The Elephant Scientist (Multi-Touch Edition): Scientists In The Field (2013) - Plot & Excerpts
Description: A scientist follows the life of elephants and their daily activities in Namibian desert. The scientist realizes there may be more to how elephants communicate than just their alarm calls or boisterous roars. The scientist realizes that elephants also communicate with each other through low-frequency vibrations they sense in their feet.Curriculum Connection: Science. 3.4 The student will investigate and understand that adaptations allow animals to satisfy life needs and respond to the environment. Key concepts include a) behavioral adaptations; and b) physical adaptations. Have them complete a web drawing listing the behavioral and physical adaptations of elephants.Personal Reaction: I really liked this book because the author used simple and concise words that made it easy for the reader to understand.Visual Appeal: The illustrations were vivid, clear and real images that Caitlin O'Connell captured while in the Namibian field sites. The photographs give a beautiful rendition of the beauty of elephants and their environment.Genre: Informational Intended Audience: Ages 10-13 “The Elephant Scientist” by Caitlin O’Connell and Donna M. Jackson does double duty as an informational text for elementary (3rd through 5th) and middle school readers. This book not only gives educational information on the gigantic pachyderms that roam Africa and Asia and fascinate zoo visitors, but it also frames this information within a story about research scientist Caitlin O’Connell. Apart from educational material regarding elephants, this book gives readers a basic understanding of what scientists do, how they formulate and test theories, and how much work and planning goes into setting up scientific experiments and observations. The book holds readers’ interest by providing many photos of elephants in the wild. Each photo illuminates the text provided, showing details of the elephants’ tusks, thick wrinkly skin, large feet, multipurpose trunks, and notch-covered ears. In the photos readers also get to see the elephants relating to each other: mothers protecting their young, bull elephants welcoming a new youth, two elephants expressing mutual affection, etc. Photos are credited to scientist and author Caitlin O’Connell and her husband Timothy Rodwell.This is a top-notch informational book whose supplemental materials provide authority and integrity to the text. A map showing the region of Africa where O’Connell and her research teammates observed the elephants is provided, as well as a table of contents, index, and glossary. Anyone wanting to learn more about elephants or simply the scientific process would do well to pick up “The Elephant Scientist” to become enlightened on both subjects.
What do You think about The Elephant Scientist (Multi-Touch Edition): Scientists In The Field (2013)?
Beautiful informative text with short chapter make this book an amazingly quick and fun read.
—lockwood
2012 Sibert HonorI learned quite a bit....very interesting.
—elha
I received this book as a free giveaway from Goodreads.
—sagar
Lovely. Moving. Informative. Perfect for middle school.
—ShelbyDopudja
Another great addition to this wonderful series.
—brunibrubs
