Title: Snowflake Bentley
Author: Jacqueline Briggs Martin
About the Author: Jacqueline Briggs Martin is the author of Snowflake Bentley, winner of the 1999 Caldecott Medal. She grew up on a farm in Maine and now she lives in Mt. Vernon, Iowa. Amazon
Age Level: 4-8
Synopsis: This story is about the biography of a self-taught scientist named Wilson Bentley. He loved snowflakes and their ice crystals. His parents bought him a microscope camera with all the money they had. Wilson photographed snowflakes showing that not one snowflake is the same. He studies their unique formations. This is how he got his nickname Snowflake Bentley. This book is based on a true story of the life of Wilson Bentley.
Pre-Reading Activities: The science that snowflakes come in all different shapes and sizes. Discussion with the class about how snowflakes are formed. Have you ever looked at a snowflake up close? Do you know how snowflakes form? Would you be interested in doing what Wilson Bentley did (take photographs of snowflakes)?
Post-Reading Activities: What was your favorite part of the story? Do you think the snowflake pictures are important? Why? What do the pictures tell us? After the story, students will draw or cut out their own snowflakes and decorate them. The snowflakes will be displayed in the classroom to show how every snowflake is different.
My Reflection: I think this is a great book to use in the classroom. It can be used when studying biographies. It can also be used to study snow, how snow is formed, what it looks like up close, etc. I think that it also portrays the message to always follow your dreams and that anything is possible.
Barnes and Noble
No comments:
Post a Comment