An-Animal-a-Month: Birds 2.0
Because there are so many fantastic children’s books about birds, I’m showcasing a few more this month. Grab your wings and soar upon the pages of an alphabet book, plus 3 mid-grade titles.
Click on the book covers to find more information about each title.
Poetry, birds, and the English alphabet combined! In this gorgeously, realistically illustrated title, you’ll find a quatrain for each letter of the alphabet. Each letter stands for either a species of bird or a topic related to birds, such as beaks, caching, and incubation. This text is delightful for younger readers and listeners. On the side of each spread, you’ll also find a second layer of text – three or four paragraphs of nonfiction, full of details about the species or topic. This text will suit older readers, eager to know more. A photograph labeled with parts of a bird, a glossary, a section on how to help birds, and a bird identification primer round out the book. Ages 7-10.
Kind of nonfiction: Poetry plus traditional nonfiction – characterized by clear expository writing, providing an overview of birds. (My categorization using Melissa Stewart’s 5 Kinds of Nonfiction.)
Ties to Next Generation Science Standards:
K-ESS2-2 (Construct an argument supported by evidence for how plants and animals can change the environment to meet their needs.) Turn to the entry for letter C (for Chickadees and Caching) to see how chickadees change trees, piles of pine needles, and snow mounds. They turn these objects into hiding places for their stored food. Any leftovers might sprout, creating more food for the birds and other organisms.
K-2-ETS1-2 (Develop a simple sketch, drawing, or physical model to illustrate how the shape of an object helps it function to solve a given problem.) Birds need to eat but their foods are often hard to reach, open, or catch. The sidebar for the letter B (for Beak) discusses how the shapes of birds’ beaks allow them to access different foods. For instance, the hummingbird in the illustration has a long, thin beak for sipping nectar from narrow flowers, while a cardinal has a cone-shaped beak for splitting seeds. Students could use bird guides to find pictures of the beaks mentioned in the text. Also, the sidebar and illustration for the letter H (for Habitat) show how the shape of the legs, toes, necks, and beaks of waterbirds solve the challenges of living in a wet habitat.
1-LS1-2 (Read texts and use media to determine patterns of behavior of parents and offspring that help offspring survive.) H is for habitat. This page shows wetland birds nesting in trees over alligator-filled waters. This nesting behavior helps protects eggs and hatchlings from predators like raccoons, possums, and snakes. The alligators keep the number of nest predators low. Several species of wetland birds do this, establishing a pattern.
3-LS2-1 (Construct an argument that some animals form groups that help members survive.) The sidebar for the letter V (for V formation) discusses why birds gather in flocks. A large group of birds has more eyes to spot predators, find food sources, mob a predator, and create a safe environment for chicks. The example of a flocking bird is the gannet. Have students research other species of birds that come together in large groups.
3-LS4-4 (Make a claim about the merit of a solution to a problem caused when the environment changes and the types of plants and animals that live there may change.) Turn to the letter N (for Nests). A solution for bluebird numbers declining due to habitat loss is to build a trail of bluebird houses. What are the merits of this solution? The detractions? Also, turn to the letter T (for Threats). Populations of migrating birds are declining due to collisions with lighted windows. The city of Philadelphia is dimming its lights at night to help with this problem. What are the pros and cons of this solution?
4-LS1-1 (Construct an argument that plants and animals have internal and external structures that function to support survival, growth, and reproduction.) You’ll find multiple examples throughout the book. Look at the page about beaks (B) showing how they facilitate feeding; the page about feathers (F) showing how they allow birds to fly, stay warm, and swim; the page about keen eyesight (E) that helps birds find food, escape predators, and not collide, and the page about caching (C) and good memories to find hidden food. What other examples can your students find?
Also, you can utilize this book for poetry lessons on quatrains and rhyme. The rhyme patterns ABCB and ABAB are shown.
Fast-paced, entertaining, and packed with information! A clever crow and a sweet, gullible dog narrate this nonfiction graphic novel. As the crow coaxes the pup to help him scavenge food, the crow shares detailed information about crow intelligence, including the scientific experiments that demonstrate their flexible learning, the different but not inferior organization of bird brains, the organization of crow families, communication, tool use, and much more. Humor keeps the pages turning, while numerous facts, diagrams, a glossary, and sources make this book an excellent resource for projects about crows. Ages 9-13. Compare it with the next title, a narrative nonfiction book, also about crows.
Kind of nonfiction: Nonfiction in a graphic novel format. I found it shelved with nonfiction at our local library. I’m not sure how it fits in with the 5 Kinds of Nonfiction, but it has a narrow focus on crow intelligence and utilizes fictional narrators. (My categorization using Melissa Stewart’s 5 Kinds of Nonfiction.)
New Caledonian crows make multiple kinds of tools! Come along as author Pamela S. Turner immerses us in the experience of probing the intelligence of New Caledonian crows. You’ll travel to the lush South Pacific New Caledonia islands, make observations, and set up experiments with crow scientist Gavin Hunt and graduate student/artist Guido De Filippo. You’ll be dazzled and humbled by the problem-solving and tool-making abilities of these birds. The narrative text with insightful analogies, intriguing sidebars, and a touch of humor is complemented by riveting photographs on every page. Ages 10-14.
Kind of nonfiction: Narrative nonfiction – immerses you in the experience of studying New Caledonian crows (My categorization using Melissa Stewart’s 5 Kinds of Nonfiction.)
Delve into the world of raptors! A falconer, his sidekick Cooper’s hawk, and a concerned squirrel narrate this nonfiction graphic novel all about birds of prey. It’s a comprehensive survey of diurnal raptors (no owls here), including their evolution, anatomy, physics of flight, communication, diet, migrations, threats they face, and more. The plethora of unusual facts, clear explanation of scientific concepts, and humor make this title shine. Ages 9-13.
Kind of nonfiction: Nonfiction in a graphic novel format. I’m not sure how it fits in with the 5 Kinds of Nonfiction. It’s a broad overview with fictional narrators. (My categorization using Melissa Stewart’s 5 Kinds of Nonfiction.)