An-Animal-a-Month: Beavers
Read all about these vital and charismatic
ecosystem engineers!
Learn and laugh! The combination of strong humorous voice and information that goes well beyond enclyopedic facts makes this book standout. Humor keeps the 96 pages turning fast and you’ll come away with a degree in “beaverology”.
Kind of nonfiction: Expository Literature. The language and structure create heightened interest and fun! It reads like graphic nonfiction. (My categorization using Melissa Stewart’s 5 Kinds of Nonfiction.)
Ties to Next Generation Science Standards:
K-2-ETS1-1 – Turn to pages 82-83 for several examples of how people solved the problem of flooding caused by beaver dams. They built beaver deceivers.
K-2-ETS1-2 –Turn to pages 36-38 to see how the shape of the beaver’s tail aids with swimming, balancing on land, creating an alarm sound, storing fat, and thermoregulation. Pages 40-42 detail other beaver structures and how they aid with underwater vision, stealth, and speed swimming.
3-ESS3-1 – See pages 90-92 for re-introducing beavers to help with drought and spring runoff.
4-LS1-1 – Read all about the beaver’s body and how its design helps them thrive on pages 36-42 and 77-79.
You have to read it to believe it! This true story, about how Elmo Heter solved a beaver problem, is as amazing as any fictional tale. It’s a great way to introduce lovers of fiction to nonfiction. Beaver facts are woven into the story and back matter. In addition, it includes clear examples of how engineering can be used to solve an ecological problem.
Kind of nonfiction: Narrative Nonfiction picture book. Great fit for children who favor the classic story structure, with a character facing a problem, rising tension, climax, and resolution. (My categorization using Melissa Stewart’s 5 Kinds of Nonfiction.)
Engaging photographs with captions, plus diagrams, fast facts, index, and glossary, make this a go-to title for animal reports, and for children who are eager to know all about beavers. Well researched and well written.
Kind of nonfiction: Traditional Nonfiction book. (My categorization using Melissa Stewart’s 5 Kinds of Nonfiction.)
This book reads itself! It’s helpful for those times when you don’t have time to read to a child or when the child needs reading support. Level 2 indicates simple, yet varied sentences, more text, and less repetition than Level 1.
Kind of nonfiction: Traditional Nonfiction book. (My categorization using Melissa Stewart’s 5 Kinds of Nonfiction.)
Counting down from 5 with rhyme and rhythm and charming illustrations! Back matter with simple information about beavers and the other animals in the story.
Kind of book: Fiction
Curricular ties: counting down from 5