Synergy: Cats

Cats are small, carnivorous mammals that have been domesticated as pets. They are known for catching mice, rats, and other small rodents. While some cats are kept as house pets, others live outdoors as feral cats or farm cats. Around 60 cat breeds are formally recognized.

Involve students in selecting a breed and creating a poster persuading others to adopt cats of this breed.

Read the recently published children’s picture book, then learn more at the website:

ATLAS OF CATS by Helena Harstova and Jana Sedlackova is part of the Atlases of Animal Companions series. This engaging picture book introduces readers to the world of cats, then provides an overview of a couple dozen breeds. It concludes with celebrity cats, cat care, and record holders. Readers will enjoy the attractive illustrations and short, informative text blocks. ARC courtesy of Albatros Media, an imprint of Ingram Publisher Services.

Purina’s CAT BREEDS section features information about dozens of popular cat breeds. Each page includes basic information, temperament, characteristics, lifespan, colors, and other useful facts.

To visit the website, go to https://www.purina.com/cats/cat-breeds.

DAILY PAWS features a searchable cat breeds page. Users can search by cat length, pattern, temperament, or other traits.

To search the database, go to https://www.dailypaws.com/cats-kittens/cat-breeds.

Synergy: Beavers

BEAVERS are semiaquatic, broad-tailed rodents found in North America and northern Eurasia. This large mammal is known to gnaw through tree trunks, feed on bark, and build dams.

Read the recently published children’s nonfiction picture book, then learn more at the websites:

THE LODGE THAT BEAVER BUILT by Randi Sonenshine and illustrated by Anne Hunter features engaging illustrations and informative text to tell the story of a beaver and its family. Skillfully balancing scientific information with lyrical prose, this picture book is a perfect way to jumpstart an inquiry into the life cycle of a beaver and its ecosystem. Related creatures are effectively woven into the narrative to expand the appeal. The book concludes with useful background information. ARC courtesy of Candlewick Press.

AMERICAN BEAVER is a video from National Geographic Kids featuring amazing beaver footage.

To watch the video, go to https://youtu.be/Ic3x8OVYe80

BEAVER from National Geographic Kids provides an overview to this common mammal including text, a map, photos, and a video clip.

To read the page, go to https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/facts/beaver.

Synergy: The Cenozoic Era

The Cenozoic Era is the most recent age beginning about 65.5 million year ago. Known as the Age of Mammals, this era reflects the emergence of small then large mammals after the extinction of the dinosaurs. The period is divided into the Paleogene, Neogene, and Quaternary.

Read the recently published graphic science book on this topic, then learn more at the website:

MAMMAL TAKEOVER! by Abby Howard is the third book in the EARTH BEFORE US graphic science series. Readers are emerged in a journey through the Cenozoic era. Told through colorful comic panels, science teacher Miss Lernin and her student Ronnie explore wooly mammoths, saber-toothed tigers, and even early humans.

CENOZOIC ERA from MooMooMath and Science is a short video explaining where the Cenozoic era fits in the overall geologic time scale.

In FROM THE FALL OF DINOS TO THE RISE OF HUMANS from PBS Eons is a 13 minute video featuring Hank Green exploring the Cenozoic Era. The journey features the appearance of the mammals and birds we know today.

FROM THE FALL OF DINOS TO THE RISE OF HUMANS
https://youtu.be/yR8cR75iKGU

ARC courtesy of Amulet Books, an imprint of Abrams.

Book Review: Tooth by Tooth

TOOTH BY TOOTH: COMPARING FANGS, TUSKS, AND CHOMPERS by Sara Levine is a fun follow-up to the popular Bone by Bone.

This informational picture book designed for the primary grades introduces readers to the teeth of mammals. Taking a question-and-answer approach, children are asked to look at their own teeth, then think about the teeth of other creatures including dogs, cats, and bears.

T.S. Spookytooth’s illustrations add to the fun, but they also contribute to the high-quality learning experience.

Information about animal adaptations adds depth to the text. The book includes additional facts, a glossary, bibliography, and online resources.

Librarians will find the humorous approach will appeal to young readers who enjoy informational reading. Use this book as the focus of a dental health display that includes nonfiction works along with models of teeth.

Published by Lerner Publishing Group on March 1, 2016. ARC courtesy of the publisher.

Book Review: Now You See Them, Now You Don't

NOW YOU SEE THEM, NOW YOU DON’T by David L. Harrison is an amazing informational picture book featuring poems about animal camouflage.

Featuring nineteen different creatures organized into five categories, each poem highlights interesting facts about the behavior and habitat of a sea creature, reptile, amphibian, mammal, insect or bird. Laroche’s fascinating cut-paper illustrations bring the habitats to life for young readers.

Librarians will appreciate the endnotes that include details about the creatures featured in each poem. Great as a read-aloud activity, this book is excellent for STEAM projects that combine science and art. Involve you in learning about a creature and creating their own poem and artwork.

To learn more about the author, go to http://www.davidlharrison.com/.

To learn more about the illustrator, go to http://www.gileslaroche.com/.

Published by Charlesbridge on February 16, 2016. ARC courtesy of the publisher.

App Review: American Museum of Natural History

The AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY (AMNH) is known for their great website, however they also have a growing number of quality, free apps.

THE POWER OF POISON: BE A DETECTIVE is a 2014 Webby Award Nominee. The app involves students in exploring three different cases of accidental poisoning in animals. Through a series of animations, participants must determine which of the 18 suspects is to blame.

PTEROSAURS: FLIGHT IN THE AGE OF DINOSAURS is an app that provides an in-depth look at flying reptiles and the latest fossil discoveries. Animations, interactives, video interviews, and exciting activities immerse youth in the world of dinosaurs. PTEROSAURS: THE CARD GAME and DINOSAURS are two other apps based on the AMNH special exhibit.

The CREATURES OF LIGHT app provides animations, photo galleries, and videos related to bioluminescence.

The BERNARD FAMILY HALL OF NORTH AMERICAN MAMMALS app provides information about the museum’s mammal collection including interviews, photos, and commentary from the curator.

COSMIC DISCOVERIES is an app containing 1000 astronomical images from the AMNH’s image collection.

These free apps are a wonderful way to expose youth to the wonders of science and the importance of museums.

Go to the AMNH Apps page at http://www.amnh.org/apps.

Or, go directly to iTurns at https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/american-museum-natural-history/id351849240.