Reading Across Genres to Learn about a Topic: Information Books, Stories,and Poems
This list of resources has been compiled to support you in teaching students to read to learn about a topic across texts and across genres.
We have first provided an example of how a text set might look for a G, H, and I reader within four broad common topics: Animals, Plants, Transportation and Weather.
**Likely, you have multiple books around smaller topics within these four main areas and you will be able to create texts sets to address these more focused topics. For example, among your “Animals” books you might have several G level books on “Birds” and various G level books on “Fish”. Then too, among your “Birds” texts you might have several texts at the same level all on “Penguins” and this topic could become another text set. In the same way “Transportation” could be broken down into “Cars,” “Trucks,” “Planes,” “Boat,” “Subways” or the same texts could be categorized into sets about “Flying”, “Sailing”, “Driving” or “Things that Go by Air” or “Things that Go by Land,” “Things that Go by Water”. The point is that within your library, you have text sets waiting. Laying out your texts on a level and looking for ways to categorize them in order to create a text set will help you to maximize the resources that you have. You might even involve your students in helping you create sets!
After providing examples of text sets at various levels, we offer some possible text sets which include higher levels around topics for you to read aloud each week. Poetry and songs organized by topic are also included.
*Teachers should view all texts (print, digital, etc.) before showing them to students to make sure they are appropriate for your particular class.
AnimalsG
The Frog in the Pond by Mara
The Big Baby Elephant by Haggerty
Frogs and Toads and Tadpoles, Too by Fowler
Why Can’t I Fly? by Gelman
Sharks by Weber
H
Dinosaur Train by Gurgay
Lots and Lots of Zebra Strips by Swinburne
Animals on the Go by Brett
What Lives in a Shell? By Zoehfeld
Tale of a Tadpole by Wallace
I
Animal Families by Kalman
Living Things need water (could also go in plants)
Jellyfish by Rustad
Whales by Lindeen
Hello, Baby Beluga by Lunde
Whales by Rustad
Dolphins by Lindeen / Plants
G
The Carrot Seed by Krauss
I Am an Apple by Marzollo
I Am a Seed by Marzollo
If a Tree Could Talk by Williams
Trees are Terrific by Trumbauer
H
I Am a Leaf by Marzollo
A Dandelion’s Life by Himmelman
Season’s of Arnold’s AppleTreebyGibbons
From Acorn to Oak Tree byKottke
The Wheat We Eat by Fowler
Seeds by Bodach
I
Plants are Living Things by Kalman
Amazing Plants by Hewitt
It’s Pumpkin Time! By Hall
Life Cycle of a (Pine Tree/Apple Tree/Oak Tree) by Tagliaferro
Leaves by Bodach
Transportation
G
Boats by Anne Rockwell
I Love Trucks by Sturges
Freight Train by Crews
On the Go by Morris
Transportation: Then and Now by Nelson
Diggers and Dumpers by Wilding
H
Vehicles on the Move: Cool Construction Vehicles by MacAulay
Dump Trucks by Williams
Trucktown Ready-to-Roll series by Scieszka
Truck by Crews
Ready for Takeoff by Scholastic
I
Ambulances by Freeman
Aircraft Carriers by Doeden and Saunders-Smith
Airport by Barton
Angela’s Airplane by Munsch
Truck Trouble by Royston
Submarines and Submersibles by Lock / Weather
G
Sunny Days by Burke
Can you See the Wind? By Fowler
When the Wind Blows by Hammond
Watching the Weather by Eckhart
H
What will the Weather Be Like Today? By Rogers
Snow by Bauer
Wind by Bauer
Snow by Herriges
Snow is Falling by Branley
When a Storm Comes Up by Fowler
Whatever the Weather by Wallace
I
A Thunderstorm is Coming by Houghton Mifflin
Clouds by Saunders-Smith
All the Colors of the Rainbow by Fowler
Read Aloud sets
Trees
A Tree for All Seasons by Bernard (L)
Sky Tree: Seeing Science through Art by Locker
Clouds
Clouds (Let’s Read and Find out Science 1) by Rockwell
Cloud Dance by Locker (L)
Little Cloud by Eric Carle
Clouds by Bauer (H)
The Cloud Book by DePaola (N)
What Do You See in a Cloud by Fowler (out of print-can get used on Amazon or BN.com)
Ants
Time for Kids: Ants! –
Rookie Read About Science: Inside an Ant Colony by Allan Fowler
Are You an Ant? by Judy Allan
National Geographic Readers: Ants by Melissa Stewart
Hey, Little Ant—Hoose
A Bug’s Life (movie)
The Ant Bully (book)
The Ant Bully (movie)
Video clip of ants working together to carry a chip
Insectlopedia (poetry by Florian)
Apples:
Apples by Gail Gibbons
Apples for Everyone
Apples of Your Eye by Fowler (H)
Apple Tree for all Seasons Gail Gibbons
All Aboard Science Reader: Station Stop 1: Apples and How they Grow-Driscoll---I
Applesauce Season –Eden Ross Lipson—L
Plants
From Seed to Plant (Rookie Read About Science) by Fowler
From Seed to Plant by Gail Gibbons (M) Published on Feb. 29, 2012
A Tree is a Plant by Bulla
The Tiny Seed by Carle (L)
Planting a Rainbow by Ehlert (J?)
