Wick, W. (1997). A Drop of Water. New York, NY: Scholastic Press.
Brief Annotation: The book begins by explaining the composition of water and its various forms and properties. This information leads to a further discussion of concepts, such as cloud formation. The text is simple and straight forward and teachers will be able to use the photographs to help students understand the factual elements of the book. In addition, students will begin to realize the important role water plays in their lives.
Genre: Non-fiction, Science
Grade Level: 3-6
Readers who will like this: Kids who are developing an interest in how and why things work; kids who are drawn to new information about the world around them; kids learning new material about a relevant subject
Response/Rating (1-4): 4, A combination of wonderful photography and interesting informative text makes this book a great addition to a science section within a classroom library or an excellent read aloud book to younger students just beginning to explore scientific concepts.
One question you would ask before a read aloud: What are examples of water that you see in the world around you?
Reading Strategies Connection: Concrete experiences (Yopp and Yopp, p. 45). By completing two or three simple experiments (listed in the back of the book), students have the opportunity to learn new concepts in a “hands on” format using simple procedures. The experiments will get students talking and thinking about the subject. A teacher can assist by asking pertinent questions during the process and writing newly discovered information on the blackboard. A follow-up class discussion would also be helpful to clarify the new material.
Smart connection between the end material in Wick's book and the general response strategy described by Yopp and Yopp. Do you think it would be easy to create concrete experiences for ANY book? Science texts should lend themselves to experimentation, but how about poetry? Historical fiction? Just something to think about.
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