Additional A Stone’s Throw Resources
Are you a homeschooler or a parent who helps in your child’s (childrens’) educational progress? Congratulations! And welcome to A Stone’s Throw Knowledge Gateways.
Here you will discover the wealth of practical knowledge contained within the pages of A Stone’s Throw. This free resource will help you to locate and reinforce those lessons woven throughout A Stone’s Throw which you’d like to help your young A Stone’s Throw reader grasp more fully. (For a brief introduction to A Stone’s Throw, please visit the A Stone’s Throw home page)
A reminder of BioFables’ 5-tier knowledge category structure:
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- 1. Core Disciplines: Science, Humanities, Values/Behaviors
- 2. Knowledge Gateways (Color-coded examples: Earth/Space Science, History, Ethics/Morals)
- 3. Discovery Paths (Example: Geology, a Discovery Path of Earth/Space Science)
- 4. Discovery Path Branches (Example: Geysers, a Discovery Path Branch of Geology)
- 5. Knowledge Nuggets: Titles of specific mini- or pop-up lessons (Example: Geyser ingredients)
- 4. Discovery Path Branches (Example: Geysers, a Discovery Path Branch of Geology)
- 3. Discovery Paths (Example: Geology, a Discovery Path of Earth/Space Science)
- 2. Knowledge Gateways (Color-coded examples: Earth/Space Science, History, Ethics/Morals)
- 1. Core Disciplines: Science, Humanities, Values/Behaviors
You and your young readers likely will be most interested in Tier 5, Knowledge Nuggets. The 5-tier structure will be helpful in tracing lessons back through the earlier tiers to their learning origins.
NOTE: Please be aware that tiers 2-5 are unique to each book; category names typically use words that children would understand (e.g. plants), rather than formal terminology (e.g. botany). In addition, the following lists and tables do not represent a complete list of Science, Humanities and Values/Behaviors categories, but rather those that specifically appear in Whoosh.
The four sets of tables and lists on this page have been designed to help your children derive the greatest benefit from reading Whoosh:
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- Whoosh Overview: Science, Humanities, Values/Behaviors
- Science content in Whoosh
- Humanities content in Whoosh
- Values/Behaviors content in Whoosh
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A Stone’s Throw Overview
TABLE 1, A Stone’s Throw Overview, is arranged chapter-by-chapter. It’s a good place to get a mental picture of the entire book, especially the chapter descriptions and links to additional resources (child-friendly links are in orange). This table incorporates the three Core Disciplines, their Knowledge Gateways and Discovery Paths (Tiers 1-3).
The rows in the left column of the table, highlighted in light green, show the Chapter number and the chapter’s pages; following the highlighted row is a quick chapter overview and occasional resource links to relevant sites for further investigation (links to child-friendly sites are in orange).
The right column rows, highlighted in light green, show the chapter’s title. The chapter’s color-coded Discovery Paths, with their associated Knowledge Branches, appear beneath each chapter title.
Table 1. A Stone’s Throw Overview: Science, Humanities, and ValuesBehaviors
| CHAPTER: Page Numbers |
CHAPTER TITLES |
| Brief Chapter Description; Resource Links | Knowledge Gateways (in color); Discovery Paths |
| Helpful Hints | |
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| Chapter 1: Pages 1-8 |
Where is the Door in Door County? |
| Melody and Mallory learn an easy way to calculate the maximum distance you’re from the water when you’re on an irregularly-shaped island. |
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| Chapter 2: Pages 9-19 |
Washington Island: First Explorations |
| What do skipping stones across water, doing cannonballs into water (ouch!) and blowing up balloons have to do with each other? Demonstrating some laws of physics! |
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| Chapter 3: Pages 20-26 |
An Even Smaller Island |
| Learn how lighthouse beacons can shine so far, and that the gravity that keeps you from floating away also pulls you down when you try to climb up hills or stairs.
History of lighthouses |
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| Chapter 4: Pages 27-33 |
An Unplanned Delay |
| Grandpa badly twists his ankle. Will this be the end of the Maloney family’s fast-paced hikes and explorations?
