The barn is old. The boards are beaten. A hundred years of wind and rain have taken their toll. When you step inside, you can smell the hay and horses. It's a beautiful place, this barn, in its rugged way. But now it's time for the barn to come down. Fortunately, the barn will not be crushed by the blade of a bulldozer. It will be dismantled slowly, piece by piece, by the barn savers. The barn savers, a father and son, take care to save everything--the joists, the rafters, the flooring, the roofing. In this way, the barn will never be gone. Somewhere parts of it may live for another hundred years. This is the hope of the barn savers. Linda Oatman High's story quietly celebrates something beautiful and something old, as a father and son bring down a barn with hard work and respect. Ted Lewin's dramatic illustrations pay homage to the old barn in all its gray and weathered glory.

A young boy helps his father recycle a 19th century barn.

This book's 50-plus lessons-each based on a different picture book or story-will help classroom teachers build a foundation for teaching math, science, and social studies concepts to their students. Each lesson uses children's literature to make challenging, abstract concepts relevant to children's lives, inviting them to learn these concepts while responding to a story's illustrations, theme, characters, and plot. The lessons also demonstrate how teachers can use children's literature to meet national standards in math, science, and social studies. Chapters 1 through 5 set the stage for using picture books, discussing the effective, imaginative integration of literature into the classroom. Teachers will learn to create an environment that ensures that when children and books come together, the experience is enjoyable and thought provoking. Chapters 6 through 9 provide individual lessons, by grade level, with detailed activities based on specific books.

Here, at last, is the inspiration -- and the help -- you need to turn those left-over fabric scraps you've accumulated into useful household items and beautiful gifts for all occasions.