Science+Picture+Books

=We hope to expand everyone's knowledge on science texts. Enjoy! = = = =Jen Levine, Michelle Bonnetti, Debra Szubrowski =




 * Main Characteristics of an Experiment **
 * Usually a procedure that will be followed by someone.
 * Uses a hierarchical structure (i.e. moves from broad headings to detailed information).
 * Most of the time it involves the scientific method.
 * Steps to conducting a science experiment:
 * 1) Making observations.
 * 2) Developing a hypothesis or idea based on observations.
 * 3) Conducting an experiment, a process involving data collection, data analysis, and the development of a conclusion.


 * Why is reading experiments important? **
 * Students must first be exposed to experiments in order to eventually be able to make one themselves.
 * Experiments are written using technical and academic vocabulary so students will need to actually be taught how to read them beforehand.
 * Help students develop a sense of inquiry and curiosity.


 * What skills and strategies are needed? **
 * Word knowledge
 * Experiments may involve complex terms and vocabulary.
 * Students need to be familiarized with these terms before they can effectively read an experiment.
 * Background knowledge
 * Students need the basic background knowledge on the experiment they are reading.
 * If they don't know what they're reading about, they can't comprehend it.
 * Students need to be familiar with characteristics of science texts.
 * Science experiments and texts are often set up different than other texts.
 * This could cause confusion to a student who is not prepared to read a science experiment or text.
 * Cause and effect structures are often used in experiments.
 * Teachers should model how to think while reading an experiment before letting students read one alone.


 * Teaching Tips **
 * Teachers should first model how to read a science experiment before asking students to do one on their own.
 * Students are not used to this type of reading and will need a good amount of instruction.
 * Go over all the directions before allowing students to begin
 * Safety!!
 * Allowing students to explore the topic without specific directions is another beneficial way for students to learn about a topic.
 * Hands on activities
 * Use graphic organizers so students can keep data neat and organized for comparing results later on.
 * Have students make predictions and confirm or change their predictions as they continue with the experiment.


 * Uses in Classroom **
 * Experiments should accompany a lesson.
 * It gives students a way to answer questions through inquiry.
 * Technology should be used to help further enhance understanding.
 * Video and audio aids should be used to help struggling learners.
 * Students of lower level will benefit from being paired up with students of a higher level.

//The Everything Kids' Science Experiments Book// by Tom Robinson
 * Examples **

//365 Simple Science Experiments With Everyday Materials// by E. Richard Churchill, Louis V. Loeschnig, and Muriel Mandell

//The Magic School Bus and the Science Fair Expedition// by Joanna Cole

[|Reaction Time Data Sheet] [|Plant Growth] [|Draw What You See] [|Explore the Outdoors]
 * Link to Graphic Organizer **


 * Student Responses ** (This is where you will post your book summary)

__Kaitlin Farrell Citation__: Tocci, S. (2001). //Experiments with Solids, Liquids, and Gases//. Toronto, ON: Children’s Press. __Reading Level__: 2-5 __Suggested Literacy Strategy__: Synthesizing; There are many scientific ideas presented in this book and students would need to learn how to synthesize the information in order to perform the experiments and interpret the results accurately. __Description__: This book discusses the characteristics of solids, liquids, and gases by comparing and contrasting them. The book is separated into three main sections (“What is a Solid?”, “What is a Liquid?”, and “What is a Gas?”) and each section ends with an experiment for the reader to try. The experiments are simple and can be done at home, yet clearly enforce and prove the scientific concepts covered in the book. Another positive quality is that children can really relate to the pictures and examples that are used to describe the three states of matter. The text structure is typical of nonfiction books and includes things like a table of contents, chapters, glossary, index, and other websites to explore.

