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Unit Enrichment: Famous Trees
First graders are fascinated by trees. This unit focuses on some of the world’s most interesting trees, from the impressive redwood to the diminutive Japanese bonsai. Enhance this unit by taking a walk around your own backyard or neighborhood to look at trees. Bring your Trees, Leaves and Bark Take Along Guide. If you live near a nature center or park with impressive trees, go on a field trip. Collect interesting leaves from the ground, or make bark rubbings.
Suggested Book List
This book list contains links to bookshop.org, an outside site.
The Sequoia Lives On by Joanna Cooke
The Peace Tree From Hiroshima: The Little Bonsai With A Big Story by Sandra Moore
Champion: The Comeback Tale of the American Chestnut Tree by Sally M. Walker
The Great Kapok Tree: A Tale of the Amazon Rain Forest by Lynne Cherry
The Great Kapok Tree: An Instructional Guide for Literature by Brenda A. Van Dixhorn
Tell Me, Tree: All About Trees For Kids by Gail Gibbons
Outside Links
Craft time - this page is full of tree activities for kids: https://www.activityvillage.co.uk/tree-crafts
Redwoods by Jason Chin shows one boy’s awe at learning about the redwood trees in California. Did you know that the location of the tallest tree in the world is a secret? Learn about it: https://youtu.be/UErOeqyJxFo
Watch a video of The Great Kapok Tree book: https://youtu.be/gw0arFtHeVw
How old are the world’s oldest trees? Quite old. Learn about them: https://youtu.be/2Zf6LE0HcFo
Meet the world’s first female bonsai sensei: https://youtu.be/PEGevD5jd64
Look at beautiful twisting trees and learn about tree sculpture: https://youtu.be/9ta1Oq6nKVk
Visit the Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, D.C.: https://youtu.be/k68VdWyMGJM
Watch a story about the wise banyan tree: https://youtu.be/TjCIeIDpWIg
There are wooden statues of giants hidden among the trees in Copenhagen, Denmark: https://mindactivist.com/2019/06/18/guy-builds-giants-from-wood-and-hides-them-in-the-wilderness-for-people-to-find/?fbclid=IwAR2WL7dp6517dyq1ICKC-UcMuEHlhsZbv4FRCwLj4jer9FccP9Fsn0YsPZc
Unit Enrichment: Clean Water
In the developed world we tend to take clean, easily accessible water for granted. With this unit your first grader will learn where clean water comes from, why some people don’t have clean water, and what we can do to protect the water supply. We have included the Make Clean Water Water Purification Kit for hands-on learning. If possible, go on a field trip to visit a local reservoir or water treatment facility. Reservoirs are often in park-like settings, so your family could make a day of it.
Suggested Book List
This book list contains links to bookshop.org, an outside site.
A Drop Around The World by Barbara Shaw McKinney
One Well: The Story of Water on Earth by Rochelle Strauss
The Water Princess by Georgie Badiel
Outside Links
Learn how UNICEF helps kids in Rawanda get clean water (note- be sure to use this link because there is a similar-looking video that discusses adult content): https://youtu.be/isJNqosfX6w
How do we get the clean water that flows out of our taps? Learn with Water and You: The Water Treatment Process: https://youtu.be/tuYB8nMFx
How Do Sewer Systems Work? https://youtu.be/CoFuQZBPCKo
Flint, Michigan has been experiencing a man-made water crisis. Use discretion when viewing this video with your kids because there is discussion of kids experiencing brain damage, etc. : https://youtu.be/BAIXmt58iBU
Unit Enrichment: Pippo the Fool
Filippo Brunelleschi (nicknamed Pippo) was called a fool, but he built an architectural wonder, the dome of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence, Italy. Learn more about Pippo with these videos:
Suggested Book
This book list contains links to bookshop.org, an outside site.
Pippo the Fool by Tracey E. Fern
Outside Links
Watch a National Geographic cartoon about Pippo: https://youtu.be/_IOPlGPQPuM
Watch a TED talk about Pippo (Note to parents - includes an image of a 600 year old carving by Brunelleschi of Jesus naked): https://youtu.be/ITfG2vospO8