From the publisher: Welcome to a lush meadow bustling with activity, where one turtle digs, two fish swim, three bluebirds sing, and so on to ten fireflies that shine in the night. Keats's collage-style illustrations perfectly complement this classic Appalachian counting rhyme, which is also a popular song for toddlers.

This website offers a quick overview of pond life and provides links to dozens of other websites for kids on ponds.

This introduction to snails describes their habits, physiology, how they reproduce, what they eat, how to keep them as pets, and even how to raise them for food. This is not K-level content, but can be used as a reference when teaching about snails. May be out of print, but you may be able to find a used copy.

High in the sky the sharp-eyed seagull searches the seashore for something special. What could it be? For children who are just beginning to read and who have a limited vocabulary, these 32-page Level 1 books-about everything from tadpoles to puppies-use word repetition and simple sentences to convey meaning. Picture dictionary boxes with word labels "show" the meanings of words. These books contain between 400 and 450 words each, and they are 80 percent pictures and 20 percent text.

Beginning with a child exploring the water in a creek, Morrison imagines how a drop on his finger made its journey through the water cycle. Detailed, multicolored illustrations take readers high in the sky as the red-tailed hawk flies and the raindrops fall, providing a view of the marsh and the mountain stream from above. Finally, the pictures zoom back to a close-up of the boy to complete the circle. Readers can appreciate this narration on two levels: first, as a simple story of the hydrologic cycle; and second, as a search to find various types of plants and animals. Three pages of informative facts about each bird, mammal, and plant pictured are appended.

This coloring book shows all the most common seashore habitats from Maine to California. Children can learn about sea life with these scientifically accurate illustrations.

A boy picks up a rock that he finds on the beach. He holds it in his hand, and admires it. He doesn't know that the rock has been on a great journey through time in making its way to him: that it was spewed forth from a fiery volcano, then altered by eons of wind and rain, frozen during the ice age, and finally carried out into the ocean, where it lay on the floor of the sea before being thrust onto the shore at his feet. But he does know that it is a gift from the sea.

"Time to move," said Hermit Crab one day. "I've grown too big for this little shell." Much-loved master of cut-paper collage Eric Carle created A House for Hermit Crab to comfort any little ones (okay, and adults, too) who dread change--whether the new shell is a new home, a new school, or a new experience. In this upbeat story, Hermit Crab casts his eyestalks on a newer, bigger shell, but it seems plain and unwelcoming at first. Kids will love Carle's rich, affectionate portrayal of Hermit Crab's ocean odyssey, and the gentle story may help them see that giving up the old for the new is not a loss, but an opportunity.

Colorful photographs and simple two-word sentences feature a turtle, duck, swan, dragonfly, frog, and water lily. Good visual introduction for young children to plants and animals found in a pond.

An A to Z exploration of ocean life both familiar and unexpected. Can be used as an early elementary ABC book or as a inviting reference for fifth grade. Beautiful watercolor illustrations have a "near-batik" quality.

Underwater forests of kelp, armor-plated barnacles, flower-like sea anemones, spiny sea urchins, and swooping gulls all live together in a tide pool. This book would be a good student reference for 4th graders studying the bottom dwellers of a kelp forest as well as a good resource for teachers focused on the 1st grade rocky seashore curriculum. Descriptions of the ecological relationships of the different plants and animals that live in low, mid, and high-tidal zones.

A-B-Seas Foundation, Inc. is an inspirational body for students investigating answers to how the world works and for teachers looking for scientific teaching techniques that utilize local resources. A-B-Sea provides a link between student’s knowledge of local science and the global science community regardless of geographic or cultural boundaries.

After his small sloop capsizes only six days into his solo voyage around the world, Steven Callahan, floating in an inflatable raft, has to fight for his life. He is racked by hunger, buffeted by storms, and broiled by the tropical sun. He fights off sharks with a makeshift spear and watches nine ships pass by. This is the true story of the only man in history to have survived more than a month alone at sea.

A video tour of the natural world of whales, grizzly bears, eagles, otters and more. Travel on a unique journey through lesser known parts of Southeast Alaska. Experience the glory of Glacier Bay. Marvel at the behavior of such marine mammals as the killer whale, humpback, and friendly schools of porpoise.

Explores some of the most beautiful and dramatic creatures found in the sea, from the gliding manta rays of the open ocean to graceful sea dragons and sea lions. Using new, advanced lighting techniques, the colors of the underwater creatures in this video are absolutely dazzling. Ages 8-adult. 50 minutes. #DVD-12192. $19.95.

A fanciful, poetic account of ponds through the eyes of some of its inhabitants. Colorful illustrations introduce each animal, and where they live within the pond habitat.

Full-color photos & full-color illus. All kinds of fish are introduced in this underwater walking tour--fish with no eyes, fish that climb trees, fish that breathe with both gills and lungs, and fish that change color.

Having trouble organizing a field trip to the kelp forest? Take this outstanding narrated tour with the Jean-Michel Cousteau Ocean Futures Society. Just click on SLIDESHOWS and CATALINA and you're off!

Go on a virtual tour of a tidepool and all of its zones.

