Author: Mayra Correa

The Water Cycle

Grade: 2nd

Content: Science

TEKS: 112.13(b)(8)(C)

(8) Earth and space. The student knows that there are recognizable patterns in the natural world and among objects in the sky. The student is expected to:
(C) explore the processes in the water cycle, including evaporation, condensation, and precipitation, as connected to weather conditions.

The Magic School Bus: Wet All Over

Summary:

Ms. Frizzle’s class is learning all about water. When Wanda suggests they take a tip to Waterland, Ms. Frizzle gets a funny look in her eyes. Instead of taking her class to the water theme park, she takes them on a seriously wet and wild ride—through the water cycle! Join the class as they evaporate, condense, rain, and make their way back to the ocean…only to evaporate all over again!

The Magic School Bus does a good job of depicting the water cycle in a simple and relatable way that young children can understand. The voices, colors, and synopsis of The Magic School Bus episodes help keep students engaged, are entertaining, and make learning fun. The distortion of the bodies during the stages of evaporation and condensation are amusing and allow children to better understand exactly what happens to water as it moves through the cycle in relation to weather conditions. At the end of the episode, some clarifications are even made and students are encouraged to conserve our precious resource.

Instructional Strategy:

  • When finished watching the video, ask students to recall the three steps of the water cycle and describe them.
  • Show students pictures of boiling water, rain, snow.
    • Graphics for the sun, water, clouds,
    • Glass filled with cold liquid
    • How do these pictures demonstrate what was just discussed about the water cycle?
      • Use appropriate water cycle vocabulary
  • Demonstration of the water cycle
    • You can either build a class demonstration of the water cycle like the one below so students get to see “first hand” what the stages of the water cycle are

    • or have each student create their own water cycle using a plastic baggie.

Supportive Text:

Interactive diagram

http://earthguide.ucsd.edu/earthguide/diagrams/watercycle/
  • Show students the Water Cycle Diagram
    • Review each of the three parts the diagram provides (where it exists, changing form, how it moves).
    • Go through each part of the diagram and use pointer to show students exactly what you are referring to.

 

Nikki Giovanni

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Nikki Giovanni is a world-renowned poet, writer, commentator, activist, and educator. Over the past thirty years, her outspokenness, in her writing and in lectures, has brought the eyes of the world upon her. One of the most widely-read American poets, she prides herself on being “a Black American, a daughter, a mother, a professor of English.” Giovanni’s honors and awards have been steady and plentiful throughout her career. The author of some 30 books for both adults and children, and the recipient of some twenty-five honorary degrees, has led her to become a “National Treasure.” Always insisting on presenting the truth as she sees it, Nikki Giovanni has maintained a prominent place as a strong voice of the Black community. Her books can be used in Language Arts, Social Studies and to promote cultural awareness. Giovanni’s focus is on the individual, specifically, on the power one has to make a difference in oneself, and thus, in the lives of others.

Boxes for Katje

Author: Candace Fleming

Illustrator: Stacey Dressen-McQueen

Published: 2003

Boxes for Katje is a striking picture book inspired by the true experiences of the author’s mother which shows that simple seeds of friendship and hope van grow into something extraordinary. The book begins when Katje—a young girl in Holland—receives a mysterious box from America. The contents of the box and the letter attached to it immediately set of an exchange that will change the girls’ and the townspeople’s lives forever. This engaging story of post-WWII Holland serves as a strong lesson in generosity which illustrates the idea that sometimes all it takes is one person to bring about changes (TEKS Connections: 2.13 (D) and 5.5 (A)). Boxes for Katje is a story of encouragement, kindness, long distance friendship and freely giving to one another.

 

Here is a snippet of Boxes for Katje:

“After the war, there was little left in the tiny Dutch town of Olst. The townspeople lived o cabbages and seed potatoes. They patched and repatched their worn-thin clothing, and they went without soap or milk, sugar or new shoes.

One spring morning, when the tulips bloomed thick and bright, Postman Kleinhoonte pedaled his bicycle down the cobbled street.

‘Oh ho!’ he whooped. ‘I have a box for Katje—a box from America!’

‘America?’ exclaimed Katje. ‘Who would send me a box from America?’

‘The Children’s Aid Society,’ replied the postman. ‘Children in America are collecting and mailing many hard-to-find items to the children of Holland. You, young miss, were lucky to get one.’

Katje took the box. She rubbed her finger across the block letters that spelled ‘U.S.A.’

‘The land of the plenty,’ she whispered.

Katje’s mama came to stand beside her. ‘Open it,’ she urged.”

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I chose Boxes for Katje because the book contains both a historic side and a side which speaks to friendship and good citizenship. Although the book touches upon a tragic time for the Dutch townspeople, the events are portrayed for small children to read about in a very delicate way. The illustrations in the book pack lots of detail, color and pattern into every page which craft a very credible world of cobblestone streets, vintage clothing and lively characters. I really liked that the layout of the book allows the reader to experience the exchange of letters between Katje and Rosie, and that the reader can become a third person in the interchange of boxes and letters. I think this book can reach out to both young and older children depending on which side of the story the reader decides to focus on: post-WWII or good citizenship and kindness. Overall, I chose Boxes for Katje because it’s an engaging story which transports readers to a different setting, and it serves an amazing lesson of generosity.