Text+Set

Text Set Requirements:

 * Identify at least ten texts that relate to the theme of your unit. Out of the ten selections, 3-5 should be online texts.
 * The texts should be varied in difficulty, length, and structure. They should be chosen for their potential to be interesting and accessible to most students.
 * The texts should reflect the criteria listed on p. 55, 73, and 134.
 * You should have read each of the texts.

Text Set Information

 * List each text (name, author, year) and a link to the book on amazon.com or another website that gives detailed information about the text. For online resources, just create a hyperlink to the text.
 * A short summary of the contents of the text (about 3 sentences)
 * Why you chose the text (3-5 sentences)
 * Targeted English literacy level (emergent, beginning, intermediate, advanced)
 * Potential instructional uses for the text (e.g. “This book would be great for teaching the reading strategy of prediction.” or “This book is conducive to teaching past tense verb forms.” or “This text would work well in conjunction with a science lesson on trees.”)
 * Short commentary (3-5 sentences) about the language demands in the text (e.g. “The story is written in short, simple sentences appropriate for a beginning English learner” or “The vocabulary is quite difficult, but there are lots of visuals that can aid comprehension.”)
 * Sign your post (three tildes ~)

1. Title: //[|The Cloud Book]// by Tomie de Paola, 1975user:SarahHen1 Summary: //The Cloud Book// introduces the reader to the scientific names of clouds and their unique characteristics. In addition, de Paola describes the different myths and legends about clouds from various cultures. Rationale: //The Cloud Book// provides detailed pictures of the 10 most common types of clouds and presents the information in an interesting manner. In addition, //The Cloud Book// shares common legends and sayings about clouds from different cultural groups throughout history. Targeted literacy level: beginning Potential instructional uses: //The Cloud Book// is a great resource to use when introducing students to the different types of clouds, because there are great illustrations by Tomie de Paola that depict the differences between the types of clouds. Language demands: The story is written with simple sentences for a beginning English learner, but the length of the story and scientific terminology is challenging. However, the pictures provide great support in learning the cloud vocabulary.

2. Title: //[|Snowflake Bentley]// by Jaqueline Briggs Martin, 1998user:SarahHen1 Summary: //Snowflake Bentley// is a biography about Willie Bentley, a scientist, who studied nature. From a young age he photographed snowflakes and other things from nature. He wanted to show the world the intricate details of a snowflake. Rationale: //Snowflake Bentley// is a great book to introduce students to the topic of weather and more specifically about snow. Through the genre of a biography, the reader learns about the perseverance of Willie Bentley while also learning the characteristics of snowflakes and snow formations. Targeted literacy level: Intermediate Potential instructional uses: //Snowflake Bentley// can be used in various academic contexts. For example, it would be great to use when teaching a science unit on weather and focusing on snow. In addition, it would be a great book to use when teaching students about the genre of biography, it is a biography of a scientist who studied snowflakes, Willi Bentley. Also, it could be used along with an art lesson on snowflakes or photography. Language demands: The story might be challenging because it has two different forms of texts going within one. There is the story of Willie Bentley, while also in the margins additional information and facts about him and science. It might be difficult for readers to differentiate between the two, but there are lots of great illustrations included by Mary Azarian.

3. Title: //[|Sector 7]// by David Wiesner, 1999user:SarahHen1 Summary: //Sector 7// is a wordless fantasy book about a class that went on a field trip to the Empire State Building. One of the boys from the class meets clouds and one cloud becomes his friend and takes him to where clouds are made, Sector 7. However, the boy wants to get creative and make different cloud shapes. Rationale: I selected //Sector 7// because I thought it would be a fun way to introduce students to the formation of clouds. Also, being a wordless books lends itself for students to create their own story about the formation of clouds. Targeted literacy level: beginning Potential instructional uses: //Sector 7// would be a great book to use for a writing prompt. Students could either write what the book is about from the pictures or after reading the book, create their own theory on how clouds are formed. Language demands: There are no language demands because it is a wordless book, but there might be cultural demands based on the interpretation of the city life and the cloud factory presented in the illustrations by David Wiesner.