This video is an eloquent plea for the protection of sea turtles. This video provides an overview of the extraordinary natural history of the sea turtles and the major threats to these giant endangered reptiles. "The science of the sea turtle is fascinating... a nice feature is the 'what you can do' section at the end"

Introduces creatures that inhabit the sea and seashore: animals with fur or shells, fins or legs, spiny skins or soft bodies.

Do not go where humans go. You could get squashed. You move too slowly to get out of the way. Watch out for that giant foot! Be careful of the poison in the garden! When you look at life from the perspective of a small mollusk, the backyard suddenly becomes a daunting place. A young snail faces many challenges as it tries to grow safely into an adult, while continuing on its daily quest for food. All the facts a young child needs to understand the life of this intriguing backyard creatures are packed into an engaging narrative.

Great descriptions and illustrations of organisms living in the tide pool during both high and low tides.

Examines life in and around a pond, with actual photographs containing details such as the eyes of a dragonfly, the stalk of a cattail, the feel of a frog, and the feathers of a kingfisher.

The title epitomizes Esbensen’s creative presentation of an important concept: how whales differ from the fish they seem to resemble and share characteristics with other mammals. Introduces a full range of information about whale anatomy, development, and behavior. Esbensen’s simple, informative text keeps its young audience clearly in view.

Magellan, Pankhust, and Mandela - how their ideas, courage, and actions have changed the world.

Really basic fish facts for kids.

Beach Postcards provides an account of a girl named Jo who visits beaches around the world with her family and sends postcards back to her friend Linn. Linn writes a report about what she learned about beaches and shorelines from Jo's postcards. This book serves as an invitation to the unit and introduces students to some basic concepts about beaches and shorelines. It is also designed to help students who may have limited knowledge of shorelines to imagine the experience of being at various beaches.

For this beautiful children's book packed with animals, Jan Thornhill has painted jewel-like illustrations of wildlife in various natural environments, both "before" and "after" to show how things change over spans of time ranging from a few seconds to a year.

See what happens to the many animals in these places:
• a coral reef
• the African savannah
• wetlands in North America
• an Australian forest edge
• a meadow
• a South American rainforest
• a city schoolyard

This wildlife picture book is a rare treasure - a combination information, puzzle, and art book offering new surprises each time you look.

A guide to the northern California coast from Big Sur to Crescent City, including: restaurants, lodging, beaches, lighthouses, aquariums, hiking, fishing, boating, surfing, camping, scenic pullouts and picnic areas.

Make a tsunami in your bathtub! OK, so it’s only a little tsunami, but it’s still a fun way to learn about the ocean and sea life. Witty Bill Nye helps children explore marine biology through lively descriptions, silly pictures, and offbeat experiments to try at home or school with basketballs, balloons, and squid (or a reasonable facsimile).

This web site provides a kid-friendly overview of several different marine and fresh water habitats. There is information on organisms living within the habitat as well as special features that define the habitat.

From School Library Journal: This life cycle of newly-hatched Booby follows his development and explorations until he is totally independent from his parents. Without a hint of anthropomorphism, Millhouse manages to convey a sense of life in this Ecuadorian Archipelago. Attractive and realistic watercolor paintings help to enliven an overly simplified and unexciting text. The book is poorly organized and wrongly titled; a large portion of the book discusses the general ecology of the Galapagos Islands and other land and marine animals found there. One illustration does not reflect the activity described in the text. However, the book does present new material for this grade level and could serve as an introduction to these scientifically important islands. Other books such as Selsam's Land of the Giant Tortoise (Four Winds, 1977; o.p.) and the Couffers' Galapagos Summer (Putnam, 1975; o.p.) are for older readers. Ellen Fader, Westport Public Library, Conn.

Written by a child, this simple story tells of a boy and his friends, who on a visit to a pond, find an injured pelican, take it to a vet, then nurse it back to health. The boy then returns it to the pond "because he belonged with other pelicans." Can be the start of a classroom discussion on understanding the needs of animals.

Includes information on all the 850 scenic and recreational facilities of the California coast; descriptions of campgrounds, trails, recreation areas, transportation, parking, phone numbers, transit information, driving distances, wheel chair accessibility, maps. Also contains information on environmental issues, ecological conditions and conservation strategies, natural history, wildlife, sports and recreation.

Depicts the varied natural and cultural resources of California's coast, including: coatal geography, wildlife, plant life, history, lighthouses, recreation, site-by-site descriptions of beaches, parks, campgrounds, hostels and missions.

Great photos and very readable content. Kelp forests are one of many ecosystems explored in this book. An excellent reference for building teacher content and familiarity with California's diverse marine habitats.

Based on a Polynesian legend, this chapter book for older students tells the story of a young boy who overcomes his fear of the sea and proves his courage to himself and his tribe. The story illustrates his culture’s connection to the ocean. The whole story or selected passages could be read aloud to early elementary students. Newbery medal winner.

Comprehensive listing of links to resources for students interested in careers in marine biology, oceanography, museum and aquarium work, and environmental programs.

Over 100 illustrations, front and back, of various whale and dolphin species.

This is Sea Challengers' first children's book. The well-known artist and the two co-authors have produced a beautiful, entertaining and informative book based on a true event. The story describes the rescue, recovery and eventual return to the wild of a young green sea turtle off Baja California by a young girl and her father.

A guide to where to go, where to stay and what to do on the California coast; photography by Galen Rowell.