Dino-Dinners

I feel that this book is a little lacking in the development of processes. The text of each page is fairly limited, with very basic factual information that does not give many ideas leading to questioning or inquiry.

Author: Mick Manning
Illustrator: Brita Granstorm
Year Published: 2006
ISBN: 978-0-8234-2089-6

Science Topics

Minimum Suggested Grade Level

Prekindergarten

Maximum Suggested Grade Level

2nd Grade

Summary

This book presents various types of dinosaurs and their specific diets, presented from the perspective of each of individual dinosaur. Each page also features facts and characteristics of each dinosaur for further information.

Evaluation

Appropriateness: High
Authority: Medium
Accuracy: Medium
Liteary Artistry: Medium
Appearance: High

Questions

Does the book foster development of processes?

Does the book provide an opportunity for children to ask and answer their own questions?

The information in the book is very basic and does not allow for much questioning of the information or ideas. There are about 2-3 sentences on each page, and do not provoke much thought.

Does the book encourage children to think for themselves?

The book does not really provoke a lot of questioning. The sentences are very basic and the information is at a very low level - ideal for younger grade levels, but does not inspire much thought beyond what is being presented. The students might think about the illustrations and the different types of dinosaurs and how their physical characteristics might be similar/different based on their diets being described.

Is the science topic addressed in ways that are appropriate to the lesson?

The topic is addressed consistently throughout the text - various dinosaurs diets. The illustrations match the text and the information being described, I think it would be a good book to introduce a unit on prehistoric creatures, but I do think additional texts would be required in a more developed lesson.

Is the content based on sound scientific principles? Is it accurate?

The content is based on known facts about dinosaurs and is accurate at a very basic level.

Does the book distinguish between fact and fiction?

The book remains very factual throughout and provides trivia information on each page to supplement the content of the text. The illustrations are fictional, given that we have no actual photographs of dinosaurs, just ideas of what they look like.

Are the illustrations clear and accurate?

The illustrations are clear and as accurate as most scientist/researchers would be able to estimate given that no one has been able to document a living dinosaur before.

Is the book written at the level of your students?

This would fit the developmental level of a first grade classroom.

Is there a multicultural component? Is it free from stereotyping?

The book is all about dinosaurs and the language of the text appears to be free of stereotyping or biases.

Is the book free from gender bias?

The book is free of gender biases - it is about dinosaurs, and the genders of each animal are not named. The book is written in first person, so there are no pronouns to be addressed.

Does the book show the close association between science and other disciplines?

The text of the book and the formatting show a relationship between science and poetry. The words are written in stanzas, demonstrating some poetic features.

Does the book present a positive attitude toward science and technology?

This book does not directly address technology, but the teacher may discuss with students who technology has allowed us to discover facts and information about dinosaurs that we may not have been able to figure out otherwise.