The Lorax had a Little Overcoat: Teaching the Environment to your Child
Humans have caused immeasurable damages to the natural world that have
led to the loss of valuable resources and to the decline of the health of our
planet as a whole. In order to mitigate these problems we must change the way
we view the world and our place in it. Our priority should be to make sure our
children know the value of natural resources and know how to take care of them
so they do not continue this spiral of unsustainable exploitation. As parents,
we need to make sure we nurture a life-long love of nature in our children so
they grow up with a respect for the earth that will translate into sustainable
use. You are the one responsible for
the education of your child. Remember, your job is not to make them afraid of
environmental disaster, it is to make them aware of their impact on the earth.
Talking
with and teaching your child, providing opportunities for daily interactions
with nature, and making environmentally-friendly choices at home are essential
to creating an environmental ethic in your child. Below are some booklists that
contain titles sure to spark a passion
for nature, as well as ideas for activities and projects that you can do with
your family.
Reading books aloud is one of the most important things you as a parent
can do with your child, it promotes love and unity and is a valuable teaching
tool. The ideas and feelings that these
books evoke will stick with your child for years to come. This booklist is
designed provide fun read-aloud books for a variety of ages. While by no means
complete, this list contains books from some of the best children’s authors
including multiple Newbery and Caldecott Medal and honor award recipients (*). I
have also indicated books that I personally recommend for any home library (^).
If you find a book that you really like,
be sure to look at other books by the same author. When your child grows old enough to understand
more advanced stories, expose him or her to classic authors that will encourage
him or her to continue to nurture a love for the outside world.
Books for Appreciating the Natural
World:
§ Two Bad
Ants
Chris
Van Allsburg
§ *Owl
Moon
Jane Yolen; Illustrated by John
Schoenherr
§ Henry
Hikes to Fitchburg
D.B.
Johnson
§ *Make
Way for Ducklings
Robert
McCloskey
§ *Time
of Wonder
Robert McCloskey
§ *Blueberries
for Sal
Robert
McCloskey
§ Diary
of a Worm
Doreen Cronin; Pictures by
Harry Bliss
§ ^The
Giving Tree
Shel
Silverstein
§ Miss
Rumphius
Barbara Cooney
§ *The
Gardener
Sarah
Stewart
§ The
Blue and Green Ark: An Alphabet for Planet Earth
Brian
Patten
§ ^Brown
Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?
Eric
Carle
§ A House
for Hermit Crab
Eric Carle
§ Weslandia
Paul
Fleischman
§ The
Umbrella
Jann
Brett
§ He’s
Got the Whole World in His Hands
Kadir
Nelson
§ The
Wonderful Happens
Cynthia Rylant
§ *The
Girl Who Loved Wild Horses
Paul
Goble
§ The
Legend of the Indian Paintbrush
Tomie
DePaola
§ *Song
of the Swallows
Leo
Politi
§ *The
Biggest Bear
Lynd
Ward
§ *Crow
Boy
Taro
Yashima
§ *A Tree
is Nice
Marc Simont
§ *Rain
Makes Applesauce
Julian
Scheer; Illustrated by Marvin Bileck
Stories on Environmental
Issues:
§ ^Just a
Dream
Christ
Van Allsburg
§ The
Berenstain Bears Don’t Pollute (Anymore)
Stan
and Jan Berenstain
§ ^The
Lorax
Dr.
Seuss
§ *Joseph
Had a Little Overcoat
Simms
Taback
§ Millions
of Cats
Wanda Gág
§ Farewell
to Shady Glade
Bill
Peet
§ The
Wump World
Bill Peet
§ Earth
Helpers: Count the Ways to Save Our Planet!
Alyson
A. Zachary; Illustrated by Laura Huliska-Beith
§ Gone
Wild: An Endangered Animal Alphabet
David
McLimans
Nonfiction/Expository Books:
§ Planting
the Trees of Kenya: The Story of Wangari Maathai
Claire
A. Nivola
§ Seeds
of Change
Jen
Cullerton Johnson; Illustrated by Sonia Lynn Sadler
§ ^Mama
Miti
Donna
Jo Napoli; Illustrated by Kadir Nelson
§ The
Tree that Would Not Die
Ellen
Levine; Illustrated by Ted Rand
§ A River
Ran Wild
Lynne
Cherry
§ ^Recycle!:
A Handbook for Kids
Gail
Gibbons
§ What
Can You Do With an Old Red Shoe?: A Green Activity Book About Reuse
Anna
Alter
§ The
Magic School Bus and the Climate Challenge
Joanna
Cole and Brue Degen
§ And
Still the Turtle Watched
Sheila
MacGill-Callahan; Pictures by Barry Moser
§ Our
Earth: How Kids are Saving the Planet
Janet
Wilson
§ E is
for Environment: Stories to Help Children Care for Their World—at Home, at
School, and at Play
Ian
James Corlett
§ B is
for Blue Planet
Ruth
Strother
§ 101
Ways You Can Help Save the Planet Before You’re 12!
Joanne
O’Sullivan
Easy chapter books:
§ Berenstain
Bears and the Showdown at Chainsaw Gap
Stan
and Jan Berenstain
§ Judy
Moody Saves the World
Megan
McDonald; Illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds
Authors to read with Older Children:
§ ^Laura
Ingalls Wilder
§ ^Jean Craighead George
§ Jack London
§ Carl Hiaasen
§ Scott O’Dell
§ Betsy Byar
§ E.B. White
Ideas Interacting with Nature:
§ Require
a certain amount of playtime outside every day (rain or shine). Don’t be
afraid; let them explore.
§ Put a
birdfeeder outside and keep a bird field guide by the window
§ Plant a
garden. If you do not have room for an outdoor garden, there are countless
ideas online for small indoor gardens; be creative.
§ Plant a
tree together
§ Limit
TV, video game, and computer time
§ Take
alternative vacations:
·
Zoos
·
Botanical gardens (they often have areas just
for kids)
·
National Parks
·
Hikes
·
Campouts
Simple ways to go “Green” at
Home:
§ Hold a
family meeting on how you can incorporate The Three Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle)
into your home. This allows your children to be part of the decision-making
process. Most importantly, implement
your plan!
§ Have a
compost pile
§ Encourage
turning off lights and install energy-efficient bulbs
§ Encourage
reduced water use and install water-saving appliances
§ Use
energy-star appliances
§ Pick up
litter as a family
§ Encourage
your children to play environmentally educational games during their online
time (see below)
§ Find
projects in books or go online for ideas on how to reduce waste
§ Be a
good example!
Books and Resources for
Parents:
§ ^The
Sense of Wonder
Rachel
Carson
§ Taking
Inquiry Outdoors: Reading, Writing, and Science Beyond the Classroom Walls
Edited by Barbara Bourne
§ Children
and Nature: Psycological, Sociocultural, and Evolutionary Investigations
Edited
by Peter H. Kahn, Jr., and Stephen R. Kellert
The US
Environment Protection Agency’s website for parents and teachers
A site by The National Resources Defense
Council containing links to websites for kids about the environment
An online
version of The National Park System’s Junior Ranger Program
A useful resource for family
gardening
Ideas
for using nature in teaching
A
useful resource for finding books to read with your child. Search by topic and
age
Ideas
for green parenting
Activities for kids as well as some
more books about the environment
Earth-themed movies, music, books, and
toys for kids
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