Redwoods

Redwoods

By Jason Chin

Illustrated by Jason Chin

Neal Porter Books/Roaring Brook Press, 2009

ISBN #1596434309

PB

Ages 4-8

“Redwoods have shallow root systems that travel more than one hundred feet from the tree. They help the trees stand, and they need all the help they can get because…

they are the tallest living things on the planet. Redwoods regularly grow to be more than 200 feet tall.”

     As young boy waits for the subway, he picks up a book and suddenly is transported into the world of redwoods. He experiences the redwoods through the art as the text relates the factual information. Packed with fascinating facts, this mix of nonfiction and fantasy conveys the information in a natural progression from the start of time to the role in the rain forest to the tallest living tree. Upon his return, he races off, leaving the book for the next adventurer.

     The book ends with additional information and an author’s note. While I’m not usually a fan of mixing fiction and nonfiction, this book had such fascinating information that I continued reading, and then reread it. Children will likely find the book appealing, but care should be taken to point out the fictional aspects of the story.

Activity 1

Look up information about temperate rain forests. Identify the layers found in all rain forests. (emergent, canopy, understory, forest floor)

This site has information about the layers of a rainforest and excellent links.

Enchanted learning has basic facts about rainforests in general.

Experience the rainforest in pictures.

Activity 2

Look up the average height of three trees in your area. Create a bar graph to compare the heights of those trees with that of the tallest redwood.

Another book about redwoods:

The Ever-Living Tree: The Life and Times of a Coast Redwood by Linda Vieira and Christopher Canyon 

 Redwood Links

Visit this site for more useful information about redwood trees.

• Save the Redwoods League
• Redwood National & State Parks
• Humboldt State University: Redwood Forest Ecology
• Sequoia Sempervirens Wikipedia Entry

Take a  Photo tour

Fuse 8 Production also has a review and links to other blog reviews

National Science Standard: organisms and their environment

Review copy from TWU Librarian’s Choices Best 100 Books Committee from publishers

The Prairie Dog’s Town

The Prairie Dog’s Town

A Perfect Hideaway

By Mirian Aronin

Photo illustrated

Bearport Press, 2010

Series: Spectacular Animal Towns

NF PB

Grades 3-5

“In 1902, biologist Vernon Bailey traveled to Texas so that he could study the animals that lived there. In some areas, Vernon saw small furry creatures almost everywhere. They were ‘standing at the entrance to their holes, flipping their tails, and steadily barking.””

“What were these small animals? They were black-tailed prairie dogs.”

 Vernon Bailey’s discovery of these social animals, a member of the squirrel family, revealed the largest prairie dog town ever discovered by humans. Living in grassy areas in subterranean burrows with an extensive tunnel network, these social mammals work together, communicating, finding food, guarding the burrows, and raising their young. They greet one another by touching teeth, giving them the appearance of kissing. The book provides information in readable sections of text and additional short facts in small sidebars interspersed among the photographs of prairie dogs going about their daily lives. The main text ends with the role of the prairie dogs in the prairie ecosystem. New vocabulary is highlighted in bold text and the book includes a set of prairie dog town facts, more about other animal towns, a glossary, index, and further information.

 Activity 1

Using the information in the book, create a simple food chain that includes the prairie dog. You might include: black-footed ferrets, or hawks; grasses, seeds, or leaves; prairie dogs

Activity 2

Research another home, such as a beehive or coral reef. Compare their organization to that of the prairie dog burrow.

Activity 3

Look up other rodents and find out why these animals are all classified into the same family.

The National Geographic site has more information about rodents and more fascinating details about prairie dogs, including a printable fact sheet.

Other books in the series:

The Ant’s Nest: A Huge, Underground City
The Bat’s Cave: A Dark City
The Beaver’s Lodge: Building with Leftovers
The Coral Reef: A Giant City Under the Sea
The Honey Bee’s Hive: A Thriving City

National Science Standard: characteristics of organisms; organisms in their environment

 Review book provided by publisher.

 

Plant Secrets

Plant Secrets

By Emily Goodman

Illustrated by Phyllis Limbacker Tildes

Charlesbridge, 2009

ISBN #978-1-58089-205-6

NF Picture Book

Grades K-3

 

These are seeds. Some are big and round. Some are as small as specks of dust. Some have hard coats you can crack. Some are black. Some are brown. Some are pinkish and some are striped.

