Water is Water

This book encourages the science/literacy processes of predicting, visualizing, analyzing, and connecting.  The rhyming language and the overall organization of the book allows students to try to predict what will come next.  The book includes a lot of action verbs, onomatopoeia, and sensory descriptions of the activities the children are doing in each situation that help the student visualize what is happening.  Students think about cause and effect--what causes water to change forms.

• Author: Miranda Paul
• Illustrator: Jason Chin
• Year Published: 2015
• ISBN: 978-1596439849

Science Topics

• Earth Science

Minimum Suggested Grade Level

• Prekindergarten

Maximum Suggested Grade Level

• 5th Grade

Summary

A brother and sister take us along with them in their adventures in the four seasons, showing us that water has many different names because it can be in many different forms (steam, fog, clouds, rain, puddles, ice, etc.). With rhyme and parallel language on each page, this book is a beautifully crafted journey through the water cycle.

Evaluation

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

Questions

Does the book foster development of processes?

This book encourages the science/literacy processes of predicting, visualizing, analyzing, and connecting.  The rhyming language and the overall organization of the book allows students to try to predict what will come next.  The book includes a lot of action verbs, onomatopoeia, and sensory descriptions of the activities the children are doing in each situation that help the student visualize what is happening.  Students think about cause and effect--what causes water to change forms.

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

This book could be used to answer and elicit student questions at several different grade levels.  When water changes form, is it still water?  When water evaporates, where does it go?  What is a cloud made of?  Is evaporation a physical or chemical change?  This book provides enough information to make students wonder.  How does fog form?  Why is snow different from ice?  Etc.

Does the book encourage children to think for themselves?

The book encourages students to think for themselves because they'll have to decide whether or not water is really water when it is in all of these different forms.  They might think of more that aren't in the book.

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

This book could be used at a variety of grade levels.  The water cycle first appears in the second grade TEKS (2.8C), but younger children would benefit from reading this story and learning that water can be in many different forms, and learning the vocabulary.  Kintergarten TEKS K.7 reads: The student knows that the natural world includes rocks, soil, and water that can be observed in cycles, patterns, and systems.  Fifth graders could use this book to discuss physical changes--that although the form changes, the water's identity does not change, or could be changed back.

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

The information in this book is accurate.  It includes a couple of information pages at the back of the book that explain vocabulary and concepts of the water cycle.  The only part I found confusing was the jump from mud to apples.  Although apples contain water (which I thinks is what they were going for) it might be confusing to say that water turns in to apples.

Does the book distinguish between fact and fiction?

The information in this book is factual.

Are the illustrations clear and accurate?

The illustrations are beautiful.  They accurately show the different forms of water and the seasons.

Is the book written at the level of your students?

The language in this book is very manageable.  My students are beyond this reading level.  I think it would be a good read aloud for all ages because of the content.

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

The adventure centers around a non-white brother and a sister--possibly latino or biracial.  The friends that they spend time with at school are racially diverse (black, white, Asian).

Is the book free from gender bias?

I'd say this book is free of gender bias.  The brother and sister explore together, and play in a large group of about an equal number of boys and girls.

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

The book does really not show close association between science and other disciplines, such as math.  Although the book could be used in the context of a language arts class because of the elements of poetry.

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

This book presents a very positive attitude toward science.  The children in the book are frequently seen observing or examining something closely in nature, or spending time in nature in general.  This book shows us that science is all around us and is enjoyable.  The information pages in the back of the book also write about how important it is to conserve water.