GIANT Chapter Book: How the Animals Got Their Cool Traits... On Vacation!
In collaboration with a 3rd grade classroom
SCIENCE MISSION: DISCOVER AN ANIMAL FAMILY
How the Animals Got Their Cool Traits... On Vacation! comes in two parts: a chapter book and a deck of trading cards! Check out the free preview of both formats below, download and make your own DIY versions at home, or order professionally printed copies for yourself, friends, and family!
GIANT Chapter Book: How the Animals Got Their Cool Traits... On Vacation! E-Book
This chapter book includes stories written by students and their science teachers, and edited by The GIANT Room.
Animal Families Trading Cards
Each card features an original idea for an Animal Family designed by students and their teachers.
More About This Publication
Co-designed and co-written by 15 third grade students, their teachers, and a multidisciplinary team of artists, educators, and writers at The GIANT Room, How the Animals Got Their Cool Traits... On Vacation! showcases students’ achievements in science, creative writing, and AI literacy. It invites families and friends to celebrate, reflect on, and learn from their creations.
For six weeks, The GIANT Room and the Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop partnered with students and teachers in New York City to co-design a classroom book and a deck of trading cards showcasing students’ science learning and writing. Throughout the project, students also strengthened their AI literacy and critical-thinking skills by responsibly using a suite of AI tools to support their creative writing process.
As part of the school’s Inheritance and Traits science unit, the program focused on animal families, their genes, and their offspring’s inherited and acquired traits. Students created their own “Animal Families” with special traits and powers, then wrote fictional stories about their Animal Family on vacation, highlighting those inherited and acquired traits. Their completed work is featured in this book, along with a set of collectible Animal Family trading cards.
We extend our gratitude to the school and the Joan Ganz Cooney Center for their partnership, and to the Robin Hood Foundation for funding the program and making this publication possible.
Download and Make A DIY Bound Book
Download and Make A DIY Deck + Case
Get the Set
There are two purchase options available.
Deck of Cards
Chapter Book
Professionally Printed Softcover: $29.99
This professionally printed book is 5.5”x 8.5” with a softcover and premium color paper.
Professionally Printed Deck of Cards: $69.99
This professionally printed card deck comes with 17 cards size 3.5”x 5.5” on premium card stock AND a card box to store your deck in.
