Weather Wise

Have you ever wondered what causes lightning? Why are there different types of lightning? Through beautiful photographs and easy to understand context, Ellen Lawrence explains how this natural wonder is created.

Included is a beautiful image of lightning from the viewpoint of astronauts in space. The author also illustrates how to determine how far away the storm is by counting the seconds in between the flash and the sound of thunder. Safety precautions are mentioned as well as the purpose of lightning rods on buildings. There is a mini–lab investigating static electricity and photographs of a science word wall. This is a great resource for any weather unit.

Have you ever stepped outside and didn’t know if the air was filled with fog, mist, or haze? Ellen Lawrence presents actual photographs with clear descriptions to support the understanding of these three weather elements.

Through easy to read scientific definitions, this book illustrates the differences that are sometimes difficult to distinguish. There are questions embedded throughout the reading, and a science visual word wall to further deeper vocabulary literacy. There is also a suggested mini–lab for a hands–on experience. This book would be a nice addition to any weather unit.

Each book has full-color pages with photographs and a few diagrams showing weather concepts. Many of the pages ask the reader a question, some of which are answered on the following pages, others ask the reader to draw on their experience and preferences. There are notebook insets with attention-catching facts and boxes with a fact related to the photograph and/or a question. A Science Lab page suggests a follow-up activity that children can do independently. Links on the publisher’s website lead to outside sources, though some are for older children. However, there is a great deal of information at the site, including crossword puzzles and experiments that would be especially helpful when using the series with multi-age classrooms. Bibliography. Glossary. Websites. Table of Contents. Index. Recommended.

These brief books emphasize the hydrological component of weather in simple, clear prose. Captioned photographs and drawings are bright and appropriate; each book includes a question for the reader and a “Science Lab” exercise.

These brief books emphasize the hydrological component of weather in simple, clear prose. Captioned photographs and drawings are bright and appropriate; each book includes a question for the reader and a “Science Lab” exercise.

This solid series is a commendable approach to weather studies, meeting early elementary standards for science education. The pleasing photos (illustrating the smallest water droplet to the largest puffy white cloud) and colorful format will hold readers’ interest. The descriptive narrations are punctuated with text boxes and interactive questions that prompt students to hypothesize, assimilate facts, observe, conclude, and experiment. Each installment encourages scientific inquiry in a fun way and includes a “Science Lab” activity. On rare occasions, word definitions are vague, e.g., “gas” is defined in the glossary as “a form of matter that spreads out to fill all the space of whatever it is in.” But in sum, this series is credible and creative.

This series of five Weather Wise books is designed for the beginning reader, grades 2 and 3. The topics covered in the series are designed to excite young readers and draw them into topics that are scientifically accurate and relevant. Each book is short enough (24 pages) to be easily mastered by the targeted grade level reader. The authors seem to take pains to use interesting photos to draw the reader into the information. New terms are presented but are described very well in the context. There is also a section called Science Words where a pronunciation guide and definition are provided to help the reader and a parent or teacher who might be helping to read the material. There are also a few supplemental materials provided from an “Index,” a “Read More” books list, and a “Learn More Online” section, along with a short “About the Author” paragraph. For an early elementary teacher, this series of five books would provide a good set of classroom science materials. A school media center could also benefit from having this set available. The actual look and feel of the material might also make it relevant for students in the upper grades for whom reading might be a struggle. The books do not have a “childish” feel and could be considered high interest. Certainly the set of books deal with topics that are widely discussed and included in most curricula, like weather, climate, rain, snow, and hail.