7/12/206: Outdoor Summertime Fun!

It is summertime, have you been taking advantage of the warm weather with your summer school students?  Summer is a great time to get outside and explore the natural world as part of your science curriculum.  A great complement to this is my set of “Nature & Science Topics – Leveled Books: First Grade Levels F/G”

You may find bees and ladybugs outside with your students, these are a few of the nature and science topics that your students will read about in this collection of first grade leveled books for levels F and G.

The books are grouped into various collections. This collection includes 6 first grade level F and G books on Nature & Science topics – Level F: A Beehive; The Doctor Visit; Basic Organisms; and The Air You Breathe; Level G: A is for Animal; and Ladybugs.  

User Therese LePage commented  "I love using these books for guided reading and for tutoring! I am always looking for good non-fiction (especially leveled) to use with students and these are a good option. "   Thanks Therese, hopefully other users out there will love them too!

2/23/2015:Orville and Wilbur Wright - Free Spirits

I wrote recently about some of my original books on inventors.  If you are looking for other inventor options, check out my original reader Orville and Wilbur Wright - Free Spirits.  

In this Level T reader your students will learn facts about Orville and Wilbur Wright, who were early pioneers of flight, and their invention of a flying machine.

This is a great resource to combine social studies and language arts.  The book comes with 5 companion worksheets which reinforce literacy skills involving reading, language, spelling, and writing. Specific concepts, skills, and vocabulary targeted in this 5th grade Level T reader are listed on the first page of the story.

This story is one of the books in the collection of Level T - Set 2 readers. The ten books in that collection are:

- Alternative Energy Sources – Wind, Solar, Geothermal, and Hydroelectric Power;

- John Deere – An Improved Plow;

- Founding of St. Augustine, 1565;

- Orville and Wilbur Wright – Free Spirits;

- Fun with Words – Simile, Metaphor, and Onomatopoeia;

- The Greatness of the Plains;

- Causes and Effects of the French and Indian War;

- Sedimentary Rock, Fossils, and Fossil Fuels;

- The Manifest Destiny;

- Metric Conversions.

Find these books, and more, at my Teachers Pay Teachers store!

2/16/2016: February is a fabulous time to study inventors!

Do your kids enjoy tinkering and expressing their creativity?

February is a particularly great time to bring inventors into your lessons to inspire your students to explore their own innovative ideas for inventions.  It is the birth month of many famous inventors, and famous African-American inventors are also fun to study as part of Black History Month.  For example, my first-grade level F reader Garrett Morgan: Inventor, will describe to your students the important inventions this great African-American inventor made, including the traffic signal light. This is one of the books contained in the collection of leveled readers entitled "Famous African-Americans in U.S. History, Leveled Books for Grades 1 – 3."

February 11th is the birthday of birthday of Thomas Edison.  My first grade level E reader “Thomas Edison: Inventor” will teach your students interesting facts while they will build their vocabulary and improve their reading comprehension.  Benjamin Franklin recently had a birthday, on January 17th.   In Benjamin Franklin, my first-grade Level G reader, students will learn about this famous American  statesman, writer, printer, scientist, and inventor.

Combining reading and social studies activities, this first-grade Level F reader provides interesting facts about Alexander Graham Bell- Inventor of the Telephone. Your students will build their vocabulary and improve their reading comprehension as they read the story, answer questions, and have fun with the criss cross puzzle.  My second grade leveled reader "Robert Fulton - Steamboat Inventor" provides a brief history of Robert Fulton's life and his love for invention. Steamboats, a submarine, and canal systems were some of the projects he worked on during his lifetime. I hope that you enjoy exploring inventions and inspiring creativity in your own classroom.

12/2/2015: Happy (almost) Birthday to Louis Pasteur!

It is already the middle of December, and the birthday the great French chemist and biologist Louis Pasteur is approaching!  Pasteur was born on December 27th, 1822, in France.   His important contributions to science include proving the germ theory of disease, inventing the process of pasteurisation, and producing the first rabies vaccine.  Pasteurization is used to allow us to keep milk longer, to celebrate Pasteur and science try out this fun color changing milk experiment with your class!

If you looking for a way to combine science, history, reading, and writing activities, my

consider checking out on my book “Louis Pasteur - Exploring Pasteurization and Vaccines” on my Teachers Pay Teachers Site

This third grade Level N reader is a three-page story about some of his greatest discoveries,  accompanied by five pages of worksheets which reinforce literacy skills involving reading, language, spelling, and writing.

