Sunshine Makes the Seasons (reillustrated) (Lets-Read-and-Find-Out Science 2)

Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science, Stage 2

by Franklyn Mansfield Branley, Michael Rex (Illustrator)

Pub 2005-05-03 40 English Collins The sun shines down on us. giving warmth and light But did you know that the sun also makes the seasons As the earth makes one complete rotation around the sun. every year. the seasons on the earth change -. from winter to spring to summer to fall and back to winter again Find out how the light from the sun affects life on the earth for all living things in this look at the only star in our solar system.

Genres: Science, Picture Books, Nonfiction, Childrens, Nature, 1st Grade, School

40 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1974

Reviews

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

My fourth-grade son read this book for his Science class. The text is easy-to-read, accessible, and interesting, but he did think the illustrations were a bit 'babyish'.

[What April's Reading · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute book. We've enjoyed the Let's Read and Find Out Science books.

The orange/flashlight activities were a bit over-kill, though, and took up a huge portion of the book. That would be my only complaint, though. They're fun books.

[Becky B · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book explains how the Earth's revolution around the sun and the tilt on its axis creates the seasons. The explanation uses an experiment readers can do themselves to "see" this concept in action.

This book is written from a North American temperate region perspective. It does briefly touch on seasons at the poles and around the equator, but then it says something about being warm all the time would be boring so aren't you glad we have 4 seasons? Not sure how this will go down with the kids at our school who live in the tropics. For explaining why the Earth has seasons, this does a good job. It might also be a good non-provocative example of bias.

[Charles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even adults can be uncertain as to why the seasons cycle through in the non-equatorial regions. Yet, it is one of the most fundamental events in the climate of the Earth. This book is an excellent introductory treatise on the basic science of the seasons.
Written at the level of the middle years elementary school student, the explanations are excellent and can be the subject of basic, inexpensive verification in the classroom. Teachers, parents and children can all find valuable information in this book.

[Katie Fitzgerald · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book does a great job of explaining and illustrating how the rotation of the earth and its relationship to the sun create the four seasons of the year. Even without doing the little demonstration suggested in the book, my five-year-old really grasped the concepts because the diagrams were so clear. This book also renewed her interest in learning about eclipses, and she was able to make connections between this book and what she previously read in Eclipse: Darkness in Daytime.

[Anthony · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book covers the topic of the sun, and how it works to provide the different seasons on the earth. Informative and chocked full of examples, and a project to do that provide a hands-on learning experience.

[Em · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really informative book with easy to follow illustrations. Part of the book is an example of an easy experiment that could be done, which we will be doing later this week. Perfect for my 6 year old.

[Lidija · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Preschoolers wanted to hear it again and again, sparked a lot of discussion. I was not a fan of the illustrations though, they didn't help to clarify the text.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent for elementary geography/nature study

[Terry]

Read. Not reviewed.

[Emily Isom · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this was a really cute and informational book. It would be perfect to go along with a 2nd or 3rd grade Science lesson. It even has a picture on every page!

[KaitandMaddie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don’t know that the girls entirely understood the explanation. I think I’ll leave it a year or two and then try again, performing the experiment.

[Clive]

More advanced than I wanted to go: eg, tilt of the earth, north and south hemisphere, etc

[The Unschoolers · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 rounded down. Not our favorite Read & Find Out book but still a good read.

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an easy to understand book about the seasons. I particularly liked using an orange and a pencil to help understand the earth's rotation around the sun.

[Jillian · Rating 4 out of 5]

What gives us the seasons? This book addresses the fact of the rotation of the Earth around the Sun and the results of this rotation. Featuring diagrams, key vocabulary and hands-on activities, this book brings science to life.

I enjoy this book because of its inclusion of activity and hands-on practices, allows the students to feel involved in the learning process. They are able to see how the earth rotates around the Sun, instead of just seeing it in images. The vocabulary addressed is also defined in an age appropriate manner.

This book it perfect for lessons about the Sun or the Earth. Students start to look at the Earth rather just their family unit and community. Once we start looking at the Earth we start looking at the different seasons. Students are often very curious about the cause of the seasons.

Ages K-Grade 3

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

S2E2. Students will investigate the position of sun and moon to show patterns throughout the
year.
a. Investigate the position of the sun in relation to a fixed object on earth at various
times of the day.
b. Determine how the shadows change through the day by making a shadow stick or
using a sundial.
c. Relate the length of the day and night to the change in seasons (for example: Days
are longer than the night in the summer.).
d. Use observations and charts to record the shape of the moon for a period of time.

[Leib Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not sure what distinguishes one of these books from the other.

All I can say is that some work and some do not.

This was one of the ones that works.

My son is in 3rd grade and there are just enough unfamiliar words to generate discussion, but not so many that the boy cannot be left alone.

Verdict: Recommended

[Melanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Most of this book was taken up with the experiment of simulating the earth's orbit around the sun with the tilt of the axis. We did the experiment but did not find the directions well-written to go with the illustrations (we used another book instead for a similar experiment). My kids did enjoy the juxtaposition of the poles and opposite sides of the earth to show differences in season, day/night, etc.

[Gaby Roman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book was great and I like the illustrations. They are simple but allow young students to understand how seasons happen. I would have my students do the sun and earth activity that is in my story. It allows studnets to see light reflect off a globe using a flash light. The indirect and direct sunlight allows them to see a visual on how the seasons happen.

[Gloria Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book was a nice little book to read, the children i actually read it to enjoyed it, we took a walk around the building and found item that we thought went with what season, its fun and colorful. the book is pre k appropriate.


LE
bring in items from different seasons and let the children discuss the difference in seasons.

[Ruth Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Let's-Read=And-Find-Out Science Stage 2 book. I liked the demonstration using an orange and a flashlight. Kids will be able to try this and thus by getting actively involved, they will construct a good understanding.

[Katie Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like how the book shows an experiment for the reader. I like how it goes step by step to help the reader understand how the earth rotates and why the sun doesn't shine on only one side of the earth.

[Lynn Davidson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This very interesting and educational picture book is all about how the sun, and the tilt of the earth, make the seasons. Included is a simple experiment to try to help understand the science better. Very well illustrated.

[Huda Fel · Rating 5 out of 5]

أحد كتبي المدرسية في مرحلة الاختصاص

[Teri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Use this book as a jumping off point to do the orange and flashlight activity it describes--this is not a good cuddle up on the couch bedtime story.

[Jasmin Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Awesome book to teach children about the different phases of the moon, the seasons, the North Pole, South Pole, Equator. Children will learn how and why the seasons change.

[Ted Parsons · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the book because of the content, which was the relationship between the sun and the seasons. It was clear, concise and very informative.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

44 months - love this series of intro science books. They always have simple hands on ways to grasp the book's concept. This one is especially good.

[Elanor]

All by herself!