MaiStoryBook Library

Earth Day Spring Themed Read Aloud Roundup

by MaiStoryBook

Sharing with you MaiStoryBook’s Mini featured selection of Earth Day/Spring Read Alouds and Bookish Crafts. Read along as we strike for the climate, combat climate change and deforestation, explore the great outdoors, and welcome spring. Check it out below and get ready for some Nature-themed Book Fun!

Featuring:

Plus, for more Earth Day and Nature book recs, check out MaiStoryBook’s Earth Day/ Nature Themed Book Collection List.

Greta and the Giants by Zoe Tucker & Zoe Persico

Join the inspirational Greta Thunberg and Take a stand against climate change~* In this story inspired by Greta Thunberg, a young girl who lives in a beautiful forest finds her and her animal friend’s home threatened by Giants. These Giants are cutting down trees and clearing the forest, constantly building and building until homes grow into towns, and towns grow into cities, and soon there is hardly any forest left. When the animals turn to Greta for help, Greta takes a stand and uses her voice to inspire others to join in the fight to save the Earth and forests. (Add this book to your own library here)

YouTube Video: Guided Shared-Reading Read Aloud Example

Example of a shared-reading, interactive Read Aloud of “Greta and the Giants” – how to subtly introduce the vocabulary list words within the text, ask guided questions, and spark conversation!

*~Check it Out~*

How to Combat Climate Change Activity Workbook

Inspired by Zoe Persico’s “Greta and the Giants”, this activity book takes students through different ways they can take action to combat climate change. Encourage students to research and learn about climate change, and to take action to help save the planet!

Materials

Directions

  • Print out the “How to Combat Climate Change” Workbook.
  • *Printout double sided to save paper* Print the pages in order. (2 different cover page options: “_____ and the Giants” or “How ______ Combats Climate Change”)
  • The books is half-page sized, so cut the paper in half to have two separate pages.
  • Staple/ fastenthe spine of the book (left edge). Encourage children to fill in the pages about  climate change. Research may be necessary. The topics match the suggestions from the back of “Greta and the Giants”
  • Notes on how to fill in the pages:
  • COVER: Write your name on the blank line. 
  • P.1Learn About Climate Change: Words: write down words that are connected with climate change, such as fossil fuels, global warming, temperature, habitats, etc. // Books: on the books write the titles of 3 books you can read about climate change ( research may be necessary or you can brainstorm a list together) // Websites: Together or individually, research 2 websites that teach about climate change and record them
  • P.2 Raise Awareness: In the frames, draw pictures of 4 people who you can talk to about climate change. Write their names in the scrolls beneath their frame.
  • P. 3 Make signs: Draw / write in the rectangles to design signs about climate change. On the line, write where you could post your signs. 
  • P. 4 Write a letter: In the scroll, write a letter to an elected official about why they should help combat climate change. Research elected officials representing where you live.
  • P. 5 Green Transportation: In the boxes, write and draw a picture of 3 different ways you can travel that are more eco-friendly than driving in a car. Examples: ride a bike, use an electric car, take a bus, carpool, 
  • P. 6 Recycle & Reduce: In the circles, draw or write items that you can recycle. Research items that are recyclable. In the rectangles on the bottom, draw or list 3 items that you can use less of in order to reduce. For example: less paper towels.
  • P. 7 Reuse and Repurpose: In the top rectangles, draw or list 4 items you can reuse. Ex: reusable grocery bags. Under repurpose, fill in the blanks with something that you can use instead of throwing away , and what you could make from it. In the rectangle, draw the item in its original form. In the circle, draw the repurposed item- what did you make from it?
  • P. 8 Plant More Nature: In the rectangle, draw and label what plants, flowers, or vegetables you would plant in your garden

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Fatima’s Great Outdoors by Ambreen Tariq & Stevie Lewis

Ambreen Tariq’s debut children’s book *Fatima’s Great Outdoors* is a story about an immigrant family from India embarking on their first camping trip in the Midwest. After a hard week, Fatima Khazi is eager for an outdoors adventure with her family at the local state park~ because in the great outdoors, anything seems possible. This story is not only a love-letter to the outdoors,  but also a narrative of the immigrant experience. Flashbacks to Fatima’s life in India contrast her love and longing for her life back in India with the new life and challenges she faces in America. The teasing she faces at school portrays the othering immigrant children experience in the education setting, and her parents’ two jobs and long hours reflect the hard work and grit of immigrant parents who will do whatever it takes to take care of their family. (Add this book to your own library here).

YouTube Video: Guided Shared-Reading Read Aloud Example

Example of a shared-reading, interactive Read Aloud of “Fatima’s Great Outdoors” – how to subtly introduce the vocabulary list words within the text, ask guided questions, and spark conversation!

*~Check it Out~*

*My Great Outdoors* Campsite Activity

Have your little ones color, write and create this craft to record their own outdoor adventures and what they love about the outdoors. Students craft a a tent with a flap that flips open to reveal a picture of them with their loved ones and friends, and writing about their favorite outdoor activities, places, people to explore the outdoors with, and a favorite outdoor memory.

