Module 4 - Science Poetry

Bibliographic Citation

Shields, Carol Diggory. 2003. Science: Fresh squeezed!: 41 thirst-for-knowledge-quenching poems. Ill. by Richard Thompson. New York: Handprint Books. ISBN 9781593540050

Review

This book of poetry begs readers to explore the field of science as they gather information from the collection of forty-one poems written about earth and space science, life sciences, chemistry, and physics. Divided neatly into four sections, and bordered by a bright green page header, the poems provide factual information with a flair for humor. The headers reveal brief related facts or mnemonics to aid the reader in remembering. Thompson uses simple cartoon pencil drawings to enhance each poem and keeps with the green color scheme throughout the book. His drawing of the Pangaea clearly conveys to message from the poem "One world" as the young boy is backpacking across one big green continent. "Once upon a time/The world was truly one/the continents were crammed together-/I think that sounds like fun!/You could walk across Pangaea,/From Tahiti to Tibet,/Although there were no countries,/So it wasn't Tibet/Yet." These brief poems will surely be a hit with elementary students.

Poem Title

“Going Up”

Elevator going up-please step to the rear.
We’re stopping at each level of our atmosphere.
Level One-troposphere; lots of nice fresh air,
Rain, clouds, sunshine-weather everywhere!
Level Two-stratosphere; the air’s cold and dry,
(Watch out for ozone and aircraft flying by).
Level Three-thermosphere; hotter than a fire,
Level Four-exosphere; we can go no higher.
Hop out and view the satellites, orbiting around.
Step in now-this elevator’s on its way back down.


Introduction or Follow-up Activity

This poem highlights the levels of the atmosphere by taking readers on an elevator ride. Using the elevator ride serves as a mnemonic device to help students remember the levels as well as implementing the additional one, “Trolls Seldom Take Exams”, which is located on the upper page border. Reading poetry from this book would be beneficial for students who are reviewing for upcoming benchmark or State standardized testing which includes earth science and life science. I would recommend this book to the 5th grade teachers on our campus as a way to boost vocabulary knowledge with their students. Poetry that is factual, yet entertaining, is a fun additional teaching tool.