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Look into nature and you will see
a patchwork of beauty and mystery.
A patchwork quilt has many pieces
that fit together to make a beautiful blanket.
Nature is like a patchwork quilt. It has many different habitats all pieced together to create our wonderful planet.
In a habitat, such as a forest, animals and plants live together. They provide food for each other and help the forest grow and develop. Each plant or animal depends on others, like a quilt stitched together. We call this interdependence
A desert is another habitat, with plants and animals that can live in a hot and dry climate. In a quilt, each piece has its own unique place in the design. In a habitat, each animal and plant has a special role, called its niche. A prairie is a grassland habitat. Some prairies have prairie dogs that eat roots and plants. Snakes eat the prairie dogs. Hawks eat the snakes. This is called a food chain. The prairie plants are the first link, prairie dogs are second, snakes are third, and hawks, at the top of the food chain, are the fourth link.
Many people have helped save animals and plants from extinction because plants and animals can't speak for themselves. Natural places on land and sea have been saved by people who painted pictures, gave speeches, made movies, studied science, and wrote poems, songs, and books. They are called environmentalists.
Many environmentalists have helped to save natural habitats. When you are in nature, look around at its beauty. Consider how all the plants and animals live together in an interdependent web of life. This patchwork quilt of nature covers the whole Earth, your home. It is yours to enjoy and care for. How will you take care of our Earth?
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Nature's Patchwork Quilt:
selections from the text
This book is now available. So far it has won seven awards! National Science Teachers Association selected it as one of the Outstanding Science Trade Books for Children and the Children's Literary Classics has awarded it a Seal of Approval. Please contact Sandy at Dawn Publications if you are interested in a review copy.
Nature's Patchwork Quilt is a picture book for young children, ages 4-9. It is especially designed for first through third graders, but lots of preschoolers enjoy it too. This book has two-fold purpose: to teach children about the concept of a habitat and to encourage children to become involved in helping to preserve natural habitats. The first part of the book gives children concrete examples of habitats, both through the written words and illustrations. The book transitions to help children understand that natural habitats are threatened by human land use. The last part encourages children to follow the example of environmentalists who have worked to preserve natural habitats. This book simultaneously teaches biological concepts and concern for the environment. It introduces a variety of complex vocabulary in a simple manner. In this way, it promotes reading development through enriching word mastery. It teaches sophisticated science concepts in a down-to-earth way. It is meant to teach children to better understand the natural world and to inspire them with appreciation for all life on Earth.
About Nature's Patchwork Quilt
