Children's Science Book Database

What is Science?

Towards the end of the book, it describes different questions that scientists ask when they study these various topics. This includes questioning "the how, the where, when, and why" and lets its audience know that scientists question, wonder, hunt, and explore. The book isn't process-oriented though it gives readers good starting points to create their own processes during investigations. It challenges them to think, question, and ponder when they are making their own scientific discoveries.
  • Author: Rebecca Kai Dotlich
  • Illustrator: Sachiko Yoshikawa
  • Year Published: 2006
  • ISBN: 978-0-8050-7394-2

Science Topics

Minimum Suggested Grade Level

Maximum Suggested Grade Level

Summary

This book lists all of the things science could possibly be. From the study of stars to the study of glaciers, geysers, clay, and sand, this book makes a point that science is its own world of possibilities.

Evaluation

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

Questions

Does the book foster development of processes?

Towards the end of the book, it describes different questions that scientists ask when they study these various topics. This includes questioning "the how, the where, when, and why" and lets its audience know that scientists question, wonder, hunt, and explore. The book isn't process-oriented though it gives readers good starting points to create their own processes during investigations. It challenges them to think, question, and ponder when they are making their own scientific discoveries.

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

The book gives children a lot of ideas about what science could be. It welcomes children to ask questions about the topics since the book only provides names of specific scientific concentrations. Therefore, it doesn't give children the opportunity to answer their questions while reading the text.

Does the book encourage children to think for themselves?

The book encourages students to think about all the different things that science could be. It gives students topics and subjects that they may not have thought about in a scientific way before. It doesn't go deeper into a particular study or experiment. There could have been more opportunity to allow children to think for themselves because the book only gives information without asking questions.

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

This book is a generalization of all that science is. It would work great in the beginning of the year when introducing science and how they would study it in a classroom. The lesson is that science is almost everything around us, and it does well proving that point.

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

There a lot of different ideas present in the book. It is a broad collective of studies and does not discuss or explore a particular concept or principle. It is accurate in that is gives a list of scientific concentrations.

Does the book distinguish between fact and fiction?

The book does not distinguish between fact and fiction since it only provides facts. It gives students scientific topics to think about. There is no fiction present other than the main characters and their adventures in the illustrations.

Are the illustrations clear and accurate?

The illustrations are clear and accurate. Each page or two shows the different studies with bright, attractive colors. They draw students in since there is so much more to look at then just words on the pages.

Is the book written at the level of your students?

This book may be written for a level a little below my students. The words for the scientific concentrations may be a challenge for students under 2nd grade, but my students should be able to read most of them. The rest of the language is very simple and may be more appropriate for 1st graders.

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

There are three main characters that you see on every page  and as a group, they are racially diverse. This gives students the opportunity to connect with the characters more so than if there was only one race presented. It is free from stereotyping.

Is the book free from gender bias?

Two of the three main characters are girls. Girls are not usually as equally represented in scientific text or studies so this book challenges that stereotype. Girls reading will be able to see themselves in the explorations and a part of the conversation that they may not be able to do with other text.

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

The book shows many associations between disciplines. Students are given the opportunity to think about things that they had not previously thought about being scientific. It lets students know that they can associate topics like rocks, volcanoes, hurricanes, trees etc. with science. There is so much that the book allows for children to associate science with things happening in the world all around them.

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

This book is so fun and creative! Children will be captivated learning everything that science is. It presents a positive attitude about explorations and discoveries that students will be so excited about researching and performing on their own. Technology is intertwined into the pictures which are a joy to look at and jump right into.