Prairie Habitats

Gr 4–8—These books show just how diverse habitats such as prairies, forests, and deserts are, through spectacular full-page photos that show their breathtaking beauty and through informative captions and informational sidebars written in short, accessible sentences. Young readers can further examine the magnificence of specific animals' environmental adaptations for survival by reading the chapters focusing on various animals (camel, octopus, piranha, and prairie dog, among others). This series elucidates the complex intricacies and the fragile balances needed to keep habitats sustainable, and the last chapter of each book discusses top threats. A solid choice.These series present powerful and inviting illustrations of the natural world; not only are they an excellent way to meet the Common Core State Standards, they will engage even the most reluctant readers. A first purchase is "Your Five Senses and Your Sixth Sense"; this well-written text, with its carefully chosen images invite children to explore the natural world through all of their senses, including the sixth sense of intuition. "Science of Life" provides activities, such as adapting texts for specific audiences and using evidence from text, while "Green World, Clean World" presents useful questions designed to provoke critical thinking. Those looking for hands-on science activities would do well to consider both "Green World, Clean World" and "Plant Parts." Though overall, there's a bevy of great books listed here, if budgets are limited, consider buying individual volumes depending on research or report needs.