The Water Princess
By: Susan Verde
Verde, S. The Water Princess. Penguin Random House, 2016.
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/317197/the-water-princess-by-susan-verde-with-georgie-badiel-illustrated-by-peter-h-reynolds/9780399172588/
More About the Book and Author Found Here!
Genre: Picture book- Realistic Fiction
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Summary:
Princess Gie Gie's kingdom is a beautiful land! The sky is wide, and land is plenty. However, clean drinking water is scarce in her African village. Every morning, she rises before the sun to travel a long journey to the well. Instead of wearing a crown, she wears a pot on her head to carry the water. She voyages all the way home to bring back to her village to boil it for everybody to drink, However, she is already thinking of the trip again the next day. She dreams of a day that her village will have cool, crystal clear drinking water. This is based on a true story, which is even more touching because people actually have to endure these trips just for water- a source highly taken for granted in our country!
Target Audience:
The target audience for this story is for children between the ages of 5 to 8 years old, with a Readability Lexile of 480. This is a very touching story for young readers because it allows them to make comparisons to others' lives in different parts of the world. It is interesting, informative, and definitely eye opening for children with the privilege of having access to such a vital source of life.
Evaluating the Story:
Based on Donna Norton's elements of quality literature for a picture book, this story provides excellent information and illustrations for readers to encompass on the experience of an entirely different lifestyle. There are no stereotypes listed, and the main character is simply sharing her routines and aspirations that she dreams her village will one day have,
Reader Response Activity:
For this activity, students will listen to a read aloud of the story. After hearing it, one awesome activity could be for them to write the ways they take access to clean water in their every day lives- brushing their teeth, wasting water bottles, taking super long showers, having clean water to drink at all times, etc. They can write this on one big sheet of paper, on the whiteboard, or on small sheets of paper to post around the room as reminders to not only be conservative, but thankful! Even as an adult, I cannot imagine not having the access to our life source, and it is something we have to remember to be grateful for.
Where Does the Garbage Go?
By: Paul Showers & Randy Chewning
Showers, P. & Randy Chewning. Where Does the Garbage Go? HarperCollins, 2015
https://www.harpercollins.com/9780062382009/where-does-the-garbage-go/
More About the Book and Author Found Here!
Genre: Picture book- Non-fiction
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Summary:
Follow along on the exciting voyage of. . .garbage? That's right, from the garbage truck, to the landfill, to the to the incinerator where it is turned into energy, to recycling, this picture book provides excellent context and visuals for explaining what happens to our garbage after we dispose of it. It provides fun charts and diagrams to explain to children just how we handle having so much trash to dispose of!
Target Audience:
The target audience for this book is for children between the ages of 4 to 8 years old with a Readability Lexile of 580. This story is great for younger students because it opens them up to a process that children may not think of- which is where garbage goes! It is a great way to bring awareness to the important role it actually has in our daily lives, and the charts and graphs given is an extremely useful visual.
Evaluating the Story:
Based on Donna Norton's elements of a quality picture book, this story serves as a great story because the context correlates well with the bright illustrations. The characters are diverse and the theme of the book is easily identifiable. Also, because there are such diverse characters, there are no stereotypes whatsoever, and children are simply focused on learning about, well, garbage!
Reader Response Activity:
For this activity, students will be given a big sheet of construction paper and they will draw the cycle that the book discusses about disposal. This allows them to get creative, see the visual in front of them, and become more aware of the underground world of garbage. It may be helpful to list the steps on the board, then have them draw it, in case everybody can't look at the book. I have also included a link to a read aloud video as well for students to view!
Pass the Energy, Please
By: Barbara Shaw McKinney & Chad Wallace
Shaw McKinney, B., and Chad Wallace. Pass the Energy, Please! Scholastic, 2000.
https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/books/pass-the-energy-please-by-barbara-shaw-mckinney/
More About the Book and Author Found Here!
Genre: Picture book- Non-fiction
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Summary:
Follow along on the food chain as energy gets passed from species to species. It is an upbeat rhythm story that connects herbivores, carnivores, insects and plants together in a full circle of life. Each species has its own unique way of passing energy, and the author beautifully portrays each animal with cool illustrations and the passing of energy.
