ALL IN THIS TOGETHER ACTIVITY BOOK RESOURCE LISTS

Table of Contents

Activity and Information Books
Kid Heroes and How to Be One
Bilingual Children's Books with Environmental Themes
Resources for Parents and Teachers
Environmental/Peace Organizations and Projects By/For Young People
Books to Read and Look at
Environmental Song Audio Tapes and CDs for Children

BUYING BOOKS LISTED ON THIS SITE THAT SISTERS' CHOICE DOESN'T SELL:

If you are lucky enough to have a local independent bookstore handy, I hope you mosey over and buy your books there. Even if they don't stock the book you want, most bookstores will special order. (If you type your zip code in at BookSense you can find your nearest independent bookstore with online ordering.) HOWEVER, if you only have chain bookstores in your town, here's an easy way to buy some of the books on this site: if a book title is underlined, clicking on the title brings you right to that book's listing at amazon.com, where you can order it quick as a frog's tongue. Better yet, try your local library, which may have a virtual catalog right here in Cyberville.

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ACTIVITY AND INFORMATION BOOKS

Arnoski, Jim. Crinkleroot's Guide to Walking in Wild Places. Bradbury, 1990.

This is a humorous but common sense guide: warnings about ticks, etc., but also advice to be quiet so as to see more wildlife, not disturb nesting birds.

Bash, Barbara. Urban Roosts: Where Birds Nest in the City. Sierra Club/Little, Brown, 1990.

Enjoyable text and clear, striking watercolors of urban birds from sparrows nesting in stop lights to peregrine falcons on ledges of skyscrapers.

Bjork, Christina. Linnea's Windowsill Garden, illustrated by Lena Anderson. Farrar, 1988. Cheerful instructions on growing things indoors. Also, Linnea's Almanac, R&S, 1982.

Cone, Molly. Come Back, Salmon: How a Group of Dedicated Kids Adopted Pigeon Creek and Brought it Back to Life. Sierra Club/Little, 1992.

Danks, Hugh. The Bug Book. Somerville, 1987.

Simple and gentle activities with bugs, most using the bug bottle the book comes in.

Dawe, Karen. Beach Book.Somerville, 1988. (Saltwater Edition)

This little guide to beach plants and animals comes in its own clear plastic bucket with a sieve-lid for scooping things up, and instructions on how to observe and how to put creatures back without damage.

Facklam, Margery. And Then There Was One: The Mysteries of Extinction. Sierra Club/Little, Brown, 1990.

A clear explanation of extinction, from dinosaurs to particular animals who are/were the last of their kind.

Gibbons, Gail. Recycle: A Handbook for Kids. Little, 1992.

Grummer, Arnold. Paper by Kids. Dillon, 1980.

How to make paper from discarded paper and other fibers.

Guiberson, Brenda Z. Cactus Hotel. Henry Holt. 1991.

The saguaro is home to many creatures in its two hundred years of existence.

Herberman, Ethan. City Kids Field Guide. Simon Schuster, 1989.

Yes, there is wildlife in the city, in empty lots, parks and yards, as these photographs prove.

Kohl, Judith and Herbert. The View from the Oak. Scribner, 1977.

For adults and older children, this book attempts to put the reader inside other creatures, looking out: how their senses differ from ours, and how a bird, an animal and an insect experience the same environment in very different ways.

Lavies, Bianca. Compost Critters. Dutton, 1993.

Decomposers up close in color photographs.

McVey, Vickie. The Sierra Club Wayfinders Book, illustrated by Martha Weston. Sierra Club Books, 1989.

Hints and games to help kids find learn to find their way in country and city, and, incidentally, to sharpen their skills as observers.

Mathers, Sharon, Linda Skinner and Terry Tafoya. The Mamook Book: Activities for Learning about the Northwest Coast Indians, illus. Roger Fernandes. United Indians of All Tribes Foundation, second edition, 1979. [Available from Oyate, 2702 Mathews St., Berkeley, CA 94702, (510)848-6700.]

Besides historical and contemporary Indian activities and dress, this contains a board game about the salmon migration.

National Wildlife Federation. The Unhuggables. National Wildlife Federation, 1988.

