Seasons

This book promotes the processes of observing and classifying. The illustrations in the book allows students to observe different scenes and different processes such as the lifecycle of a caterpillar. The book also suggest to the reader to do activities like looking at the moon on a full night or observing other phenomenons in nature. This book also provides opportunities to classify time into different seasons.

• Author: Melvin Berger
• Illustrator: Ron Jones
• Year Published: 1995
• ISBN: 0385248768

Science Topics

• Earth Science

Minimum Suggested Grade Level

• 4th Grade

Maximum Suggested Grade Level

• 6th Grade

Summary

A detailed non-fiction description of the seasonal cycle and how the changes are expressed in observations.

Evaluation

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

Questions

Does the book foster development of processes?

This book promotes the processes of observing and classifying. The illustrations in the book allows students to observe different scenes and different processes such as the lifecycle of a caterpillar. The book also suggest to the reader to do activities like looking at the moon on a full night or observing other phenomenons in nature. This book also provides opportunities to classify time into different seasons.

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

Yes. On the very first page it has a list of questions such as, did you ever wonder why the weather is sometimes warm and sometimes cold? There are a few like this that allow students to hypothesize about their answer and wonder about more things they don’t know. Throughout the book, there are questions that the book asks and then answers.

Does the book encourage children to think for themselves?

This book does encourage children to think for themselves. It nudges children to think about nature and the world around them, and why seasons change and things of that nature. The book gives a vast amount of knowledge about seasons, and that allows students with different interests to find something to like about this book.

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

I think that this book would be a very good resource for a lesson about the different seasons or even a lesson about why the seasons exist. The book goes into great detail about Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter. It also goes into detail explaining the scientific reason behind seasons.

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

Yes. The book goes into detail on what makes the season, and it explains that the seasons change because of the tilt of the earth. It also gives different facts throughout the book such as: “the biggest difference through the year is the amount of rain,” and, “since the tilt makes the seasons, an opposite tilt in the Southern Hemisphere reverses the seasons.” This book is a nonfiction book, so the scientific principles are accurate.

Does the book distinguish between fact and fiction?

Yes. Towards the beginning of the book, it discusses several ancient rites like Easter and Ancient Greek stories about why the seasons change. The book makes sure to say that is what the greeks believed, but now with science’s help we actually know why the seasons change. Most of the rest of the book is fact, but when something is fiction the language changes: “many children believe…”

Are the illustrations clear and accurate?

Each page has a large two paged illustration and a box of text. The illustrations are dependent on what the page is describing, and all the illustrations are accurate. One specific illustration shows through steps the life cycle of a caterpillar. Another illustration labels the different parts of a flower.

Is the book written at the level of your students?

This book has 45 large pages of text. I would not recommend this for a read aloud or younger grades. I think that younger students would be lost or grow bored if they were required to read this book. I think this would be a good nonfiction resource for older kids in 3rd - 6th grade. It could be a good partial read aloud for these grades possibly reading one season at a time, or an individual reading.

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

There is not a multicultural component.  This book is strictly about the seasons and the world around us. It does discuss old Greek tales so the students could be briefly introduced to that. There are only a few pictures of kids throughout the book, but all the children shown are white. I think that could be the only improvement in the sense of stereotyping.

Is the book free from gender bias?

Again, this book is a piece of nonfiction so it not telling the story of a young boy or girl. The illustrations show both boys and girls. I am unable to tell if this book is free from gender bias, but I am leaning towards yes.

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

I do not believe that this book shows a close association between science and other disciplines. I think that this book focuses more on just the science behind seasons and what causes the seasons. It has a small focus on folktales and holidays, but not any other disciplines

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

I think that this book does present a positive attitude towards science. It gives a ton of information about science, and it does it in an visually attractive way. Since it is a nonfiction book, it is not the most enthralling read but it is information rich. This book was published in the early 90s so it does not present a positive attitude towards technology, but I don’t think kids nowadays need any extra push towards technology.