Resources

---

Earth Child 2000: Earth Science for Young Children, Games, Stories, Activities, and Experiments
Kathryn Sheehan and Mary Waidner, Ph.D

The original Earth Child — a favorite for Head Start, pre-schools, elementary schools, scout troops, nature centers, national parks and families—has been updated with new resources in each chapter. This new edition has a teacher's guide and section on surfing for science on the web. At 475 pages, this may be the only book you need to create your own environmental education program.

Earthways: Simple Environmental Activities for Young Children
Carol Petrash

Filled with hands-on nature crafts, this helpful book is written by a Waldorf preschool teacher with 15 years of experience. You'll find her ideas engage and, at the same time, enhance young children's environmental awareness. Four chapters, one for each season, explore natural toymaking, gardening, playhouses, setting up an earth-friendly classroom, and more.

Exploring Water with Young Children
Ingrid Chalufour and Karen Worth

The third in the "Young Scientist Series," this set includes a trainer's guide and video in addition to the original book. Units include experiments in the classroom at the water table as well as exploring water in nature. Geared to the preschool classroom, subject areas in this curriculum correlate to the Head Start Child Outcomes Framework.

The Lorax
Dr. Seuss

Need a discussion starter? Don't forget this classic book written in 1971. Even very young children love the meter and rhymes, and the older children will quickly grasp the point: "Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not."

More Science Through Children's Literature
Carol M Butzow and John W. Butzow

Geared toward K-3rd grade children, this book has 21 chapters each built around a children's book, for instance, Thundercake, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, or Katy and the Big Snow. Units include hands-on and inquiry based topics, games, puzzles, and word searches to go with the vocabulary lists and other background information.

Nature and Young Children
Ruth Wilson

A classic now often used as a textbook for early childhood classes supporting the goal of developing environmentally responsible attitudes, Ruth Wilson gives practical help with topics such as gardening with young children, making outdoor activities and play spaces accessible for children with disabilities, involving parents in appreciating and developing the outdoor space and outdoor activities, and dealing with fears, safety and comfort issues.

The Wartville Wizard
Don Madden

Young children enjoy the plot of this very funny solution to Wartville's litter problems. The Wizard has been picking up the trash, but one day, tired of his lot, he gives up, and Mother Nature gives him "power over trash." He then commands that litter "go back and stick to the person who threw you." This book is used as a discussion starter in several lesson plans available on the web. Litter Lessons Cleaning Up

Science Adventures: Nature Activities for Young Children
Elizabeth A. Sherwood, Robert A. Williams, Robert E. Rockwell

Whether your center is in the city or the country, you can still give your children plenty of nature activities using this book. Each activity indicates the age (3+, 4+, 5+) that is appropriate. The authors have adapted the kindergarten science standards set by the National Academy of Sciences to make them deveopmentally appropriate for preschool children.

Websites and Articles On Line

Eco-Healthy Child Care

Help has arrived for parents and childcare providers who want to choose environments that are safe, healthy, and free of harmful chemicals. The Eco-Healthy Child Care program from the Oregon Environmental Council ensures that childcare settings are as environmentally healthy as possible. Childcare facilities qualify as “Eco-Healthy” by completing a checklist that highlights 25 simple steps to ensure a safe place for children.

Starting Early:Environmental Education During the Early Childhood Years

The oft-quoted article written by Ruth A. Wilson for the ERIC Clearinghouse for Science, Mathematics, and Environmental Education. "Environmental education based on life experiences should begin during the very earliest years of life. Such experiences play a critical role in shaping lifelong attitudes, values, and patterns of behavior toward natural environments."

Institute on Creating Sustainable Environments for Young Children

This Institute provides a place where early childhood practitioners and designers can learn about creating sustainable environments for young children, both indoors and outdoors. Kansas City, Missouri, June 11-12, 2009

A to Z Teacher Stuff: Recycling

Nine slide shows teaching about recycling. Graded lesson plans on composting for kids, red wiggler worms, and recycling.

World Forum Call to Action

The World Forum on Early Care and Education has published a call to action called "Reconnecting the World's Children to Nature". This is part of the Nature Action Collaborative for Children which is bringing architects, environmentalists, engineers, health professionals and early childhood educators together to address these issues.

Nature Activities for Toddlers

Another page on the Kindernature site with age appropriate activities for Toddlers. Activities include mud, water, winter, snow and forest animals, and birds.

PreschoolRock.com : Nature Activities

Create a butterfly nursery, make a flower press, grow a sweet potato plant, or create a wildlife observatory with the articles available from this page of Preschool Rock, a site for parents and teachers of preschoolers.