“The truth about snakes, slugs, skunks, spiders, and other animals that are hard to love.” Illustrated with good photographs and drawings.

Shaffer, Carolyn and Erica Fielder. City Safaris: Explorer's Guide to Urban Adventures for Grownups and Kids. Sierra Club Books, 1987.

Activities for learning about the animals, plants and people in a city. For instance, comparative bumper strip surveys of different neighborhoods.

Pope, Joyce. Do Animals Dream? Children's Questions about Animals Most Often Asked of the Natural History Museum. Viking, 1986.

Why do birds lay eggs? Do fish drink? Why do fleas jump? Good questions and good answers.

Selsam, Millicent E. How to Be an Animal Detective. Scholastic, 1958.

Exercises for younger children on observing nature and discovering who or what has passed.

Weber, William. Attracting Birds and Other Wildlife to Your Yard. Holt, 1982.

Adults and young people together can make these bird houses and feeders and learn to attract other creatures.

Yue, Charlotte and David. The Pueblo. Houghton, 1986.

Excellent description and diagrams of traditional passive solar construction in the Southwestern United States.

From the All in This Together Activity Book, ©1997 by Nancy Schimmel. May be copied for use by any non-profit school or organization if this notice is retained. Sisters' Choice, 704 Gilman Street, Berkeley CA 94710.

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KID HEROES AND HOW TO BE ONE

The Earthworks Group. Kid Heroes of the Environment. Earthworks Press, 1991.

“Simple things real kids are doing to save the earth.” Profiles of kids and groups of kids in the United States who are heroes at home, at school, in the community and nationally. Groups to join, a form to fill out and send in if you have done something to “help save the Earth, to help other people, to make your town a better place to live, or anything you're really proud of.”

Hoose, Phil. It's Our World Too!: Young People Who Are Making a Difference (And How They're Doing It). Little, Brown, 1993.

From children as lookouts on the Underground Railroad to today's environmental action, plus good how-to-do-it section.

Lewis, Barbara A. The Kid's Guide to Social Action: How to solve the social problem you choose and turn creative thinking into positive action. Free Spirit, 1991. [Free Spirit Publishing Inc., 400 First Ave. North, Suite 616, Minneapolis, MN 55401.]

Examples of kids making a difference at local, state and national levels; how to do it; resource lists; forms (letter, petition, proclamation, survey, etc.)

From the All in This Together Activity Book, ©1997 by Nancy Schimmel. May be copied for use by any non-profit school or organization if this notice is retained. Sisters' Choice, 704 Gilman Street, Berkeley CA 94710.

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BILINGUAL CHILDREN'S BOOKS WITH ENVIRONMENTAL THEMES

Cruz Martinez, Alejandro. The Woman Who Outshone the Sun/La mujer que brillaba aún más que el sol. Children's Book Press, 1991.

A beautiful stranger is not accepted by the village and finally leaves. But the river, which has fallen in love with her, leaves too, and the people realize they must find her and apologize.

Earthworks Group. 50 cosas que los niños pueden hacer para salvar la tierra. Emece, ©1990. Available from Iaconi Books, 300 Pennsylvania, San Francisco, CA 94110, (415)255-8193.

An Argentine edition of the popular US book.

Harvey, Bob, and Diane Kelsay Harvey. A Journey of Hope/Una Journada de Esperanza. Little America, 1991. [Learning activities available.]

Photos and drawings are well integrated to tell the story of Hope, a sea turtle who survives the odds to return to her home beach and lay eggs.

Melody's Mystery/El Misterio de Melodia. Little America, 1991.

The mystery is that monarch butterflies pass the instinct to migrate through several generations of non-migraters until the time is right for flight. Simple text and clear photos.

Ingpen, Robert and Margaret Dunkle. Conservación: Una Forma Inteligente de Explicar a los Niños qué es la Conservación. Translated by Hilda Becerril. Editorial Origen, Mexico. 1991.

The authors clearly explain the purposes and benefits of conservation. Full-page color illustrations on every other page. Originally published in 1987 by Hill of Content, Melbourne, Australia.