4. Title: //[|Super Storms]// by Seymour Simon, 2002user:SarahHen1 Summary: //Super Storms// is a non-fiction book about extreme weather such as thunderstorms, tornadoes, hurricanes, and blizzards. The book provides descriptions of each form of extreme weather and gives examples of the damage it can cause to the earth. In addition, the book provides historical information about specific extreme weather events that became very devastating to people. Rationale: I chose this book because it gives a a clear description of the main extreme weather conditions and how they each impact people and the earth. In addition, the book provides great pictures to give a visual aid that supports the text. Targeted literacy level: beginning Potential instructional uses: //Super Storms// is a great book to use as a science book when introducing extreme weather to students. Also, it would be a great book to use when teaching students to write descriptions. Language demands: The story is written in simple sentences, but there are many words that could be unfamiliar to a beginning English learner. However, the photographs provided are very helpful in aiding the text.

5. Title: //[|Weather Watch: Severe Weather and Natural Disasters]// by Scholastic, 2012user:SarahHen1 Summary: //Weather Watch: Severe Weather and Natural Disasters// is an on-line resource that provides great descriptions and graphics of major examples of severe weather such as: hurricanes, winter storms, and tornadoes. In addition, each example of severe weather has additional links for more in-depth diagrams, safety tips, and witness accounts. Rationale: I chose this particular on-line site because of the variety of graphic organizers and images used to help explain the concepts of various forms of severe weather. Also, the information was broken up into various links so the length of reading doesn't look as overwhelming to an English learner. Targeted literacy level: intermediate Potential instructional uses: The Scholastic site, //Weather Watch: Severe Weather and Natural Disasters//, is great to use when studying a weather unit in science. In addition, it is a great resource to use when teaching students to research and find information on the internet. Also, it is a helpful site to help teach students how to read different graphic organizers and diagrams. Language demands: This site requires a great deal of vocabulary for an English learner, but the visual aids provided are very useful to making sense of the material.

6. Title: //[|Ten Freaky Forces of Nature]// by National Geographic Kids, 2012user:SarahHen1 Summary: National Geographic presents various strange things that have happened in nature around the world. Some of the forces of nature discussed are examples of severe weather such as tornadoes, snowstorms, and thunderstorms, which are extreme examples and atypical. Rationale: Students love to learn about weird facts, and this on-line site provides 10 of the weirdest events in weather from largest tornado to raining frogs. //The Guinness Book of World Records// is a popular book for intermediate children, so I found this on-line site to be teh equivalent but about natural phenomenons. Targeted literacy level: advanced Potential instructional uses: //Ten Freaky Forces of Nature// is a great on-line site to provide interesting information to students about severe weather wile studying weather in science. In addition, this on-line site provides great captions for pictures so it would provide a great example for teaching students about reading and writing captions. Also, the writing is superb, so it would be a great on-line site for students to look at word choice and sentence fluency. Language demands: //Ten Freaky Forces of Nature// is written in such a way that the English leaner needs to have a great deal of vocabulary and the ten topics vary that there is not much common vocabulary to introduce. In addition, there are few pictures, so that does not provide much help. However, the topics discussed are very interesting to children so with assistance I think English learners would enjoy this site.

7. Title: [|Lightning]by Seymour Simon, 1997user:SarahHen1 Summary: //Lightning// describes the mysteries of lightning and the different types. In addition, Seymour Simon explains major lightning strikes and how to protect yourself from danger. Rationale: I chose the extreme weather books that Seymour Simon wrote because they give lots of scientific information in an interesting manner. In addition, there are great pictures and graphics to explain the concepts. Targeted literacy level: intermediate Potential instructional uses: The extreme weather books by Seymour Simon are useful to use when teaching a science unit on weather. //Lightening// includes great use of figurative language so would be helpful in teaching a lesson on metaphors. Language demands: The extreme weather books by Seymour Simon use a lot of scientific vocabulary and are long non-fiction books, but give lots of good information that could be broken up into smaller, more manageable portions. Also, the pictures and diagrams provided are excellent.

