It's been over four decades since Earth Day began. Some of us have been trying to instill a respect for the planet into students for all that time. What have we accomplished? When the majority of those who respond to polls don't believe in evolution or global warming, it's hard to convince ourselves that decades of education have amounted to much.
Of course, there have been obstacles. Reagan told us to "go back to basics"--and that virtually eliminated "fluff" like environmentalism from our schools. Then teachers were buried in the detritus of cheap standardized tests.
But we can't stop trying. I'd like to suggest a small effort today--after you clean the beach or recycle the strewn plastic bottles on your street. This year (and for the past 38) the National Science Teacher's Association and Children's Book Council have selected some really outstanding books for young people. Most have environmental themes. Over the fold, I'm going to list a few that especially hit my heart.
Share some of your favorites--new or old--here.
Buy a book and share it with a child who will vote a decade or so from now.
And for some light-hearted relief today, go to Youngvoicesonclimatechange.organd look at the videos.
Perhaps you can make a difference.
The text of the reviews is taken from NSTA's website.
Dark Emperor and Other Poems of the Night. Joyce Sidman. (K–5) Listening for noises in the night? Come explore the shadowy sights and muffled sounds of the night as poetry blends artfully together with illustrations and scientifically correct explanations
Kakapo Rescue: Saving the World’s Strangest Parrot. Sy Montgomery. Have you ever seen a nine-pound green-and-yellow parrot that doesn’t fly? Follow the scientists, rangers, and volunteers hard at work on a remote island near New Zealand to protect this uniquely loveable bird and bring it back from the brink of extinction.
Global Warming. Seymour Simon. (3–8) In the brilliant Seymour Simon format, this book is a photo essay examining global warming and the devastating facts regarding this enormous world issue. The lesson, that this problem affects each and every one of us, is powerfully conveyed through text and photos.
Oceans: Dolphins, Sharks, Penguins, and More! Johnna Rizzo. (3–8) Beautiful photographs depict the many organisms that thrive in oceans around the globe and increase our understanding of why the oceans are so important to us all.
Growing Patterns. Sarah C. Campbell. What a beautiful way to explain Fibonacci numbers using photographs of natural objects, simple text, and labeled photographs to increase clarity. It is clear that nature is ordered by mathematics.
What have you read and shared that could grab a child's heart and motivate a future citizen? Please share.