Ants and Spiders! Oh my!

theme: bugs, nature, nonfiction

Spiders and ants are becoming more active around – and sometimes in – my house. So this is a perfect time to share these books that were released last fall.

Just Like Us! Ants 
by Bridget Heos ; illustrated by David Clark
32  pages; ages 4-7
HMH Books for Young Readers, 2017 

Did you know that ants have been farming for longer than humans? And that in addition to raising crops, they herd (and milk) animals? Ants also build roads, sew, and construct rafts to survive floods. 

What I like about this book: On each spread, Bridget Heos introduces a different way in which ants are like us. She uses plain language, tinged with humor, to show how ants live in communities, delegate chores, and deal with traffic. An ant’s first job is often that of a babysitter – just like us! Babysitter ants feed their young charges, and give them baths. They’d probably raid the fridge if ant nests had refrigerators. Another thing ants do is wage war on other colonies. Meanwhile, the queen and loyal helpers carry the larvae and flee to safety.

I also like the artwork. David Clark’s cartoonish illustrations add a touch of humor while showing the details we need to know. Occasionally he integrates photos of real ants doing real work.

Spiders! Strange and Wonderful 
by Laurence Pringle; illustrated by Meryl Henderson
32 pages; ages 7 - 10
Boyds Mills Press, 2017

…there may be several spiders close to you. One may lurk under a chair. Another hides in the corner of a window. Oh, and there may be one in a little silk web, up by the ceiling. 

Spiders live everywhere, except Antarctica, and they are so focused on living their own lives that they really don’t want to have anything to do with us. They have lived on this earth for a long time – at least 380 million years. Most of them survive by eating insects. That’s good for gardeners who don’t like pests nibbling spinach leaves; not so good for the pests. 

What I like about this book: Laurence Pringle explains how spiders are related to other arachnids, shows their anatomy, and talks about their secret weapon. He introduces different kinds of webs, and spiders that don’t have webs. The illustrations are a wonderful way to learn how to identify certain spiders. I love the up-close portraits of spider faces and eye patterns – it’s hard to see those on live spiders. Back matter includes a glossary, further reading and, of course, websites! 

Beyond the Books 
What do ants in your area like to eat? Some ants prefer grease, some sugary treats, and others would rather nosh on seeds. If you find an ant community in your yard or local park, you can do a food preference test. Turn a paper plate upside down and put it on the ground about a yard from the ant’s home. Put samples of various foods around the edge of the plate: sesame seeds, barley, dabs of honey, butter, and peanut butter. Which food attracts the ants? 

Check out this video of ants, by David Attenborough (Life in theUndergrowth, BBC) 

Can you jump as far as a jumping spider? They can jump anywhere from 10 to 50 times their body length. Measure your height (body length). Then do some jumps, and measure how far you went. How far would a jumping spider jump if it were as big as you? 

Scientists have taught a spider to jump on demand. They hope that what they learn from their spider, Kim, can help them improve the form and function of jumping micro-robots. You can watch the video here.

 

Today we're joining the STEM Friday roundup - and we're also joining others over at Perfect Picture Book Friday, an event in which bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's site. She keeps an ever-growing list of Perfect Picture Books. Review copy from publishers.

Wednesday Explorers Club ~ Spy on Spiders

Not all spiders have websites. Ambush hunters hang out, waiting for lunch to land next to them. Sometimes they even blend in with the flowers and buds they hide on. Then, when a fly or be comes too close - watch out! - the spider lunges.

What sort of spiders do you see stalking prey, waiting for fly-by take-out, or otherwise hunting for their meals? Grab your field journal and something to draw with and head out to Spy on Spiders.

Check out this post on grass spiders.

STEM Books for the Beach

theme: beaches, animals, STEM

On Gull Beach (On Bird Hill and Beyond series)

by Jane Yolen; illustrated by Bob Marstall

36 pages; ages 4 - 10

Cornell Lab Publishing Group, 2018

As I was walking on Gull Beach,

I saw a starfish within reach

While visiting a beach in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, a boy finds a starfish. But before he can pick it up a gull snatches the sea star and flies away. The boy gives chase… will he be able to rescue the sea star before it becomes gull lunch?

What I like about this book: Gulls toss the sea star from bill to bill to bill, leading the boy on a merry chase across the dunes. Along the way, illustrator Bob Marstall makes sure readers see the shells, dune grass, crabs, and other shore birds that the boy misses – because he is so focused on his rescue quest. I also like that the boy doesn’t want to keep the starfish, and shows respect for the life on the beach.

And there is back matter, which I always like! For curious naturalists, Jane Yolen provides information on gulls, sanderlings, and more shore birds. She also clarifies the use of “starfish” and “sea star” and introduces a cast of crabs as well as the horseshoe crab (which is not a crab). Best of all, there’s a list of ways you can help make our beaches a better place for people and wildlife.

How to Code a Sandcastle (a Girls Who Code book)

by Josh Funk; illustrated by Sara Palacios

44 pages; ages 4-8

Viking, 2018

It is the last day of summer vacation. Which means today is my very last chance to build a sandcastle!

Pearl has been trying to build a sandcastle all summer long, but things keep happening to them. Today, though, she’s got the perfect plan and the perfect building partner – her trusty, rust-proof robot buddy, Pascal. All she has to do is tell Pascal what to do, and how to do it.

What I like about this book: I like the fun way Josh Funk introduces coding. When Pearl tells Pascal to build a sandcastle, he doesn’t know what to do. Pearl realizes she needs to give her robot more specific instructions, so she figures out the steps needed for castle construction and, through trial and error, creates the code that tells Pascal what to do. Then, because she is tired of repeating the same instructions, she figures out how to create a loop of code so Pascal will continue doing the same thing over and over and over again.

I like the personality illustrator Sara Palacios imbues in Pascal. It? He? is delightful! And I love the clever way Josh codes “the end” and his dedication. This book will make you want to get a bucket and plastic scoop and head to the beach to code your very own sandcastle.

Beyond the Books:

Look for gulls. We think of them as living along the coast, but you can find gulls around lakes, ponds, even farmers’ fields. Cornell Lab or Ornithology lists 15 on their All About Birds site (hit “see more birds” to see them all. Check out this video of Laughing Gulls at the beach. And learn about more shorebirds here.

Learn more about ocean habitats. The National Park Service page allows you to explore many types of ocean habitat.

Visit the GROG Blog for an interview with JoshFunk about coding and castles.

Write your own instruction for building a sandcastle. Then go build it. It doesn’t matter whether you’re building your castle in a sandbox or at the beach, just have some fun. No sand? Then code a castle for natural construction materials in your habitat: stones, hay, pinecones, twigs….

Today we're joining the STEM Friday roundup - and we're also joining others over at Perfect Picture Book Friday, an event in which bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's site. She keeps an ever-growing list of Perfect Picture Books. Review copy from publisher.