Books

**__Starry Messenger __** Author: Peter Sis Illustrator: Peter Sis Lexile Level: 830L Grade Level: 2nd grade ISBN: 0-374-37191-1 Pages: 40
 * __ Books & Summaries: __**
 *  The __Starry Messenger__ is a biography on the astronomer, Galileo Galilei. At the beginning of the book it introduces the Ptolemaic System and then the Copernican System and the differences between the two. It explains that long ago, astronomers believed that the planets and the Sun revolved around Earth. Then, it gives credit to Copernicus for discovering that in fact the planets, including Earth, revolve around the Sun. However, Copernicus could not prove this and he knew that going against tradition would cause many problems. So, he kept his discoveries a secret until they could be proven. After Copernicus’ death, Galileo Galilei was born in Pisa, Italy. The book explains how he had an insatiable interest in stars. Galileo studied math and physics. Using his knowledge that he had gained from many years of studying, he built a telescope to be able to get a closer look at what fascinated him most, the stars. He published his observations, which supported Copernicus’ theories. Galileo’s observations angered the Church because his discoveries did not coincide with the traditional belief that the universe revolved around the Earth. Because of this he was sentenced to being locked in his home for the rest of his life. Even though he was punished for his scientific discoveries, he continued to study and learn more about his passion until he passed away. The same people who punished Galileo pardoned him over 300 years later and admitted that all of his discoveries were, in fact, true. **
 * Opinion: **
 *  __Starry Messenger__ is a great biography of an influential man! The text in the book is simple and easy for students on many reading levels to understand. This would be a great read aloud book. The illustrations are whimsical, interesting, though-provoking, and historically accurate. Also, upon closer examination, there are actual quotes from Galileo, and excerpts from historical documents in the illustrations. This is an incredible book in my opinion that could be utilized in many ways in the 4th grade classroom. **

**__See The Stars __**

Author: Ken Croswell Lexile Level: IG860L Grade Level: 3rd grade ISBN: <span style="background-color: #f5f5f5; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">1563977575 <span style="display: block; font-family: Cambria,serif; text-align: center;">Pages: 30 **__<span style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Stars and Planets __** <span style="display: block; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: center;">Author: James Muirden <span style="display: block; font-family: Cambria,serif; text-align: center;">Grade Level: 4th grade <span style="font-family: Cambria,serif;">ISBN: <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 8.5pt;">9781856978514 <span style="display: block; font-family: Cambria,serif; text-align: center;">Pages: 83
 * <span style="color: #984806; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;"> __See The Stars__ by Ken Croswell is a very practical and applicable book for the fourth grade classroom. The first page of the book is an introduction that will tie all that we will have learned in the classroom up to this point about the planets and the solar system together. This book teaches the reader how to locate and study 12 different constellations of stars. **
 * <span style="color: #984806; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;"> There is a page for each month of the year in which the reader is taught how to locate a constellation that can be prominently seen during that month. Each section includes specific details of where to look in the sky for the constellation and many other helpful hints. Each constellation’s origin is also included. During some of these observations, the book tells us that we may be able to see a planet in the night sky also. There is a kid-friendly chart in the back of the book that allows the observer to identify which planet is visible. **
 * <span style="color: #984806; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Opinion: **
 * <span style="color: #984806; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;"> This is a very practical and informational book. 12 constellations are discussed extensively. This book could be checked out form the text set throughout the year for students to take home and use on their own. The students would be able to be ‘astronomers’ and discover these constellations using this book. **
 * __ Stars and Planets __<span style="color: #76923c; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;"> book could be a children’s textbook for the solar system unit. The chapter on stars (pages 52-62) provides incredible illustrations and charts that could be used by fourth grade students. This short chapter covers the life of a star, star distances, star brightness, and constellations. **
 * <span style="color: #76923c; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Opinion: **
 * <span style="color: #76923c; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;"> This book would be a great reference to use during research for the students. While the majority of the text is in captions of the charts and illustrations, the short paragraphs give great information and are easy for students to understand. This book could also be used to teach students the importance of reading //all// text when reading books. This book does not contain a lot of information in the traditional text sections; the place that most students read while skipping over vital information given in captions and other locations in the book. **