Rock Island map |
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| Chapter 5: Pages 34-41 |
Another Day at Rock Island |
| Grandpa’s ankle mysteriously heals overnight. But it wasn’t due simply to good luck. |
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| Chapter 6: Pages 42-50 |
Back on Washington Island |
| So many sights to see, things to do when you’re on a trip. The twins’ Mom draws a map of the island , marks the farther away and closer in places to visit and suggests a plan. |
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| Chapter 7: Pages 51-57 |
Fish Boil, Boiling Chips, …and Extremophiles? |
| As the fish boil pot over boiled, the twins’ Dad tells of his experience of a “boil over” in his lab. He learned the hard way what happens when you put cold boiling chips into a hot liquid. |
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| Chapter 8: Pages 58-60 |
Crossing Death’s Door a Second Time |
| The ferry back to the mainland passes a buoy that monitors and reports warnings of weather conditions that gave Death’s Door its name. |
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| Chapter 9: Pages 61-62 |
On the Way Back |
| Some stopovers on the leisurely drive back home: a restaurant with goats munching grass on its rooftop, watery caves along the shore and a lighthouse at the end of a long pier. |
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| Chapter 10: Pages 63-64 |
Next Adventure: Discussing the “Loch” |
| A different kind of “fish story” awaits the Maloney family on its next adventure at a local farm with its reputation for a mini Loch Ness on its property. |
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The Core Disciplines in A Stone’s Throw LIST 1 are presented with their Knowledge Gateways and Discovery Paths (Tiers 1-3) in side-by-side columns. We’ve grouped each of the Knowledge Gateways and their Discovery Paths into Basic (foundational knowledge), Hybrid (relevant both to Basic and Applied Discovery Paths), and Applied (using basic or hybrid principles for practical, real-world purposes).
LIST 1. A Stone’s Throw Overview: Science, Humanities and Values/Behaviors
| SCIENCE | HUMANITIES | VALUES/BEHAVIORS |
|
BASIC
HYBRID
APPLIED
|
BASIC
HYBRID
APPLIED
|
BASIC
HYBRID
APPLIED
|
A Stone’s Throw Science Core Discipline
A Stone’s Throw LIST 2. Science Knowledge Gateways and Discovery Paths
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- Biology: Plants; Animals; People
- Chemistry: Function; Mix of structure and function
- Physics: Mechanics; Optics; Heat and Temperature; Gravity
- Earth, Space Science: Astronomy; Geography; Geology; Environment
- Math: Arithmetic; Estimating; Statistics
- Technology: Physics (Mechanics; Optics)
- Engineering: Architecture (Physics; Math); Data transmission (Physics; Earth, Space Science; Math); Complex Systems: International Space Station (Physics; Earth, Space Science; Math )
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A Stone’s Throw TABLE 2 includes the major Science Knowledge Gateways (light green background) occurring in all the chapters of Whoosh.
The left column shows each Knowledge Gateway and one or more associated Discovery Paths. Discovery Path Branches, where they occur, appear indented below the major Discovery Path. These branches (and sometimes sub-branches) are divisions of the major Discovery Path; they represent increasingly-specific fields.
The right column offers brief definitions of each Science Knowledge Gateway. Following each Knowledge Gateway are Knowledge Nuggets (mini- or pop-up lessons). These lessons correspond to the Discovery Path and any Discovery Path Branches that appear directly across in the the left column.