Please visit my Pintrest page http://www.pinterest.com/havenhillread/ for more ideas on getting students excited for science!  

10/23/15: Happy (almost) Birthday Jonas Salk!

Happy Birthday to Jonas Salk!  Jonas Salk, the important American scientist who developed the first successful vaccine for polio was born in New York City October 28, 1914. To learn more about this great scientist, my reader Jonas Salk - Famous Medical Researcher is perfect for combining science, history, reading, and writing activities! This third grade Level N reader is an informative text that explores Jonas Salk's discovery of the first vaccine for polio, which saved millions from getting this terrible disease.

Please visit my Pintrest page http://www.pinterest.com/havenhillread/ for more ideas on getting students excited for science!  

9/16/2015: Prepare for National Fossil Day on October 14th, 2015!

Are you ready to celebrate National Fossil Day on October 14th, 2015?  National Fossil Day was begun in 2010 by the National Parks Service to raise awareness of paleontology.  Today, National Fossil Day continues to be organized by the National Park Service as a celebration “to promote public awareness and stewardship of fossils, as well as to foster a greater appreciation of their scientific and educational values.”  The National Fossil Day website has a number of great resources, including a kid’s site and information on their annual National Fossil Day Art and Photography Contest.  

Fossils can be a fun  way to engage your students with science.  My Fourth Grade Leveled Books: Level Q - Set 2 consists of 7 books, including “Fossils and Paleontologists”  Each book comes with accompanying worksheets which reinforce literacy skills involving reading, language, spelling, and writing. Specific concepts, skills, and vocabulary targeted in each book are listed on the first page of each story.

7/20/2015: Moon Day

On July 20, 1969, the first humans, Americans Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, landed on the moon as part of the Apollo 11 space mission.  July 20 is now celebrated as “Moon Day” in honor of this historic event.  

My Fifth Grade Leveled Books: Level U - Set 1 includes a Neil Armstrong biography.  These leveled books cover all CCSS.ELA – Literacy Standards: Key Ideas and Details, Craft and Structure, Integration of Knowledge and Ideas and Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity (RI.5.1 – 5.10).

Kids (and many adults) are fascinated by astronauts and outer space.  My third grade Level N reader Our Planets is a great way to harness this enthusiasm for space, and combine facts about the planets in our solar system with reading, and writing activities in your classroom

The book comes with five accompanying worksheets which reinforce literacy skills involving reading, language, spelling, and writing.

6/22/2015: Interesting Inventors

June is a wonderful time to study inventors with your class!  On June 10, 1752 Benjamin Franklin famously flew a kite during a thunderstorm.  When his kite was struck by lightning he collected the charge in a Leyden jar (a vessel for storing static electricity between two electrodes)  This allowed Franklin to demonstrate electricity in lightning.

In Benjamin Franklin, my first-grade Level G reader, students will learn about this famous American  statesman, writer, printer, scientist, and inventor.

My other original books on inventors include my first-grade level F reader Garrett Morgan: Inventor, Alexander Graham Bell- Inventor of the Telephone, and Robert Fulton - Steamboat Inventor.  

4/16/2015: Almost to Earth Day and San Jacinto Day!

April has been flying by, and we are now just days away from Earth Day and San Jacinto Day!  

My original reader Do Your Part to Save The Earth is a great addition to your lesson plan for Earth Day, or when your class is studying recycling and conserving resources! This third-grade level N reader combines reading activities and science concepts.

The battle that would decide the outcome of the Texas Revolution, The Battle of San Jacinto, was fought on April 21, 1836.  The Texans were led to victory by General Sam Houston against a Mexican army led by Santa Anna.  Santa Anna would soon sign a peace treaty that required the Mexican army to leave the land that would become the Republic of Texas, later the US state of Texas.    

Your class can learn more about this holiday and its history in my original 1st grade Level G reader San Jacinto Day

The San Jacinto Monument in Houston commemorates this battle.  It is the world's tallest monumental column and tallest war memorial.  My original 4th grade Level R reader “The San Jacinto Monument” will tell your class more interesting facts about this monument and the early history of Texas.

3/17/2015: Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Happy St. Patrick's Day from Haven Hill Learning!