Kurusa. La Calle es Libre, illus. Monika Doppert. Ediciones Ekaré. Available from Iaconi Books.

Published in English asThe Streets Are Free. Annick, 1985.

The children in a Caracas neighborhood have no place to play. They campaign for a playground, the mayor dedicates the site, but work never starts. The kids convince their parents to make it themselves.

Rohmer, Harriet , Octavio Chow and Morris Vidaure, retellers. The Invisible Hunters/Los Cazadores Invisibles, illus. Joe Sam. Children's Book Press, 1987.

The magical Dar plant makes the hunters invisible, but only so long as they do not use guns or sell the meat. When they get greedy, the magic turns against them. Miskito legend.

Zak, Monica. Salven Mi Selva, illus. B. Runnerström. SITESA, 1987. From Iaconi Books.

English version, Save My Rainforest, by Nancy Schimmel, Volcano, 1992.

Based on the true story of an eight-year-old boy, Omar Castillo, who tried to save the rainforest in Mexico. (He is still trying.)

Series: Coleccion Tierraviva, from Editorial SM. Twelve titles in Spanish translation on environmental topics like the ozone layer. Available from Iaconi Books.

Series: Costeau y Los Animales, from Ediciones SM, Madrid, 1992. Full-page color photographs in natural settings and a brief text introduces young readers to Ballenas Jorobadas, Manaties, and several other sea creatures, each in its own book, for grades k-2. For grades 2-5, the series Costeau y el Mar covers El Elefante Marino and El Pez Alga.

For teachers: Greig, Sue, Graham Pike and David Selby. Los derechos de la tierra. Editorial Popular, Madrid, 1991. Available from Iaconi Books. (Translation of Education As If the Earth Mattered.)

From the All in This Together Activity Book, ©1997 by Nancy Schimmel. May be copied for use by any non-profit school or organization if this notice is retained. Sisters' Choice, 704 Gilman Street, Berkeley CA 94710.

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RESOURCES FOR PARENTS AND TEACHERS

If you only get two items, get Kid's Guide to Social Action and Sharing the Joy of Nature

Adopting a Stream: A Northwest Handbook by Steve Yates. University of Washington Press, 1988.

Though this book grew out of the Adopt-A-Stream project in Washington State in which over a thousand children have participated, its principles will work in most of the United States, and the movement is spreading world-wide. Some grade-school classes have brought salmon back to streams that have been barren twenty-five years.

Attracting Birds and Other Wildlife to Your Yard by William Weber. Holt, 1982.

Adults and young people together can make these bird houses and feeders and learn to attract other creatures.

Folksong in the classroom: A Network of Teachers of History, Literature, Music and the HumanitiesA Newsletter. 3 issues per year. John W. Scott, editor. Subscriptions $7/yr from Diana Palmer, 433 Leadmine Rd., Fiskdale, MA 01508.

Songs with melody line, chord symbols, background notes, and ideas on using them in the classroom to support curriculum and reach special students. The three issues on ecology are Volume IX and can be ordered for $7 for the set.

The Kid's Guide to Social Action: How to solve the social problems you chooseand turn creative thinking into positive action by Barbara A. Lewis. Free Spirit, 1991. Free Spirit Publishing, 400 First Avenue North, Suite 616, Minneapolis, MN 55401.

This book tells about kids who have made a difference. The fourth-fifth-sixth grade teacher who wrote the book helped her kids get two city grants totaling $3,600 and collect another $720 on their own to plant 187 trees in a park and in their neighborhood in Salt Lake City.

The book also tells how other kids can make a difference: how to write a letter to a city official, how to lobby for a bill, raise money, apply for a grant, write a press release. It even gives forms to copy and addresses to write to.

Naturewatch: Exploring Nature with Your Children by Adrienne Katz. Addison Wesley, 1986.

An inviting book of easy projects and observations to bring nature to city kids as well as country kids. Includes some crafts with natural materials.

Sharing Nature with Children by Joseph Cornell. Dawn Publications, 1979.

Imaginative, tested, well-described games and activities help school-age children observe and understand nature. A key to each game helps choose the right one for the mood, location, age, number of players, and concept, and indicates the very simple equipment needed, if any (pencils and paper, ball of string, magnifying glasses, etc.)

