LibGuides: Educator Guide: Wonderful World of Water: Wonderful World of Water Educator Guide

Wonderful World of Water

Tips to Come Prepared

Before you visit the Genovesi Environmental Study Center (GESC) with your class, review the Educator's Guide to prepare for your students.

Read the Essential Questions (p. 1) and Connections to Standards (p. 2) to decide how you want to link your curriculum with your field trip
Complete the Pre-Visit Lesson with your class activating student interest and engagement
Come to GESC ready to engage and learn with our experiential, hands-on field trip program, Amazing Amphibians

Library Finds

Can Rats Swim from Sewers into Toilets? by Alison Behnke It's dangerous to talk on the phone during a thunderstorm. Flushing the toilet sprays water around the bathroom. Freezers can burn your food. You may have heard these common sayings or beliefs before. But are they really true? Can they be proven through research? Let's investigate seventeen statements about the kitchen and home to find out which ones are right, which ones are wrong, and which ones stump even the experts! Find out whether the smell of a house cat really scares away mice. Discover whether ceiling fans can chop off your head. See if you can tell the difference between fact and fiction with Is That a Fact?
Pond Circle by Betsy Franco; Stefano Vitale (Illustrator) On a summer night by a small pond, all seems still. But a closer look reveals a world of activity--mayflies dart, beetles dive, frogs spring, skunks shuffle, and owls swoop. As a young girl watches, the circle of life unfolds. Betsy Franco's rhythmic, cumulative text makes this a lively read-aloud, and rich, luminous paintings by Stefano Vitale capture the bold beauty of nature. Young readers will be inspired to journey into their own backyards and discover the wonder of the living, breathing world around them.
Down the Drain: Conserving Water (You Can Save the Planet) by Anita Ganeri and Chris Oxlade This series tackles how to avoid creating unnecessary waste and the disposal of waste in environmentally acceptable ways. Focuses on how simple decisions have a knock-on effect for the whole planet. Uses case studies that look at success stories. Provides tips on how individuals can make a difference. Includes Science Behind It' boxes that explain scientific principles.
Make a Splash! by Cathryn Berger Kaye; Philippe Cousteau Service learning expert Cathryn Berger Kaye and environmental advocate Philippe Cousteau give kids the knowledge, ideas, and inspiration to take action and care for the planet's water.This elementary-level counterpart to the award-winning Going Blue: A Teen Guide to Saving Our Oceans, Lakes, Rivers, & Wetlands teaches elementary kids about the earth's water crisis and empowers them to do something about it. Filled with facts about our waters, their inhabitants, and the threats they face, Make a Splash! presents inspiring stories of kids in action and practical tips for making a difference. In fun and age-appropriate language, kids are introduced to the ideas behind service learning-a rapidly growing teaching strategy that combines academic learning and community service. Kids interested in nature and the environment will enjoy Make a Splash! Service learning groups, youth groups, science teachers, and teachers of conservation and environmentalism units will find it a valuable resource. The back matter includes book and Web resources as well as an afterword for adults, and a teacher's guide is available online.
All the Water in the World by George Ella Lyon; Katherine Tillotson (Illustrator) Faucet             well raincloud              sea ... from each of these comes water. But where does Water go? To find out, honey, turn the page, dive in      with tongue            or toes,  with eyes and ears and nose-- and wonder at the flow of this great world's life story.
The Magic School Bus At the Waterworks by Joanna Cole When Ms. Frizzle, the strangest teacher in school, takes her class on a field trip to the waterworks, everyone ends up experiencing the water purification system from the inside.
Water Can Be ... by Laura Purdie Salas; Violeta Dabija (Illustrator) Water can be a . . . * Thirst quencher * Kid drencher * Cloud fluffer * Fire snuffer Find out about the many roles water plays in this poetic exploration of water throughout the year.
The Mess That We Made by Michelle Lord; Julia Blattman (Illustrator) The Mess That We Made explores the environmental impact of trash and plastic on the ocean and marine life, and it inspires kids to do their part to combat pollution. Simple, rhythmic wording builds to a crescendo ("This is the mess that we made. These are the fish that swim in the mess that we made.") and the vibrant digital artwork captures the disaster that is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Children can imagine themselves as one of the four multi-ethnic occupants of the little boat surrounded by swirling plastic in the middle of the ocean, witnessing the cycle of destruction and the harm it causes to plants, animals, and humans. The first half of the book portrays the growing magnitude of the issue, and the second half rallies children and adults to make the necessary changes to save our oceans. Facts about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, ocean pollution, and how kids can help are included in the back matter.
You Wouldn't Want to Live Without Clean Water! by Roger Canavan; David Antram (Illustrator) How would you cope in a world without water? Clean water is far, far more important than you might think!This series takes readers (Ages 8-12) on a historical journey, examining how people coped in the past and how they developed ingenious ways to make life safer and less unpleasant. Each book features full-color cartoon-style illustrations and hilarious speech bubbles to heighten interest, making the series attractive even to reluctant readers.This title in the fantastic new You Wouldn't Want to Live Without series is bursting with surprising facts about this essential life source. As you learn about everything from how water keeps us healthy to the astounding ways in which it is used across the word, you'll soon see why you really, really wouldn't want to live without it!