A Stone’s Throw TABLE 2. Science Content
| KNOWLEDGE GATEWAYS |
KNOWLEDGE GATEWAYS: DEFINITIONS |
| Discovery Paths. Discovery Path Branches | Knowledge Nuggets: Mini- and Pop-up Lessons |
| BIOLOGY | Life and living things |
| Plants | Food crops: Rutabaga, potatoes |
| Cultivated flowers: lavender | |
| Animals | Animal habitats; bird sanctuary |
| People | Extremophile trait? Quick healing |
| CHEMISTRY | Substances, their structure, behavior, interactions |
| Function | pH: Acidic conditions |
| Mix of structure and function | Don’t want your liquid (non-food) to boil over? Use boiling chips! |
| Oil and water don’t mix – or do they? | |
| Molecules | Water density: how much salt did you add? |
| PHYSICS | Properties and nature of matter and energy |
| Mechanics | Stones don’t walk on water, but they can skip |
| Speed up air, water movement by narrowing outlets (Bernoulli’s Principle) | |
| Optics | How do lighthouse lights shine so far? Fresnel lenses |
| Light reflections on water move as you move | |
| Gravity | What makes you fall down, not up |
| EARTH, SPACE SCIENCE | Related to planet Earth and beyond |
| Astronomy | Look up to the night sky: Northern Lights; International Space Station |
| Geography | Continents, countries, oceans and other waters, and their features |
| Locations | Door County: Washington Island, Rock Island |
| Geology | Earth’s physical structure, substance, history, processes |
| Groundwater | Underground springs |
| Environment | Physical, chemical and biological conditions that impact people, animals, plants and microbes |
| Erosion |
Natural, human impact |
| Habitats | Preservation and restoration |
| Wind | Direction the wind blows makes a difference |
| Seasons | Day length |
| MATH | Numbers, quantities and analysis |
| Arithmetic | Counting |
| Estimating | A way to figure out the middle of an odd shape |
| Statistics | Collect facts or numbers, then use different kinds of arithmetic to analyze them and explain why your idea is right or wrong |
| TECHNOLOGY | Tools (products) and techniques using science |
| Physics: Mechanics | Water pumps: valuable tools for reaching underground water for above-ground use |
| Buoys: floating markers that show location of dangerous underwater hazards | |
| Physics: Optics | Fresnel lenses save lives by shining farther out in the water than simple magnifying glass can reach |
| ENGINEERING | Application of technology |
| Architecture (Physics, Math) |
Stavkirche (Stave Church) has unusual multiple roof levels |
| Data transmission (Physics; Earth, Space Science; Math) | Some buoys do more than mark hazards: monitor weather, send information they collect to satellites and land-based receivers |
| Complex systems (Physics; Earth, Space Science; Math ) | The International Space Station combines lots of technology for lots of different purposes |
A Stone’s Throw Humanities Core Discipline
A Stone’s Throw LIST 3 is an at-a-glance bulleted list. It offers a quick look at the Humanities Knowledge Gateways in bold, followed by their Discovery Paths that appear in A Stone’s Throw.
A Stone’s Throw LIST 3. Humanities Knowledge Gateways and Discovery Paths
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- Society: Social Relationships; Family Relationships; Government; Traditions
- Language: Sounds and Spelling; Word Derivations; Traditional Sayings; Classic Literature
- History: Locations; Objects/Processes; People
- Arts: Writing; Play on Words; Drawing; Singing, Music; Creating, Building Things
- Life Skills: Organizing; Technology in its Place; First Aid; Food; Memory Aids
- Work/Careers; Role Models:Wellness Guide; Chemist; Air Force Pilot (Retired); Innkeeper; Volunteer Docent; Weather Researcher, Monitor
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A Stone’s Throw TABLE 3 includes the major Humanities Knowledge Gateways (light green background) occurring in all the chapters of Whoosh.
The left column shows each Knowledge Gateway and one or more associated Discovery Paths. Discovery Path Branches, where they occur, appear indented below the major Discovery Path. These branches (and sometimes sub-branches) are divisions of the major Discovery Path; they represent increasingly-specific fields.
The right column offers brief definitions of each Humanities Knowledge Gateway. Following each Knowledge Gateway are Knowledge Nuggets (mini- or pop-up lessons). These lessons correspond to the Discovery Path and any Discovery Path Branches that appear directly across in the the left column.
