Cobb, Vickie. (2004). Illustrated by Julia Gorton. I Fall Down. New York:
Harper Collins. 33 pages. ISBN # 0-688-17842-1
Award: Outstanding Science Trade Book for Students K-12, 2005
Classification: concept book
Genre: informational
Content area: science
Grade level: Preschool-1st
Credibility of author: The author acknowledges Dr. Dan Haas of the Eastman Kodak Company and Dr. James C. Owens, Torry Pine Research and member of the American Physical Society.
Summary: This book presents the concepts of gravity, weight, force, and air pressure through a series of experiments for parents and children to do together. These are real-world, simple examples that allow children to explore and discover for themselves some of the building blocks of physical science.
Standards: Science as Inquiry II; Physical Science III (Physical Science)
Illustrations: two-page spreads of crisp, textured colors
Text: The font is creatively sized and colored in various ways on each page
Text structure: cause-effect
Tone: conversational
Voice: The author creates an excitement for learning.
Language: simple and informative
Access features: Note to the Reader
Use: I would definitely use this book as a teaching tool to introduce gravity, weight, force, and air pressure. Even though it is written for smaller children, it would help older students to grasp the concepts. I would use it as the author suggests by reading aloud to students without rushing and completing the activities along the way.
Response: I loved this book! I read it aloud to my fellow classmates in a physical science class for middle school teachers. It was so exciting to everyone because this little book covered the very topics we are presently studying on a much higher level. These were middle and high school teachers writing the title of this book down so they could use it with their students. I don’t think many of the higher-level teachers have thought about using trade books to teach science. This little book made a big splash in class.
Related texts:
Gravity is a Mystery by Franklyn Branley
Forces and Motion by Catherine Welch
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1 comment:
Check out Vicki Cobb's other books--do an Amazon search--I know you'll find some more physics-related books. There's one on wind that I've read--another book on an outstanding science trade books list. It's described on the annotated bibliography I distributed in class.
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