Essential Questions

What are the different kinds of living organisms that depend on water in New York City (NYC)?
What role do plants play in the water cycle and in aquatic ecosystems?
What is the importance of an indicator species?
How does water travel to and through NYC's urban ecosystem?
What are some of the water-related issues facing NYC?

Our Educator Guide

Wonderful World of Water Educator Guide

Sora eBooks

Access these free ebooks by signing in to the Sora app with your NYC DOE credentials

Plasticus Maritimus by Ana Pego; Isabel Minhós Martins; Bernardo P. Cavalho (Illustrator) "Clever...beguiling....Readers age 11 and older are likely to finish this book feeling both persuaded and uplifted. Beauty has a way of doing that." --Wall Street Journal For young readers comes an imaginative guide to ocean plastics, filled with tips and tricks for identifying--and combating--pollution in our oceans.  Inspired by biologist AnaPêgo's life's work, and filled with engaging science and colorful photographs, this foundational look at plastic pollution in the ocean explains why it is such an urgent contemporary issue.  When she was young, Ana Pêgo didn't play in a backyard, but on a beach. She walked along the shore, looked at tide pools, and collected fossils. As she grew older, Pêgo noticed a new species at the seaside: plastic. She decided to collect it, study it, and give it a Latin name--Plasticus maritimus--to warn people of its dangers to our planet. Pêgo tells us how plastics end up in our rivers, lakes, and oceans, shares plastic's chemical composition and physical properties, and offers a field guide to help readers identify and understand this new invasive species in all its forms, from the obvious (fishing nets and water bottles) to the unfamiliar (tiny, clear particles called microplastics). Finally, she offers a critical look at our current "solutions" to plastic contamination and in her most important proposal--REVOLUTIONIZE--calls for deep changes in our habits, motivating young and old alike to make a difference, together. An artificial and almost indestructible species, Plasticus maritimus deserves to have its days numbered! Together, we can send it packing. "A cleverly conceived and comprehensive introduction to a serious issue."-- Kirkus Reviews  Honorable Mention--Bologna Ragazzi Award.  Published in Partnership with the David Suzuki Institute.
Hey, Water! by Antoinette Portis Splash! A spunky little girl plays a spirited game of hide-and-seek with water, in this gorgeously illustrated nonfiction picture book. A Robert F. Sibert Honor Book An ALA Notable Children's Book Hey, water! I know you! You're all around. Join a young girl as she explores her surroundings and sees that water is everywhere. But water doesn't always look the same, it doesn't always feel the same, and it shows up in lots of different shapes. Water can be a lake, it can be steam, it can be a tear, or it can even be a snowman. As the girl discovers water in nature, in weather, in her home, and even inside her own body, water comes to life, and kids will find excitement and joy in water and its many forms. This latest work from award-winning author/illustrator Antoinette Portis is an engaging, aesthetically pleasing nonfiction picture book, complete with accessible backmatter on the water cycle, water conservation, and more. A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year A Bank Street Best Book of the Year Selected for the CBC Champions of Change Showcase A Pennsylvania Center for the Book Baker's Dozen Selection!