Materials

Directions

  • Print Tent Flap Cover and Tent Flap Inside Template DOUBLE SIDED- or print both separate and glue together back-to-back 
  • Choose a tent flap cover: Black and White Version or Color with different labels: “_____’s Great Outdoors”, “What I Love About the Outdoors” , “What ___ Loves about the Outdoors”
  • Choose a Tent Flap Inside Template: Writing prompts with sentence frames, writing prompts with picture spaces, all lines, or print without an Inside-template for a blank flap
  • After printed, if you chose B&W, color in the front flap. Put your name on the line to personalize the craft.
  • Flip over and fill in the prompts on the back or write your own response to what you love about the outdoors, or you can share a special outdoor memory
  • Cut out the flap
  • DO NOT CUT OFF THE BOTTOM AND TOP TABS
  • Choose and Print a Tent Body Template: Color of Black and White with different headings for inside the tent
  • In the blank space under the heading, draw a picture of you with your family/friends/loved ones enjoying the outdoors together, or snuggling together in the tent.
  • ATTACH the Tent Flap Cover using the tabs. Put glue on the bottom one that says glue. Line up the Tent Flap to cover the Picture space on the tent body, and then fold the glue tab behind the bottom of the tent body to attach the tent flap. 
  • For the top tab, on the tent body is a dotted line. Slit open or cut along the dotted line so that you can slide in the top tab to attach the cover to the tent. 
  • To reveal what’s inside the tent, pull the top tab loose from the opening and flip the flap down to reveal your writing and picture

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Wangari’s Trees of Peace by Jeanette Winter

This is the true story of Wangari Maathai, environmentalist and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004. Deforestation had led to less resources and jobs for many towns and countries in Africa, so Wangari decided to combat deforestation by inspiring others to plant more trees. Wangari Maathai enlisted women to plant seedlings across the land. Even when the government jailed her in an attempt to quiet her voice and her mission, the women she had inspired continued to do her work~ helping to create Green Belt Movement across Africa. Wangari’s passion, vision, and determination inspired great change. (Add this book to your library here)

*My Trees of Peace* Flap-Craft Activity

What can you do in your community to help prevent deforestation and protect the environment? Use *My Trees of Peace* flap-craft to record the negative effects of deforestation, how Wangari helped combat these effects, and how you may help fight against deforestation and other ways you can protect nature. Check it out below!

Materials

Directions

  • Choose a FRONT and BACK template.
  • Front choices: Black and white or Color ( for black-and-white, choose black text or fill-in text with your own color)
  • BackChoices: Trees or blank to draw in your own trees
  • Black and white or color
  • Prompts with deforestation definition and lines, Prompt with deforestation definition and no lines, Prompts with lines , Prompts with picture space only, all lines, blank,
  • Print out DOUBLE SIDED. 
  • OR print separate and glue back to back
  • Cut out the template and Fold in half on the middle line with the “Trees of Peace” facing outward. Write your name on the blank line and color if you chose black and white.
  • On the Front side, cut the 3 dotted lines to make 4 flaps.
  • Fold the flaps open and color in the trees or draw your own trees on the top flap.-Fill in the writing prompts on the bottom sections.
  • When finished, take turns sharing your crafts and information about how you can help prevent deforestation and take care of nature, just like Wangari did.

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When Spring Comes by Kevin Henkes & Laura Dronzek

Watch the world transition and transform from winter to spring. Baby birds hatch, flowers bloom, there is much more rain, and kittens scamper about. An excellent read for comparing and contrasting between winter and spring, coupled with the most adorable springtime illustrations and colors. (Add this book to your library here)

YouTube Video: Guided Shared-Reading Read Aloud Example

*When Spring Comes* Baby Bird Surprise Craft

Little learners color, write and create this craft to record what happens in nature when spring comes. They craft a bird and nest with a baby chick surprise, and then record in the baby chick what happens to when winter ends and spring begins. Check out the craft below for some springtime-nature bookish fun!

Materials

Directions

  • Choose the colored version of the “Nest and Eggs” , or the black and white version.
  • Cut out the Nest and Eggs . The eggs should be separate from the nest. For the black and white nest and eggs, color it in.
  • Choose a ”newborn chick” page to fill out. 6 different options in both b&w or color include: fill-in-the-blank writing prompts, prompts and picture spaces, writing prompts and lines with a picture space, blank lines to write, lines and a picture space, blank space for picture or your own writing
  • Fill in the “Newborn Chick”  and cut it out. *Keep the top and bottom tabs on*-Connect the Chick to the nest and eggs.
  • The chick goes in between the nest and eggs.
  • To connect, the chick, Fold the top tab back, and tape the top tab to the back of the bottom of the eggs. 
  • Fold the bottom tab back. Then tape/glue the tab to the back of the top of the nest.
  • Fold the nest halfway up so the bottom half of the chick is folded and tucked behind the nest. 
  • Fold the eggs down to meet the nest halfway down. The top half of the chick should fold and tuck behind the eggs.
  • The eggs and nest should open up to reveal the newborn chick and your response about *When Spring comes…*

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*~I hope you enjoyed these Earth Day and Springtime Read Alouds and Crafts! I’d love to  see and hear about your own Outdoor Adventures you’ve been enjoying with your children, so please share below in the comments – tag me on Instagram @MaiStoryBookLibrary  – or post on MaiStoryBook’s FaceBook page! You can also find me on TikTok for bookish fun!~*

Plus: Check Out MaiStoryBook Youtube for the full Earth Day / Nature Theme Interactive Read Aloud Playlist.

~Until Next Time, Happy Reading~*

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