8. Title: [|Hurricanes]by Seymour Simon, 2007user:SarahHen1 Summary: //Hurricanes// describes how hurricanes are formed and compares them to tornadoes. In addition, Seymour Simon explains how the hurricanes are measured along the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale. Also, safety tips are given. Rationale: I chose the extreme weather books that Seymour Simon wrote because they give lots of scientific information in an interesting manner. In addition, there are great pictures and graphics to explain the concepts. Targeted literacy level: intermediate Potential instructional uses: The extreme weather books by Seymour Simon are useful to use when teaching a science unit on weather. //Hurricanes// does a great job comparing hurricanes to tornadoes, so it would be a great book to use when teaching students about making Venn Diagrams or comparisons. Language demands: The extreme weather books by Seymour Simon use a lot of scientific vocabulary and are long non-fiction books, but give lots of good information that could be broken up into smaller, more manageable portions. Also, the pictures and diagrams provided are excellent.

9. Title: [|Tornadoes]by Seymour Simon, 1999user:SarahHen1 Summary: //Tornadoes// describes how tornadoes form and how they are measured with the Fujita-Pearson Tornado Intensity Scale. Seymour Simon gives safety tips and explains historic tornadoes that destroyed towns. Rationale: I chose the extreme weather books that Seymour Simon wrote because they give lots of scientific information in an interesting manner. In addition, there are great pictures and graphics to explain the concepts. Targeted literacy level: intermediate Potential instructional uses: The extreme weather books by Seymour Simon are useful to use when teaching a science unit on weather. Language demands: The extreme weather books by Seymour Simon use a lot of scientific vocabulary and are long non-fiction books, but give lots of good information that could be broken up into smaller, more manageable portions. Also, the pictures and diagrams provided are excellent.

10. Title: //[|Weather]//and [|Extreme Weather]by Discovery Kids, 2012user:SarahHen1 Summary: These on-line sites provide great answers to weather questions. Students can click on the links and see visuals and information about all different forms of weather. Rationale: I chose this site because it is a user-friendly site that has graphics and brief explanations of common questions kids ask about weather. Targeted literacy level: beginning Potential instructional uses: These on-line sites are great for a science unit on weather. Also, it is great to use when teaching students how to form questions, because each link is written in the form of a question with a complete response to each question. Language demands: The sentences contain many scientific vocabulary words but the graphics are supportive and each link is only about one paragraph in length.

11. Title: [|What Will the Weather Be?] by Lynda DeWitt, 1993 user:Stefoni_O Summary: //What Will the Weather Be?// describes the types of weather and ways that we can predict weather. Lynda DeWitt describes these concepts in child friendly terms and provides great illustrations to help support the idea. Rationale: I chose this book because it clearly explains concepts of weather, such as cold and warm fronts, in child friendly terms and is effectively illustrated to help explain the concepts. Targeted literacy level: beginning Potential instruction uses: This book can be used as an introduction to the weather unit. It gives great descriptions and supports the concepts with illustrations that are labeled. It will also help when teaching the everyday life skill of predicting how the weather will be, and how to dress accordingly. Language demands: The content contains unfamiliar vocabulary and scientific concepts that may be difficult for the child. But here are many illustrations, that are labeled, to help support the understanding of the concepts. The book is fairly short and written to children as the audience, so it used child friendly language.

12. Title: [|The Best Book of Weather] by Simon Adams, 2008 user:Stefoni_O Summary: //The Best Book of Weather// makes even the biggest weather mysteries understandable to children. If covers a wide variety of topics from the power of the sun to the changing seasons, climate, and even dramatic events like hurricanes, this is the perfect companion for strolling and observing with young weather bugs. Rational: I chose this book because it covers so many topic and concepts. It also includes many colorful illustrations and diagram to help support the reader. The book is also written in a way that children can understand, using child friendly terms and vocabulary. Targeted literacy level: beginning Potential instruction uses: This book can be used when teaching a science unit on weather. It does a great job describing, in detail, the different concepts with weather and supports those concepts with illustrations. Language demands: The vocabulary used can become very difficult to students who are unfamiliar with the content being presented in the book. The book covers a lot of different concepts and information and this may overwhelm a student if presented all at one time.