We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom; Michaela Goade (Illustrator) Winner of the 2021 Caldecott Medal #1 New York Times Bestseller Inspired by the many Indigenous-led movements across North America,We Are Water Protectors issues an urgent rallying cry to safeguard the Earth's water from harm and corruption--a bold and lyrical picture book written by Carole Lindstrom and vibrantly illustrated by Michaela Goade. Water is the first medicine. It affects and connects us all . . . When a black snake threatens to destroy the Earth And poison her people's water, one young water protector Takes a stand to defend Earth's most sacred resource.
River by Elisha Cooper (Illustrator) Caldecott Honor winner Elisha Cooper invites readers to grab their oars and board a canoe down a river exploration filled with adventure and beauty. A breathtaking adventure as a traveler and her canoe begin their trek down the Hudson River. In a mountain lake, the canoe gently enters the water's edge, paddling toward the river. The nautical journey begins. She is alone, far from home. Three hundred miles stretch in front of her. A faraway destination, a wild plan. And the question: can she do this? In Cooper's flowing prose and stunning watercolor scenes, readers can follow along the trek as the woman and her canoe explore the wildlife, flora and fauna, and urban landscape at the river's edge. Through perilous weather and river rushes, the canoe and her captain survive and maneuver their way down the river back home. River is an outstanding introduction to seeing the world through the eyes of a young explorer and a great picture book for the STEAM curriculum. Maps and information about the Hudson River and famous landmarks are included in the back of the book.
Over and under the Pond by Kate Messner; Christopher Silas Neal (Illustrator) In this gorgeous companion to the acclaimed Over and Under the Snow and Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt, Kate Messner and Christopher Silas Neal bring to life a secret underwater world. In this book, readers will discover the plants and animals that make up the rich, interconnected ecosystem of a mountain pond. Over the pond, the water is a mirror, reflecting the sky. But under the pond is a hidden world of minnows darting, beavers diving, tadpoles growing. These and many other secrets are waiting to be discovered...over and under the pond.
Water Is Water by Miranda Paul; Jason Chin (Illustrator) Drip. Sip. Pour me a cup. Water is water unless...it heats up. Whirl. Swirl. Watch it curl by. Steam is steam unless...it cools high. This spare, poetic picture book follows a group of kids as they move through all the different phases of the water cycle. From rain to fog to snow to mist, talented author Miranda Paul and the always remarkable Jason Chin (Redwoods, Coral Reefs, Island, Gravity) combine to create a beautiful and informative journey in this innovative nonfiction picture book that will leave you thirsty for more.

Wonderful World of Water

Pre-Visit Materials

Post-Visit Materials

Energy and Food Wed Charts

Wonderful World of Water Wows

New York City has over 575 miles of coastline, which is home to many plants and animals including sharks, whales, and sea turtles.
The Big Apple’s water system moves over a billion gallons a day, most of which is unfiltered.
300,000 ships pass through New York City’s waterways each year.
The rotten-egg smell that is often associated with salt marshes is produced by bacteria that live in the decomposing plant material, or peat.

Wonderful World of Water Supplemental Resource

Water Cycle Glossary of Terms

Educator Guide: Wonderful World of Water: Wonderful World of Water Educator Guide

Wonderful World of Water

Tips to Come Prepared

Library Finds

Essential Questions

Our Educator Guide

Sora eBooks

Wonderful World of Water

Pre-Visit Materials

Post-Visit Materials

Wonderful World of Water Wows

Wonderful World of Water Supplemental Resource

Connections to Standards