REVIEW: How Do You Know It's Fall?

How Do You Know It's Fall?
Author: Ruth Owen

As a grandma and former homeschool teacher, I'm always on the lookout for great children's books. My local library just added some awesome children's science books, so I checked out a few. Ruth Owen's books on the weather really caught my eye. Each page has colorful and eye-catching photos and illustrations. The science information is presented in an age appropriate way for young elementary students, with ideas for extra activities included.

The first thing that drew my attention to this book is the cover. Who could resist that cute squirrel? After teaching my youngest son at home for 3 years, I know that front cover would have been a great segue into a science lesson on fall weather, environmental changes and other fall facts. Each page of this book is full-color with an attractive layout. The information is age appropriate for young elementary students. The book is fully in line with common core requirements and includes a list of keywords, an index, suggested reading list and a weblink for more information. The book would be perfect in a classroom setting. It includes a science lab, plus several suggested outdoor activities like tracking daily temperatures and collecting autumn leaves or taking a walk to discuss signs that it's autumn. I always found that combining a lesson with an experiment and outdoor activities helped my son learn and retain important facts so much better than depending only on written classwork.

Awesome book! Great activities and facts for use at home with parents/grandparents or in a school setting.