RFIS Library Connection Activities
Read, Think, Create & Grow!
May 25 - 29, 2020
"We don't know them all, but we owe them all" -unknown
READ
Monday, May 25th is Memorial Day! Did you know this Federal Holiday was first observed as "Decoration Day" in 1865? Learn more about the history and meaning behind this special day by reading this eBook from Abdo Publishers. Round out your knowledge with an overview from World Book Student and see primary source examples from the Library of Congress. Read and reflect on some meaningful poetry recognizing those we honor on this day. For a unique way to pay tribute, listen to personal accounts of those who served during World War II and learn about the Veterans History Project. Use this printable timeline template to keep track of key facts shared by each veteran. Add to what you know and test your Memorial Day knowledge with this Interesting Facts activity. Explore the many historic monuments and memorials in our nation's capital on a virtual visit with Google Arts & Culture. Be sure to watch the video below from PBS Kids for some factual holiday highlights!
PBS LEARNING MEDIA | Memorial Day | PBS KIDS
THINK
What would it be like to explore the mysteries that lie beneath the waves of the world's oceans? Get ready to dive in - no scuba gear required!
- Studying shipwrecks helps scientists understand and learn important things about the past. Explore 5 featured shipwrecks from BOEM's Virtual Archaeology Museum! For each shipwreck, be sure to look at the 3D Model, Video, and Mosaic Map. What clues can you uncover that might explain what happened during these ill-fated voyages? Use this Shipwreck Observation Activity doc (file-make a copy) to organize the clues you uncover and the predictions you make. Be sure to share your findings with family, teachers, and friends!
- Aquariums can help us connect with and learn about ocean life in a very up-close and personal way. What's the next best thing to an in-person visit? Live cams, of course! Take a peek at a Blacktip Reef, Jellies Invasion, and a Pacific Coral Reef from Baltimore's National Aquarium. Be sure to learn about and see if you can spot each of the featured creatures listed beneath the cameras! Did you know that Camden's Adventure Aquarium is home to the largest collection of sharks on the East Coast? Visit their At-Home Edutainment page for downloadable activities, behind the scenes videos, and photo updates of projects underway. Do penguins like books? Check out the video below featuring Cliff and his friends enjoying penguin storytime!
Cliff's Picks- Good Night Fish
- For a deep dive into ocean research, find out how NASA's aquanauts live and work on the world's only undersea research station, Aquarius, located off the Florida Keys. Learn about the history of undersea exploration from the National Museum of the US Navy. For a wealth of resources and activities designed to create ocean experts, visit the National Ocean Service's Just For Kids page. Would you rather be an astronaut or an aquanaut? Watch the video below about a Best STEM Book from award-winning author Jennifer Swanson and find out!
Astronaut or Aquanaut - How Space Science and Sea Science Interact
CREATE
Want some creative inspiration to learn more about what's in your own backyard? The Hunterdon County Division of Parks and Recreation is a fabulous resource! Check out the ideas below and start creating:
- Backyard Bingo: Animal Evidence - Grab a magnifying glass if you have one and see what you can find! Don't see everything? Arrange a virtual backyard visit with family or friends! Make a list or sketch of the evidence you find!
- Take the Tracks and Scat Online Workshop! Are you up for a challenge? Work through these questions about common evidence left behind by wild animals. Be sure to use the library's online resources to help you find information and then check your answers. Get out your markers, crayons, or colored pencils and draw the animals you can identify from what they left behind!
- Spring Scavenger Hunt - Get outside and track how many springtime sights you come across with this color-coded activity! What color is the winner in your backyard? Start a virtual challenge with family or friends and see who can find the most colors!
- What Makes a Flower a Flower? They're not just pretty to look at! Put on your botanist hat and take a closer look at the flowers you come across. What parts can you identify? Get permission to gather some examples growing in your own yard and create a colorful springtime bouquet!
- Visit the Parks and Recreation's Distance Learning and Information page for more activities and virtual learning opportunities.
Want to learn how to gather materials to create a honeysuckle basket? Would you like to understand how to create a backyard wildlife habitat? Watch the videos below and find out!
Honeysuckle Basket Materials with Liz Fulmer Hunterdon County Recreation Program Coordinator
CREATING A BACKYARD WILDLIFE HABITAT
GROW
Expand your digital reading options into the summer months with eBooks and Read-to-Me eBooks from Abdo Publisher's Digital Bookshelf! This robust resource includes thousands of titles for Pre-K - 6th grade students and is available for a limited time through July 31st. Choose from fiction, non-fiction, graphic novels, picture books, and more covering a wide range of topics and genres. Are you a fan of classic fiction stories? Look for titles in the Calico Illustrated Classics series, including Jules Verne's tale of undersea adventure, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea or Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's well-loved mystery, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. Do you love graphic novels and true animal stories? Be sure to look for Bud: The First Dog to Cross the United States from Famous Firsts: Animals Making History series and discover a unique piece of early American history. Get started by clicking the bookshelf icon and login using the information below. Happy eReading!
Username: abdo-elementary
Password: 072020
Visit the Library Media Center's website for access to all online resources and student links.
Questions about logging in? Wondering how to use any of the resources? Just want a good book recommendation? Ask the librarian!
Reading is essential for those who seek to rise above the ordinary.
- Jim Rohn