Life in a Coral Reef

Life in a Coral Reef
By: Wendy Pfeffer
Illustrated by: Steve Jenkins
Genre: Nonfiction
Ages: 4-8

Life in a Coral Reef is a non fiction text that teaches students all about what life is like in the coral reef. The author shares with the readers information about animals such as the clown fish, lobsters and numerous plants. Students will love the vibrant images as well as the information about a day in the coral reef!


Theme:
The coral reef is the home to many sea animals. In order to keep these animals alive, we must keep the coral reef clean and safe!


About the author:
Wendy Pfeffer is not only a children's author, but has also written a book for adults. She is a former elementary and preschool teacher. She uses her experiences working with children as a guide to her writing. She likes to write informational books for children to inspire them to read and write.

Pre-reading activity:
What is the coral reef? Where can we visit the coral reef? Who lives in the coral reef?

Post-reading activity:
Students research information about the coral reef and the different types of organisms that live in the coral reef.

Source used:
http://www.author-illustr-source.com/wendypfeffer.htm

Fun with Roman Numerals



Fun with Roman Numerals
By: David A. Adler
Genre: Non Fiction
Ages: 4-8

Fun with Roman Numerals brings an old fashioned concept back to life with colorful and bold images and words. Roman numerals are everywhere we look. On clocks, on buildings, and in books. Many students can not read and understand these roman numerals. This book is a fantastic way to teach roman numerals and teach students how to read them. This is also a great way to incorporate literature into math. I highly recommend this book!


Theme:
Roman numerals was the number system used in Ancient Rome. They are still used in many places today and we need to know how to read and understand them.


About the author:
David Adler is a children's author of both fiction and non fiction works. He is often known for creating the Cam Jensen series. He is a former math teacher who loves to write books about math. He wants his young readers to enjoy math as much as he does. He also wants them to understand that math can be easy and fun too!

Pre reading activity:
Discuss with students where they have seen roman numerals. Write the roman numbers 1-5 on the board to see what students know already.

Post reading activity:
Students record the roman numerals 1-10 in their math journals. Every morning, introduce one more number so students can begin to see the pattern that occurs when writing roman numerals.


Source used:
http://www.davidaadler.com/bio.htm

Hurricanes!

Hurricanes!
By: Gail Gibbons
Genre: Nonfiction
Ages: 4-8

Hurricanes! by Gail Gibbons is a non fiction text that uses colorful and vibrant images along with simple facts to teach students all about hurricanes! The author writes about the different categories of hurricanes as well as how they are detected and what to do if there is a hurricane. This is a great way to incorporate literature into science. Students will love the images as well as learning all about hurricanes!


Theme:
Hurricanes are tropical storms that occur where it is warm. Hurricanes gather heat and energy through contact with warm ocean waters. These storms can be very dangerous and even deadly. We can take action and prevent ourselves from getting hurt from these storms.


About the author:
Gail Gibbons has been writing books ever since she was a little girl. She started her career doing artwork for a children's television show. She has now written and illustrated over 135 children's books. When writing non fiction texts she travels to various countries to do research. She is famous for her non fiction science works!


Pre-reading activity:
Students watch a brain pop video on hurricanes. Discuss what they saw and heard.


Post-reading activity:
Students draw and label their own hurricane emergency kit. Students share their drawings and discuss how the items can help them if their was a hurricane.

Source used:
http://www.gailgibbons.com/index.htm

Snowflake Bentley



Snowflake Bentley
By: Jacqueline Briggs Martin
Illustrated by: Mary Azarian
Genre: Nonfiction
Ages: 5-9

 This story is about a young boy named Wilson Bentley. Wilson Bentley loves nature, especially the snow. He wants to capture pictures of the snowflakes so he asks his parents about a camera that would allow him to do this. Once he gets the camera he perfects the task of capturing photos of snowflakes. He discovers that no two snowflakes are alike. He becomes known as Bentley, the man who discovered how to capture snow. Children in our area will love learning about how this man was able to capture photos of snowflakes. They can realte to what snowflakes look like and the idea that no two look alike. A great book to use during the winter season!


Theme:
To us, all snowflakes look alike. This is not the truth. There are no two snowflakes that are exactly alike. They are all the same shape (a hexagon) but they all have different designs. There are special cameras that allow people to take pictures of snowflakes up close.


About the author:
Jacqueline Martin is the author of several children's books. She likes to use events that happened in her own life as her inspiration when writing. Before she became a full time writer she was a preschool teacher that liked to read stories to her children. Her work Snowflake Bentley received the Caldecott Medal in 1999.


Pre-reading activities:
A camera will be setup on the table as well as pictures of snowflakes for the students to look at. Before reading the book, the students will sit in a circle and each student will tell the class one thing they have taken a picture of and why they took that picture.


Post-reading activites:
After reading the story, students will write a different ending of the story. The students will also make snowflakes in memory of Willie Bentley. 

Source used:
http://www.jacquelinebriggsmartin.com/