Chapter 7: Picture Books

Picture books are for everyone it does not discriminate age eventhough it is said that picture books are to be only considered for younger readers. Everyone always needs picture to make books more interesting. Illustrations tell a story and are meaningful to the text. Chapter 7 Picture books: Picture book can illustrate the story and can set the mood of the story. In a class activity Mrs. Pickett brought a book about Olivia the pig and describes how this book color is monochromatic/ one color. The color is dark with grays, black, and gray shadings of the pages. The color makes the book dark and Olivia is always in red and stands out within the book from the rest of the characters. The lines are also an element that influences the reader. The lines in the Olivia book are smooth and simple. It sets the mood of simplicity. Picture books are great for picture walks and have the students predict what the story is about. Once you are finished with the picture walk, read the book thoroughly and once finished talk about predictions and confirm or discuss why. Picture books are for all ages.
Author profile 10:
Wicks, K. (1985). The Children's First Computer. New York, NY: Exter Books.
Summary: The Children’s First Computer (1985) has fifty-nine pages of basic aged photos of the 1980’s. The non-fiction book explores twenty-five subjects on computers and the uses of technology. (Wicks, 1985) begins with a plain introductory of micro-computers and then shows how they can be used in the workplace, hospitals and schools and becoming popular in the home. The book explores programs, sound, graphics, color displays and printers.
Age group: 11-13 Grade level: 6-8
Teacher uses: This book displays all the qualities of a 1980’s book and is a great learning tool in a technology course. It is great with compare and contrast with the advancements of technology we have now and the tools that are outdated or updated. This is an introductory book to start a course to collaborate on critiquing about the computer storage from floppy discs to what we have now compact discs.
Personal Critique: I found this book really interesting because of its age and its purpose still on book shelves. I know that outdated books can be a great teaching tool if used appropriately. The language of the book is for middle school grades even though its title indicates first computer. The glossary has computer terms and that are still in use today but a few that I noticed that have been obsolete for example, daisy wheel which is used on a typewriter and bug now called a virus.
Author Profile 11:
Gifford, C. (1999). Media and Communicaitons . New York, NY: Dorling Kindersley.
Summary: Media and Communicaitons (1999) has sixty-one pages of genuine illustrations and twenty-five subjects of communciation, media and the people who use them and future technology. (Gifford, 1999) begins with the definition of communication and how the world share that information through media. It begins with prehistoric communcations through grunts, smoke signals, spreading the word through mass marketing and computers. The communciation crossing cultures and thorugh the ages of how propaganda can appeal through people’s emotions and how cropping a photo can have different meanings. This a great book of history and future of media and communication explored through the inventions and advancements in rapidly changing world.
Age Group: 11-13 Grade Level: 6-8
Teacher uses: This book is properly leveled for its grade level and can be used in a technology course. In demonstrating the variety ways of the advancements of technology has made people’s lives easier. This is a great collaborative book on how students use technology to meet pratical purposes.Personal Critique: I found this book to be very informaitve and took pleasure in reading it. The viewpoint of the author (Gifford, 1999) takes an intriguing look on media. My interest was in the demonstraion of how media can be detrimental and beneficial is used properly. I would have students brainstorm on other ways technology is evolving and how we communicate with media.
Author profile 12:
Somervill, B. A. (2007). What's The Big Idea. New York, NY: The Rosen Publishing Group.
Summary: What's The Big Idea (2007) has twenty-four pages of kid friendly illustrations that they can relate to. (Somervill, 2007) identifies the phases involved in following the scientific method, forming and testing a hypothesis when conducting a science exploration. The book gives a science problem and guides students through steps to become investigators with a familiar question about eggs and in using there best guess just as scientists would. The books discusses how Edison had many tries on the phonograph experiments and did not always succeed.
Age Group: 5-7 Grade level: K-2
Teacher uses: This literature is leveled at the right age group and can be used for whole class instruction. The science terms are advanced and introduced throughout the book but are defined in children’s language. This book can be used to relate to realife problems and introduced with the egg experiment. A scientific inquiry could be used and students can explain their reasoning for the gather the information and communicate their findings.
Personal Critique: I found this science book interesting because it compares the students to Thomas Edison and how he is a scientist who makes mistakes and it took him several tries and years to improve his inventions. This is great introductory book for science experiments and its process.