My original reader Shamrocks for St. Patrick's Day is a fun, informative book for St. Patrick's Day or a social studies unit on Ireland or holidays.

Also, your class can "go green" with my original reader Do Your Part to Save the Earth, a wonderful way to talk with your class about the important ways people can adapt their habits to help protect wildlife. It is accompanied by six pages of worksheets which reinforce literacy skills involving reading, language, spelling, and writing as well as science concepts. Your class can explore more science topics while building their reading skills in some of my other original readers, including the Leveled Book Series Nature & Science Topics – Leveled Books: Kindergarten Levels A/B, Nature & Science Topics – Leveled Books: First Grade Levels F/G and Nature & Science Topics – Leveled Books: First Grade Levels H/I.

10/28/2014: Happy 100th Birthday Jonas Salk!

Happy Birthday to Jonas Salk!  Today’s Google doodle honors the 100th birthday of Salk, the important American scientist who developed the first successful vaccine for polio.   Jonas Salk was born in New York City in 1914. To learn more about this great scientist, my reader Jonas Salk - Famous Medical Researcher is perfect for combining science, history, reading, and writing activities! This third grade Level N reader is an informative text that explores Jonas Salk's discovery of the first vaccine for polio, which saved millions from getting the dreaded disease.

The birthday the great French chemist and biologist Louis Pasteur is approaching in December.  Pasteur was born on December 27th, 1822, in France.   His important contributions to science include proving the germ theory of disease, inventing the process of pasteurisation, and producing the first rabies vaccine.  Pasteurization is used to allow us to keep milk longer, try out this fun plastic milk experiment with your class to celebrate Pasteur and science.

If you looking for a way to combine science, history, reading, and writing activities, my

consider checking out on my book “Louis Pasteur - Exploring Pasteurization and Vaccines” on my Teachers Pay Teachers Site

This third grade Level N reader is a three-page story about some of his greatest discoveries,  accompanied by five pages of worksheets which reinforce literacy skills involving reading, language, spelling, and writing.

Please visit my Pintrest page http://www.pinterest.com/havenhillread/ for more ideas on getting students excited for science!  

10/19/2014: The Star Spangled Banner First Sung, and the First Electric Light Bulb Demonstrated

October 19th is a very significant date in American history. On this day in 1814, our national anthem, the Star-Spangled Banner by Francis Scott Key was first sung.  

During the War of 1812, on September 13–14, 1814 Francis Scott Key watched Fort McHenry being bombed by the British forces in the Battle of Baltimore.  In the morning, Key could see that the American flag was still flown over Fort McHenry, showing that the Americans had not lost possession of it. The inspired Key’s to write a poem, which became “The Star-Spangled Banner”  

Learn more about Francis Scott Key with your class with my book  Francis Scott Key and The Star-Spangled Banner: First Grade - Level I Reader.  

This first grade Level I reader gives students the interesting background of the United States national anthem "The Star-Spangled Banner".   Francis Scott Key and the American Flag are also featured in my First Grade Level I – Set 2 book set.  

Also on this date in 1879, Thomas Edison demonstrated the first electric light bulb.

My first grade level E reader “Thomas Edison: Inventor” will teach your students interesting facts while they will build their vocabulary and improve their reading comprehension.

10/15/2014: Happy National Fossil Day!

Happy National Fossil Day!

National Fossil Day was begun in 2010 by the U.S. National Parks Service to raise awareness of paleontology.  Visit National Geographic’s website to see some amazing fossil pictures!

Fossils can be a fun  way to engage your students with science.  My Fourth Grade Leveled Books: Level Q - Set 2 consists of 7 books, including “Fossils and Paleontologists”  Each book comes with accompanying worksheets which reinforce literacy skills involving reading, language, spelling, and writing. Specific concepts, skills, and vocabulary targeted in each book are listed on the first page of each story.

10/6/14: Today in History- Thomas Edison Screens his First Motion Picture

On October 6, 1889, Thomas Edison first projected a motion picture in his laboratory.  He received a patent for the "kinetograph"  He would eventually start his own production company “Edison Studios.”

My first-grade Level E reader “Thomas Edison - Inventor” will teach your students interesting facts about the great inventor Thomas Edison. They will build their vocabulary and improve their reading comprehension as they read the story and answer questions and have fun with the word search.   

