*What Darwin Saw

*What Darwin Saw: The Journey That Changed the World

by Rosalyn Schanzer

National Geographic Children’s Books, 2009

ISBN #978-1426303968

Grades 3-6 and up

48 pages

Nonfiction PB

*Nominated for the Cybils award in the NF PB cagegory.

“Even though Darwin has never been much of a student, he is destined to become one of the greatest scientists in history. And why is that? It is because Darwin’s astonishing discoveries will forever change the way people think about our planet and every single thing that lives here.”

“Darwin’s great adventure will last four years, ten months, and two days. It will affect everything he does for the rest of his life.”

A twenty-two year old Charles Darwin jumped at the chance to travel around the world as a naturalist-companion to the captain of the ship The Beagle, and the voyage that ensued opened his eyes to questions that would change the face of science for years to come. Written from the perspective of Darwin’s early years and his journey on The Beagle, Schanzer details his notes and explorations in short snippets of text and graphic-style illustrations in vibrant acrylics that show the path and documents the discoveries he found as the Beagle sailed from Europe to South America and on around past Australia and Africa.

The art is gorgeous and fits the youthful air of Darwin as well as documenting his finds. The text, found in sections, divisions, and bubbles, is reader friendly and chock full of fascinating information. As a former science teacher, I enjoyed learning things I never knew about this intrepid explorer and gentleman. Back matter includes a wealth of information that asks hard questions and provides a tree of life diagram, along with more fascinating details.

In the 200^th year anniversary of Darwin’s birth and the 150^th year anniversary of the publication of his On the Origin of the Species, controversy over his conclusions is still very much alive, but there is no disputing the wealth of information he uncovered. No matter what your beliefs are, this book is one that should be read.

Activity 1

Choose one of the animals from the book that Darwin saw and create a graphic organizer to illustrate the variety of species that are in that animal group.

Activity 2 This activity is based on Darwin’s information about the volcanoes he saw on the trip.

Look up shield volcanoes and stratovolcanoes. Compare the two in their formation and eruptions. Find the meaning of these volcanoe related terms.

pyroclastic flows, lahars, subduction zone, ring of fire, tephra, pahoehoe, low viscosity, fissure eruptions, calderas

Information about stratovolcanoes can be found here. 

Information about shield volcanoes can be found here.

 

Visit Rosalyn Schanzer’s site to find out more about this author/illustrator.

For more details about the book, visit this site.

This page has links for all sorts of information about volcanoes.

National Science Standard: Science as a human endeavor; Nature of science, History of science

 

Although I preferred What Darwin Saw over this book, it also contains good information.

One Beetle Too Many by Kathryn Laskey and illustrated by Matthew Trueman

A Raft of Information: PUFFINS

Puffins

By Susan E. Quinlan

Lerner Publications, 2009

ISBN# 978-1-58013-944-1

Nonfiction

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Puffins, with strong, brightly colored bills, and stubby wings are ocean birds, coming to land only to nest. A member of the auks, puffins ride on the waves offshore for weeks at a time with other puffins in great groups called rafts. They live in the frigid Arctic waters.

 

Adaptations from bill to foot enable this hardy bird to thrive in the harsh Arctic environment. From a special gland that lets them excrete salt from the ocean water they drink to the ridged tongue and mouth allowing them to carry many fish at once to their young, puffins are uniquely developed to occupy this Arctic niche. Each specific adaptation is thoroughly explored by the author, who spent two summers on a remote Alaskan island studying puffins with the University of  Alaska-Fairbanks.

 

Numerous, clear photos of puffins in their daily habits document the information in the text and close-up shots show many of the adaptations. This book will appeal to the older elementary and middle school aged students.

 

Activity 1

Read the book. Locate five specific adaptations that allow puffins to survive and thrive in the Arctic.  

 

Activity 2

Look up polar bears, arctic hares, walrus, or arctic terns. Find the adaptations each group has that allows them to survive in their cold environment. Compare them with the puffin’s adaptations for similar characteristics.

This book is one of Lerner’s Nature Watch series.

More about puffins:

Puffins by Kenny Taylor

Puffin’s Homecoming: The Story of an Atlantic Puffin by Darice Bailer

Ocean’s Child

Ocean’s Child

Christine Ford and Trish Holland

Illustrated by David Diaz

Golden Books, 2009

ISBN # 978-0-375-84752-3

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This ocean lullaby in lyrical language is told by a mother on a kayak with her child as they bid goodnight to the animals sleeping beneath and beyond them on their ocean journey. Otter, walrus, whale, and polar bear are among the many animals and their babies told good night, and each animal spread ends with a good night refrain. The final spread contains glowing northern lights.

 

Luminous art gives an Arctic feel to the pages and the muted colors soothe along with the narrative. This would be a calming book for bedtime and children could join in on the refrain.

 

When Sun slips over the edge of the world

And Moon sails up to the stars,

The children of Ocean grow sleepy-eyed.

It’s time to say good night.

 

Activity 1

Look up the names of what the baby form of each animal is called. The book includes: a person, otter, walrus, whale, dolphin, polar bear, puffin, sea lion, orca, albatross, and seal. For example, a baby seal is called a pup. See this list for a start.

Describe each animal and talk about how it has adapted to live in the cold Arctic environment.

 

For older children, play a Name Game here.

 

For more information

 

 

National Science Standards: Organisms and environment; life cycle

 

 

More about baby animals:

 

Baby Animal Families by Gyo Fujikawa

 

Animal Babies in Polar Lands by the editors of Kingfisher

 

 

 

 

Tweet! Tweet!

United Tweets of America

50 State Birds Their Stories Their Glories

By Hudson Talbott

G.P. Putnam’s Sons

ISBN #978-0-399-24520-6

Nonfiction

 

A factual and funny book, this collection of state birds includes interesting tidbits of information along with hilarious art, state mottoes and capitals, and asides from the birds themselves. One of my favorite spreads features the mockingbirds of Tennessee and Texas bickering about mocking one another. The light storyline of competition is answered when the birds get together and sing America the Beautiful.

 

Activity 1

Assign state birds to individual students or groups and ask them to use the book to make and write observations about the characteristics of their bird. Guide them toward beak shapes and sizes, feet, toe directions, color and pattern (distinguishing markings), and tail shapes and sizes. See this site for more information.

 

Have them make a detailed list. Then have them write predictions about where the bird might live (based on its feet) and what it eats (based on the bill).

 

Use a bird book, field guide, or this link to look up their birds and analyze their predictions.

 

Activity 2

Use this handout to talk about bird skeletons. Identify and discuss the bone names.

Then fill in this page with the correct names.

  

For a simple activity, use this page to identify the different birds.

 

 

 

For more reading, see Bird, by David Burnie

 

or

 

The Burgess Bird Book for Children by Thornton W. Burgess

 

National Science standards: Structure and function in living systems, diversity and adaptations of organisms.

 

This book was recently reviewed by some other bloggers, but I can’t find them. If you’ll send a comment if you reviewed it, I’ll add a link to your blog.