The Forest of S.T. Shrew — Additional Resources
Books
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Chin, Jason. Redwoods. Roaring Brook Press. 2009. After finding a book about redwoods, a young boy goes on an imaginary journey from roots to canopy learning about the wondrous tree. Grades 1–4. ISBN: 978-1596434301. |
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Fredericks, Anthony D. Around One Log: Chipmunks, Spiders, and Creepy Insiders. Dawn Publications. 2011. Years after a great oak tree tumbled to the ground, a whole community of animals made it their home. This lighthearted book offers a marvelous insight into a unique and easily-accessible community of forest animals. Grades K-4. ISBN: 978-1584691372.
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Fredericks, Anthony D. Under One Rock: Bugs, Slugs, and Other Ughs. Dawn Publications. 2001. Learn about a whole community of insects and other creatures call a big old rock home. Grades K-4. ISBN: 978-1584690276 |
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Jenkins, Steve. The Beetle Book. Houghton Mifflin Books. 2012. Interesting illustrations bring the beetles in this field guide to life. Grades K–4. ISBN: 978-0547680842. |
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Nat Geo Wild Animal Atlas: Earth’s Astonishing Animals and Where They Live. National Geographic. 2010. (Grades K–5). This large-format atlas of animals is arranged by continent and then by habitat (biome). It includes photos, maps and graphics, and facts about each animal. ISBN: 978-1426306990. |
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Nguyen, Nam. Micro Monsters – Extreme Encounters with Invisible Armies. Kingfisher. 2010. The photographs in this book zoom in on tiny insects and nearly invisible creatures to illustrate how they survive and thrive. Grades 2–6. ISBN: 978-0753464557. |
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Siwanowicz, Igor. Animals Up Close. DK Publishing. 2009. The photos and information in this book explore some tiny animals and how they survive in their microhabitats. Grades 4-6. ISBN: 978-0756645137.. |
Other Resources
Color the World!
Coloringnature.org offers more than 500 realistically illustrated coloring pages that can be downloaded and printed for use in preK-8 classrooms. Choose from categories such as amphibians, reptiles, mammals, birds, insects, animal homes, biomes and habitats, and trees. Consider pairing the pages with PLT activities as diagrams, models, or assessment tools.
NACD’s Soil Education Resources
The National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) has created multiple online resources to help teach about the complexity of soil and what it means to all of us. Check out the Dig Deeper Poster for a quick reference or dig in deeper with educational tools to accompany NACD’s Annual Poster Contest.
Forest Photos
Use PLT’s collection of S.T. Shrew Forest Photos to spark an exploration of additional organisms living in S.T. Shrew’s forest.
Paper Plate Habitat
Florida PLT has created a Paper Plate Habitat template to be used in conjunction with the exploration of microhabitats. This document contains a list of materials, instructions, and images necessary for students to create their own habitats and to begin exploring the life and interrelationships found within.
Soil Explorers
The Bureau of Land Management’s Science and Technology Center hosts a Just for Kids: Soil Biological Communities. Students can learn about the importance of soil, soil food webs, soil facts, and more. A brief assessment is also included to test soil knowledge.
S.T. Shrew Reading and Writing Exercises
Developed by Florida PLT, Teacher’s Guide to Third and Fourth Grade Reading and Writing Exercises for In the Forest of S.T. Shrew includes activities for enhancing reading and writing based on S.T. Shrew’s story.
Unlock the Secrets in the Soil
Check out the Newspaper/Magazine Infographics from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resource Conservation Service! These royalty-free infographics colorfully illustrate what soil is made of and what it does.
