An Island Grows

An Island Grows

By Lola M. Schaefer      Greenwillow Books (2010)         ISBN: 9780066239309

Schaefer rhythmically and simplistically describes the birth of volcanic islands beginning with the initial cracking of the earth’s surface below the ocean and ending with a populated piece of land. An Island Grows serves as both an explanation for how islands came to be, but also how life can thrive on seemingly barren and rocky soil; just as the island grew, so does the life on it.

Quantitative: Lexile Level--NA; ATOS--1.4

Qualitative: An Island Grows does not offer many access points, nor does it have the complexity some picture books offer even through their illustrations. Given the content, this book would be best for second graders.

Content Area: English; Science--Earth Science; English Language Conventions.

Common Core Standards: RL.2.1

Next Generation Science Standards--Grade 2:

Use information from several sources to provide evidence that Earth events can occur quickly or slowly. [Clarification Statement: Examples of events and timescales could include volcanic explosions and earthquakes, which happen quickly and erosion of rocks, which occurs slowly.]

Curriculum Suggestions: An Island Grows may be used to introduce or simplify the creation of islands. The book can serve as a model for upper grade students to create a children’s book for a more complex science concept such as how mountains came to be. Additionally, the book could also be used to teach subject and verb agreement. Throughout the book, each sentence only has a noun (subject) and verb; all verbs rhyme. By looking at Schaefer’s use of rhyme, students could create mnemonic devices to illustrate another natural occurrence. Additionally, this text could serve as introductory piece to exploring the islands along the Pacific ring of fire, specifically the Hawaiian islands.

Additional/Digital Content:

• Review and lesson plans, plus additional links-- http://blog.richmond.edu/openwidelookinside/archives/1821

• How islands form-- http://school.discoveryeducation.com/lessonplans/programs/islands/

*Meets the “Reading for Pleasure Picture Book” requirement

Anno's Mysterious Multiplying Jar

Anno’s Mysterious Multiplying Jar

By Masaichiro and Mitsumasa Anno  

Paperstar Books (1982) ISBN: 069811753

This elegant picture book captures the imagination with its whimsical illustrations and the story about what’s inside a jar. It begins with simple jar that holds a “wide, deep sea.” The reader follows the journey of a boat to an island and learns all its contents. At first the reader gets pulled into the story and sees this pattern of growth. Midway, the narrative is interrupted and shifts into a mathematical explanation of factorials. The authors show how the narrative connects shows how factorials work.

Quantitative: Lexile Level--AD320L ; ATOS--N/A

Qualitative: This book is appropriate for any math level looking to understand factorials. It would best serve students in middle grades due to content; however, the shift in storyline, the connection of narrative to math, and the lengthy description of factorials at the end, make this a complex text that a teacher would have to read and explain to his/her students.

Content Area: Math--Multiplication; Math--Factorial; English Language Conventions

Curriculum Suggestions: The book directly connects to math. To go beyond just concepts, teachers could have students create their own factorial stories to demonstrate their understanding of the concept. They could use Anno’s Mysterious Multiplying Jar as an example for their own factorial (or other math concept) narrative.

Another thought is that teachers could also use the book to explain prepositional phrases. In the narrative portion of the text, all the sentences begin with “on” or “within.” It could be a way for teachers to demonstrate how prepositional phrases are used across all disciplines.

Common Core Standards: RI 6.2; Language 6.1, 3.

Common Core Math Standards Grade 7:The Number System

Apply and extend previous understandings of multiplication and division and of fractions to multiply and divide rational numbers.

a. Understand that multiplication is extended from fractions to rational numbers by requiring that operations continue to satisfy the properties of operations, particularly the distributive property, leading to products such as (–1)(–1) = 1 and the rules for multiplying signed numbers. Interpret products of rational numbers by describing real-world contexts.

b. Understand that integers can be divided, provided that the divisor is not zero, and every quotient of integers (with non-zero divisor) is a rational number. If p and q are integers, then –(p/q) = (–p)/q = p/(–q). Interpret quotients of rational numbers by describing real world contexts.

c. Apply properties of operations as strategies to multiply and divide rational numbers.

d. Convert a rational number to a decimal using long division; know that the decimal form of a rational number terminates in 0s or eventually repeats.

Additional/Digital Content:

• Storyboard That--http://www.storyboardthat.com/

• Math games through Sumdog--http://www.sumdog.com/

• DreamBox Learning--

http://www.dreambox.com/blog/7-math-storybooks-every-child-should-read-no-7-annos-mysterious-multiplying-jar

• Other books by Masaichiro and Mitsumasa Anno:

• All in a Day
• Anno’s Journey
• Anno’s Magic Seeds
• Anno’s Math Games
• Anno’s Math Games II
• Anno’s Math Games III
• Anno’s USA

Personal Thoughts: This book presents a fun, new way to learn math and shows how math can easily display a narrative. Anno’s Mysterious Multiplying Jar would be an excellent resource for the CCSS that ties into English and math in meaningful ways

*Meets the “Math Picture Book” requirement