April 1, 2018
PreS-Gr 2-With easy-to-read text and large-scale photos, this series is perfect for youngsters. A few sentences per page explain each simple machine and how it helps to make work easier. Examples are pulled from many activities that readers will find familiar, such as climbing stairs, along with more exciting images like rock climbing. The photographs depict people of different ages and racial and ethnic backgrounds. In each book, labels on the first few photos make the simple machine easily identifiable in later discussions. For example, a wedge might be a pair of scissors, an ax, or a pushpin. The included critical thinking questions are a good review or discussion starter. VERDICT Excellent introductory series for early elementary students and handy for interactive read-alouds.
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