and movable parts of speech. Laminated

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Read-aloud suggestions

Listen to the Rain by Bill Martin Jr. & John Archambault
Sunflower House by Eve Bunting
Under Ground by Denise Fleming
The Honeybee Man by Lela Nargi
The Beeman by Laurie Krebs
Available from Barefoot Books
Raven and River by Nancy White Carlstrom
On Meadowview Street by Henry Cole
In the Small, Small Pond by Denise Fleming
Swimmy by Leo Lionni
Wave by Suzy Lee
Redwoods by Jason Chin
The Sea, the Storm and the Mangrove Tangle by Lynne Cherry
Cactus Hotel by Brenda Z. Guiberson
Water is Water by Miranda Paul
Coral Reefs by Sylvia A. Earle