FRA Curated Resources forWILD ABOUT US!

By Karen Beaumont & Janet Stevens

Meet the Author, Karen Beaumont: http://karenbeaumont.comLearn about this inspiring author who writes to “Educate. Enlighten,” and “Entertain.” She shares the story of her dreams, her writing rejections, and the persistence and passion that led to her becoming an award-winning author.

Meet the Illustrator, Janet Stevens: http://janetstevens.comGet a glimpse into the life and history of an artist! This visually engaging site gives insight into how picture books come alive!

HMH – Publisher Site: http://hmhyoungreadersblog.com/kids/picturebookparade-gets-wild-with-wild-about-us/The publisher has provided some of the pre-writing that went into Wild About Us!. What was the initial list of animals Karen considering including in her book? What did the warthog first look like? Find out here!

Animal ABCs Video: http://www.teachjunkie.com/language-arts/ela-cause-effect-inferevidence/ There are so many different amazing animals! Learn about one for every letter in the alphabet in this 3-minute song!

Animal Classes: http://www.kidzone.ws/animals/animal_classes.htmWhat makes a bird a bird? What is the difference between mammals and reptiles? Is an insect an arthropod? This site gives brief, simple descriptions and plenty of pictures to understand classes of animals

Teaching Adjectives:http://www.cpalms.org/Public/PreviewResourceLesson/Preview/50684Wild About Us! is filled with adjectives! Check out these thorough plans to help your students use adjectives!

Florida Reading Association Children’s Book Award 2016-2017

Study Jams – Animal Adaptations:http://studyjams.scholastic.com/studyjams/jams/science/animals/animal-adaptations.htmThe animals in Wild About Us! all have unique adaptations. Watch this animated Scholastic video on adaptations, and then discuss the adaptations of the animals in the book.

Extension Activity – Animal Bar Graph: What are the favorite animals of the students in your classroom? Have them identify a favorite animal and then describe it. Students can track the favorite animals in the class using a bar graph.

Extension Activity – Book Add-On:Learn about the uniqueness of more animals! Have students add pages to the book highlighting the differences of other animals. Use Wild About Us! as a mentor text, encouraging students to follow a similar format

Extension Activity – Wild About, well, US!:Each of the students in your class has unique qualities about them. Have them draw a picture with a sentence that highlights something that makes them special. Take it to the next step, and have students say positive things about each other!

Florida Reading Association Children’s Book Award 2016-2017