The Tiny Seed

Yes, this book fosters the development of processes. At the beginning, it asks, "Will it be able to keep up with the others? And where are they all going?" These are both points where the students could have the opportunity predict what will happen to the seeds. There are also a lot of pages that leave the reader hanging, and then gives the rest of the information on the next page, so this is an opportunity for students to make observations and predications as well.

• Author: Eric Carle
• Illustrator: Eric Carle
• Year Published: 1970
• ISBN: 9781481435758

Science Topics

• Earth Science

Minimum Suggested Grade Level

• Kindergarten

Maximum Suggested Grade Level

• 2nd Grade

Summary

The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle is a children's picture book that takes the reader through the life cycle of a plant. It begins with a seed in autumn and goes through a full year following one seed in particular. Through fun and colorful illustrations and personifying the seed to make its actions come to life, this book is very informative and entertaining for young readers.

Evaluation

• Appropriateness: High
• Authority: High
• Accuracy: High
• Liteary Artistry: High
• Appearance: High

Questions

Does the book foster development of processes?

Yes, this book fosters the development of processes. At the beginning, it asks, "Will it be able to keep up with the others? And where are they all going?" These are both points where the students could have the opportunity predict what will happen to the seeds. There are also a lot of pages that leave the reader hanging, and then gives the rest of the information on the next page, so this is an opportunity for students to make observations and predications as well.

Does the book provide an opportunity for children to ask and answer their own questions?

Yes, the book provides a couple of opportunities for children to ask and answer their own questions by unfolding the life cycle of the seed slowly throughout the book rather than simply saying how it grows. Through this, students can pause and ask questions or make predictions before they are explicitly told what happens next.

Does the book encourage children to think for themselves?

While the book doesn't ever specifically encourage student's to think for themselves, there are still opportunities within the text to do so. For example, the text says that the seeds are unable to grow in certain locations (ice, desert, etc.), but it doesn't say what the reason is for this. With guidance from the teacher, student's could use this opportunity to think about why the seeds are unable to grow and discuss it as a class.

Is the science topic addressed in ways that are appropriate to the lesson?

Yes, the book appropriately discusses the life-cycle of seeds. The book also adds in a refresher on seasons by walking through the seed's stage in each specific season.

Is the content based on sound scientific principles? Is it accurate?

Yes, the content of the book is based on sound scientific principles. It describes the general process of the life cycle of a seed, but doesn't get overly detailed. At the age that the book is designed for, this is the perfect amount of information, in order to simplify the process and avoid confusion. Overall, the book is accurate aside from the exaggeration of the tiny seed at the end. All of the information itself is correct, but the flower that the seed has become is said to be, "taller than the people, taller than the trees, taller than the houses." Since this is such an extreme exaggeration, I feel that it would not confuse students' understanding of flower growth.

Does the book distinguish between fact and fiction?

The book does not explicitly distinguish between fact and fiction, but the only fictional information is the personification of the seed. The content of the book is all factual, but the author describes the movement of the seeds as if they are "flying or drowning," rather than being moved by the wind or sinking in the ocean. Since the information is accurate, I think this just adds an element of entertainment to the text.

Are the illustrations clear and accurate?

The illustrations are very colorful and clear, which makes it very appealing to readers. Similarly to the content, the illustrations are slightly exaggerated in regards to the size of the seeds, flowers, mountains, etc., but the content within the illustrations is accurate.

Is the book written at the level of your students?

This book is for students K-2, but I feel that the level of content is still appropriate for 3rd grade. It is a good book to use in order to reintroduce plants before getting further in-depth with the unit. It is also a good way to review some of the common words and phrases used to describe the life cycle of a seed, as well as the various ways a seed can be carried to different locations.

Is there a multicultural component? Is it free from stereotyping?

There is no multicultural components or stereotyping in the book because the book does not include any human characters.

Is the book free from gender bias?

Yes, the book is free from gender bias since it does not include either male or female characters.

Does the book show the close association between science and other disciplines?

No, there were no associations between science and other disciplines within this book.

Does the book present a positive attitude toward science and technology?

No, the book does not present a positive attitude toward science and technology. There is definitely no negative aspect, there is just an absence of technology connections completely.