eSource: Free Teaching Guides
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First Step Nonfiction — Solid Shapes
Students will see where solid shapes appear in their surroundings, from lunch boxes shaped like rectangular prisms to cylinder-shaped pasta. Direct photo-text correspondence supports beginning readers. View →
First Step Nonfiction — Space
Develop young astronomers by exploring basic space concepts. Images from recognizable perspectives—viewing a night sky, for example—keep readers grounded, while scientific models and images from space expand their horizons. Simple diagrams help introduce readers to concepts… View →
First Step Nonfiction — Sports Are Fun!
Create reading success in students—and inspire a love of fitness and physical activity—with these fun introductions to six common co-curricular activities. Vibrant color photos correspond directly with each page’s simple text to reinforce concepts and vocabulary. View →
First Step Nonfiction — States of Matter
This science series explores the physical properties of solids, liquids, and gases. The texts describe changes in states of matter using simple texts and corresponding color photographs. Meets national science standards. View →
First Step Nonfiction — Then and Now
Historical and modern-day photographs interspersed throughout these books clearly illustrate how aspects of daily life change over time, while simple text shows readers how to compare and contrast ideas. Timelines in the back of each book give readers perspective by listing key… View →
First Step Nonfiction — Tools at Work
Vibrant color photographs and simple sentences introduce students to a variety of tools. Students will learn how these basic tools work while improving their reading skills. This series meets both physical science and reading standards. View →
First Step Nonfiction — Water
This simple series explores the world of water—from what it is and where it’s found to the process of freezing and melting, the water cycle, and how we use water. A simple diagram in the back of each book shows readers how information such as how much of the world’s… View →
First Step Nonfiction — We Are Alike and Different
Discover the similarities in our differences and the differences in our similarities! This series shows readers how people live in their local communities. By focusing on everyday topics, students will be encouraged to compare and contrast their own experiences. View →
First Step Nonfiction — Weather
This breezy series teaches basic weather concepts and builds readers’ observational skills. Additional back matter provides information about the types of clouds, the water cycle, the movement of the sun, how to tell the direction of the wind, and what snowflakes look like. View →
First Step Nonfiction — What Earth is Made Of
Students take a close look at four basic elements of our planet—gases, rocks, soil, and water—in this easy science series. The detailed photos provide opportunities to see, for example, several forms of water in nature or the parts of soil. Amazing trivia, such as the fact… View →
First Step Nonfiction — Where Am I?
Explore geographical concepts of location through this information-rich series. Aerial views and maps supplement other photographs to help readers understand the different ways one can express a location—from one’s home to one’s town, state, country, and continent. Fun facts… View →
First Step Nonfiction — Work People Do
This beginning reader series describes the job duties of familiar occupations. Vibrant color photos correspond directly with each page’s simple text to reinforce concepts and vocabulary. View →
Flight of a Starling
Best friends and sisters Lo and Rita have spent their lives flying through the air on the trapeze under the lights in the big top. The nomadic circus community is a close-knit family, but those bonds are threatened as secrets and lies surface and Lo finds forbidden love with a boy from… View →
Follow Finn
The goblins are on the loose so Finn and his dog race after them. Follow the chase through Follow Finn—a fantastic journey full of fairytale characters and strange creatures, with a puzzle on every page and a new story in every scene. Each image is packed with… View →
Follow That Food Chain
Play the food chain game! This interactive series shows animals in their habitats while illuminating curriculum concepts related to food webs and biomes. The game-like format allows readers to choose a starting animal, then follow a food chain by selecting among options of what each… View →
Food for Hope
Hunger continues to be an international problem. This true story of how one ordinary person did something extraordinary shows how everyone can do something to make a difference. Readers will feel encouraged to find their own way to make a difference. Real life… View →
Food Is CATegorical ™
The Words Are CATegorical® cats are back, and they’re hungry for knowledge . . . about food! Brian P. Cleary provides a playful look at the food groups and physical activity. His zany rhymes and Martin Goneau’s comical cartoon cats introduce key concepts and give a wide… View →
Forensic Identification
About 4,000 unidentified deceased persons are discovered in the United States every year. But forensic experts are successful in identifying about 3,000 of those bodies within a year. In Forensic Identification: Putting a Name and Face on Death, forensic anthropologist Dr.… View →
Forgotten Bones
An ordinary construction project uncovers an extraordinary archaeological discovery. Imagine you’re watching a backhoe dig up the ground for a construction project when a round object rolls down a pile of dirt and stops at your feet. You pick it up,… View →
For the Good of Mankind?
Experiment: A child is deliberately infected with the deadly smallpox disease without his parents’ informed consent. Result: The world’s first vaccine. Experiment: A slave woman is forced to undergo more than… View →
Fourth Down and Inches
When the 1905 football season ended, nineteen players were dead and countless others were critically injured. The public was outraged. The game had reached a make-or-break moment—fourth down and inches. Coaches, players, fans, and even the president of the United States had one last… View →
Frankinschool
While Fred is out sick, a visiting author signs Fred’s book “To Frank.” Then Fred’s desk-mate Luisa suggests Fred must really be Frank in school, and an idea for Fred’s creative writing assignment is born. Fred’s What-If poem is coming together… View →
Frank, Who Liked to Build
One building looks like it’s been wrapped in tinfoil. Another looks like it’s buried under a pile of paint chips. Frank Gehry has been called “the most important architect of our age.” As a child, his parents thought of him as nothing but a dreamer. But Frank kept View →