 __Book:__ //The Icky Bug Alphabet Book// by Jerry Pallotta __Citation:__ Pallotta, J. (1993). //The Icky Bug Alphabet Book//. Waltertown, MA: Charlesbridge. __Description:__ This science book is an alphabet book which explains 26 different kinds of bugs and insects. For each letter, the book states the bug, what it does, its features, and a fun fact. The illustrations in the book are very vibrant and bold. The images of the bugs are also very large. This would also be a great book to learn about the alphabet. __Reading Level:__ DRA: 38 Guided Reading: P Grade Level Equivalent: 4.9 __Suggested Literacy Strategy__: Students can be introduced to the topic of theme and how the underlying message of the book is to teach about the different kinds of bugs and what they are categorized as. This book integrates both science and the alphabet when you read. Students can be assigned a letter of the alphabet and not only think of the bug which is illustrated in the book under that letter, but compile other bugs/insects which begin with the letter they are assigned.
 * Jeanna Calia**

__Book__: //I See a Kookaburra!: Discovering Animal Habitats Around the World// by Steve Jenkins & Robin Page __Citation__: Jenkins, S., & Page, R. (2005). //I See a Kookaburra!: Discovering Animal Habitats Around the World//. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company. __Reading Level__: DRA: 18-20; Guided Reading: J __Description__: “Scorching deserts and steamy rain forests, muddy ponds and salty oceans—animals are found almost every place on earth.” In this science picture book, students are able to catch a glimpse into animal habitats from the tide pools located on the southern coast of England to the rain forest in the Amazon River basin of South America. With many colorful and exciting pictures displaying information, students can learn a lot about different animals from all around the world. __Suggested Literacy Strategy__: The most useful reading strategy for this type of text would be finding the main idea. The main idea refers to the most important idea found in expository text. This strategy will help students decide what the author’s main purpose is for writing the book. While reading an expository text, such as a science picture book, students will learn to constantly make predictions as to what the author thinks is most important in the text.
 * Randee Myers**

Book:** The Magic School Bus: In the Time of the Dinosaurs by Joanna Cole
 * Jen Levine
 * Citation:** Cole, Joanna. (1994). //The Magic School Bus: In the Time of the Dinosaurs// . New York, NY: Scholastic, INC.
 * Description:** //The Magic School Bus: In the Time of the Dinosaurs// is about Ms. Frizzle and her class traveling back to the dinosaur age for a dinosaur dig in their magic school bus. The students learn about fossils, dinosaur bones/bodies, and about the types of plants that were around during this time.
 * Reading Level:** Guided Reading: P; DRA: 34-38; Ages 4-8
 * S****uggested Literacy Strategy:** After reading //The Magic School Bus: In the Time of the Dinosaurs//, students can use the summarizing comprehension strategy. The book contains a lot of facts about dinosaurs, so students can summarize all the facts that they have learned in each part of this book.

Book:** //The Magic School Bus: In the Arctic//
 * Michelle Bonnetti
 * Citation:** Cole, Joanna. (1998). //The Magic School Bus: In the Arctic.// New York, NY: Scholastic.
 * Description:** This book is about Ms. Frizzle's class trying to figure out where the heat goes when it's cold. Ms. Frizzle decides to take them to the arctic to figure it out, but on the way they drove the bus into freezing cold water. The bus would no longer drive, and they had to figure out how to warm the bus up and get back home. On the way they run into a polar bear and shrink to use his fur as warmh. They also discover blubbler and learn how it keeps walrus' warm.
 * Reading Level:** P
 * Suggested Literacy Strategy:** I would use the main idea strategy for this book. The main idea is how to stay warm, but children might not pick up on that immediately. Students who read this book may thing the Arctic is the main idea. The book has a lot of good information about staying warm so students could locate the main idea of staying warm and then discuss ways Ms. Frizzles' class stayed warm.

__Book__: //The Tiny Seed// __Citation__: Carle, Eric. (1987). //The Tiny Seed//. Natick, MA: Picture Book Studio. __Reading Level__: DRA- 28; Guided Reading- L; Grade Level- 3.2 __Description__: Eric Carle presents accurate information about seeds, how they travel/spread, and the development of seeds into plants. He also includes great illustrations to go along with the text that will help students understand what he is teaching them. This story of the tiny seed goes through the possibilities of wind and animals carrying seeds to various places and what happens regarding seeds growing into plants in each season. __Suggested Literacy Strategy__: Main Idea would be a great strategy for this book. While it is an informational text, it is presented in the form of a narrative, which will help students better understand and use the strategy. Students will gain the most of out this book if they understand what the most important thing(s) Carle wants them to gain from their reading.
 * Kayleigh Shaw**

