The Forest in the Clouds

Yes.  There is very clear facts and illustrations as well as maps, diagrams, and lots of information that fosters development of processes.  It discusses the weather and all living organisms that exist in the ecosystem.

• Author: Sneed B. Collard III
• Illustrator: Michael Rothman
• Year Published: 2000
• ISBN: 088106985

Science Topics

• Earth Science

Minimum Suggested Grade Level

• 1st Grade

Maximum Suggested Grade Level

• 6th Grade

Summary

The book takes place in the mountains of Costa Rica. Describes the environment and different animals and plants that exist here. Discusses the lives of the animals and how they survive. Informs us of the threats to this ecosystem and what we can do to help.

Evaluation

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

Questions

Does the book foster development of processes?

Yes.  There is very clear facts and illustrations as well as maps, diagrams, and lots of information that fosters development of processes.  It discusses the weather and all living organisms that exist in the ecosystem.

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

Yes.  The book just touches on some of the abundant information you can learn on the forest and its ecosystem.  There are beautiful pictures that made me, as a reader, very curious to do my own research and learn more about the topic.

Does the book encourage children to think for themselves?

Yes.  There is one page that discusses the extinction of the golden toads that have not been seen since 1988.  The book provides many different beliefs about why this occurred such as pesticides in the clouds, global warming, and deadly diseases so the students can think and decide for themselves about these different occurrences

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

Yes it gives a lot of facts as well as controversial problems occurring in many forests which allows for students to think critically on the topic and do more research and decide for themselves.  At the end of the book there is information on how children all over the world can help protect our forests and other books and websites that can provide more information on the topic.

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

It is definitely an informational science text and gives facts about different animals and plants that exist in the forest.  I looked at the sources and they seem accurate.  It discusses the weather, food chain, different methods of survival, as well as interesting facts about the animals.

Does the book distinguish between fact and fiction?

Yes, the whole book is based on fact.  There are no made up characters or story lines.  It is a description of the plants and animals.  Ex: "Each March or April the quetzals and bellbirds fly back up to the cloud forest to mate and raise their young.  It is a time of abundance. Fig trees and wild avocados burst with fruit that the birds and their babies eat."

Are the illustrations clear and accurate?

The illustrations are drawings but look very realistic.  The birds and different plants have a lot of details so that you can easily distinguish between the dozens of birds shown in the book.

Is the book written at the level of your students?

Yes.  I am in a 5th grade class and I think they would have no problem reading this book and retaining useful information.  I believe even younger students could benefit from this book.  The 5th graders have done research on their own using the Internet and books on different ecosystems and this would have been very beneficial for the group on forests.

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

It only discusses the forest of Costa Rica but mentions that there forests similar to this one all over the world.  Not many opportunities to stereotype.

Is the book free from gender bias?

I did not see any gender bias.  It is all about plants and animals, which I believe both genders enjoy.

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

Yes.  There is a glossary in the back of the book that has all the definitions of the scientific words used throughout the book.  It is a great book if you are studying the ecosystem of the forest with plenty of facts and more opportunities to learn.

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

The book creates a deeper understanding and interest of the ecosystem in the forest.  The illustrations are very realistic and the facts are interesting that I finished the book feeling positive.