The Sea: Picture Book Month Day 16

Picture Book Month Day 16 theme: Sea

Find out more about Picture Book Month here

Download the daily themed Picture Book Month Calendar. 

Become a Picture Book Ambassador or Blogger  

Take a PEEK inside Down, Down, Down

“More humans have walked on the moon than have visited the deepest spot in the sea.” pg.1
This beautifully detailed picture book begins with a view from outer space looking down on our blue planet home and allowing us to imagine ourselves as part of a deep sea diving team traveling down through the deepest depths of an ocean world. Readers are introduced to three zones of the western Pacific Ocean and the life that lives within them. With every page turn, the background colors deepen to darker colors just as light struggles to reach the deeper depths of each zone. The deeper the depths, the more beautifully terrifying creatures lurk within a world hidden from human eyes. (ms. Murphy)

Visit the creator of Down, Down, Down -Steve Jenkins

author & Illustrator Steve Jenkins biography

WATCH ME! 
Creatures from the Deep-watch videos of the amazing creatures from the deep.
Click on the links shown below.

Watch us! Ocean Fairies- A close up view of the beautiful, delicate and fairy-like zoo-plankton that lives in the ocean.
(a 2.50 minute video)

Zooplankton that live in the depths of the ocean. 
















Watch me! Mola Mola video-the world's largest bony fish (1:11 minute video) 






Trivia questions:
When measured in feet, what is the depth of the “Challenger Deep”?

What is the constant temperature of the “Challenger Deep”?

What is mola mola?
a.) An ocean sunfish
b.) A diet of jellyfish and plankton
c.) A seabird
d.) Mushy plant life

What are the names of the three zones?

What is the Abyssal Plain made up of?


Literature connections-activities, books, kid friendly web sites:

Ocean animals printables
Origami sea creatures activities
Origami Angel Fish
Quick and easy project: Weave a Fish

Check out this page: The Fantastic Undersea Life of Jacques Cousteau

Dot Day, David, and Turtle 2013 #IMWAYR

It's Monday! What are you Reading? is a meme began by Sheila at Book Journeys as a way to share what you read and/or reviewed the previous week and what is in store for the upcoming week. It's also a great chance to see what others are reading. I first learned about it at Teach Mentor Texts. 


Of course we are reading The Dot and celebrating DOT DAY!

It's funny how a one day celebration of creativity can stretch out into three weeks of fun and learning. Every student from the PK 3-year old class to our sixth graders have now listened to the story of Vashti's journey into discovering the artist in herself. 

We have been searching for dots, creating our dots, and obliterating our library with dots! We are even covering Ame Dyckman's Bot with Dots! (picture will be forthcoming=Think Boy + Bot + Dot). We are calling it "Let's Give Bot the Chicken Pox" and covering our giant size Bot in dots. 

Here is our good buddy, Mr. Bones, the Library Watch Dog reading The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds. Way to go Mr. Bones!

One of our favorite reads this week:

PK 3 year olds are still having to brush up on good behavior expectations for school. They are having a hard time transitioning to life within a school routine and have a tendency to just get up and walk around their classroom when the mood strikes them. I decided I could help their teacher out by sharing one of my favorite stories with them- No David by David Shannon. As we read the story, I encouraged students to tell me if David was showing good behavior or naughty behavior. This is always a hit with the little ones.  Personally, David freaks me out a little with those sharp fangs. 

I love this activity: Texas teacher Michelle Ayala took her Kinder class on a hunt for David in her school. Naughty David left his messy paint splattered hands all over the school making it easy for kids to track him. Ms. Ayala's Kinder class was determined to locate David and explain the best way to be a good student in school before he did something crazy like climb up up above the white board. Oh no, too late! Read more about here at: Kinder Fun







Book Club Read:
Turtle in Paradise by Jenni Holm
Want to join the fun? Read Turtle in Paradise and join us on Monday, September 23 at 9 pm EST/8 CST. Use the hashtag #virtualbookclub on Twitter to connect with fellow readers. 
Summary from Common Sense Media
When her mother gets a job as a housekeeper for a rich woman who will not abide children, 11-year-old Turtle is sent to live with her relatives in Key West. This all happens during the Great Depression, and no one is living too high off the hog, especially the Conches. However, a place is made for her, and her cat, and they all make do. Turtle pitches in with the group of boys that include her cousins and their friends, fishes for sponges with Slow Poke (who turns out to be her dad), builds a relationship with her grumpy grandmother, searches for treasure -- and finds it.  In the end, she learns important lessons about what having real family means, and that life often does not have a "Hollywood ending," even when it turns out.

Visit my 2011 Bluebonnet Book Club page: Turtle in Paradise
Visit the Jenni Holm's website to hear what inspired her to write Turtle in Paradise. 

I like this book trailer for Turtle in Paradise but the music is all wrong for the era. 



Turtle in Paradise activities:

This activity comes from Kids Blog
In this story Turtle finds a map. If you like maps and the idea of following one to find something, give these a try.
You can use the Map Machine to make your own map.

• National Parks Service **Reading a Map** Activity & Quiz
• National Geographic **Map Machine**. Enter your address and the machine will show you a road map of your neighborhood, satellite view of your neighborhood and sometimes a bird’s eye view too. Cool!

Happy International Dot Day (week) go forth and read for fun!