A Stone’s Throw TABLE 3. Humanities Content
| BRANCHES/SUB-BRANCHES | DEFINITIONS, SUBJECTS AND TOPICS |
| SOCIETY | Community, Culture and People |
| Social Relationships | Rufus attracts new (human) friends; the Maloneys enjoy his friends, too |
| New friends share food and Death’s Door history at multi-family picnic | |
| Staying in touch with new friends, enjoying family games | |
| Family Relationships |
No dessert for Mallory, who was just acting like a typical 7-year-old |
| Everyone learns a different side of Dad as he tells his “overboil” story | |
| Government | Bird sanctuary’s Land Trust is joined by school children planting native trees and bushes |
| NOAA (pronounced like Noah, who built the ark); National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | |
| Local regulations prohibit removal of natural items found on public land | |
| Traditions | Wow! greets the fish boil’s grand finale “overboil” |
| LANGUAGE | Means of communication |
| Sounds and Spelling | Fresnel lens (French) pronounced fre-nel |
| Don’t confuse Pottawatomie Lighthouse with Potawatomi Native Americans | |
| Buoy: pronounced boo-eee (Dutch, German, Spanish) | |
| Word Derivations | Port des Morts (French): Death’s Door in Door County, Wisconsin |
| Docent: Teacher (Latin, later German) | |
| Stavkircke (Norwegian) Stave Church | |
| Traditional Sayings | “Time and tide wait for no man” (or, no one) |
| “A watched pot never boils” | |
| Classic Literature | “Water, water everywhere, and not a drop to drink” |
| HISTORY | Information about the past |
| Locations | French explorers to Door County learned the hard way how high winds and big waves can sink ships in narrow passages vs. open waters |
| Native Americans lived on Little Lake on Washington Island more than 3,000 years ago; learn how the lake was formed | |
| Wisconsin’s oldest lighthouse: Pottawatomie, on Rock Island | |
| Early settlers on Rock Island from Iceland found soil so poor that they could only grow rutabaga | |
| Rock Island’s stone boathouse is built in the manner of Reykjavik’s parliament building | |
| Washington Island’s Stavkirke replicates medieval-design Norwegian wooden churches using lots of layers and levels | |
| Mallory is fascinated by Washington Island’s Maritime Museum and daydreams about Death’s Door | |
| The Historic Island Dairy boasts an art gallery, history exhibits; lavender from its fields is made into jams, vinegars, and even doggie bath (hmm,will Rufus like it?) | |
| Objects/Processes | Fresnel lens, used in lighthouses and magnifiers, was invented by French physicist |
| People | Melody is compared to Nurse Florence Nightingale |
| ARTS | Creative skills and their expression |
| Writing | Writing new words to familiar tunes |
| Play on Words | Chairs made of rock but aren’t rocking chairs |
| Make sure water is deep enough for a “cannonball” dive; don’t hit bottom with your bottom | |
| Whoever climbs down, must also climb back up | |
| A small rock was Grandpa’s downfall but Mallory observes that Grandpa did not fall down | |
| Nature preserve reminds Mallory of food (fruit preserves) | |
| “Ready to drive off into the sunrise?” Mom asks at dawn | |
| Loch Ness monster? “Sounds pretty fishy to me,” Dad says |
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| Drawing | Melody tries drawing the Stavkirke the family visited |
| Singing | Singing new words to On Top of Old Smoky and When Irish Eyes are Smiling |
| Creating, Building Thigs | Visitors to Schoolhouse Beach enjoy rock creations left by earlier visitors |
| LIFE SKILLS | Practical abilities for attending to everyday needs |
| Organizing | Grandpa orchestrates an orderly dinner sharing/tasting |
| Technology in its Place | Lights from beacons, lighthouses , even buildings can serve as visual compasses and even GPS |
| First aid | Is it a broken bone, or a bad sprain? |
| Wet towels can keep a sprain’s swelling down | |
| Food | Why shake an oil-and-vinegar salad dressing? |
| Memory aids | Drawing, writing notes to yourself |
| WORK, CAREERS | Productive activity to earn an income or give back to society |
| Wellness Guide | Mom’s attention to her family’s healthy eating is an extension of her work |
| Chemist | Dad describes his own “boilover” experience at a school lab |
| Air Force Pilot (retired) | Grandpa makes use of skills developed from several careers |
| Innkeeper | The family appreciates Tom and Karen’s third-generation hospitality |
| Volunteer Docent | Volunteer docents (tour guides) Louise and Brian |
| Weather Researcher, Monitor | Ms. Kate is part of a NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric team |
A Stone’s Throw Values/Behaviors Core Discipline
A Stone’s Throw LIST 4 is an at-a-glance bulleted list. It offers a quick look at the Values/Behaviors Knowledge Gateways in bold, followed by their Discovery Paths that appear in A Stone’s Throw.