The Carrot Seed by Krauss (G)
Seeds, seeds, seeds! –Wallace (L)
Pumpkins
It’s a Fruit, It’s a Vegetable, It’s a Pumpkin by Fowler (G)
It’s Pumpkin Time! By Hall (I)
From Seed to Pumpkin by Pfeffer
Seed, Sprout, Pumpkin, Pie by Esbaum
The Biggest Pumpkin Ever by Kroll
Frogs:
All Aboard Science Reader: Station Stop 1: Frogs by Laura Driscoll
Frogs and Toad and Tadpoles, Too by Allan Fowler
Froggyseries by London (J)
Dinosaurs
National Geographic Readers: Dinosaurs by Zoehfeld
Dinosaurs Before Dark (Magic Tree House) by Pope Osbourne (M)
Magic Tree House Fact Tracker #1: Dinosaurs: A Nonfiction Companion to Magic Tree House #1: Dinosaurs Before Dark (M)
Dinosaur Detectives (The Magic School Bus Science Chapter Book 9) by Stamper
Danny and the Dinosaur by Hoff (J)
How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight by Yolen (J)
How Do Dinosaurs Go to School by Yolen (J)
Ants
Time for Kids: Ants! –
Rookie Read About Science: Inside an Ant Colony by Allan Fowler
Are You an Ant? by Judy Allan
National Geographic Readers: Ants by Melissa Stewart
Hey, Little Ant—Hoose
A Bug’s Life (movie)
Antz (movie trailer
The Ant Bully (book)
The Ant Bully (movie)
Insectlopedia(poetry by Florian)
Space
Stella, Princess of the Sky-Gay
So That’s How the Moon Changes Shape by Fowler (G)
Baseball
My Baseball Book by Gibbons
Nick Plays Baseball by Isadora
How GeorgieRadbourn Saved Baseball by Shannon (fantasy)
Curious George at the Baseball Game by Rey
Weather
When a Storm Comes Up (Rookie Reader) Fowler
Storms (National Geographic Kids)
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (M)
Rain by Saunders-Smith (K)
The Snowy Day by Keats (J)
Snowballs by Ehlert (J)
Houndsley and Catina and the Quiet Time by Howe (K)
Franklin and the Thunderstorm by Bourgeois (K)
Solids, Liquids, and Gases
Change It: Solids, Liquids and Gases and You by Mason (I)
Liquids, Solids, and Gases by Garrett (G)
What is Matter? By Curry (G)
Squirrels
Scaredy Squirrel series by Watt (L)
Those Darn Squirrels by Rubin
Squirrels and their Nests by Rustad (J)
Squirrel’s World by Moser (K)
Fire Station
The Fire Station by Munsch (K)
What’s Inside a Fire Truck? by Gordon (L)
Fire Fighter by Royston (L)
A Day with Firefighters by Kottke (H)
Fire Truck to the Rescue by Sander (I)
Fire Trucks by Lindeen (G)
Fire Engines by Freeman (I)
Things that Go
Planes
Amazing Airplanes by Tony Mitton
Planes (National Geographic Kids)
Flying by Crews (C)
Ready for Takeoff by Scholastic (H)
Trucks
Trucktown series by Scieszka (G/H)
Truck by Crews
Dumpy the Dump Truck by Edwards and Hamilton
Monster Trucks by Todd
Dig Dig Digging by Mayo (J)
Boats
Harbor by Crews
Sail Away by Crews
Poetry/Songs
Silver Seeds (A book of Nature poetry) by Paolili
Insectlopedia by Florian
Weather: poems for all seasons selected by Hopkins (L)
Weather Poems
Who Sees the Wind?
