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Reading at the Seed Library: Community Science
Blog written by Rachael Huegerich
February 10, 2024
Anyone can be a scientist, and the garden is a fantastic place for it!
One way to get started is by joining a community science (sometimes called citizen science) project, where lots of people help collect and analyze data from where they live. After all, some questions are way too big for one scientist to ask on their own. One fun British Columbia project (now Canada-wide) is Butterflies in My Backyard (BIMBY), from the David Suzuki Foundation, which involves taking photos of butterflies you find near home. Projects like these allow folks to learn together and, in this case, support butterfly conservation.
Check out related materials for children and teachers at the seed library display at the Education Library. You can find the seed library just past the reference desk—or learn more about UBC Library’s seed lending libraries here. Feel free to “borrow” some seeds, or some of the books on display now.
Here are a few books with community science activities inside.
Citizen scientists: be a part of scientific discovery from your own backyard
Written by Loree Griffin Burns; photographs by Ellen Harasimowicz
QL51 .B87 2012
Anyone can get involved in gathering data for ongoing, actual scientific studies such as the Audubon Bird Count and FrogWatch USA. Just get out into a field, urban park, or your own backyard.
You can put your nose to a monarch pupa or listen for raucous frog calls. You can tally woodpeckers or sweep the grass for ladybugs. This book, full of engaging photos and useful tips, will show you how.
Chasing bats and tracking rats: urban ecology, community science, and how we share our cities
Written by Cylita Guy; illustrations by Cornelia Li
QH541.5.C6 G89 2021
What can city bees tell us about climate change?
How are we changing coyote behavior?
And what the heck is a science bike?
Featuring the work of a diverse group of eleven scientists–herself included!–Dr. Cylita Guy shows how studying urban wildlife can help us make cities around the world healthier for all of their inhabitants.
Bird’s-eye view: keeping wild birds in flight
By Ann Eriksson
QL676.5 .E75 2020
Birds contribute to the health of the planet and provide pleasure for millions of people, but wild birds are in trouble.
Bird’s-Eye View looks at why wild birds are important, why they need help and what young people all over the world are doing and can do to give wild birds a boost.
Our world out of balance: understanding climate change and what we can do
Written by Andrea Minoglio; illustrated by Laura Fanelli; translated by Emma Mandley
QC903.15 .M55 2021
This accessible guide for children details how humans have thrown the planet off-balance and ways we can work to create a healthier world. Encouraging and easily digestible, this illustrated nonfiction guide introduces children ages eight to twelve to the important topic of climate change with tips on “How You Can Help” and citizen scientist activities.
Collection Spotlight: Blind Date with a Book (February 3-14)
Blind Date with a Book – A UBC Education Library Spotlight Event
You’ve heard the saying, “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” Now’s your chance to put it to the test!
Join us for Blind Date with a Book, a fun and mysterious event where you’ll discover a surprise read based on just a few intriguing clues. Each book is completely wrapped, with only a short description to guide your choice. Will you be drawn to a thrilling mystery, a heartfelt short story, or an inspiring poetry collection? The decision is yours—without actually seeing the book!
Take a chance, pick a wrapped title, and bring home a literary surprise. You never know—you might just find a new favourite!
📅 February 3-14, 2025
📍 UBC Education Library
Come explore, take a risk, and discover something new!
New Books at Education Library: February 2025
Discover what’s new at the Education Library this February!
Explore our latest arrivals—click on a book cover to preview it on Google Books, or click the title to find it in the UBC Library catalogue.
BF353.5.C55 G76 2023 How to manage your eco-anxiety : an empowering guide for young people / written by Anouchka Grouse ; illustrated by Lauriane Bohémier.
BF723.C5 T68 2024 Organized and engaged : simple and effective strategies to support executive function / Julie Tourigny, OTD, MS, OTR/L.
F1233.J9 G88 2023 Benito Juárez fights for justice / Beatriz Gutierrez Hernandez.
GF21 .M67 2021 All art is ecological / Timothy Morton.
GT2860 .A58 2023 The antiracist kitchen : 21 stories (and recipes) / edited by Nadia L. Hohn ; illustrated by Roza Nozari ; [photos by Rebecca Wellman].
HM1211 .N48 2021 Intercultural communication : a contextual approach / James W. Neuliep, St. Norbert College.
HQ1161 .M34 2024 Making space for Indigenous feminism / edited by Gina Starblanket.
KF4217.I46 L48 2024 Free to learn : how Alfredo Lopez fought for the right to go to school / Cynthia Levinson ; illustrated by Mirelle Ortega.
LB1027.23 .M245 2024 Inquiry mindset : cultivating curiosity and creating question competence / Trevor MacKenzie ; foreword by James Nottingham.
LB1050.5 .S638 2024 The structured literacy planner : designing interventions for common reading difficulties, grades 1-9 / Louise Spear-Swerling.
