Weather

By: Jeana Pavoni

    For my final project, I decided to use science as my subject and weather as my topic. There is a lot of information available for teachers and students on weather, and I would like to use this time to find out what kinds of different literature will work the best. Although weather is a topic that comes up in the older grades in school, the younger elementary classes also teach different aspects of weather. Weather provides an array of different aspects that students can learn about. My focus will be storms and the different kinds that there are.

    When I first started looking for a topic, I found a lot of information of the different kinds of storms that there are. I have even learned about storms that I did not know much about. Some of the different storms that I explore in this project are; thunderstorms, hurricanes, snowstorms, tornadoes, and sandstorms. I have also put some professional websites for teachers into the project to enhance the books, and there are also some websites for students. The websites for the students allow for them to explore more about storms outside of the classroom and there are also some experiments that they can do.  Storms are a good topic for younger and older children because everyone can relate to them from real-life experiences. They can also see how storms affect other people all over the world, see the danger in storms, learn safety precautions, and learn the history of storms.

    Some of the resources that I used to find the children’s literature, were the Elmhurst Public Library and the Indian Prarie Public Library. I also used the Barnes and Noble website to find books on storms. Some of the professional reasources that I used were, Intermediate Science Through Children's Literature, Science Adventures with Children's Literature: A Thematic Approach, Litlinks: Activities for Connected Learning in Elementary Classrooms. As I researched all of the different books that there are on storms, I noticed that there are a lot of ways that storms can be integrated into other subjects. Some include; Language Arts, Mathematics, Art, Social Studies, History, or Music. There is a wide of variety of literature to help support these subjects if a teacher wanted to integrate storms into them.

Fantasy

Barett, Judi. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. New York: Atheneneum, 1978. Illustrations: Ron Barrett

    The children in the story are told a tall tale from their grandfather about a town called ChewandSwallow. Instead of going to the grocery store, the town recieves their food three times a day by weather. Unfortunately, the weather gets a little crazy. The town has to move and change their ways of life. This is a good book to show children what effects storms can have on a person’s way of life. They can also use this story to imagine what it would be like to experience different kinds of storms. Ages 5-10

Bourgeois, Paulette. Franklin And The Thunderstorm. New York: Scholastic Inc., 1998.
Illustrations By Brenda Clark

    Franklin is scared of thunderstorms and does not want them to come at all. One day, Franklin goes over to his friends house and a thunderstorm occurs. Franklin is scared, but his friends want to play in the rain. Later on, when everyone is safe in the house, Franklin's friends try to cheer him up by telling what they believe the thunder and lightening are. An interesting book about thunderstorms that mixes fact with fiction. Ages 4-8

Cole, Joanna. The Magic School Bus Inside a Hurricane. New York: Scholastic Inc., 1995 Illustrated By Bruce Degen

    A fantasy book about experiencing a hurricane by being in one. Mrs. Frizzle takes her students in the magic school bus for a trip inside a hurricane. A very funny book filled with many facts about hurricanes. Ages 4-8

Gershator, Phillis. When It Starts to Snow. New York: Henry Holt and Co., 1998. Illustrations By Martin Matje

    A story that has talking animals that tell the reader what they do when it starts to snow. The text is in a singing format, almost like a poem with rhyming text. Bright and clear colorful pictures that are funny too.  Ages 4-8

 Kuskin, Karla. James and the Rain. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1995. Illustrated by Reg Cartwright

    A boy named James goes out in the rain and talks to the animals and asks if they know any rain games. All of them have games they play depending on what animal they are. The book is also in a rhyming format and it also has counting in it. It starts with one cow and ends with ten cats. This is a cute quirky book that a young child would enjoy. Ages 4-8

Pinkwater, Daniel. Rainy Morning. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1998. Illustrations by Jill Pinkwater

    An easy to read book about a couple named Mr. and Mrs. Submarine, who have some unexpected guests on a rainy morning. The couple invites all kinds of different animals and people into their home to get out of the rain. Ludwigh Van Beethoven even shows up! A cute light story that young children would enjoy. Ages 4-8
 
 

Realistic Fiction
 

Henderson, Kathy. The Storm. Cambridge: Candlewick Press, 1999.

    A young boy's experience with  a storm causes him to see a new understanding of nature. On one late night, a storm comes in and causes the tide to overflow onto the land. The boy is scared that it will reach his house. This story is good for younger children to visualize a heavy storm and learn how powerful storms can be. Illustrations are beautiful paintings that capture the fiery of the storm. Ages 4-8

Hershenhorn, Esther. There Goes Lowell's Party! New York: Holiday House, 1998.
Illustrations By Jacqueline Rogers

    Lowell is so excited because today is his birthday party. All of his family and friends are coming over to celebrate. It does not look good though, there are many signs showing that there is a storm brewing. Although the storm comes, there is a lovely birthday surprise that comes along with it. A fun read that anyone can relate to when weather goes bad. The last page of the book has different signs that show if it is likey to rain. Ages 4-8

Polacco, Patricia. Thunder Cake. New York: Philomel Books, 1990.

    A story about a childhood experience that Patricia Polacco had about the fear of thunderstorms. Her grandma helps her get over that fear by having Patricia help her get the items to make a thunder cake. In the end, the young girl realizes that she is brave and does not need to be afraid of storms. This is a wonderful picture book that has illustrations and text that enhance the anxious feeling that many children have during a thunderstorm. This is a good book for children to make connections to their real life and thunderstorms. It also teaches a child how to count how far away a storm is and there is a recipe at the end to make thunder cake! Ages 4-8

Sanfield, Steve. Snow. New York: Philomel Books, 1995. Illustrations By Jeanette Winter

    An easy to read story about snow. Visual descriptions that explain snow, how it acts, and other characteristics of snow. There is also parts of the story of how real people experience snow. The illustrations greatly enhance the visual effects of the story. A good book to get younger readers to connect with snowstorms. Ages 4-8

Multi-Cultural

Hesse, Karen. Come on, Rain! New York: Scholastic Press, 1999.