Do the trees see the wind
as it makes them sway?
Do the leaves see the wind
as it blows them away?
Do clouds see the wind
as it pushes them along?
Do chimes see the wind
as it plays their song?
Do kites see the wind
as they dance in the sky?
Does anyone see
the wind pass by?
Thunder
Hear him tumble
grumble
rumble...
Bash, crash, blunder—
old grouch thunder!
Always in a mood to fight—
morning, afternoon, or night.
Lightning quickly answers back
with a zig-zag
flashing
crack!
Bobbi Katz
Transportation
Let’s Go Driving in an Automobile (from Sesame Street—can watch the YouTube video of the song)
Let's go driving in an automobileLet's take a ride in a carListen to the motor go Vroom VroomVroomAs we travel near and farVroom vr-vroom vr-vroom vroom vroomvroomVroom vr-vroom vr-vroom vroomVroom vr-vroom vr-vroom vroom vroomvroomvroomVroom vroomvroomvroomvroomLet's go driving in an automobileLet's take a ride in a carListen to the horn go beep beepbeppAs we travel near and farBeep be-beep be-beep beep beepbeepBeep be-beep be-beep beepBeep be-beep be-beep beep beepbeepbeepBeep beepbeepbeepbeepLet's go driving in an automobileLet's take a ride in a carWindshield wipers go swish swishswishAs we travel near and farSwish sw-swish sw-swish swish swishswishSwish sw-swish sw-swish swishSwish sw-swish sw-swish swish swishswishswishSwish swishswishswishswishLet's go driving in an automobileLet's take a ride in a carListen to the people sing La lalaAs we travel near and farLa la-la la-la la lalaLa la-la la-la laLa la-la la-la la lalalaLa lalalalaVroom vr-vroom vr-vroom vroom vroomvroomBeep be-beep beep beepbeepSwish sw-swish sw-swish swish swishswishLa lalalalalaLa lalalalaLet's go driving in a car
Row RowRow Your Boat
Row, row, row your boat,
Gently down the stream.
Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily,
Life is but a dream.
I'm a Little Airplane
written by Leanne Guenther
tune of "I'm a Little Teapot"
I’m a little airplane, way up high,
Hold hand up to forehead to shade eyes looking into the sky and point with other hand
With my great big silver wings, watch me fly!
Hold arms out like wings and tilt them side to side
When the pilot tells me, I’ll come down,
Hold hands over both ears like you’re holding the radio headphones (earmuffs) pilots wear
Swooping and gliding, to the ground.
Hold arms out like wings and spin in a circle, then kneel on the ground
Trains
(from childfun.com)
ChooChoo Train
This is a choochoo train (bend elbows)
Puffing down the track (rotate arms in rhythm)
Now it's going forward (push forward, continue rotating motion)
Now it's going back (pull arms back, continue rotating motion)
Now the bell is ringing (pretend to pull the cord - ding ding)
Now the whistle blows (hold fist near mouth and toot toot)
What a lot of noise it makes (cover ears)
Everywhere it goes. (stretch out arms)
Little Red Train
Little red train,
Chugging down the track,
First it goes down,
Then it comes back.
(chug around room by yourself)
Hooking on cars
Here Comes The ChooChoo Train
Here comes our choochoo train
Coming down the track
First it's going forward
Then it's going back
Hear the bells ringing, ding a ling, ding a ling
Hear the whistle blowing, woo woo
What a lot of noise it makes
Everywhere it goes!
Little Red Caboose
Little red caboose, chug, chug, chug
Little red caboose, chug, chug, chug
Little red caboose behind the train, train, train, train
Smokestack on his back, back, back, back
Chugging down the track, track, track, track
Little red caboose behind the train.
Down By the Station
Down by the station early in the morning
See the little puffer bellies all in a row
See the station master pull the little handle
Chug chug, choochoo, here we go!
Down By the Station
Down by the station (down by the station)
Early in the morning (early in the morning)
See the little pufferbellies (see the little pufferbellies)
All in a row (all in a row)
See the station master (see the station master)
Turn the little handle (turn the little handle)
Puff, puff, toot, toot (puff, puff, toot, toot)
Off we go! (off we go!)