Sharing the Joy of Nature: Nature Activities for All Ages by Joseph Cornell. Dawn Publications, 1989.

More excellent games and activities and also some of the ideas behind them.

Songs From the Wildlands and Songs from the Water World by Jill Jarboe. Available from Jill Jarboe, Pine Jog Environmental Science Center, 6301 Summit Boulevard, West Palm Beach, FL 33415.

Each tape has a dozen songs about the ecological principles at work in the wild or the water, plus reasons for protecting those places. The accompanying activity books for each tape include lyrics and, for some songs, choreography. Song books with both words and music can be purchased separately.

Spinning Tales, Weaving Hope: Stories of Peace, Justice & the Environment edited by Ed Brody, Jay Goldspinner and others. New Society, 1992.

Includes activities for each story and good sections on how to tell stories and how to create an emotionally safe environment in which to do the activities.

The View from the Oak by Judith and Herbert Kohl. Scribner, 1977.

For adults and older children, this book attempts to put the reader inside other creatures, looking out: how their senses differ from ours, and how a bird, an animal and an insect experience the same environment in very different ways.

Worms Eat Our Garbage (Classroom Activities for a Better Environment) by Mary Appelhof, Mary Frances Fenton & Barbara Loss Harris. Flower Press, 1993; 232 pp. Flowerfield Enterprises, 10332 Shaver Road, Kalamazoo, MI 49002.

Teach soil science, biology, solid waste issues in grades 4-8 using worm boxes to compost lunch scraps

From the All in This Together Activity Book, ©1997 by Nancy Schimmel. May be copied for use by any non-profit school or organization if this notice is retained. Sisters' Choice, 704 Gilman Street, Berkeley CA 94710.

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ENVIRONMENTAL/PEACE ORGANIZATIONS AND PROJECTS BY/FOR YOUNG PEOPLE

ADOPT A BEACH

California Coastal Commission
45 Fremont Street, Suite 2000
San Francisco, CA 94105-2219

They can put you in touch with programs in other states too.

If you'd rather do a one-shot deal, write to

THE CENTER FOR MARINE CONSERVATION
1725 Desales Street NW
Washington, DC 20036

for information about their nationwide three-hour beach cleanup every year on the third Saturday of September. One year folks picked up two million pounds of trash!

ADOPT A STREAM

Adopt a Stream Foundation
P.O. Box 5558
Everett, WA 98201

Guidelines for adopting a stream or wetland. Send a self-addressed stamped envelope and a small donation, if possible. See the book, ADOPTING A STREAM, in the list for parents and teachers.

ADOPT A WHALE

Whale Adoption Project has a section called For all young people and a Teachers Kit.

Whale Adoption Project
320 Gifford Street
Falmouth, MA 02540

Write for information.

CHILDREN'S CAMPAIGN FOR NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT
14 Everit Street
New Haven, CT 06511

Completely youth run organization, ages 18 and younger.

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR HUMANE AND ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION
67 Salem Road East Haddam, CT 06423

Information on KIND NEWS newspaper.

For more organizations start by kids, see idealist.org

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BOOKS TO READ AND LOOK AT

Ancona, George. Turtle Watch. Macmillan, 1987.

Two Afro-Brazilian children help scientists protect the eggs of the endangered sea turtles.

Baker, Jeannie. Where the Forest Meets the Sea. Greenwillow, 1988.

A boy explores the threatened rain forest of Australia and imagines the animals and people who lived in the same forest in prehistoric times.

Berger, Barbara. Animalia. Celestial Arts, 1982.

Brief tales of wise and holy people who have lived gently with animals. European and Asian legends are the sources.

Bond, Ruskin. Cherry Tree, illus. Allan Eitzen. Caroline House, 1991

In the Himalayan foothills, not many fruit trees grow. A little girl plants a cherry pit and cares for the tree as they both grow.

Bjork, Christina. Linnea in Monet's Garden,illus. Lena Anderson. R&S Books, 1987.