A Stone’s Throw LIST 4. Values/Behaviors Discovery Paths and Knowledge Branches
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- Morals/Ethics: Honesty/Truth
- Emotions: Self-Centeredness; Concern for Others; Impetuousness; Sharing Personal Stories; Disappointment
- Mind:Reasoning; Music, Arts Appreciation; Ambition; Visualization; Organization
- Body: Healing Ability; Balance/Stability
- Learning/Knowledge/Skills: Exploration, Observation, Discovery; Analytical Thinking; Sharing, Eliciting Knowledge; Acquiring Knowledge
- People: Parental Responsibility; Friendly Manner; Respect, Gratitude; Helpfulness; Generosity; Concern for Others
- Planet: First Visit to Natural Sites; Enjoying Nature “Naturally”; Appreciation for Nature’s Beauty; Observing Geophysical Events; Protection, Preservation; Respect for Animals; Insights into Animal Behavior
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A Stone’s Throw TABLE 4 includes the major Values/Behaviors Knowledge Gateways (light green background) occurring in all the chapters of A Stone’s Throw.
The left column shows each Knowledge Gateway and one or more associated Discovery Paths. Discovery Path Branches, where they occur, appear indented below the major Discovery Path. These branches (and sometimes sub-branches) are divisions of the major Discovery Path; they represent increasingly-specific fields.
The right column offers brief definitions of each Values/Behaviors Knowledge Gateway. Following each Knowledge Gateway are Knowledge Nuggets (mini- or pop-up lessons). These lessons correspond to the Discovery Path and any Discovery Path Branches that appear directly across in the the left column.
A Stone’s Throw TABLE 4. Values/Behaviors Content
| KNOWLEDGE GATEWAYS | KNOWLEDGE GATEWAYS: BRIEF DEFINITIONS |
| Discovery Paths. Discovery Path Branches | Knowledge Nuggets: Mini and Pop-up Lessons |
| MORALS/ETHICS |
Internal character, beliefs |
| Honesty/Truth | Game players trade score sheets, trusting in the honor system |
| EMOTIONS | Feelings, sentiment, intuition |
| Self-Centeredness | “What’s for supper?” Mallory asks when lighthouse docents arrange for overnight stay when Grandpa injures his ankle |
| Mallory feels sorry for himself when Mom scolds him for his disobedience instead of worrying if he was hurt | |
| Concern for Others | Grandpa’s accident helped reveal to him Melody’s healing powers, but decides not to say anything yet |
| Impetuousness | Mallory’s attempt to “ride the wave” on the ferry ride back doesn’t end well |
| Sharing Personal Stories | Dad says the “overboil” reminds him of a laboratory overboil he mistakenly caused at school |
| Disappointment | Grandpa regrets not taking his son fishing more often when he was growing up |
| MIND | Rational, theoretical, analytical thinking |
| Reasoning | Melody wonders how rocks could be hard and soft at the same time |
| Mallory figures out that if salt makes water more dense, the fish oil is less dense | |
| Music, Arts Appreciation | Lighthouse docents sing a song they’ve written in honor of Grandpa |
| Grandpa sings a song he composed as a thanks and goodby to the lighthouse docents | |
| The Stavkirk building has special appeal for Grandpa | |
| Melody sketches the layered roof of the Stave Church | |
| Ambition | Mallory wishes there was more time to learn about Icelandic explorer Thordarson |
| Visualization | Mallory overhears divers talking, imagines pirates and sunken treasure |
| Mallory daydreams about sailors and their boats during dangerous storms | |
| Organization | Mom suggests marking the places to visit and Dad suggests working backwards from the fish boil site |
| BODY |
Health, bodily strengh and movement |
| Healing Ability | Melody’s cool hands seem to pull the heat from Grandpa’s sprained ankle |
| Brian thinks Melody has a special healing touch | |
| The twins think that Dad may be an extremophile, too | |
| Balance/Stability | Mallory says his walk along the edge of a long lighthouse pier was the best he ever took |
| LEARNING/KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS |
Pursuit and acquisition of understanding, wisdom, capabilities |