__Book:__ //Stars! Stars! Stars!// __Citation:__ Barner, B. (2002). //Stars! Stars! Stars!// San Francisco: Chronicle Books. __Description:__ Using simple rhyming text and colorful illustrations, this book introduces aspects of the universe and the planets to its readers. At the end of the book, there are several definitions in basic terms to define several characteristics of the planets as well as components of the universe. __Reading Level:__ DRA: 18-20, Guided Reading: J, Grade Level: 1-3 __Suggested Literacy Strategy:__ Even though it is presented in a fun and creative way, this science picture book conveys several facts about stars, astronomy, and the planets. As a result, an effective literacy strategy for the readers to use would be summarizing so that they can pick out and identify the key points that they should retain and highlight from reading this book.
 * Liz Kalajian**

__Book__: //The Magic School Bus: Inside a Hurricane// // by Joanna Cole and Bruce Degen // __APA Citation__: Cole, J., & Degen, B. (1997). //The Magic School Bus: Inside a Hurricane.// New York, NY: Scholastic, Inc. __Reading Level__: DRA= 18-20, Guided Reading= P __Suggested Literacy Strategies__: This book would be a good book to teach summarizing. After reading the book, the children can summarize all the new facts they learned about hurricanes! __Description__: //The Magic School Bus// is a series of science children books that kids love! In this particular book, Ms. Frizzle and her class get lifted out of their classroom into the sky in a hot air balloon. While in the sky, Ms. Frizzle and her class get stuck in the middle of a hurricane. While inside the hurricane, Ms. Frizzle teaches her class all about them. When the hurricane is over, the class returns to their classroom as if nothing ever happened.
 * Casey Caruso **

__Book:__ //What Makes Day and Night// __Citation:__ Branley, F.M. (1961). //What makes day and night.// New York, NY: Thomas Y. Crowell. __Reading Level:__ DRA: 30-34 Guiding Reading: N Grade Level: 3.5 __Description:__ This book explains why day and night occur. It discusses how the earth is round constantly moving, and because of that the sun hits it in different places at different times of the day. It utilizes diagrams and an experiment to teach students why the sun hits different parts of the earth at different times of the day. __Suggested Literacy Strategy:__ This book would be appropriate for using the summarizing strategy. It presents a lot of information about why night and day occur, and it would be good practice for the students to pick out the most important facts.
 * Lauren Masco**

**Alli Clare __Title:__ //The Science Book of Machines// by Neil Ardley __Citation:__ Ardley, N. (1992). //The Science Book of Machines//. San Diego, California: Gulliver Books Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Publishers. __Description:__ This science book is also a procedural text that introduces simple machines and how they are found all over and then gives twelve machines that students can make using step-by-step instructions and pictures. __Reading Level__: Grade: 4.6 DRA: 40 Guided Reading: Q __Suggested Literacy Strategy__: Looks Backs as Fit-It Strategies. Seeing that this is also a procedural text, students will need to know how to look back in the directions and find the solutions to the mistakes they have made when trying to construct their machines. **

__Book Title__: //A Seed is Sleepy// __Citation__: Aston, D.H. (2007). //A Seed is Sleepy.// San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books. __Reading Level__: DRA: 38; Guiding Reading: P; Grade: 4.9 __Description__: Using accurate illustrations and descriptions, this picture book contains many interesting facts about the seeds of both familiar and unusual plants . It also contains a simple description of how various types of seeds begin their lives. Also, short poetic phrases in large print are accompanied by paragraphs in smaller print, which tackle science concepts and expand on the phrases. Therefore, the book can be used with both younger and older students, dependent upon what you focus on: the short phrases or longer paragraphs. Finally, the watercolor illustrations contain both pictures and charts, which depict such concepts as a seed's growth into a plant. Such visuals allow readers to form images in there minds in order to better understand these various scientific concepts. __Suggested Literacy Strategy__: Because this expository text contains a variety of concepts and facts, determining the main idea would be an effective literacy strategy to accompany its reading. Having students identify clues and make predictions about what the author may think is most important will allow them to eventually identify the most important idea about the characteristics of seeds and plants, thereby making their reading worthwhile.
 * Gianna Seidler**

