Book: Discover the Amazon: The world’s largest rainforest
Author: Lauri Berkenkamp
Published by: Nomad Press
Ages: 9 and up
Grade Level: 4 and up
Book Synopsis:
From avoiding predators to navigating through the jungle without a compass, this innovative guide provides kids with the vital tools one would need if lost in the Amazon. Offering practical survival techniques based on real stories, children will learn lessons that can be adapted to almost any outdoor situation, such as making fire, deciphering animal tracks, and using the natural world for all to create necessary supplies. Opening with an informative section on the region and its people, this essential resource combines history and science in a fun and engaging way. Facts and sidebars on the local creatures and plants are interspersed along with 15 activities for the home or classroom—from making a fishing spear to determining how much water is needed to stay healthy.
My Thoughts:
If you are studying the Amazon with your elementary student this book will give you just the right amount of information without being overwhelming. The book contains twenty different activities to keep your child engaged. New vocabulary is highlighted on each page along with interesting facts. The book is easy to read aloud with your child and keeps both of you interested. The layout is logical and the page format is fun to look at ad makes finding information easy and quick. You can use this book alone or supplement with other textbooks or studies. With the hands on activities and format it fits nicely into most homeschool styles. The end has a cute section on what to bring with you on an adventure in the Amazon. In addition, the book offers lists of sites and other resources to enhance the study. Makes a fun short unit study lasting about four-six weeks depending how you fit it into your homeschool schedule.