6 Must Have Books for Your National Park Classroom
National Parks are my jam! I love using them as a teaching tool with my students and they love learning about the different parks. From caves to mountains, and everything in between, the parks a great way to bring the great outdoors into your classroom.Β
While I use the national parks all year, there are two great specific times that you can use the parks in your classroom- National Park Week and the National Parks Birthday. National Park Week always coincides with Earth Day (in 2021 is is April 17- 25) and August 25 is the National Park’s Birthday!
I’ve compiled a few of my favorite national park books that I use with my students AND to make it even easier on you, I’ve created a free Epic Book Collection on the National Park.
Check out my Epic Collection- National Parks
Not a member yet? Click here to join today! It’s free for educators!
John Muir: Americaβs First Environmentalist
By Kathryn Lasky
Without John Muir our national parks would not be where they are today and in this age appropriate biography, students can learn about Muirβfrom his early years in Scotland to forming the Sierra Club in 1892.Β If you are teaching about the national parks, then John Muir s ought to be part of your discussion. This book is a great teaching tool to help your students discover the wonderful man who worked so hard to preserve the natural beauty of our country! Grab this book here!
Grand Canyon
By Jason Chin
This book was gifted to me and man am I grateful for that! This book is perfect for the science buff. From the plants and animals, to the layers of stone, youβll learn all about the Grand Canyon in this book. While it is non-fiction, it follows a father and daughter through the park. At the back of the book youβll find more in depth information and pictures to help deepen your understanding of the canyon. Grab this book here!
You are Home: An Ode to the National Parks
By Evan Turk
This beautifully illustrated picture book introduces the reader to all who call the park home- animals, plants, people, mountains, valleys, rivers, lakes, and more. Each page is a scene from a different national park and highlights the greatness of each park. The simple, yet inspiring words send the message that no matter who you are or where you come from, you are home in the national parks. Check it out here!
M is for Majestic: A National Parks Alphabet
By David Domeniconi
This charming alphabet book will take you to many of the national parks! From Acadia to Zion, students will learn all about the parks and what makes them unique.Β Pam Carroll does an amazing job bringing the parks to life through her illustrations of landscapes, animals, and people enjoying the parks. Check this book out here!
What I Saw in ___________ Series: A Kidβs Guide to the National Park
By Various Authors
This is a great series interactive book for any child that visits the national parks. The series is informational, but in a very kid friendly way. It teaches children about the animals, plants, natural wonders, and history of the park. Students can jot down things they have learned and complete the checklist of things they saw.
There are several of these books to check out:
What I Saw in Glacier
What I Saw in Yellowstone
What I Saw in Grand Canyon
What I Saw in Grand Teton
A True Book- National Park Series
By Various Authors
This series of books are perfect for 2nd, 3rd, and 4th graders. This is a great book to use when teaching students about text features. Most books include a time-line, pictures, charts, table of contents, maps, sidebars, subheadings, bold words, and more. These books are written for kids and make learning about the parks fun and easy. There are several of these books, so Iβve listed a few that Iβve used below.
Check out some of the books from this series:
Zion National Park
Bryce Canyon
Grand Canyon
Yellowstone
Mount Rainier
Yosemite
It was hard for me to narrow down the books I wanted to share here, so please let me know what your favorite national park book is in the comments!
And if you are interested in having your students learn even more about the history of the parks, be sure to grab my National Parks History freebie today!
*This post includes affiliate links and I may receive a small commission if you purchase using the links.
