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NOTE TO EDUCATORS Extension Activities for Educators also
available.
TIME TO READ!
BEFORE WE READ, LETS LOOK AT...
The Cover: By looking at the cover, what can you predict about
the genre of
this book? Is it fiction or non-fiction? What kind of animal is
on the cover?
The Pictures: Each page of this book contains non-fiction text
features. Show students how the author uses a table of contents,
photographs, types of print, inserts, an index, and a glossary to
help us learn about animals and their habitats. Flip through the
pages and point out the different text features.
Prior Knowledge: What are text features and how do we use them?
(See Non-Fiction Text Features handout in Extension
Activities.)
Vocabulary: The vocabulary will vary from page to page.
Purpose for Reading: To identify text features in a non- fiction
book and use them as we learn about animals and their habitats.
WHILE WE READ
MONITORING COMPREHENSION
For each page, ask what animal is featured.
What new facts does this page tell you about the animal?
Which text features is the author using on this page?
Does the photograph help you learn about the animal?
LETS THINK ABOUT
Our Purpose: How did the text features in the book help you
understand what we read today?
Extending Our Thinking: Ask these open-ended questions: How are
non-fiction and fiction books alike? How are they different? Which
kind of book do you like better? Were there any animals in the book
youd never seen before? Why do you think the author included
them?
A RIF GUIDE FOR EDUCATORS
Themes: Animals, Habitats
Grade Level: K to 2nd grade
Book Brief: A fun, informative book with colorful pictures and
interesting facts about a variety of animals.
Author: Catherine D. Hughes
Content Connections:Science, Geography, Math
Little Kids First Big Book of AnimalsNATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC
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A RIF GUIDE FOR PARENTS AND FAMILIES
Themes: Animals, Habitats Grade Level: K to 2nd grade Book
Brief: A fun, informative book with colorful pictures and
interesting facts about a variety of animals.
Author: Catherine D. Hughes
TIME TO READ!
RELATED ACTIVITIES
ON THE HUNT Materials: cotton balls, perfume or scented oil
Many animals, like the lion, use their sense of smell to find
prey. Spray perfume on several cotton balls. Hide them around the
room within your childs reach. Have your child pretend to be a lion
and use smell to find the prey. Is this easier or harder than the
ways humans find food?
EDIBLE OCEANSIngredients: blue gelatin, water, fruit snacks or
canned fruit, clear cups, whipped topping
Help your child mix gelatin according to package directions.
Fill each cup 1/2 full of mixture. Place fruit snacks in the cup.
Fill the rest of the way with
mixture. Let set in refrigerator. Top with whipped topping and
enjoy! While you eat, explain that real sea foam (the whipped
topping) is made of dissolved organic matter, like algae and
plankton.
HABITATS AT HOMEWhat animal habitats can you find near your
home? Perhaps a spider has built its home where you can see its
web, or a bird has nested in a nearby tree. Go on a habitat hunt
and list the animals or animal homes you find. Be careful to only
observe and not disturb any homes!
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
OTHER BOOKS BY NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC National Geographic Little
Kids First Big Book of Space, Catherine D. Hughes (2012), National
Geographic Little Kids First Big Book of Why, Amy Shields (2011),
Nat Geo Wild Animal Atlas: Earths Astonishing Animals and Where
They Live (2002).
Before reading, make predictions: What animals do you think will
be in this book? What animal is on the cover?
While reading, make connections: Have you seen this animal
before? Where?
After reading, ask questions:
Could any of the animals in the book make a good pet?
Would it be able to live in the same habitat you live in?
Could you feed it?
Little Kids First Big Book of AnimalsNATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC
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SCIENCE, COMMUNICATIONFRIENDS OF THE FORESTMaterials: pictures
of forest animals, tape
Let students find out which friend of the forest they represent!
Tape a picture of a different forest animal on each students back
(without letting that student see). Each student must ask yes or no
questions to figure out the type of animal. Encourage students to
take notes if needed to help organize the information they gather.
(This can be performed as a whole group, small group, or partner
activity.)
TECHNOLOGY, SCIENCE OCEANS OF SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES
Compare the marine animals from the text with animals from popular
kids movies, like Finding Nemo, Dolphin Tales, etc. How are the
animals in the movies like those in the book? How are they
different? Make a comparison chart on the board.
Expand student background knowledge about octopuses by watching:
video.nationalgeographic.com/video/kids/animals-pets-kids/wild-detectives
-kids/wd-ep1-octopus
ENGINEERING, SCIENCE, MATH DESERT ANIMAL DESIGN
CHALLENGEMaterials: scrap materials (paper, bits of cloth, paper
towel tubes, brads, paper clips, etc.), scissors, glue
Put students in small groups. Have each group choose a desert
animal.
Challenge: Build a model of the animal. Make sure that your
animal can be identified by distinguishing characteristics. Make
sure a part of it can move. Draw or make a desert habitat for your
animal.
RIF EXTENSION ACTIVITIES FOR EDUCATORS
ART, SCIENCE POLAR PAINTINGMaterials: small paper cups, water,
craft stick, foil, powered tempera paint, paper plates
Pre-activity preparation: Fill cups with about 1.5 of water.
Cover with foil; poke a craft stick through the foil like a
popsicle stick. Freeze overnight.
Activity: Give each student a plate with 2 different colors of
powdered paint. Have students peel their cups from around their ice
bergs. Have them paint by moving the ice berg around the paper
plate with the craft stick. Observe whats happen-ing to the ice.
What colors are being made? How long does it take for the ice to
melt?