Target Audience:
The target audience for this story is for children between the ages of 4 to 8 years old, with a Readability Lexile of 1010L. This story is great for elaborating on science topics relating to the food chain because it provides appropriate language that is easy for young readers to comprehend.
Evaluating the Story:
Based on Donna Norton's elements of a quality picture book, this book is a great informative piece that connects each illustration to the context well to provide a clear understanding. The theme of the story is easily identifiable, and the appreciation of the way energy flows through the food chain is portrayed in a clever way.
Reader Response Activity:
For this activity, students will create their own example of a food chain. They will need to use animals from the story and include it in their project. You can give them a template, which may be the most beneficial for younger readers. However, the older students may benefit by having the freedom to lay it out themselves, given examples. I have also included a "Kids Crash Course" video to further explain the concept of passing along energy within the food chain.
For this activity, students will create their own example of a food chain. They will need to use animals from the story and include it in their project. You can give them a template, which may be the most beneficial for younger readers. However, the older students may benefit by having the freedom to lay it out themselves, given examples. I have also included a "Kids Crash Course" video to further explain the concept of passing along energy within the food chain.
What If There Were No Bees? A Book About the Grassland Ecosystem
By: Suzanne Slade
Slade, S. What If There Were No Bees? A Book About the Grassland Ecosystem. Picture Window Books, 2010.
http://www.capstonepub.com/classroom/products/what-if-there-were-no-bees-/
More About the Book and Author Found Here!
http://www.capstonepub.com/classroom/products/what-if-there-were-no-bees-/
Genre: Picture book- Realistic Fiction
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Summary:
Grassland ecosystems can be found on almost every continent, which house countless plants and animals. So what would happen if we lost just one species? Follow along with the chain reaction and the importance that honeybees actually make!
Grassland ecosystems can be found on almost every continent, which house countless plants and animals. So what would happen if we lost just one species? Follow along with the chain reaction and the importance that honeybees actually make!
Target Audience:
The target audience for this story is for children between the ages of 7 to 9 years old with a Readability Lexile of 890L. This book is great for readers heading into middle school, (and even adults!) to emphasize the importance of each species within our environment. Children may overlook the importance of even the tiniest insects and animals, however everything is here for a reason with a specific duty within our ecosystem.
The target audience for this story is for children between the ages of 7 to 9 years old with a Readability Lexile of 890L. This book is great for readers heading into middle school, (and even adults!) to emphasize the importance of each species within our environment. Children may overlook the importance of even the tiniest insects and animals, however everything is here for a reason with a specific duty within our ecosystem.
Evaluating the Story:
Based on Donna Norton's elements of a quality picture book, this book is amazing! It takes readers on a journey through the chain reaction of life without one tiny insect- the honeybee. Each image correlates with the context, and the language is appropriate. Students are introduced to an entirely different perspective of an ecosystem that they most likely live in. The theme of the story is easily identifiable, and it connects children to the environment, which they already have a natural connection to since they, too, would be affected by the loss of bees. I think it offers them a greater appreciation for the world and species that surround them as well.
Reader Response Activity:
For this activity, students will be creating PSAs about honeybees. They will be looking up facts on the internet or in books, and then will get the chance to decorate it the way they choose to raise awareness of the importance of this species. For example, they might find a statistic saying
"you have a bee to thank for every one in three bites of food you eat"
Then, they can draw a picture of their choice connecting to this quote underneath of it. It is a fun way to start challenging student to become environmentally conscious, and how to raise awareness.
For this activity, students will be creating PSAs about honeybees. They will be looking up facts on the internet or in books, and then will get the chance to decorate it the way they choose to raise awareness of the importance of this species. For example, they might find a statistic saying
"you have a bee to thank for every one in three bites of food you eat"
Then, they can draw a picture of their choice connecting to this quote underneath of it. It is a fun way to start challenging student to become environmentally conscious, and how to raise awareness.
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