But all these seeds have a SECRET.

 Hidden inside each seed is a tiny new plant.

 

Follow the life cycle of four kinds of plants with this simply worded book that is organized in a logical progression from seed to plant and flower to fruit that young children will understand at once. Beautiful, clear illustrations support the text that repeats the idea of revealing a secret at each stage of the life cycle. At each stage, pictures of the four plants are shown in that form as the cycle progresses.

Activity 1

After reading the book, have each student select one of the four plants and illustrate and label each stage of its life cycle.

Activity 2

Plant a pea or acorn (according to which season is near) in individual cups. Water the seeds and track its growth by measuring the height.

This site has another comprehensive lesson on seeds to plants. For some more simple activities, try these pages.

Other books:

Little Red Hen—available in a variety of editions

A Seed Is Sleepy by Dianna Hutts Aston and Sylvia Long

Seeds by Ken Robbins

National Science Standards: the characteristics of organisms, life cycles of organisms 

 

Clot & Scab

 

Clot & Scab   

Gross Stuff About Your Scrapes, Bumps, and Bruises

By Kristi Lew

Illustrated by Michael Slack

Millbrook Press, 2010

NF Grades 3-5

Gross Body Science Series

ISBN #978-0-8225-8965-5

Have you ever fallen off your bike and dragged some poor body part along the pavement? YOW! Not only does it hurt like crazy, it looks nasty too. But don’t worry. While you made hamburger out of your knee or elbow, your body got busy repairing the damage.

 

The kid-friendly cover, the mix of art and photos, and the chatty, casual tone of this book belie the fact-filled information about blood and its role in the body in Clot & Scab. After an introduction with a scraping wound, blood facts fill the pages in short, readable sections with headers and it is interspersed with additional facts and humorous art which moves the information forward to related blood and body information in a natural order. Details of the information are supported by the photos and colored text lines highlight the fun parts.

From gross-out facts about vampire bats and leeches to the basics of blood cells and blood types, this book covers all things blood related and the explains the details of a complex subject in a way in which children this age will understand and enjoy. The complicated exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide by the blood in the capillaries of the alveoli was defined simply as a “trade,” a good way to reach readers of this age. The humorous, slightly snarky tone of the text is entertaining enough to hold the readers’ interest without becoming sarcastic, yet allows the reader to be in on the joke with the silly comments. Some of the pictures were disgustingly detailed and will be certain to provide lots of passing around of the book.

Serious information presented in a humorous way is done well in this book. The text held my interest to the end, so older kids might enjoy the facts, too. A glossary, bibliography, suggestion for further reading, and an index complete this 46 page book, one of five in the Gross Body Science series.

Activity 1

Trace the path of blood flow from veins through the heart and back out to the arteries. This site will help you determine the order.

Check out your knowledge of blood flow through the heart with this test.

Activity 2 (for the older readers)

Learn more about blood types here and then play a blood typing game. This link worked part of the time for me. If you can get it working, it’s a great game.

Further research activity

Look up some of the various blood disorders to learn more about blood. This site provides a starting point.

National Science Standard: characteristics of organisms, structure and function in living systems

Take a look at Amanda’s review at A Patchwork of Books.

Way Down Deep In the Deep Blue Sea

By Jan Peck

Illustrated by Valeria Petrone

Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, 2004

Picture book

Ages 3-6

 

Way down deep
in the deep blue sea,
there’s a lot to find.
I guarantee!

Come on! Be brave!
Just follow me!
And let’s explore
the deep blue sea!

 

Snappy rhyme takes the reader on a deep sea adventure where all sorts of sea creatures await the arrival of the young explorer in the book. The delightful pictures done in bright colors add to the excitement of each underwater encounter. The story’s ending provides a nice surprise as the young boy’s day comes to a close.

Activity 1

Look up seahorse, hermit crab, starfish, sea turtle, octopus, dolphin, swordfish, whale, or sharkand learn more about these animals in the book.

Activity 2

Look up other animals that live in the ocean. Get some ideas here.

Try some of these activities.

Or color some ocean animals.

Other books in the series by Jan Peck also have science related subjects.

Way Up High in a Tall Green Tree

Way Far Away on a Wild Safari

National science standard: characteristics of animals