Pluto’s Secret: An Icy World’s Tale of Discovery

Yes, it allows children to think and develop the process skills. They are able to learn how to do science just like scientists do rather than how to do science. They are able to organize and classify Pluto based on its characteristics that have been shown through the text and the illustrations. It also provides an in depth process of how scientists define a planet or an object within our solar system. But it also shows this information in a very easy and simple manner that can be understood by even the youngest primary student. They are also able to develop their other process skills by inferring and predicting on how scientists classified the objects in space.

Author: Margaret Weitekamp and David DeVorkin
Illustrator: Dianne Kidd
Year Published: 2013
ISBN: 1419704230

Summary

The book describes Pluto's history, from it's discovery initially, as a planet within our solar system, all the way to its reclassification. It provides insights into how scientists organize and classify our solar system, ranging from how it works to what exists within it.

Evaluation

Appropriateness: High
Authority: High
Accuracy: High
Liteary Artistry: High
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?

Children naturally have questions of how Pluto isn't considered a planet in our solar system, and so the book allows them to explore these types of questions in an engaging way, specifically through the illustrations and in a story telling format. It's not just a normal book that conveys information directly, as if they are reading from a standard, traditional textbook. Rather it is conveying the information through a traditional story, one that many of the children have been exposed to in their educational experiences.

Does the book encourage children to think for themselves?

Yes, while the book is conveying scientific information, it is engaging the students and encouraging them to be able to think for themselves by exploring these questions as the story progresses. Just like in the previous two categories, the book allows students to develop their processing skills by learning how to do science just like actual scientists rather than the how. It also answers the student's questions as well as letting them have more questions in mind. An example can be something as simple as "How do scientists classify stuff?"

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

Yes. The information conveyed is appropriately because it does not "attack" the students with a lot of words that may be portrayed in a traditional textbook, rather, it is told in a story format where the students can easily follow what's going on. The illustrations are also a beneficial factor for engagement, attentiveness, and overall focus on their reading development and processing skills.

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

Yes. The information from the book is accurate and based on sound scientific principles. The terms used to describe Pluto based on its initial and current classifications is accurate, and there is no sign of misconceptions that can arise from reading the book as well as no signs of incorrect information.

Does the book distinguish between fact and fiction?

Yes. While the story is told in a narrative kind of style (story-telling), it is also not drifting far into fiction. Rather, the story told is revolving around facts of how Pluto was classified as a planet, but rather corrected.

Are the illustrations clear and accurate?

For the most part yes. While the illustrations are a bit incorrect due to having a face on Pluto for example right on the cover, the overall appearance of the illustrations is very well done not just because of how it looks. But also, how the illustrator was very precise in the sizing of certain objects in our solar system, whether one object was bigger than the other, or whether or not all objects in our solar system were the same size, or mass, etc.

Is the book written at the level of your students?

Yes. While the terms presented in the book is more appropriate for older level grades, the overall message and themes presented in the story can also be presentable to younger and lower level students as well. The teacher can utilize this book in their lessons in a variety of different ways to accommodate to their level of the students.

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

Yes, I see no sign of any stereotyping or cultural misconceptions. Especially with how the scientists are portrayed, there is a variety of ethnic and racial diversity as well as gender equality that is introduced in the book.

Is the book free from gender bias?

Yes, as said earlier, the book portrays scientists as both male and female. So this provides cultural appropriateness within the classroom.

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

The book shows associations with a Language Arts. Students can develop their reading skills as they are introduced to different vocabulary terms and how they can use these in their own writing to promote academic proficiency.

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

Yes, the book presents a positive attitude toward science and technology. The book portrays how scientists can use different types of technology to classify the objects in our solar system. It promotes gender equality in the science environment as well as promoting the use of technology in our every day lives.

Science Topics

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