Perfect Pairs, K-2: Using Fiction Nonfiction Picture Books to Teach Life Science, K-2 [Paperback]

Hands-on lessons can be fun and compelling, but when it comes to life science, they aren’t always possible, practical, effective, or safe. Children can’t follow a lion as it stalks a gazelle, visit the exotic kapok tree in a rain forest, or swim alongside the underwater life in a pond.Hands-on lessons can be fun and compelling, but when it comes to life science, they aren't always possible, practical, effective, or safe. Children can't follow a lion as it stalks a gazelle, visit the exotic kapok tree in a rain forest, or swim alongside the underwater life in a pond. But they can explore a whole world of animals, plants, and ecosystems through the pages of beautifully illustrated, science-themed picture books. Perfect Pairs , which marries fiction and nonfiction picture books focused on life science, helps educators think about and teach life science in a whole new way. Each of the twenty-two lessons in this book is built around a pair of books that introduces a critical life science concept and guides students through an inquiry-based investigative process to explore that idea-;from animal/environment interactions to the role of structure in plant and animal survival, from inheritance of traits to variation of species. Each lesson starts with a Wonder Statement- and comprises three stages. Engaging Students- features a hands-on activity that captures student interest, uncovers current thinking, and generates vocabulary. The heart of the investigative process, Exploring with Students,- spotlights the paired books as the teacher reads aloud and helps students find and organize information into data tables. Encouraging Students to Draw Conclusions- shows students how to review and analyze the information they have collected. Bringing high-quality science-themed picture books into the classroom engages a broad range of students, addresses the Performance Expectations outlined in the Next Generation Science Standards, and supports the goals of the Col¯