Winter is the perfect season to explore the water cycle with your learners since freezing temperatures give way to some lesser seen steps in the process. In winter, water can naturally be found in all three states, providing experiences that are unattainable the rest of the year.

In this episode I cover 11 children’s water cycle books that introduce the water cycle, where water can be found, and that it comes in different states. Press play to hear about "Water is Water" by Miranda Paul, "Once Upon a Raindrop" by James Carter, "From River to Raindrop: The Water Cycle" by Emma Carlson Berne, "Maple Syrup from the Sugarhouse" by Laurie Lazzaro Knowlton, and more.

Resources mentioned 💚

• “How Maple Syrup Season Can Help You Teach Elementary Students”
• “Teaching with Books: How to Integrate Science and Literacy for Elementary Classrooms.”
• Maple Syrup and Water Cycle Mini Unit for 2nd Grade
• Tapping Into Learning: 15 Maple Syrup Books for Elementary Science
• “The Great Backyard Bird Count: How to Take Part for Elementary Teachers”

Show Notes: https://naturallyteaching.com/episode39

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Winter temperatures may not be everyone's favorite, but those temperatures provide the opportunity for learning about water in a rich and engaging way. The winter season gives your learners the chance to experience water in its three states, sometimes even on the same day!

Tune in to hear descriptions for 6 activities for learning about water that are aligned with Next Generation Science Standards for grades K-5. During the episode I share the standard that inspired the activity, how the activity relates to water, and a description of how to implement the activity with your learners.

And make sure to listen all the way through the episode; you may find yourself inspired to adapt one of these activities or use an activity for a different grade level.

Activities described in this episode include:

• Kindergarten: Measuring snow depths
• 1st Grade: Using icicles to block light
• 2nd Grade: Going for a states of water hike
• 3rd Grade: Engineering a solution for snow removal
• 4th Grade: Taking crack rubbings to investigate erosion
• 5th Grade: Investigating dirt in melted snow

Resources mentioned 💚

• Episode 6: 5 Outdoor Education Safety Tips for Teaching Outside
• Snow and Winter Weather Mini Unit for Kindergarten
• 35. 6 Groundhog’s Day Activities for Elementary Teachers and Homeschool Groups
• 36. Gamifying Learning for Elementary-Aged Children with Allie Elliott
• Snowy Science: A Guide to Teaching About Matter in Winter

Show Notes: https://naturallyteaching.com/episode38

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💚 Get more tips and tricks on the website: NaturallyTeaching.com

📸 Follow along on Instagram: @naturally.teaching

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Valentine's Day is fluttering our way and will be here very soon! For those of you already preparing for your class party, listen to this episode to discover ways to enhance your class party with a science twist (for those you not ready to plan, listen now and then revisit when you're in the planning mood).

In this episode, I share Next Generation Science Standards for grades K-5 and a Valentine's Day theme that pairs with it. I go on to share examples of three centers that you could use at your class party that go along with each theme including an individual or group activity, a game, and a craft.

Listen in to hear ideas for these themes:

• We love nature (Kindergarten)
• Hearts beat (1st Grade)
• The perfect pair: insects and their host plants (2nd Grade)
• Magnets attract (3rd Grade)
• Animal hearts (4th Grade)
• Attracted to the Earth (5th Grade)

Resources mentioned 💚

• Slow to Fast Heartbeat Sound Effect
• The Compass Slide
• Flower Talk: How Plants Use Color to Communicate by Sara Levine
• How Plants Talk by Helena Harastova
• Flowers Are Calling by Rita Gray
• Outdoor Pollination Scavenger Hunt for 2nd Grade
• Beyond Hearts and Cupids: A Guide to Alternative Valentine’s Day Parties for Elementary Teachers
• Vertebrate Hearts - Comparative Clip Art

Show notes: https://naturallyteaching.com/episode37

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