8/3/2014 Hooray for LEGOS, Girls, and STEM!

 In January, seven-year-old Charlotte wrote a letter to LEGO criticizing their lack of interesting females figures:

"All the girls did was sit at home, go to the beach, and shop, and they had no jobs, but the boys went on adventures, worked, saved people, and had jobs, even swam with sharks.”

This June, LEGO announced a new set, the Research Institute which features women in various STEM jobs: a paleontologist, a chemist, and an astronomer, which is now officially available.  This set was submitted to LEGO by geoscientist Ellen Kooijman as a part of the LEGO Ideas series. “The motto of these Scientists is clear: explore the world and beyond! The Astronomer discovers new stars and planets with the telescope, the Paleontologist studies the origin of the dinosaurs and the Chemist does experiments in the laboratory.”

Study more accomplished women with your class at any time of year with my leveled book set Famous Women in History: Leveled Books for Grades 2 - 4. This collection of leveled readers for second through fourth grade features stories about eight women and their contributions to history.

Encourage an interest in STEM subjects in ALL of your students, boys and girls, with my Nature & Science books, including Leveled Book set Kindergarten Levels A/B, Louis Pasteur - Exploring Pasteurization and Vaccines, and The Legend of the Unicorn: The Narwhal, and my original play, Trees – A Joy Forever.  My second-grade level L reader reader Cubes - Alike or Different is a great option to combine reading, language, and math skills.  

5/27/2014 Happy Birthday Rachel Carson!

Happy Birthday Rachel Carson!

Environmental activist, marine biologist, and author Rachel Carson was born on May 27, 1907 in Springfield, PA.  She is best known as the author of Silent Spring. This 1962 book brought public attention to the the harmful impact of pesticides on the environment.  Rachel Carson’s work had an important impact on the American environmental movement, which led to the creation of the United States Environmental Protection Agency.  Carson was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Jimmy Carter in 1980.  

My original reader Do Your Part to Save The Earth is a great addition to your lesson plan this week, or whenever your class is studying recycling and conserving resources! This third-grade level N reader combines reading activities and science concepts.Another great educational resource for Arbor Day is my original play, Trees – A Joy Forever! The play is written for 2nd - 5th grades and has 11 parts. The play focuses on J. Sterling Morton, the founder of Arbor Day. The play tells the history of Morton’s contribution to establishing Arbor Day as a national holiday through the eyes of the statue (J. Sterling Morton). The statue comes alive when two children walk through Arbor Lodge Historical Park in Nebraska.  This is an original play written for use as readers’ theater, as a part of balanced literacy (Read-Aloud, Shared and Performance Reading or Guided Reading), or for an actual play production.   My Nature & Science books, including Leveled Book set Kindergarten Levels A/B, Louis Pasteur - Exploring Pasteurization and Vaccines, and The Legend of the Unicorn: The Narwhal.

5/15/2014 Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin

Do your students love exploring science and nature?

A recent Google doodle honored the birthday of biochemist Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin.  Hodgkin is famous for her important achievements in protein crystallography, for which she won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1964.  Before her remarkable accomplishments as an adult, Hodgkin was a curious girl who loved exploring the natural world in England, the Middle East, and Northern Africa.  

Dorothy Mary Crowfoot was born May 12, 1910 in Cairo, Egypt, to English parents.  Her mother Grace Mary Crowfoot (Hood) was an archaeologist and scholar of ancient textiles, and her father John Winter Crowfoot was an archaeologist and classical scholar.  Dorothy was the oldest of her parents four daughters.  Her mother encouraged Dorothy’s curiosity and interest in science as a girl.  According to the Chemical Heritage Foundation, as a child “She enjoyed using a portable mineral analysis kit to analyze pebbles that she and her sister found in the stream running through the family garden in Khartoum, Sudan.”

When she was only 24, Hodgkin was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis.  This disease would eventually lead to crippling deformities in her hands and feet but she continued to remain active as a scientist and peace activist.  She improved the techniques of X-Ray crystallography, and used X-rays to determine the structures of important biomolecules, including penicillin, vitamin B12, and insulin.

My Nature & Science books, including Leveled Book set Kindergarten Levels A/B, Louis Pasteur - Exploring Pasteurization and Vaccines, and The Legend of the Unicorn: The Narwhal.