Books
978-164-375-0774
Glub glub…
Aargh...
Mermaid and Pirate cannot understand each other. They speak different languages and come from different worlds. But they’re quick to lend a hand, or a tail, when the sky grows stormy and waters get rough, and a friendship is born. Sometimes kindness and generosity speak louder than words.
Extension: Talk about what it would be like to move to a country where you do not speak the language. Try communicating for a day without using words.
978-155-453-7716
Each of King Neptune's 50 mermaid daughters boasts a special talent, except for little Minnow, who seems to be good only at asking questions. When she finds a strange object, Minnow follows her questions to a wondrous place and finds answers, including the answer to the most important question of all: Who am I? A gorgeously illustrated story about finding one's purpose.
Extension: "Look at this stuff...isn't it neat?" Have your kids laughed at Scuttle describing how to use a snarfblatt? Collect various objects from around the house, and decide what a seagoing creature might think it was. Then pull up pictures of antique objects and see if your kids can guess what hey were used for. Better yet, visit a museum and check some out in person!
978-006-298-2247
Oona and her best friend Otto love to search for treasure…and often find trouble instead.
Messy trouble.
Tricky trouble.
Even shark-related trouble.
That’s never stopped them before, though!
After all, no proper treasure hunt is without some adventure. But when the grandest treasure yet is stuck in a deep, dark rift, Oona’s not sure if she can dive right in. What might be waiting for her in those unknown waters?
Extension: Can you think of any other ways Oona could retrieve that crown? Use objects around your house to create a grabber and try it out outside.
978-031-646-5670
Sometimes the tiniest light can shine the brightest! Like the other mermaids of the deep, Pearl longs to care for the endless beaches, coral reefs, and towering kelp forests of her vast ocean world. So when her mother asks her to tend to a mere grain of sand, Pearl is heartbroken. It takes all her patience and determination to discover how even the littlest mermaid can transform the world.
Extension: Learn about how pearls are formed from a grain of sand.
Extension: Talk about what things might be like on the land and under the ocean if we didn't have the light reflected from the moon. Imagine another form of light that could be under water all the time and draw a picture/write a story about it.
978-076-369-0458
While riding the subway home from the pool with his abuela one day, Julián notices three women spectacularly dressed up. Their hair billows in brilliant hues, their dresses end in fishtails, and their joy fills the train car. When Julián gets home, daydreaming of the magic he’s seen, all he can think about is dressing up just like the ladies in his own fabulous mermaid costume: a butter-yellow curtain for his tail, the fronds of a potted fern for his headdress. But what will Abuela think about the mess he makes — and even more importantly, what will she think about how Julián sees himself?
Extension: Dress up as a mermaid, of course! But maybe ask before you take the curtains down ;)
979-888-859-0058
On a trip to visit her cousin in Poland, a child initially struggles with not feeling “Polish enough.” She finds it hard to understand her aunt’s quick Polish speech and feels embarrassed at her own attempts to speak Polish. When she and her cousin discover their shared love of fairy tales, though, they bond instantly and set off together on an adventure across the city of Warsaw to find Syrenka Warszawska (the Mermaid of Warsaw).
Extension: Are there other famous statues of mermaids around the world? Which one is your favorite?
978-031-642-6626
A young girl has always loved Mermaids. Every day she wishes she could be friends with one. And on one magical day, her wish comes true.
Nestled on the beach, a place between their two worlds, these unlikely friends discover imaginative ways to go on many adventures. But will one stormy night drive them apart?
Aren't those illustrations to die for? Extension: The mermaid becomes trapped in some trash that was thrown into the ocean. Is there a spot you can go to clean up litter?
Social Studies
978-162-371-7926
In the small coastal town of Port Antonio, Jamaica, something unusual is taking place. Many people in Jamaica cannot swim and are afraid of the sea but the arrival of Olga—a two-time Olympic Gold Medal winner for synchronized swimming—is changing the hearts and minds of young female swimmers who might have otherwise become mothers too soon, before having the chance to explore their ambitions.
Swimming is a great activity for your health, a way to cool off in the heat, and something you can do with your friends. It is not accessible to everyone, though. Does your area have a place to swim? Is it available year-round? Are there other barriers that may make it harder for parts of your community to access that opportunity? What about communities around you? Communities in other countries? With the ocean literally surrounding the, why is learning to swim or enjoying it not easily accessible to the girls in the book? Are there other activities your kids enjoy that may not be possible in other areas? For what reasons? How can having those opportunities change someone's entire life?
Science
Many sailors throughout history reported seeing mermaids in the ocean. Even Christopher Columbus reported seeing three...but he said they weren't as beautiful as he expected. Many people now think he and the other sailors actually saw manatees. These gentle creatures swim in warm waters and may sidle up to ships to check them out. A bright sun shining on the water and many lonely days at sea, and you could see how a sailor who had never seen one before could be mistaken!
Manatees face many dangers from things like boats, hunters, and pollution. Find out more about "sea cows", as they are also called, and prepare an oral report for your family about them.
Movies/Math
There are a multitude of movies featuring mermaids, but probably the two most well known are the two Disney versions. Watch both the animated and the live action versions and take note about how they are the same and how they are different. Create a Venn diagram to present your notes.
Read the classic Hans Christian Andersen version of The Little Mermaid, and create another Vann Diagram showing how it matches up against the Disney movie versions. Which ending did you like best?
Math
Let's do some more Venn Diagrams! Read about mermaids, sirens, and selkies. Make lists of the characteristics of each, and use a chart or Venn diagram to show them all together. Put your chart on a posterboard and illustrate it with pictures from historical accounts or draw your own. Just for fun, add in manatees and see how they stack up!
Cooking
978-163-691-0659
What do you make when a mermaid comes for dinner? A meal that's marvelous for your mermaid guest (and pretty tasty for you, too)! Start with a fizzy underwater-themed lemonade and some cheesy seashell-shaped crackers. For the main course, cook up some fresh seaweed (green pasta!) and shrimp. Then, end it all with an ice cream dessert that will remind your mermaid friend of home. Don't forget to explore more about mermaid myths and tall tails so you have plenty to talk about during your mythical meal.
Let's invite our friends over for a mermaid party! This book gives a great start on food ideas, but we bet you can think of more.
Art
We will need some decorations for our party! Colorful streamers and beach themed items are a good (and inexpensive) start.
We will also need activities. Do you have some seashells lying around? decorate them with paints and glitter, or add some googly eyes and make them into pets.
Grab some colored sand and make sand paintings. Any simple coloring page can be turned into a 3D masterpiece with some sand and glue.
It's a SAND castle!
Writing
Tell us all about your new seashell pet! What is its name? How do you take care of it? Tell the story of a day in its life. Grab a camera and take pictures of your shell to illustrate your story. How can you create the scenery to go with it?
PE
Did you know that there ARE real mermaids in the world? Well, sort of, anyway! Many places have professional swimmers who dress and swim as merpeople, generally for tourists.
Even Santa likes to get in on the fun!
How are your swimming skills?
It is never too early to make sure your kids can be safe in the water! Check the local pool to see if they have lessons, or head out to a nearby body of water and teach each other. If you choose the latter, talk also about currents and hidden dangers. One cardinal rule from my rafting days: any time you are in water up to your knees, you should have a life jacket on. Why is that?
It is never too early to make sure your kids can be safe in the water! Check the local pool to see if they have lessons, or head out to a nearby body of water and teach each other. If you choose the latter, talk also about currents and hidden dangers. One cardinal rule from my rafting days: any time you are in water up to your knees, you should have a life jacket on. Why is that?
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