Food Chains and Food Webs - Who Eats What? A Science Must Read Mentor Text

Hi Friends!

I am here to share a fabulous Science Mentor Text with you! It's all about Food Chains and Food Webs! My students always LOVE this book!

 

The title is Who Eats What? and it is written by Patricia Lauber. It is FILLED with information and perfect illustrations!

Amazon.com Description: "Informative and intriguing, this science book teaches children to think about the complex and interdependent web of life on Earth. Every link in a food chain is important because each living thing depends on others for survival, no matter how big or how small. Lively drawings from Holly Keller illustrate the clear, simple text by Patricia Lauber."

The one word that I used to describe this text is SIMPLE. And I mean that in a great way! So often, I find science books that have awesome information, but they are so tricky for kids to understand. This book provides facts and details in an engaging and easy to comprehend manner. I actually love this whole series of books: Let's-Read-And-Find-Out Science. I have used tons of these books over the years! :)

If you are teaching a unit on ecosystems, food chains, or food webs, this book is a must read! I like to use it at the beginning of my unit on ecosystems as a hook to engage my students and preview vocabulary and concepts we will be discussing. I like to have my students keep track of their thinking on sticky notes as we read the book aloud. This is a great way for me to make sure my students are "staying with me" as I read the text. :)

For example, I ask them to write down new words or unfamiliar words they hear, facts they learn, and questions they have. As we move through the text, students will often find answers to the questions they have written down, and their questions lead to meaningful discussion. Once we finish reading the book, I have the students stick their stickies in their science notebooks so they can refer back to them later.

In the picture above, you can see how the author includes 2 different representations of a food chain. I LOVE the arrows showing the transfer of energy, but I also LOVE how she has shown the chain within the hawk! How cool!

I also like how the author includes simple examples of food chain and food web drawings so kids can see how energy is passed between consumers and producers. 

The last page of the book is one of my favorites because it not only summarizes everything that the book has taught us, but it leads right in to a discussion about ecosystems and how every living thing plays a role and is dependent on one another. It's a perfect springboard into conversations about what would happen if....there were no more plants......or an entire population of mice was wiped out......or a fire swept through a habitat......etc.....

I hope this book is helpful for you and your students! Please let me know how you use it in your classroom! :)

I can't wait to see your Science Must Read Texts! Please link up!

Have a great Sunday!  

Next week's linky- Social Studies