Little Red Caboose
Little red caboose, Little red caboose,
Little red caboose behind the train, train,
Smoke-stack on his back, Going down the track,
Little red caboose behind the train, train.
The Train
Choo, choo, choo (slide hands together)
The train runs down the track (run fingers down arm)
And then it runs right back. ( Run fingers up arm.)
This is a ChooChoo Train
This is a choochoo train (Child becomes a train by squatting)
Puffing down the track (Child does actions that the rhyme states)
Now its going forward, (child goes forward)
Now its going back. (Child goes back, etc.)
Now the bell is ringing (child pulls make believe bell rope)
What a lot of noise it makes cover ears and make train noises
Everywhere it goes. (Children move around the room at random.)
The Freight Train
Clickity, clackity, clickity clack!
The train speeds over the railroad track.
It rolls and rattles and screeches its song
And pulls and jiggles its freight cars along.
Clickity, clackity, clickity, clack!
The engine in front is big and black.
The cars are filled with lots of things
Like milk, or oil, or mattress spings.
Clickity, clackity, clickity, clack!
The engineer waves, and I wave back.
I count the cars as the freight train goes
and the whitle blows and blows....and blows!
As it Goes
As it goes,
Little red train
Just grows and grows.
(have one child hook on behind you)
(repleat until all children are part of the train.)
The Peanut Song
Oh, the peanut sat on the railroad track,
His heart was all a flutter.
The choo-choo train came down the track,
Toot, tooot, peanut butter.
Improvise: lemon-lemonade, grapes-jelly, apples-applesauce, strawberry-berry jam and on, and on, and on.
Little Red Train
Everyone sits and waits at the train station. One person begins by pretending to be the engine. They walk about the room as everyone chants:
Little Red Train chugging down the track.
First it goes down, then it comes back.
Hooking on cars as it goes,
Little Red Train just grows and grows.
The "engine" calls for a "car" to hook on. Repeat the chant. The second
person calls a third to hook on. Continue until everyone has completed
the train.
Zoo Train
Line up in a row in to form a train. One child is the engineer.
SING: (Tune: Down By the Station)
Down by the Zoo Train
Next to the zoo
On came an animal
Do you know who?
The engineer says an animal...such as "A Kangaroo came and it was hopping."
Sing: We picked up a kangaroo
And what do you know
This is the way the train started to go.
(Hopping, Hopping) watch us go.
(Hopping) fast then (Hopping) slow
(Hopping) down, then (Hopping) back
Watch us (Hop) around the track.
At the end of the song the engineer goes to the end of the line. A new child is now the engineer and you can play again.
Animals
Once I Saw a Little Bird
Once I saw a little bird
Come hop, hop, hop.
So I cried, "Little bird,
Will you stop, stop, stop?"
I saw going to the window
To say, "How do you do?"
But he shook his little tail,
And away he flew.
(canteach.com)
The Penguin That Couldn't Fly
I saw a penguin.
He walked right by.
He had a tear in his eye.
I heard him cry and softly sigh,
Oh I wish I could fly.
(canteach.com)
Baby Beluga by Raffi
Baby beluga in the deep blue sea,
Swim so wild and you swim so free.
Heaven above and the sea below,
And a little white whale on the go.
Baby beluga, baby beluga,
Is the water warm? Is your mama home,
With you so happy?
Way down yonder where the dolphins play,
Where you dive and splash all day,
Waves roll in and the waves roll out.
See the water squirting out of your spout.
Baby beluga, oh, baby beluga,
Sing your little song, sing for all your friends.
We like to hear you.
When it's dark, you're home and fed.
Curled up snug in your waterbed.
Moon is shining and the stars are out.
Good night, little whale, good night.
Baby beluga, oh, baby beluga,
With tomorrow's sun, another day's begun.
You'll soon be waking.
Baby beluga in the deep blue sea,
Swim so wild and you swim so free.
Heaven above and the sea below,
And a little white whale on the go.
You're just a little white whale on the go.
Three Little Ducks (song)
Three little ducks went out one day
Over the hills and far away
Mama Duck called
Quack, Quack, Quack, Quack
Two little ducks came swimming back
Two little ducks went out one day
Over the hills and far away
Mama Duck called
Quack, Quack, Quack, Quack
One little duck came swimming back