13. Title: [|DK Eyewitness Books: Hurricane and Tornado]by Jack Challoner, 2004 user:Stefoni_O Summary: //DK Eyewitness Books: Hurricane and Tornado// is a dramatic and compelling guide to nature's most dangerous and destructive forces. Full-color photographs, models and illustrations offer a unique "eyewitness" view of catastrophic weather conditions. See into the eye of a spiraling cyclone, hailstones the size of tennis balls, a spectacular lightning ball, the devastating effects of the El Nino phenomenon, and how a gentle mountain stream can become a raging torrent within a few minutes. Learn the techniques developed through the centuries to forecast weather, about the chicken that was stripped of its feathers by a tornado, about Benjamin Franklin's lightning rod, and why human activity can cause weather patterns to change. Discover what causes giant waves capable of engulfing entire cities, the disastrous consequences of drought, how plants and animals have adapted to withstand extreme conditions, the weather patterns beyond Earth, and much, much more. Rational: I chose this book because it seems like a book that would be very interesting to student, with great pictures to support the topic of the book. The book also covers weather in our American history. Targeted literacy level: intermediate Potential instruction uses: This book can be used when teaching a science unit on weather. It gives a great view of the extreme types of weather. Also, it can be used for a lesson on history, and how people in the past could tell what the weather would be like. Language demands: The book uses a lot of specific, scientific vocabulary which will be very unfamiliar to students but it includes many supportive illustrations.

14. Title:[|What Makes It Rain?: The Story of a Raindrop] by Keith Brandt, 1996 user:Stefoni_O Summary: //What Makes it Rain?: The Story of a Raindrop// explains, in child friendly terms, the cycle of water and how a raindrop is formed. It is a great introduction to weather. Rational: I chose this book because it gave a very basic, beginning of weather. It explains one of main types of weather we see everyday in American and many places in the world. Targeted literacy level: beginning Potential instruction uses: This book can be used when teaching a science unit on weather. It would be a great introduction to the unit on weather and the basic forms of weather. Language demands: There is vocabulary used that may be unfamiliar to the student, but there are illustration to help support the content.

15. Title:[|The Snowflake : A Water Cycle Story] by Neil Waldman, 2003 user:Stefoni_O Summary: //The Snowflake: A Water Cycle Story// traces the journey of a single drop of water throughout the year, with each month receiving its own spread. The water begins as a snowflake that melts into a droplet, flows into the ground, bubbles up in a spring, flows into a farm's irrigation system, evaporates into the morning fog, becomes part of a cloud, rains down, enters a plumbing system, washes a little girl's face, flows out to the ocean, gets swept onto the shore and evaporates into the sky to become a snowflake once more. Rational: I chose this book because I thought it would be interesting for the students to see how the water cycle works and how that ties into weather. It also has very descriptive illustrations to help support the learner while reading. Targeted literacy level: intermediate Potential instruction uses: This book can be used when introducing the weather unit in science. It would be a great introductory of weather and how water plays a huge role in weather. Language demands: There is vocabulary that is unfamiliar to the student and will make reading the book difficult. Also, the book is very lyrical and this can cause difficulty when reading as well. The book does provide illustrations that are supportive of the books context and topics.

16. Title: [|Hurricane: A Novel by Terry Trueman], 2008 user:Stefoni_O Summary: This book tells about a boy who is stuck in a hurricane desperate to survive the night. After hours of cowering in the dark with no lights, no warmth, and the terrible noises of the rain and wind pounding on the walls, JosÉ walks out his front door and steps into a nightmare. But his nightmare has only begun as he and the few who are left in his small village start to pull their lives back together. Based on Hurricane Mitch's devastation of Honduras in 1998, Terry Trueman's powerful story is about a young boy's fear and courage in the face of a force of nature too huge to even imagine. Rational: I chose this book because it is a good book about hurricanes and people's experience with hurricanes. It will help with the topic of weather but it also tells of people who survive a devastating event and how they pull through and start to rebuild their lives. Targeted literacy level: advanced Potential instruction uses: During the weather science unit, this book would be good to use as a read aloud book. Then the students could work on practicing literacy skills such as retelling, predicting, and making connections.They will be able to make connections to the weather unit or their lives, culture, and experiences. Language demands: The book is a chapter book and is more advanced and difficult to read. There is a lot of vocabulary that will be unfamiliar to the students and there are very limited to no illustrations to help support the reader.