Linnea has seen Monet's paintings of his garden in books, but now she gets to see the real paintings in Paris and the real garden. Her joyful travel diary lets us share the trip.

Coerr, Eleanor. Sadako and the Thousand Cranes. Putnam, 1977.

The true story of a young girl who died of leukemia ten years after being exposed to radiation when the atom bomb was dropped on Hiroshima during World War II. The author has rewritten and shortened the text for a new edition, Sadako, with full-color illustrations by Ed Young, Putnam, 1993.

Cooney, Barbara. Miss Rumphius. Viking, 1982.

Great-aunt Alice was once a little girl who wanted to travel the world and then live by the sea, as her grandfather had. But there was one more thing she had to do. “What is that?” Alice asked her grandfather. “You must do something to make the world more beautiful,” he told her.

Cowcher, Helen. Tigress. Farrar, 1991.

The tigress is killing livestock and the herders want to poison her, but the ranger persuades them to use firecrackers to frighten her back to the preserve.

Cousteau Society. An Adventure in the Amazon. Simon & Schuster; 1992.

Photos from a Cousteau Society expedition enliven a rainforest book that gives an unusual amount of respectful attention to the peoples who depend on the rainforest as their “grocery store, pharmacy, clothes store, hardware store and pet shop.”

de Paola, Tomie, reteller. The Legend of Bluebonnet. Putnams', 1983.

The Great Spirits tells the Comanche People to sacrifice their most precious possession to end a drought that had killed many. When an orphan girl sacrifices a doll made for her by her mother, the Spirits cover the hillsides with bluebonnets and end the drought. Texas legend.

Gerson, Mary-Joan. Why the Sky Is Far Away: A Folktale from Nigeria. Illus Carla Golembe. Little 1992.

The sky used to be close and good to eat, but people wasted it so it went far away.

Goodman, Susan E. Bats, Bugs and Biodivirsity: Adventures in the Amazonian Rain Forest. Atheneum, 1995.

Michigan seventh- and eighth-graders go to Peru to see a tropical rainforest for themselves.

Hamanaka, Sheila. Screen of Frogs: An Old Tale. Orchard, 1993.

In this story from Japan, a young man who has frittered away his riches is about to sell the forest where he played as a boy, but the frogs persuade him not to.

Hoban, Tana. Look Again. Macmillan, 1971.

Nature photographs become a nature guessing game in this clever pictures-only book.

Ikeda, Daisaku. The Cherry Tree, illus. Brian Wildsmith. English version by Geraldine McCaughrean. Knopf, 1991.

The old cherry tree hasn't bloomed all through the war. Afterwards, with the help of an old man and two children, it does.

Jacaranda Designs. Mcheshi Goes to the Game Park/Mcheshi Aenda Hifadhi Ya Wanyama. Nairobi, Jacaranda Designs, 1992. 2701 E. Warren Avenue, Denver, CO 80210.

In this picture book from Kenya in English and Swahili a young girl and her little brother visit a game park with their uncle, a park ranger.

Johnson, Annabel. I Am Leaper: Scholastic, 1990.

A desert mouse in a language experiment tries to describe the terrible monster that threatens the desert, and the young dirt-bike-riding laboratory helper tries to figure it out so he can help.

Kurusa. The Streets Are Free, illus. Monika Doppert. Annick, 1985. Originally published in Spanish in Venezuela by Ediciones Ekaré as La Calle es Libre.

The children in a Caracas neighborhood have no place to play. They campaign for a playground, the mayor dedicates the site, but work never starts. The kids convince their parents to make it

Lawrence, Louise. The Warriors of Taan. Harper, 1988

A novice in the Sisterhood, and a prince bring peace between the natives of Taan and the earth people who have ruined their home planet and are making the same mistakes on Taan.

McGovern, Ann. Shark Lady: True Adventures of Eugenie Clark. Four Winds, 1978.

When Eugenie Clark's Japanese-American mother worked on Saturdays, she dropped Eugenie off at the aquarium. This started an interest that developed into a career studying sharks.

McKissack, Patricia. Flossie and the Fox, illus. Rachel Isadora. Dial, 1986.

