Google's doodle of the day gives a nod to the "Father of Genetics," Gregor Mendel, who was born on July 20, 1822.
“What are those? Peas?” my eagle-eyed daughter asked as she walked by me and my laptop. I ran my mouse over the tiny graphic on my screen. It came to life.
“Gregor Mendel’s 189th Birthday,” it read.
Yup! They were peas – the Father of Genetics’ favorite subject. And now, they are – for 24 short hours – in the cyberspace spotlight, thanks to the Google doodle du jour. I give the giant magnifying glass in the sky props for turning its focus on a fitting science hero.
Born in Heinzendorf, Austria, on July 20, 1822, Johann Mendel grew up (in what is now the Czech Republic) and joined a monastery to get an education. Renamed “Gregor,” the young monk went on to study mathematics, physics and botany, eventually turning his attention to plant hybridization – garden peas in particular. Though his contemporaries did not appreciate his scientific views, his theories laid the foundation for the study of genetics, one of the most exciting research frontiers of our time.
Teacher Created Materials, one of Big Universe’s publishing partners, has a wonderful picture book about our birthday boy, titled “Gregor Mendel: Genetics Pioneer.” Written by Lynn Van Gorp, the book covers basic genetics concepts, including how Mendel used cross-breeding to develop different kinds of peas and to predict their characteristics. Leveled for Grades 4-5 (F&P GR: Q Lexile: 660), this non-fiction explains how Mendel discovered dominant and recessive genes and other laws of heredity. Other famous geneticists and their work are mentioned briefly, too. A glossary and an outline for a trait survey lab are included at the end of the book.
Looking for other books to expand your science curriculum? Read the highlighted books linked below or click this “Science” shortcut to browse for other titles on the shelves at Big Universe.
If Sylvan Dell were a person, I’d be offering a bear hug right now! That’s how happy I am to see that this publisher’s science-related books have been added to Big Universe’s online bookshelves. I read one, then another, then another. All wonderful!
Sylvan Dell Publishing is a South Carolina-based company on a serious mission to create science-related picture books that excite children’s imaginations, are artistically spectacular and have educational value. Each of their books offers fun and warm stories featuring science, math and nature themes and must pass inspection by a scientist or educator from NASA, NOAA, SeaWorld, Houston Zoo or other nature centers before they are published.
The company website lists each book’s alignment with national science and math standards in its searchable database, making lesson planning simpler. The ratings are based on the story text and each book’s “For Creative Minds” section. Each state has its own listing. Alignment ratings are based on:
- National Council of Teachers of Mathematic Standards
- National Science Education Standards
- National Geography Standards
- North American Association of Environmental Educators Standards (Pre-K to 4th grade)
In addition, Sylvan Dell’s books are published in both English and Spanish versions. The company’s website features loads of teaching activities, quizzes and information geared to teachers and librarians, as well as parents and homeschoolers. It even has a section for children, including animal webcams, word searches, crossword puzzles and scavenger hunts.
Big Universe has partnered with many other publishers contributing excellent science and technology picture books for children, too. Click here to go directly to the Big Universe science book shelf or browse by specific category.
Listed below are a few of the Sylvan Dell Publishing books that I have read on Big Universe so far. I couldn’t give them 5 out of 5 stars fast enough! They are good for reading at home or sharing during science time in a classroom setting via white board display.
