"Actual Size"

Author: Steve Jenkins

BCCB Blue Ribbon Nonfiction Book Award

"Actual Size" is a science book for students in first grade or higher.
Summary:

This story is a descriptive story about different sizes of animals! Steve Jenkins not only uses various unheard of animals such as an "Atlas Moth" or a "Mouse Lemur", he uses the entire page of the story to illustrate their actual size. This book is great for students learning about different measurement and different types of animals. In the book, it also states the animals actual size and weight! 

Initiating Questions and Activity:
Question: What is the biggest animal you have seen? What is the smallest animal you have ever seen? Where did you see these animals? What is your favorite animal?

Activity: Take a class on a short outside class walk. Have them bring a pencil and a notebook and record any animal or insect they see. Each student will write what the animal is, and an approximate size.

Culminating Questions and Activity:
Questions: What was your favorite animal in the story? How big was your favorite animal? Write one animal that was bigger or smaller than the animal you chose.

Activity: After the reading, the students will get into their table groups, and there will be a variety of Animal magazines. They will be given a piece of construction paper and will do a compare and contrast chart of the different sizes of the animals they find in the magazines.