Flossie Finley is taking the neighbors a basket of eggs. When an arrogant old fox challenges her, this self-possessed African American girl gives him a little lesson in animal identification.

Margolies, Barbara A. Rehema's Journey: A Visit in Tanzania. Scholastic.

Photographs show Rehema going on a trip to see the wildlife at Ngorongo Crater.

New Mexico People & Energy Collective. Red Ribbons for Emma. New Seed Press, 1981. [Available from Oyate.]

Emma Yazzie, Navajo sheepherder and grandmother, fights against the coal company that has taken away much of her grazing land.

Rohmer, Harriet , Octavio Chow and Morris Vidaure, retellers. The Invisible Hunters/Los Cazadores Invisibles, illus. Joe Sam. Children's Book Press, 1987.

The magical Dar plant makes the hunters invisible, so long as they do not use guns or sell the meat. When they get greedy, the magic turns against them. Miskito legend in English and Spanish.

Rose, Deborah Lee, adaptor. The People Who Hugged the Trees: An Environmental Folk Tale, illus. Birgitta Säflund. Roberts Rinehart, 1990.

Amrita loves the trees that protect her desert village from sandstorms. When a ruler orders the woods cut, she runs to hug her favorite tree, so do the other villagers. The ruler is adamant until a sandstorm comes and he sees that the trees are more useful as trees than as a fort. India.

Ryder, Joanne. Hello, Tree, illus. Michael Hays. Dutton, 1991.

“One day you will find a tree standing tall in the sun hiding secrets in its branches and feel that this tree is special to you.”

Rylant, Cynthia. Every Living Thing. Macmillan, 1985.

Each of these twelve short stories captures the moment when an animal causes a human being to see things in a different way and, perhaps changes a person's life.

Seed, Jenny. Ntombi's Song. Beacon Press, 1987.

A contemporary Zulu girl's trip to buy sugar for her mother becomes a rite of passage. Drawing on the strength of a song, Ntombi overcomes fear of a monster rumored to live in the forest.

Say, Allen. The Lost Lake. Houghton Mifflin, 1989.

Dad says there's a secret lake only he and grandpa know about. But things have changed. Asian American.

Staines, Bill. All God's Critters Got a Place in the Choir, illus. Margot Zemach. Dutton, 1989.

A joyous celebration of all animal and human life. Pre-school-3rd.

Steptoe, John. Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters, Lothrop, 1987.

A snake is well treated by a young African woman who knows he is good for her garden. He turns out to be a handsome prince.

Steiner, Barbara.Oliver Dibbs to the Rescue. Four Winds/Macmillan. 1985

Oliver schemes to make money for endangered animals, then finds a cause in his own neighborhood.

Taylor, Mildred D. Song of the Trees. Dial, 1975.

An African American family defends their small forest during the Depression.

Williams, Karen Lynn. Galimoto, illus. Catherine Stock. Lothrop, 1990.

A boy in Malawi gathers enough discarded wire to make himself a toy.

Xiong, Blia. Nine-in-One Grr! Grr! A Folktale from the Hmong People of Laos, Nancy Hom. Children's Book Press, 1989.

“That's terrible!” squawked Bird. “If Tiger has nine cubs each year, they will eat all of us!” What can Bird do to preserve nature's balance?

Yashima, Taro. Crow Boy. Viking, 1955.

Chibi is too shy to do well in school, but finally a sympathetic teacher helps him show what he learned on his way over the mountains to school. Japan.

Zak, Monica. Save My Rainforest, illus. Bengt-Arne Runnerström. Volcano, 1992. English version by Nancy Schimmel. Spanish version (Salven Mi Selva) available from Iaconi Books, 300 Pennsylvania, San Francisco, CA 94110, (415)255-8193).

Based on the true story of an eight-year-old boy, Omar Castillo, who campaigned to save the rainforest in Mexico. (He is still trying.)

From the All in This Together Activity Book, ©1997 by Nancy Schimmel. May be copied for use by any non-profit school or organization if this notice is retained. Sisters' Choice, 704 Gilman Street, Berkeley CA 94710.