MATH, TECHNOLOGY, SCIENCE AFRICAN GRASSLAND ATHLETESThe
grasslands in Africa are home to many speedy animals. Pick 3 and
put them in an imaginary race! Use the text and other resources to
find their average speeds to see who would win. Who would come in
2nd and 3rd? Show your findings with a poster, model, short story,
or comic strip.
WRITING, VOCABULARY NON-FICTION THINK-TAC-TOE(For older or
advanced students.) Give the kids a little challenge and choice
with the attached think-tac-toe activity sheet. Each column of
activities includes tiered choices for student differentiation. You
decide how many squares students complete!
STEAM-THEMED: SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, ART, MATH
Little Kids First Big Book of AnimalsNATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC
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ACTIVITY OPTIONS Individual students can choose an activity to
complete.
Student pairs or cooperative groups can work together on a
choice of their own.
Educator can assign an activity for an individual, pairs, or
groups.
WHO KNEW?From the book, choose 4 words that are new to you.
Divide your paper into 4 squares. In each square, write the word,
its definition, how you would define it, and a sentence using it.
You may also want to draw a picture to help you remember.
NO MORE CAPTIONSPublishers have decided that it costs too much
to print captions! Write a persuasive letter to book publishers
telling them why captions are important. Be sure to give reasons or
examples to support your argument!
INDEX IT!Create an index page for a topic that interests you. If
you wrote a book on that topic, what main ideas would you include?
(If I picked ice cream as my topic, my index might include: cones,
flavors, history, toppings.) Think of at least 15 words for your
indexremember to put them in alphabetical order!
FIND IT AND FOLD IT!Choose 4 words from the book. Fold your
paper in half hot dog style. Use scissors to cut 3 slits on one
side so you have 4 flaps. Write each word on the outside of a flap.
Under the flap, write the words definition and a sentence. Draw a
picture of each word on the back of the paper.
PERSUADE A PEERWe have a new student who is having trouble
picking out non-fiction books to read. Write a letter to that
student explaining how to use the title, cover, and table of
contents to tell what a book will be about.
IF YOU KNOW IT, BE A POET!
Pick a text feature from the book. Write an acrostic poem to
describe that feature and how it helps you understand what you
read.
Example: Make sense Arrange things Put things in context Show me
where I am
CUBE TOSSChoose 6 words from the glossary to write on a blank
cube. (Cube pattern: www.mathisfun.com/geometry/cube-model.html.)
With a partner, take turns rolling the cube. For each word you
roll: say it, define it, and use it in a sentence.
ORGANIZE YOUR FINDINGS
Make 3 columns on your paper. Fill in each with the
followinginformation from the book:
Column 1: 3 subjects you want to learn more about. Column 2: The
page #s where you can find the information. Column 3: Something you
learned about each subject.
COMPARE IT!Use a Venn Diagram to compare the table of contents
to the index of a non-fiction text. Which topics are in the index
only, which are in the table of contents, and which are in
both?
NON-FICTION THINK-TAC-TOE
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TIME TO READ!
Before reading: This is a great book for children to explore
different animals and their habitats. You may want to choose one
habitat at a time and read only about the animals in that
section.
RELATED ACTIVITIES
GRASSLAND GROWTH (AGES 5-9)Materials: plastic cups, soil, grass
seed, paint, brush, paper, scissors
Plant some grass seed in a clear cup of soil and water lightly.
Once the grass sprouts, cut it to about 1 tall. Using a paint
brush, gently brush the blade tips with paint. Observehow the grass
grows. Does it grow from the top or the bottom? Why would this be
helpful for the animals in the grasslands habitat? Make some small
animal drawings, cut them out, and hide them in your grass.
OCEAN MURALS (AGES 5-9)Materials: bulletin board paper, crayons,
blue paint, water, paint brushes
Let children show their creative sides by drawing their favorite
ocean animals in crayon on the large
paper. Dilute blue paint with water and use paint brushes to
paint the entire paper. The paint wont stick to the wax in the
crayons, so the ocean animals will pop!
DEADLY IN THE DESERT (AGES 5-9)Materials: construction paper
strips (red, black, yellow), glue sticks
The desert coral snake is a venomous snake often confused with
the harmless king snake. Teach children this rhyme to remember
which snake is dangerous: red touch yellow, kill a fellow; red
touch black, venom it lacks. Have children use paper strips to make
a paper chain coral snake. Begin with black and alternate with a
yellow, red, yellow, black pattern. Once completed, add eyes and
mouth to one end.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
OTHER BOOKS BY NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC National Geographic Little
Kids First Big Book of Space, Catherine D. Hughes (2012), National
Geographic Little Kids First Big Book of Why, Amy Shields (2011),
Nat Geo Wild Animal Atlas: Earths Astonishing Animals and Where
They Live (2002).
TECHNOLOGY LINK FOR KIDSwww.rif.org.kids
A RIF GUIDE FOR COMMUNITY COORDINATORS
Themes: Animals, Habitats Grade Level: K to 2nd grade Book
Brief: A fun, informative book with colorful pictures and
interesting facts about a variety of animals.
Author: Catherine D. Hughes
Little Kids First Big Book of AnimalsNATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC
National-Geographic-Little-Kids-First-Big-Book-of-Animals_A-RIF-Guide-for-EducatorsNational-Geographic-Little-Kids-First-Big-Book-of-Animals_A-RIF-Guide-for-Parents-and-FamiliesNational-Geographic-Little-Kids-First-Big-Book-of-Animals_RIF-Extension-Activities-for-EducatorsNattional-Geographic-Little-Kids-Big-Book-of-Animals_A-RIF-Guide-for-Community-Coordinators