• "Outstanding Science Trade Books for Children, 2000"
   —Children's Book Council/NSTA
  
• "The book's title-a description of how big trees protect the smaller ones-is indicative  of the diverse ways of nurturing represented within this volume, including how the  natural world nourishes people." —Publishers Weekly
  
• "Shetterly's writing is spare but evocative. McCall's dreamy oil-paint illustrations  perfectly complement the story." —Maine Times

Sophie's grandfather is a logger, and she watches as he harvests trees that will be cut into boards to build houses and furniture-but lets the tallest, wind-firm trees stay, to drop their seeds and start a new generation. Deer and birds and even a bear share the forest's shelter, and Sophie discovers that when we take care of the woods, it provides for us for generations to come.

SHELTERWOOD TEACHER'S GUIDE
Discovering the Forest

Judy Markowsky
Illustrated by Rosemary Giebfried

What is a forest? This engaging teacher's guide explores forest diversity, from learning about different kinds of trees, to understanding how the "layers" in a forest provide habitat for all kinds of animals and insects. How do sun and shade, wind, water, and soil affect the forest? What do trees need to grow straight and strong, and how are they turned into boards or paper or other forest products? How do you read signs of wildlife in the woods, and what kinds of animals live where? Each chapter offers useful introductory material and clear objectives, followed by fun activities that encourage exploration while teaching important skills-perfect for a classroom unit on the forest, but also a wonderful teaching tool at nature centers or for homeschoolers.

Teachers Take Note:

Shelterwood is a lovely intergenerational story which sensitively explains the concept of environmental stewardship. In this book a grandfather shares his love and knowledge of the woods he owns with his granddaughter while explaining what is involved in the management of a woodlot. Students will find this book to be one of the best introductions to learning about conservation and management of natural resources.

Shelterwood will help inspire classroom conversations about:
• Biodiversity and tree species
• Wildlife in woodland settings
• Natural resources around the world
• Careers in Forestry

Resources:
• Teaching and conservation resources for adults and children who want to learn more:
American Forests: Information on Historic Trees and Big Trees at this website: http://www.americanforests.org
Forest Service Employees For Environmental Ethics: Website features The Secret Forest a special section for children. www.afseee.org
The Wilderness Society: www.wilderness.org

Activity:
Keep a Tree's Diary
Objective: Students will get practice in tree identification, patient observation, creative writing and art, and keeping a journal over time.

Concept: Trees change all the time, but seeing these changes requires close observation over a period of time.

You Will Need:
• Clipboards or notebooks

What To Do:
Have each student identify a tree in his/her backyard or schoolyard. They will have weekly observation periods, and write in their journals the date, time, temperature, weather, and their observations. Different angles and themes can be brought in throughout the year, such as writing from a tree's point of view: "Because it rained all morning, droplets dripped down my bark and off my twigs at 1:00 PM." The possibilities are endless, limited only by your creativity and that of the children. Examples: write a poem; measure the growing leaves weekly in spring; look for insects hiding in the bark; dig among the roots, looking for the tree's soil. At the end of the year, ask students how the tree has changed.