__Title__: //Tornado!// __Citation__: Nicholson, Cynthia Pratt. 2003. //Tornado!// Kids Can Press. __Reading Level__: 4-6 __Description:__ This book is a great combination of text and pictures. The text varies from longer paragraphs to shorter blurbs containing facts and statistics. The pictures add to the text by enhancing it and showing what the author is describing. They visually enhance so that students can create images to the text. It is an easy read for students in grades 4-6 and a great resource if they are doing a project on natural disasters as it provides photos, facts, statistics, evidence and good general information about tornadoes. __Suggested Reading Strategy__: The best reading strategy to do for a informational text such as this one is main ideas and sub main ideas. Although the main idea is important for comprehension throughout, the sub main ideas are more imporant. As the book gives more information, it is important for students to understand the main ideas on each page and within each section. Otherwise, they will explain the tiny details and facts rather than the most important ones.
 * Tom Medvecky**

__Book__: //Time to Sleep// by Denise Fleming __Citation__: Fleming, D. (1997). //Time to Sleep//. New York, NY: Holt. __Reading Level__: DRA: 13-14, Guided Reading: H, Grade Level: 2.2 <span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">__Description__: Bear says that winter is coming and it is time to sleep but first he has to tell Snail, who then tells Skunk, who tells Turtle, who tells Woodchuck, who finally tells Ladybug. Each animal notices a sign that winter is coming and they each have a different way of hibernating. In the end, Labybug goes to tell Bear who is already sleeping and the two animals hibernate near each other. This picture book teaches children about winter and hibernation and is also a good bedtime story for young children. __Suggested Literacy Strategy__: A good comprehension strategy to teach with this book would be main idea. Students can read this book and use the clues to decide what the main ideas are and what the author’s message is. Predicting would also be good to use with this book. There is a pattern in the narrative so students can pick up on it and use the clues as well as their prior knowledge of winter and hibernation to make predictions about what will happen next in the story.
 * Erin Jackson**

<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 12pt;"> __Title:__ // Switch on, Switch off // by Melvin Berger
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 12pt;">__Citation__: Berger, M. (1989) <span style="color: windowtext; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 13.2pt;">. <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 13.2pt;">// Switch on, Switch off //. <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 12pt;">New York:<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Harper Collins Publishers. __Reading Level__ : Grades: K-1 DRA: 28 Guided Reading: L

=
<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 12pt;">__Suggested Literacy Strategy__: The Look Backs as Fix it comprehension strategy could be a valuable tool while reading this book. The book details complex subject matter, and children need to know that they must stop and figure out what is blocking comprehension before continuing. This strategy would force children to make sure the book makes sense, and thus promote maximum learning. ======

=
<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 12pt;">__Description__: This book begins by discussing the simple act of turning a light switch on or off. After the simple introduction, the book goes into detail about energy, electricity, and circuitry. The book uses child friendly examples to unveil the “magic” behind electricity. The pictures allow children to understand the complex science behind energy. The book also takes children step by step to produce electricity on their own. ======

__Title__: //I Fall Down// __Citation__: Cobb, V., (2004). //I fall down//. Harper Collins Publishers. __Reading Level__: 2.9; DRA Level: 7-8; Guided Reading Level: E __Description__: This book provides young readers with simple experiments they can perform around the house in order to learn more about gravity and how it relates to weight. The book explains that everything falls down due to gravity, that gravity pulls everything down at the same speed, and that weight is a measure of how hard objects fall down. Some of the experiments include throwing small objects up in the air and watching them fall down, dropping objects and trying to see it if they hit the floor at the same time, and using rubber bands to see which objects are heavier than others (the more the rubber band stretches, the heavier that object is). This is an excellent book for young children to read and discover interesting facts about the force of gravity. __Literacy Strategy__: Since this book focuses on scientific terms and concepts, using the main idea strategy would be a good literacy strategy to use. By the end of this book, students will be able to conclude that the main idea of the book is that gravity is a force that pulls everything down on earth, which is why everything falls down instead of up.
 * Christina Marino**