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ENVIRONMENTAL SONG AUDIOTAPES AND CDS FOR CHILDREN

Berman, Marcia and Patty Zeitlin. Spin, Spider, Spin. Marcia Berman and Patty Zeitlin. Educational Activities.
Friendly songs about snakes, bugs, etc.

Forest, Candy, and Nancy Schimmel. All In This Together: 15 ecology songs for the whole family. Candy Forest, Nancy Schimmel and The Singing Rainbow Youth Ensemble. Sisters' Choice Recordings SCR 467, 1990.
Songs on the environment and on humane treatment of animals. Also includes songs by Malvina Reynolds, Jill Jarboe and others. Parents' Choice Gold Award, 1990.
To order

Forest, Candy; and Nancy Schimmel. Head First and Belly Down. Singing Rainbow Youth Ensemble & Guests. Sisters' Choice, 1992.
Ecology songs by Forest & Schimmel plus “Bless the Beasts and Children,” “The Desert” and “Somos el Barco.” Parents' Choice Gold Award, American Library Association Notable. To order

Forest, Candy; and Nancy Schimmel. Sun, Sun Shine: Songs for Curious Children. Sisters' Choice, 2003. 18 songs selected from Parents’ Choice Gold Award-winners All in This Together and Head First and Belly Down. To order

Pirtle, Sarah. Songwriting Together: Cooperative Songwriting to Build Closeness with the Earth and Each Other. Sarah Pirtle, 1990. 54 Thayer Road, Greenfield, MA 01301.
A tape of 22 songs including “The Mahogany Tree” about the rainforest and “Thinking Like a Mountain” with 17 song patterns for children to create their own songs. Includes a teacher's guide lyrics, guitar chords, and complete lesson plans for songwriting in small cooperative groups using a whole language approach.

Pirtle, Sarah. Two Hands Hold the Earth. Sarah Pirtle. A Gentle Wind, Box 3103, Albany, NY 12203, 1984.
Mostly ecology, also some good silly stuff. ALA Notable.

Rogers, Sally. Piggyback Planet: Songs for a Whole Earth. Rogers, Sally. Round River Records, 301 Jacob St., Seekonk, MA 02771; 1990.
Contents: Hello Ladybug, Over in the Endangered Meadow, The Rain Round, What Have They Done to the Rain, K'tang Ting Song, La Tierra Es Mi Madre, Whale Song, Garbage, Junk Round, The Recycle Song, I Walk in Beauty, What Did the Dinosaurs Say? This Land Is Your Land.
Environmental songs by various writers plus two traditionals. Parent's Choice Gold, 1990.

Silvert, Anita. Rainbow Earth. Anita Silvert. Local Folkel Records, P. O. Box 17196, Rochester, NY 14617; 1991.
Ecology songs by Silvert, plus “Habitat” by Bill Oliver and “Little Pieces of Frozen Water” by Rokko Jans and John Stasey.

Van Zandt, Steve. Dirt Made My Lunch. Banana Slug String Band, P. O. Box 2262, Santa Cruz, CA 95063.
Steve and the Banana Slug String Band have several upbeat tapes of goofy but educational songs about plant parts, natural cycles, solar energy, etc.

McClure, Glenn. The Great Garbage Concert. Glenn McClure, Box 293, Geneseo, NY 14454, 1991.
Ecology songs by MacClure plus one traditional song. Accompanied by regular instruments and by a seven foot long “garbagephone.”

Miché, Mary. Earthy Tunes. Song Trek, 2600 Hillegass, Berkeley, CA 94704; 1987.
Includes Animal Party; Spiders and Snakes; Banana Slug Song; You Can't Make a Turtle Come Out; Little Skunk; Dirt Made My Lunch; The Garden Song; Six Plant Parts; The Sprout Song; Move Over, You Big Trees; Bugs in Your Bark; Lotta Seeds Grow.
Ecology songs from The Banana Slug String Band, Malvina Reynolds, others.

From the All in This Together Activity Book, ©1997 by Nancy Schimmel. May be copied for use by any non-profit school or organization if this notice is retained. Sisters' Choice, 704 Gilman Street, Berkeley CA 94710.

Related site:
Songs for Environmental Education

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