Alhamdulillaah, spring is upon us and the children are itching to get back outside again. (Spring also means that the academic load begins to lighten as we prepare for the upcoming summer break in shaa' Allaah, so posting should become more regular again biithnillaah. I've missed it!!) And, now that the weather is less severe, science can be done outdoors! This book, The Kid's Guide to Exploring Nature can help plan and carry out science lessons, and it's gorgeous. The illustrations will interest children immediately and the activities are easy and fun to complete. The book also has a wonderful amount of scientific information to help children learn about the natural world in a fun, accessible way. The language is grade-level appropriate and engaging, and teachers and parent-teachers will find that lessons can be easily planned using the activities provided. The glossary in the back may also prove to be an invaluable tool for teachers - you can anticipate which terms/phrases may need further explanation and use the definitions provided in the glossary.
The book is arranged by season and each season opens with questions that ask children to observe and note what changes mark the beginning of each season. Children are then treated to a visual feast as they explore ponds, forests, and cityscapes, learning about how animals and plants survive and thrive, by the Mercy and Permission of Allaah. Children also "meet" different professionals who work with plants and animals. These pages provide children with an overview of a particular job and they tell children how these jobs help protect various plants and animals.
This book is highly recommended because teachers/parent-teachers can purchase it to help plan lessons or it can be a beneficial addition to your home/school/homeschool library.
*Important Note; As with most books about the natural world, there are some things that you will not want to allow children to read independently. For instance, there is a paragraph about ferns and how people used to think ferns had magic seeds, astagfirullah. You will need to read the sections prior to giving the book to a child to read alone, so you can amend parts as needed.**
Have you read or used this book? What parts did your children enjoy most/least? Share with us!
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