Monday, September 26, 2011

FIRST REVIEWS ARE IN FOR "TROUBLE ON EARTH DAY"


This is a fun story told from a squirrel's point of view on ways to celebrate Earth Day. It is chock full of recycling crafts to empower children to make a difference in their world. I liked the nylon sachets and the CD picture frames!

Patricia Karwatowicz
Children's author


There are zillions of books for kids about holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas, but not nearly as many about Earth Day. Trouble on Earth Day by Kathy Stemke not only fills that void, it's also a delightful picture book that will encourage children to appreciate and care for our environment all year long.

The pictures and plot are cute and young kids will enjoy hearing the book read aloud to them. Older children can read it themselves and participate in the many educational activities suggested. This would be a great book to add to school libraries as well as for families.

Reviewed by Janet Collins
Children's author

Kathy Stemke's websites: Helium Education Articles: http://www.helium.com/users/406242.html Education Articles: http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.html Follow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/kathystemke Follow me on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=6147172660&topic=4910#!/kathymarescomatthews.stemke?ref=profile Follow me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/pub/kathy-stemke/13/269/285

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Recycling and Water Conservation!

Song from my new book:TROUBLE ON EARTH DAY

Shelby Recycles

(tune: Mary Had a Little Lamb)



Shelby squirrel saved and saved,

Saved and saved, saved and saved,

Shelby squirrel saved and saved,

She used her things again.



She helped a songbird build his nest,

Build his nest, build his nest,

She helped a songbird build his nest,

With stuff around her house.



If we all just recycle,

Recycle, recycle,

If we all just recycle,

We’ll help our Earth to last.



Water Conservation Awareness Activities



Objective: The students will recognize that there is a lot of water in the world, but that not very much of it can be used for our drinking water and other water supply needs.
Get a globe.

Paint 97 pieces of uncooked ziti blue, paint 1 piece red, and paint 2 pieces green.


1. Ask the students if they think there is more water or land on the globe. They will answer water. Explain that although it looks like a lot of water, not all of it can be used.

Most fresh water is frozen in polar ice caps, icebergs, and glaciers. In addition, salt water is too salty to use for most purposes, and the salt is very costly to remove.



2. We will spread the colored ziti out on a table. We will explain that there are 100 ziti pieces, which can be thought of as 100 drops of water.



3. We will explain that the 97 blue drops of water represent the salt water we find in oceans and seas that we cannot drink.



4. The two green drops of water represent the water that is stored as ice in glaciers and at the poles that we cannot use.



5. The lonely red drop of water represents the fresh water that is available for plants, animals, and people.



6. We will ask the students if they think there is a lot of water available for use, reminding them that the one red drop of water represents the amount of fresh water on

Earth.




Kathy Stemke's websites: Helium Education Articles: http://www.helium.com/users/406242.html Education Articles: http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.html Follow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/kathystemke Follow me on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=6147172660&topic=4910#!/kathymarescomatthews.stemke?ref=profile Follow me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/pub/kathy-stemke/13/269/285

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

TACONI AND CLAUDE- DOUBLE TROUBLE

      Taconi and Claude – Double Trouble – mid-grade novel


Author's Name: Margot Finke –
http://www.margotfinke.com

Publisher: Guardian Angel Publishing
http://www.guardianangelpublishing.com/double-trouble.htm

KINDLE or Soft cover:
http://preview.tinyurl.com/4o2bmyk
Powell’s Books:
http://www.powells.com/biblio?isbn=1616331305
Paperback ISBN: 978-1-61633-130-6; 1616331305
eBook ISBN: 978-1-61633-131-3; 1616331313

A coming of age story set in the Aussie outback on 1950.
Taconi, an aboriginal boy, has a problem Dad, fears his
upcoming man ceremony, and a chatty cockatoo named
Claude. Dreamtime Spirits have plans for him, and so does
the cattle station owner. Decisions, fears, and the hunt for
wild meat soon become scary and dangerous.


Kathy Stemke's websites:
Helium Education Articles: http://www.helium.com/users/406242.html
Education Articles: http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.html Follow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/kathystemke
Follow me on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=6147172660&topic=4910#!/kathymarescomatthews.stemke?ref=profile
    Follow me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/pub/kathy-stemke/13/269/285