Beach: Songs & Books
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by Helen Scales
Helen Scales is not only an author, but also an award-winning marine biologist. She eautifukky shares her passion for the wonder of shells with children through interesting questions and easy to understand answers with simple, yet detailed graphics. Questions are answered like: What can a shell’s shape tell you? What can a shell’'s color tell you? What can a shell tell about the past and the future? Helen Scales hopes to inspire others to look closely at the world around them in awe to ensure that everyone cares and protects our precious natural world (and we wholeheartedly agree!!)
After reading this story, go outside and find shells. Maybe you can find shells at a beach, river, creek, or in your backyard (think snails!). Use this book to identify your shell and answer questions about your shell including what the shape, color, textures, patterns tell you.
by David Wiesner
David Wiesner’s illustrations speak for themselves (which is important in a wordless story!) This creative story unfolds as a young boy finds a special underwater camera. Without words, this a wonderful book for children of all ages to ‘read’. Children create and tell the story as they turn the pages. (Each time they read the book they can change the story!)
After reading this story, challenge your child to write the words to go along with this book, draw a sequel or prequel to the story, or discuss what you would do with an underwater camera.
by Yuval Zommer
This is quite literally a BIG book all about animals in the ocean. The illustrations are beautiful, the facts are fun, and the animals are plentiful. Learn about ocean animals, habitats, adaptations, and how you as a reader can best interact with ocean wildlife.
After reading this book, choose a new favorite animal from the ocean to research. Create a list of questions you have about the animal and find your own answers! If possible, visit an aquarium to see your animal up close.
by Jill McDonald
Ocean Life is a board book perfect for young children. The pictures are vibrant, cheery, and captivating. The text is simple, but interesting. It is a durable book, so you can even pack this book to read at the actual beach!
After reading this book, read it again! Rereading books for young children builds: vocabulary, word recognition, confidence, fluency, and comprehension. Help children make connections to the book by making sounds, counting, or using your body or hands to gesture ideas from each page.
by Melissa Stewart
This book uses wonderful water color paintings to depict seashells’ varying shapes, colors, and sizes. The book explains how seashells have different jobs and functions using similes and detailed images.
After reading this book, discuss the similes used for each seashell in the book. Have children come up with more similes for the seashells in the book or for seashells (or other natural materials) not featured in the book. If you’re near a beach, go collect seashells and think of similes as you collect.
by Jess Keating
This is the true story of Eugenie Clark, the Shark Lady. Eugenie followed her life’s passion and studied sharks as an inspiring women scientist. She helped the world see how awesome sharks were with her fearless studies and discoveries.
After reading this book, talk with your children and find out what they are passionate about. Eugenie fell in love with sharks as a child and that led her into a fulfilling career, becoming Shark Lady. Help your child research career options that involve their current passion. (It’s okay for their passions to change, but continue to encourage them to follow those passions!)
by Bethany Stahl
A story of two best friends, a mermaid and a turtle, learning that what they thought was food was actually plastic pollution. This book helps illustrate the very real issue of pollution in a digestible manner for kids. At the end of the book enjoy some fun games and activities provided by the author. (PS. Look for the hidden starfish on each page as you go!)
After reading this book, find ways to help the pollution problem in the world. Work with your children to brainstorm ideas like invest in reusable bags, collect trash from outside, etc. Further research pollution in the ocean- have you heard of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch?
by Leo Lionni
A captivating story, illustrated with a fun stamping technique, that teaches cooperation and living and working in a community. Swimmy encounters dangers in the sea and helps a school of red fish using ingenuity and teamwork.
After reading this book, experiment with paint and natural stamps, like leaves, flower heads and rocks. Create your own underwater scene.
Think about problems in your community and how you might work together to solve them. Brainstorm some ideas and then do it!
A fun physical challenge is to try to move together as one group like the red fish and Swimmy. Take turns being the ‘eye’ and see how far you can move together as a group.
Songs
Down by the Bay by Raffi
Down by the bay, where the watermelons grow,
Back to my home, I dare not go,
For if I do, my mother will say...
"Did you ever see a goose, kissing a moose,
Down by the bay?"
Down by the bay, where the watermelons grow,
Back to my home, I dare not go,
For if I do, my mother will say...
"Did you ever see a whale, with a polka dot tail,
Down by the bay?"
Down by the bay, where the watermelons grow,
Back to my home, I dare not go,
For if I do, my mother will say...
"Did you ever see a fly, wearing a tie,
Down by the bay?"
*Then sing another verse and have the children create their own rhyme!
Original Beach Diddy by Sandy Dixon
A beach is where water meets land,
Rocky, muddy or covered in sand
Plants & animals call it home,
Let’s all help protect this biome