//Weird Friends: Unlikely Allies in the Animal Kingdom// By Jose Aruego __Citation__: Aruego, J. (2002). //Weird Friends: Unlikely Allies in the Animal Kingdom//. San Diego: Harcourt Inc. __Suggested Grade Level__: 2-3 __Summary__: This science picture book is all about the relationship between different animals in the world. The book tells about how these different animals help each other, either by cleaning and providing food, providing shelter or warning an animal of danger. __Suggested Literacy Strategy__: The best strategy for this would be main idea. There are many different animal relationships in the book so the best way would be to assign the students one or two or to split up the different animals within the students and have them find the main idea of certain pages.
 * Margaret Molloy**

** Title: **// Simple Weather Experiments With Everyday Materials. // Description: ** This book helps children answer questions they may have about weather and climate by giving them experiments and simple demonstrations they can do on their own. For instance, one question reads “What causes thunder to make noise?” Children blow up a balloon, tie it with string and then pop it by putting one hand on the top and the other on the bottom. This makes a small clap of thunder. After the experiment, the book explains that this made a loud sound because it caused a small amount of air to move fast. The book includes dozens of questions and experiments.
 * Debra Szubrowski**
 * Citation: ** Mandell, Muriel (1990) //Simple Weather Experiments With Everyday Materials// . New York: Sterling Publishing Co. **
 * Suggested Comprehension Strategy:** This book would be good for the "look back as fix it" strategy because children will probably make mistakes when working on the experiments and need to look back at the directions.
 * Reading Level:** DRA: 44 Guided reading: T

__Title:__ Neptune’s Nursery by Kim Michelle Toft and Allan Sheather __Citation:__ Sheather, Allan, Toft, Kim M. (2000). //Neptune’s Nursery//. Watertown, MA: Charlesbridge Publishing. __Reading Level:__ DRA: 30 Guided Reading: N Grade Level Equivalent: 2 __Description:__ This science picture book is interesting and engaging for students. This book uses poetic verses to describe certain animals and creatures that live in the ocean. It is narrated by an unknown sea creature. Throughout the book the narrator gives clues about what kind of creature they are. As children read the book they may start to predict or guess as to what type of animal the narrator is. The illustrations are very colorful and give students a look into the ocean. There are lots of pictures of sea creatures and different types of life form. In addition, at the end of the book there is additional information about each of the animals described in the book, as well as a glossary. __Suggested Comprehension Strategy:__ This book is perfect for teaching students about predicting and/or inferring. Students must use the text clues throughout the book to try and predict what the kind of animal the narrator is. At the end of the book, the identity of the narrator is revealed and students can check their predictions. Students will get practice with finding clues and using those clues and things they already know to come up with a prediction. **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 115%;">Jasmine Martin Title: ** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 115%;">Solid, Liquid, or Gas? **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 115%;">Citation: Hewitt, S. (1997). Solid, Liquid, or Gas. Danbury, CT: Children's Press
 * Cynthia Antunes**
 * Reading Level:** DRA: 38, Guided Reading: P
 * Description:** This book introduces students to solids, liquids, and gases; it also gives students examples of each form using things that they may be familial with and see everyday. For example, solid: bricks, cotton ball, boxes; liquid: honey, water; gas: helium (balloons), exhaust (cars). The book also talks about different ways in which the forms change from one to the other i.e. melting, dissolving.
 * Suggested Comprehension Strategy:** A good strategy to use for this book is Main Idea. The students can read the book and pick out sub ideas. They can then use these sub ideas to try and determine what the overall idea of the book is. **


 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Useful Website **
 * [|Kids Science Experiments]
 * [|ZOOM]

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 32px;">Moss, B & Lapp, D. (2010). //Teaching New Literacies in Grades K-3//: //Resources for 21st century classrooms//. New York: <span style="color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 32px;">................... <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px;"> Guildford. 174-182. Moss, B & Lapp, D. (2010). // Teaching New Literacies in Grades 4-6 // : // Resources for 21st century classrooms //. New York: <span style="color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: normal;">................... <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: normal;">Guildford. 199-207. **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">References