Coral Reef Children’s Book
Objectives
Students will understand the following:
1. The animals that live in a coral reef are uniquely suited to their environment.
Materials
• Computer with Internet access
• Illustrated books and articles about the plants and animals that inhabit coral reefs
• Paper, stapler, and art materials for creating books
• Published nonfiction and fiction books on science topics for young children
Procedures
You are going to work individually or in pairs to write and illustrate short books that explain to younger children how
1. the animals that inhabit coral reefs are uniquely suited to their environment.
2. Before beginning work on their books, conduct research on the types of organisms that live in the reefs. Use the
materials that are provided, encyclopedias, books and periodicals from the library, or the Internet. Focus on finding
out how specific animals that live in the reefs are adapted to their environments. (Adaptations may include
camouflage, symbiosis, defenses, hunting strategies, and so on.)
3.
You should begin by deciding whether you will write nonfiction books that present information in a lively and
interesting way or fictional stories about life in coral reefs. Even if you choose fiction, your stories should
communicate sound scientific information to readers.
4. Before you begin their own books, take the time to look over several published children's nonfiction and fiction books
on science topics.
6. While writing the texts, plan on how much text should appear on each page in order to leave room for illustrations.
You may handwrite or use a computer.
7. Finally, add illustration, you may want to draw your illustrations on separate paper and then cut and paste the
pictures into the book.
8. When the illustrations are completed, staple the pages together to make booklets.
9. Be sure to include a bibliography for your sources AND pictures, listing sources they used.
Making A Brochure : Coral Reef Children's Book
Student Name:
________________________________________
4
3
2
1
All facts in the book
are accurate.
99-90% of the facts
in the book are
accurate.
89-80% of the facts
in the book are
accurate.
Fewer than 80% of
the facts in the book
are accurate.
Graphics go well
with the text and
with the text, but
there is a good mix there are so many
of text and graphics. that they distract
from the text.
Graphics go well
with the text, but
there are too few
and the brochure
seems "text-heavy".
Graphics do not go
with the
accompanying text
or appear to be
randomly chosen.
Writing Vocabulary
The authors
correctly use several
new words and
define words
unfamiliar to the
reader.
The authors
correctly use a few
new words and
define words
unfamiliar to the
reader.
The authors try to
The authors do not
use some new
incorporate new
vocabulary, but may vocabulary.
use 1-2 words
incorrectly.
Attractiveness &
Organization
The book has
exceptionally
attractive formatting
and well-organized
information.
The book has
The book has wellattractive formatting organized
and well-organized information.
information.
The book's
formatting and
organization of
material are
confusing to the
reader.
Sources
Careful and accurate
records are kept to
document the
source of 95-100%
of the facts and
graphics in the book.
Careful and
accurate records
are kept to
document the
source of 94-85% of
the facts and
graphics in the
book.
Sources are not
documented
accurately or are not
kept on many facts
and graphics.
CATEGORY
Content Accuracy
Graphics/Pictures Graphics go well
Total Points =_________x 2 = ____________
40
Careful and
accurate records
are kept to
document the
source of 84-75% of
the facts and
graphics in the
book.