**__<span style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Day the Sun Went Out __** <span style="display: block; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: center;">Author: Angela Royston <span style="display: block; font-family: Cambria,serif; text-align: center;">Grade Level: 4th <span style="font-family: Cambria,serif;">ISBN: <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 8.5pt;">9781410919298 <span style="display: block; font-family: Cambria,serif; text-align: center;">Pages: 32
 * <span style="color: red; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;"> __The Day the Sun Went Out__ answers a question that many students have about our closest star; will it ever go out on us? This book explains what the last sunset would look like and how it would affect every part of our lives. From endless night, to no more rain and snow, to the affect on plants and animals, the oceans, and how we would live without the Sun. It closes with a chapter about the life cycle of a star and explains how we will never have to worry about the Sun dying out on us. The book has fabulous text features such as a glossary and index as well as vocabulary words being defined on each page throughout the book. **
 * <span style="color: red; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Opinion: **
 * <span style="color: red; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;"> This is a kid-friendly and incredibly useful book for a fourth grade classroom! Each chapter has a main idea that is clearly stated. Each page contains a mini-glossary that defines new or uncommon words. The illustrations are labeled in a simply way. A glossary and index are located in the back of the book. I cannot put a limit to how many ways this book could be used in the classroom! **


 * __<span style="color: #ffc000; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Sun __****<span style="color: #ffc000; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;"> – leveled reader **
 * <span style="color: #ffc000; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">This leveled reader teaches its ready about Earth’s most important star, the Sun. This book is very informative. It explains how the Sun gets its energy, how long our Sun will last, what will happen when the Sun dies, and what scientists are still trying to learn about the Sun. There are two science experiments included in this book that could be utilized in the classroom. The photos and diagrams support the text well. **
 * <span style="color: #ffc000; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Opinion: **
 * <span style="color: #ffc000; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;"> This book would be a great leveled reader to use in the classroom. Because it is a printable book, every student could have his or her own copy of the book to use throughout the unit on stars. I would definitely use this informational text in my classroom. **

<span style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">[]
 * //<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Stars and Constellations //****<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">-online article **
 * <span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;"> This short article gives students 10 fast facts about stars. Each fact has a corresponding link that leads students to informational sites about stars and constellations. **
 * <span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Opinion: **
 * <span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;"> In comparison to the other texts, this article of 10 simple facts about stars could be less intimidating to many students. I could also use this format to allow students to create their own list of 10 fast facts about stars. **

**__<span style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Magic School Bus Sees Stars __** <span style="display: block; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: center;">Author: Nancy White <span style="display: block; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: center;">Lexile Level: 580L <span style="display: block; font-family: Cambria,serif; text-align: center;">Grade Level: 2nd grade <span style="font-family: Cambria,serif;">ISBN: <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 8.5pt;">0590187325 <span style="display: block; font-family: Cambria,serif; text-align: center;">Pages: 32


 * <span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;"> This fiction book takes the reader along on an adventure into outer space with Ms. Frizzle and the gang. The students are trying to find birthday gift for D.A. and they want to buy her a star. The infomercial says that you can buy a star for just seven dollars. Going off of the mantra that you don’t buy something without seeing it first, the class goes out to inspect the stars before buying. They explore and learn about a star that is just being formed or born, a middle aged star, and then a red supergiant on the verge of dying out. **
 * <span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Opinion: **
 * <span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;"> This book would not be a good book to use in the introduction of stars. However, this would be a great supplementary book after the unit on stars has been completed. This book could lead to many writing prompts also. I think this a great book that could be used in many different ways in a fourth grade classroom. **

**__<span style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Astronomy __** <span style="display: block; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: center;">Author: Kristen Lippincott <span style="display: block; font-family: Cambria,serif; text-align: center;">Grade Level: 4th grade


 * <span style="color: #31849b; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;"> This book could be utilized during the entire solar system unit as well. This book covers the birth and death of stars, the instruments used to study the stars, our ‘biggest’ star, the Sun, and the way people have studied stars throughout the years. This book has many photographs and illustrations that give students an accurate view of stars and the instruments commonly used to study them. **
 * <span style="color: #31849b; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Opinion: **
 * <span style="color: #31849b; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;"> __Astronomy__ is a very useful book in the fourth grade classroom. However, I found in using it that it was most popular with the gifted students in the classroom. The book as a wealth of information above and beyond the basics that we will cover as a class while studying stars. This information can provide a challenging and engaging lesson for the students who master the basic concepts earlier than the rest of the students. **