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Summer

Language: English

Baby animals spend the summer growing, playing, and learning from their parents. No matter where you live, there is a cycle of seasons, which impacts on the weather, plants, and animals. In some locations it is extreme, in others it isn’t. LeVar shows just how special each seasonal change is to the plants, animals, and world around us. Viewers also visit a cranberry farm during harvest.

  

Here are activities to do after watching this episode:

Nature’s Wind Chime

If your family has traveled to the shore this summer and collected shells, use them to make a wonderful wind chime.

You will need:

  • a branch or piece of driftwood
  • shells
  • fishing line or strong thread

String fishing line or thread through a small hole in each shell. Most shells will have a tiny hole made by nature, but if there is no hole, an adult can heat a tiny nail and use a hammer to gently tap it into the shell to make a hole. Tie each strung shell onto your driftwood or branch and suspend on your porch.

Options:

  • Use nuts or seedpods instead of shells, for a different look and a different sound.
  • Curl long lengths of ribbon and hang them from the branch or driftwood.
  

Meet the “Greens”

Summertime means “green grass.” Here is an activity the whole family can have fun with while learning about plant growth.

You need:

  • Grass seed
  • Potting soil
  • Peat pots or small planters
  1. Decorate the peat pot or planters to resemble human characters by adding eyes, nose, mouth, and ears.
  2. Fill each pot with soil and plant the grass seeds.
  3. Place a plastic lid under each pot and place them near a window that gets lots of sunlight. Keep them well watered.
  4. In about two weeks, each character will begin to grow a head of green grass hair!
  5. See how well the grass grows if given water and sunshine. Every now and then your Green family members will need a trim!

Check out some of these books on your
next trip to the library:

  • Changes by Margorie N. Allen and Shelley Rotner
  • Turtle In July by Marilyn Singer
  • Nature All Year Long by Clare Walker Leslie

READING RAINBOW has a resource library that includes teacher guide materials as well as reading programs for use in the public libraries. You can download these resources from GPN at:
www.gpnresources.com

If you would like more information about READING RAINBOW or if you would like to learn more about other educational products please visit the GPN web site.

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