LB1573.3 .B43 2024 Making sense of phonics : the hows and whys / Isabel L. Beck, Mark E. Beck.
LB1575.5.G7 S47 2024 Representation in children’s literature : reflecting realities in the classroom / by the Centre for Literacy in Primary Education with Farrah Serroukh.
LB1631 .W377 2024 When teaching writing gets tough : challenges and possibilities in secondary writing instruction / edited by Annamary Consalvo and Ann D. David.
LC149 .N498 2023 Literacy’s democratic roots : a personal tour through 8 big ideas / Thomas Newkirk.
LC2575 .M84 2024 Supporting transgender students : understanding gender identity and reshaping school culture / Alex Myers ; foreword by E. Quincy McLaughlin.
LC4019.3 .W548 2022 Naturally inclusive : engaging children of all abilities outdoors / Ruth Wilson, PhD.
LC4717 .W38 2022 Good autism practice for teachers : embracing neurodiversity and supporting inclusion / Karen Watson.
LC4717.8 .A45 2023 The neurodiversity handbook for trainee teachers / Sarah Alix.
LC4718 .K58 2023 “You’re going to love this kid!” : teaching autistic students in the inclusive classroom / by Paula Kluth with invited contributors.
NC1429.M719 A2 2022 Maybe an artist : a graphic memoir / by Liz Montague.
PN1059.E35 G86 2017 Writing and workshopping poetry : a constructive introduction / Stephen Guppy.
PN6728.M98 H46 2024 The mythmakers : the remarkable fellowship of C.S. Lewis & J.R.R. Tolkien / John Hendrix.
PN6733.M395 B48 2024 Between the pipes / story by Albert McLeod ; with Elaine Mordoch and Sonya Ballantyne ; art by Alice RL.
PS3613.A33 B43 2023 The beauty of a spiral / Beth Maddaleni.
PS8603.L3253 B76 2022 A broken blade / Melissa Blair.
PZ7.S80857 Ls 2023 The lost library / Rebecca Stead and Wendy Mass.
PZ7.R5224 Pr 2023 A pretty implausible premise / Karen Rivers.
PZ7.F63235 Lt 2024 Let’s go! = Haw êkwa! / Julie Flett.
PZ7.M353235 Nw 2020 Nowhere boy / Katherine Marsh.
PZ7.P75218 Hw 2023 How to be found / Emily Pohl-Weary.
PZ7.B82877 No 2019 No ballet shoes in Syria / Catherine Bruton.
PZ7.1.E269 Ti 2023 Tilly in Technicolor / Mazey Eddings.
PZ7.1.R4873 Iz 2023 Izzy at the end of the world / K.A. Reynolds.
PZ7.1.A29 Ce 2024 Cesaria feels the beat / written by Denise Rosario Adusei ; illustrated by Priscila Soares.
PZ7.1.D79 Fam 2024 A family tree / Staci Lola Drouillard ; illustrated by Kate Gardiner.
PZ7.1.A5118 In 2024 In this family / Shelly Anand ; illustrated by Meenal Patel.
PZ7.1.M3766 Wh 2024 Where was goodbye? / Janice Lynn Mather.
PZ7.1.H37175 Fl 2024 A flicker of hope / written by Cynthia Harmony ; illustrated by Devon Holzwarth.
PZ7.1.N3788 My 2020 My rainbow / by Trinity and DeShanna Neal ; illustrated by Art Twink.
PZ7.1.M3636 Wo 2023 The worry balloon / Mónica Mancillas ; illustrated by Betty C. Tang.
PZ7.1.M63645 Ho 2024 Home in a lunchbox / by Cherry Mo.
PZ7.1.R645 Ch 2024 Chooch helped / by Andrea L. Rogers ; illustrated by Rebecca Lee Kunz.
PZ7.1.R556 As 2024 Asking for a friend / Ronnie Riley.
PZ7.1.R3965 Qn 2024 Queenie Jean is in trouble again / Christine Read.
PZ7.1.M8724 Av 2024 A voice like yours / by Frank Murphy and April Groman ; illustrated by Kayla Harren.
PZ7.1.E96 Sh 2024 The shape of lost things / Sarah Everett.
PZ7.1.K5312 Am 2024 Amir and the Jinn princess / M.T. Khan.
PZ7.1.C317 Lar 2022 Lark & Kasim start a revolution / by Kacen Callender.
PZ7.1.S846 Sp 2023 The space between here & now / Sarah Suk.
PZ7.1.P384 Bn 2023 Bonesmith / Nicki Pau Preto.
PZ7.1.K584 An 2024 An Anishinaabe Christmas / words by Wab Kinew ; pictures by Erin Hill.
PZ7.1.R5936 Po 2023 Powerless / Lauren Roberts.
PZ7.1.G6993 Be 2022 Belladonna / Adalyn Grace.
PZ7.1.G576 Al 2022 Alice Austen lived here / Alex Gino.
