Elysia Rambo
SSE 3312
4-15-2012
Text Set/Website List for teaching a unit on the Ocean
Grade: Kindergarten
Text Set:
1. A House for Hermit Crab
Written an Illustrated by Eric Carle (Simon & Schuster, 1988)
Hermit Crab has grown too big for his shell. After a timid search, he finds a new one and
decides to dress it up a bit. Each month he adds something new (a starfish, sea urchin,
etc.) By the end of the year, he has grown out of this shell too. He is sad to leave all of
his friends, but he gives his shell to another crab in need and sets out, no longer timid to
find a new shell. His excitement grows as he thinks of all the new things he could
decorate with.
Review from:
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/131693.A_House_for_Hermit_Crab
2. A Swim Through the Sea
Written and Illustrated by Kristin Joy Pratt (Dawn Publications, 1994)
This book uses the letters of the alphabet to introduce words and things such as angelfish,
dolphins, manatees, octopus, and other fish and mammals living in the world’s oceans,
giving their physical characteristics and behavior.
This book is an illustrated tour of the animals and plants of the kingdom undersea. The
author highlights a selected species on each page with full color illustrations along with a
paragraph of fascinating facts.
Review from: http://www.powells.com/biblio/17-9781883220037-0
3. The Rainbow Fish
Written and Illustrated by Marcus Pfister (North South Books, Inc., 1992)
This book can be used for a Phonemic Awareness Activity. This is one of my favorite
books and I used to read it to my daughter when she was younger. It has a few very
important life lessons to teach the children while they are young. The Rainbow fish was
the most beautiful fish in the ocean with scales of every shade of blue, purple and green
with sparkling silver scales among them. The other fish wanted to have shiny scales too
so rainbow fish gave all the fish one shiny scale each so they all felt special. It was hard
at first for rainbow fish to give away all its scales but he wanted to fit in and make
friends. Finally, rainbow fish had only one shining scale left for him. Although he had
given away his scales, he gained many friends and that made rainbow fish very happy.
Review from:
http://www.fcrr.org/assessment/SLP/Joann_Handouts/The_Rainbow_Fish_PA.pdf
4. Swimmy
Written and Illustrated by Leo Lionni (Random House, 1968)
Deep in the sea lives a happy school of little fish. Their watery world is full of wonders,
but there is also danger. This creates the little fish to be too frightened to come out of
hiding. Things changed when Swimmy comes along and shows his friends how they can
overcome any danger by working together. This book is a Caldecott Honor Book that is
filled with graceful texts and stunning artwork. I believe that this book deserves a place
on every child’s shelf.
Review from: http://www.randomhouse.com/book/101949/swimmy-by-leo-lionni
5. One Lonely Seahorse
Written by Saxton Freymann, Illustrated by Joost Elffers (Arther A. Levine Books, 2000)
In this book, beautifully photographed dioramas such as fruits and vegetables are
transformed into sea animals and sea flora in an underwater counting adventure. Bea, a
solitary sea horse is in search for friends. She finds two crabs, three dolphins, up to ten
gloriously colored angel fish. She found her group that she can surely count on. Each of
these animals were previously a fruit or vegetable. The authors have laid out a visual
feast: a clear, readable counting book, a sensitive story, a lush graphic work of art, and a
remarkable “look-alike” game.
Review from: hrrp://www.arthuralevinebooks.com/book.asp?bookid=54