Sea Bones

I believe that this book fosters the development of processes such as  inferring. There are also pages in the book that are left open for interpretation so that children can construct their own meaning. For example, on the last page of the book, there is an illustration of a whale and the text says, "some have bones like you an me". This page gives students the opportunity to draw their own conclusions about the anatomy of whales and realize that they are not "fish" and that they have bones, unlike some of the other animals mentioned.

• Author: Bob Barner
• Illustrator: Bob Barner
• Year Published: 2015
• ISBN: 9781452125008

Science Topics

• Life Science

Minimum Suggested Grade Level

• Kindergarten

Maximum Suggested Grade Level

• 3rd Grade

Summary

The book is filled with facts about vertebrates, invertebrates, endoskeletons, and exoskeletons. It was written to introduce younger students to the anatomy of creatures that live in the sea. The illustrations are beautiful and capturing, and the story has a sing-song rhyme to it that makes the text flow. The book also includes a mini-chart on sea animals and their structural supports, so if students are curious to know about a specific creature, they can look it up at the end.

Evaluation

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

Questions

Does the book foster development of processes?

I believe that this book fosters the development of processes such as  inferring. There are also pages in the book that are left open for interpretation so that children can construct their own meaning. For example, on the last page of the book, there is an illustration of a whale and the text says, "some have bones like you an me". This page gives students the opportunity to draw their own conclusions about the anatomy of whales and realize that they are not "fish" and that they have bones, unlike some of the other animals mentioned.

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

Sea Bones provides opportunities for children to ask and answer their own questions. At the end, the book includes a collaged mini-chart on sea animals and their structural supports. If students are curious to know about a specific creature, they can look it up at the end and research more about them. The chart allows children to compare the skeletons and diets of eight different sea creatures.

Does the book encourage children to think for themselves?

Yes, I believe the book encourages children to think for themselves about the animals mentioned. Although there are accurate labels provided about the anatomy of the creatures, there are also pages in the book that are left open for interpretation so that children can construct their own meaning. For example, on the page about jellyfish, it says, "there are animals without bones that drift with the waves". This page gives students the opportunity to draw their own conclusions about how jellyfish exist in their habitats.

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

This book is focused around science and gives a lot of information about sea creatures, their anatomy, and their habitats. I think that Sea Bones addresses these concepts appropriately through accessible language and engaging illustrations. I also really liked that there are pictures of different fish that are labeled, so students can clearly and easily see each part of the fish (dorsal fin, caudal fin, skull, ribs, etc).

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

This book is all about the anatomy of sea creatures (vertebrates and invertebrates). The pictures are accurately labeled and based on scientific fact. The information in the text is also very informational yet accessible to young students; the author is obviously an expert on this area. The real information is tucked into captions that discuss the animals in greater detail (“Cartilage is lighter and more flexible than bone, which helps sharks swim fast”).

Does the book distinguish between fact and fiction?

This is a nonfiction book, so there is no fiction in it. The facts throughout the book are found in the captions of the pictures as well as the labels on the bodies of the fish.

Are the illustrations clear and accurate?

The illustrations are beautiful, colorful, and engaging. Additionally, they are labeled with parts of the animal's anatomy which encourages students to become familiar with the different body parks that make up vertebrates and invertebrates. It's a nonfiction book about sea life, but the illustrations are whimsical, brightly colored torn-paper pics. This is perfect for a child who may not initially be interested in nonfiction, but are drawn to the beautiful illustrations.

Is the book written at the level of your students?

I believe that this book can be used for many different students who may be at different reading levels. Sea Bones is like two books in one; each pair of facing pages has large-print simple sentences suitable for preschool kids. On the other side of the page, there is a more complex paragraph suitable for older students or higher-level thinkers. How this book is set up is also perfect for lesson differentiation- those who are more curious can read the small print for more information.

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

Unfortunately, I did not see an obvious multicultural component within this book since it is all about sea creatures. However, because of this, the book is also free from stereotyping. Nonetheless, I believe that this book could still be used to talk about issues such as diversity or race in a classroom (possibly a social studies lesson?) since so many different types of fish are mentioned- they are all very different, but must inhabit the same community and work/live together peacefully.

Is the book free from gender bias?

This book is completely free from gender bias, which is extremely important in the subject of science. There are no humans in the book, and none of the fish are gendered. As a result, there are no harmful gender roles that could discourage young girls from being interested in science.

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

The content of this book connects the disciplines of marine biology and anatomy. It could also be used to make connections between science and literacy since I would recommend using this book in an interactive read-aloud. Sea Bones could also be used in a writing assignment; after students learn about the anatomy of these sea creatures, they can create their own sea creature and draw it/write about it.

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

I believe that this book presents a very positive attitude toward science. The text and illustrations are extremely engaging for young students, and each page offers important information about the different kinds of sea creatures mentioned (jellyfish, marlin, eels, etc). I believe that this book would be a great introduction to nonfiction because it is so interesting and well illustrated, so even students who may not believe themselves to be "scientists" could pique their interest in the subject.