    A young girl named Tess is hoping for rain. It has been a hot and dry, and the plants and animals are in need of a cool down. Finally, the rain comes and Tess and her friends celebrate. A wonderful book that shows the effects of how certain things depend on rain. Wonderful descriptive words to describe how the rain looks and feels. The illustrations truly enhance the text of the book. Ages 4-8

Folklore

Garbuny, Carole & Garbuny Vogel. Weather Legends: Native American Lore and the Science of Weather. New York: Milbrook Press, 2001.

    Before scientists learned the causes of weather, Native Americans had their own ways of interpreting the weather. There are ten different legends explaining what the Indian tribes had used to explain weather and the actual scientific facts after each one.There are beautiful illustrations that greatly enhance the text and make the book even more appealing. Ages 8-14

Goble, Paul. Storm Maker’s Tipi. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2001.

    A legend about the storm maker of the Native Americans and the first man and woman. There are other stories about other men who were caught by the storm maker. By trying to shelter themselves from the storm maker, the Native Americans create the tipi. Ages 6-10
 
 

Poetry

Baird, Audry B. Storm Coming! Pennsylvania: Boyd Mills Press Inc., 2001.
Illustrations by: Patrick O’ Brien

    A book of poems about rainstorms. The poems create different feelings about storms that people feel. A great book to use for younger children to help them visualize storms by only using their imaginations. The poems have a lot of descriptive words to help create a stormy atomosphere. Ages 5-10
 

Rogasky, Barbara. Winter Poems. New York: Scholastic Inc., 1994.
Illustrated by: Trina Schart Hyman

    A collection of different poems about winter at different parts of the season. Although not all poems are about snowstorms, there are many that are useful. Some of the poems included are; Oregon Winter, Snow Toward Evening, Skiing, and other pieces of major poems. Some selections include poems by Edgar Allen Poe and Shakespeare. Ages 5-10

Biography

Martin, Jacqueline Briggs. Snowflake Bentley. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 1998.
Illustrations By Mary Azarian

    A biography about a man named Wilson Bentley who loved the snow and how it fascinated him. As a child he would try to look at snowflakes through his microscope, but they would always melt. Eventually, his parents bought him a camera so he could capture the snowflakes. Wilson Bentley became interested in other seasons as well. A great book with colorful pictures that attract any reader.Visit the website about Wilson Bentley to enhance learning. Ages 7-12

Non-Fiction

Branley, Franklyn M. Flash, Crash, Rumble, and Roll. New York: Harper Collins Publishing, 2000. Illustrations by True Kelley

    A picture book that explains thunderstorms and how thunder and lightening occur. There is also some information on precautions to take if there is lightening. At the end, there are some experiments to find out more about thunderstorms. There are also some websites on global forecasting and the hows, whys, and wonders of storms.
Ages 4-8

Kespart, Deborah. Rain and Shine. New Jersey: Two-Can Publishing, 2000. Story by Sue Barraclough Main Illustrations by Fran Jordan

    An informational book about different types of weather, how the weather changes, and what happens to plants and animals. There is also questions, puzzles, and a small picture story at the end of the book. The illustrations are bright and colorful to attract anyone. There is also a website that parents and teachers can log onto to find more books like this one. Ages 4-8

Novels

Bodett, Tom. Williwaw! NewYork: Random House Children's Books, 2000.

    The story takes place in Alaska where an older sister and younger brother take a boat out into the bay without their father's permission. During their boat trip, they get caught in a terrrible storm called a williwaw. A suspenseful read for readers who will wonder what will happen to the children. Ages 12 and up.

Garland, Sherry. The Silent Storm. New York: Harcourt Publishing, 1995.

    A young girl named Alyssa has not spoken since her parents died three years ago in a hurricane. Alyssa lives with her grandfather and she is free to do whatever she wants. This book is a coming of age story, when Alyssa has to save her grandfather and brother from the same fate of her parents. Ages 9-12

Ruckman, Ivy. Night Of The Twisters. New York: Harper Collins Publishing, 1986.

    All of a sudden there is a tornado warning and everything changes for Dan and his family in Grand Island, NE. They went down into the basement for cover and have not seen what has happened above them. The radio is dead and there is no way of knowing if everything is okay. A great suspenseful book that young readers  will find exciting. Ages 9-12
 

Weather Websites

Connecting to the World of Weather is a great website for teachers and students to find a large amount of information on different kinds of weather. The teacher or student will find updated weather information, what weather is like in other parts of the world, and tons of links to other good weather sites.

Kids as Global Scientists is a great website for teachers and students that are in middle school and are doing a unit on weather. There are a lot of hands-on activities, resources, and other links that can be integreated into a weather unit.
 
 

Professional Resources

    Beeghly, Dena G. and Prudhoe, Catherine M. Litlinks: Activities for Connected Learning in Elementary Classrooms. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2002.

    Butzow, Carol M. and Butzow, John W. Intermediate Science Through Children's Literature. Colorado: Teacher Ideas Press, 1994.

    Fredericks, Anthony D. Science Adventures with Children's Literature: A Thematic Approach. Colaroado: Teacher Ideas Press, 1998.
 

Jeana Pavoni
November 2002