PZ7.1.P352 Bet 2021 Better than the movies / Lynn Painter.
PZ7.1.A749 Iam 2024 I am a masterpiece! : an empowering story about inclusivity and growing up with Down Syndrome / by Mia Armstrong with Marissa Moss ; illustrated by Alexandra Thompson.
PZ7.1.C552 He 2024 Heartless hunter / Kristen Ciccarelli.
PZ7.5.F735 Al 2021 Alone / Megan E. Freeman.
PZ7.7.H53 Ho 2023 Hockey girl loves drama boy / Faith Erin Hicks.
PZ7.7.L3667 Rb 2022 Rabbit chase / Elizabeth LaPensée ; [illustrations by] KC Oster ; Anishinaabemowin translation by Aarin Dokum.
PZ7.7.O53 Mo 2023 The moth keeper / K. O’Neill.
PZ7.7.Z33 Co 2021 Coming back / Jessi Zabarsky.
PZ7.7.S655 Sr 2018 Surviving the city / Tasha Spillett ; Natasha Donovan.
PZ7.7.C465 Gam 2024 Gamerville / Johnnie Christmas ; colors by Hilary Jenkins.
PZ8.3.W15846 Od 2023 Ode to a bad day / written by Chelsea Lin Wallace ; illustrated by Hyewon Yum.
Reading at the Seed Library: Worms and Compost
Blog written by Rachael Huegerich
January 27, 2024
There is a lot going on in the soil of your garden. Learn about worms and other creatures under the dirt, or delve deeper into the compost process, at the seed library display at the Education Library. You can find the seed library just past the reference desk—or learn more about UBC Library’s seed lending libraries here. Feel free to “borrow” some seeds, or some of the books on display now. Here are a few:
Compost stew: an A to Z recipe for the Earth
Written by Mary McKenna Siddals;
illustrated by Ashley Wolff
PZ8.3.S5715 Co 2014
A rhyming text explains from A to Z, which common items around the house can be turned into the dark, crumbly stuff we call ‘ompost stew’.
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How to say hello to a worm: a first guide to outside
By Kari Percival
SB457 .P46 2022
Say “hello” to worms, dirt, peas, and more in this gentle how-to guide for connecting with nature.
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My Baba’s garden
Written by Jordan Scott;
illustrated by Sydney Smith
PZ7.1.S336845 My 2023
A story about the special relationship between a child and his grandmother and the time they spend looking for worms for the garden.
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The worm
By Élise Gravel
QL386.6 .G7213 2014
The second in a series of humorous books about disgusting creatures, The Worm is a look at the earthworm. It covers such topics as the worm’s habitats (sometimes they live inside other animals), its anatomy (its muscle tube is slimy and gross), and its illustrious history (worms have been on earth for 120 million years).
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Up in the garden and down in the dirt
Written by Kate Messner;
with art by Christopher Silas Neal
SB457 .M47 2015
Up in the garden, the world is full of green–leaves and sprouts, growing vegetables, ripening fruit. But down in the dirt there is a busy world of earthworms digging, snakes hunting, skunks burrowing, and all the other animals that make a garden their home.
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Bug science: 20 projects and experiments about arthropods: insects, arachnids, algae, worms, and other small creatures
By Karen Romano Young
QL434.15 .Y68 2009
Part of the National Geographic Kids Science Fair Winners Series, this book features several cool workshops, including two on compost heaps and worms.
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The school garden curriculum : an integrated K-8 guide for discovering science, ecology, and whole-systems thinking
By Kaci Rae Christopher
GE77 .C57 2019
The School Garden Curriculum provides an integrated K-8 framework and over 200 weekly lessons that weave science, permaculture, and environmental education into place-based, immersive learning.
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By Deborah Freedman
PZ7.F87276 Cr 2019
When a field mouse asks Carl the earthworm why he tunnels through the dirt, Carl doesn’t have an answer, so he sets off to find out.
Collection Spotlight: Math Through Storytelling
Post written by Kelly Davila Vargas
In the course Mathematics – Elementary and Middle Years: Curriculum and Pedagogy, teacher candidates from the Middle Years/Self-Regulated Learning cohort explore innovative strategies to help students connect mathematics to their daily lives and the world around them. A key approach emphasized in the course is the use of storytelling, which provides meaningful and authentic contexts for students to engage with mathematical ideas. Stories can delve into mathematical concepts such as numbers, fractions, patterns, shapes and measurements, data, and financial literacy. By weaving mathematics into narratives, educators create learning experiences that highlight the relevance of math in students’ lives, fostering deeper understanding and engagement.
The “Math through Storytelling” display supports this purpose, offering teacher candidates the opportunity to interact with stories in class and find creative ways to integrate them into their practicum, making mathematics both accessible and inspiring for students.
A few of the books on display:
Number Sense
Fractions & Ratios
Patterns
Shapes & Measurements
Data
Financial Literacy