| Exploration, Observation, Discovery | Grandpa says our brains are more active when we use our own senses rather than relying on GPS, other apps |
| The twins learn how to use a compass to find the direction of the setting sun | |
| Analytical Thinking | Mr. Tom’s map helps Melody and Mallory both figure out how far you can be from water on Washington Island |
| Sharing, Eliciting Knowledge | Grandpa explains with questions why so many ships sunk in Death’s Door |
| Louise, a volunteer docent at the Rock Island Lighthouse explains lighthouse functions | |
| The lighthouse docents point out the International Space Station in the darkened sky | |
| Acquiring Knowledge | Learning about lavender, potatoes and more at Washington Island’s historic Dairy |
| A NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) buoy on the ferry trip back has lots of monitoring, safety functions | |
| PEOPLE | Regard for, and relationships with, humankind |
| Parental Responsibility | Mom chides Mallory for asking about supper instead of being concerned about Grandpa’s injured ankle |
| Mom warns Melody not to tease her brother or she’ll go without dessert as well | |
| Friendly Manner | Mom invites their hosts to join them at dinner to learn more about Washington Island |
| Ms. Karen offers to give the family their cook’s special perch recipe | |
| New friends want to show the twins a “stone city” | |
| Respect | Mom apologizes to their new friends, tells the twins “you can learn better with your ears than with your mouth” |
| Mom’s new friend assures Melody she was not one of the “little ones” who would be safe in the shallow water | |
| Grandpa accepts docents’ decisions on lighouse policies regarding his injury | |
| Grandpa removes and neatly folds the bedding he used in the unexpected overnight stay | |
| Despite being a chemist, Dad asks questions for the fish boilers to answer for the visitors | |
| The Master Boiler tells Grandpa they don’t often hear the joke about “a watched pot never boils” | |
| Gratitude | Mallory appreciates Grandpa’s offer to take over his job of pumping water from underground |
| Everyone is grateful for Grandpa’s gift of this vacation that opend the door to new insights into family members | |
| Helpfulness | Mr. Tom warns not to miss the last ferry back from Rock Island, as no food or inns are available |
| A ferry passenger warns of big waves | |
| Lighthouse docents bring first-aid for Grandpa’s swollen ankle | |
| Even Grandpa helps clean up after dinner at the lighthouse | |
| Ms. Karen doesn’t mind recommending a competitor’s restaurant | |
| A Welcome Center guide suggests places to visit after asking Dad to mark a map of places they’ve already been to | |
| Generosity | Grandpa intends to replace even the dog food that Rufus ate during their unexpected stay and write letters of commendation for the docents |
| Concern for Others | Grandpa doesn’t let on that his ankle isn’t getting any better |
| Bobby consoles the twins, saying his team’s first time playing they got lots less than their team | |
| PLANET | Earth’s natural environment: living organisms, water, surface, subsurface, atmosphere |
| First Visit to Natural Sites | Door County, Wisconsin: Washington and Rock Islands |
| Enjoying Nature “Naturally” | The family’s time outdoors is “screen-free” |
| On the drive home, the family looks at exploring options: waves, caves, beaches, lighthouses | |
| Appreciation for Nature’s Beauty | Grandpa and the docent Brian admire the sunrise |
| Observing Geophysical Events | The compass locations of sunset and the next day’s sunrise holds a surprise |
| Protection, Preservation | Government, from local and state to federal, create programs for wetlands and other natural areas |
| More than 200 species of birds make Washington Island their home, thanks to a Land Trust | |
| Respect for Animals | A game of deer “hunting” with no shooting |
| Insights into Animal Behavior | Deer try to escape insect bites by leaving woods for open areas, like roads |
For an overview of A Stone’s Throw, please visit the A Stone’s Throw home page. If you are ready to buy Whoosh, please click on the icon. It will take you to Amazon’s A Stone’s Throw page.
