Eyewitness Books: Astronomy / by Kristen Lippincott / Science Picture Book

Bibliographic Information: Lippincott, K. (2008). Eyewitness astronomy. New York, N.Y: DK Publishing.

Plot Description: From the publisher: "The most trusted nonfiction series on the market, Eyewitness Books provide an in-depth, comprehensive look at their subjects with a unique integration of words and pictures. The perfect guide to understanding the mysteries of the planets, stars, and universe, Eyewitness: Astronomy delves into the fascinating world of space, providing a comprehensive look at the discoveries and research that have transformed our understanding of the universe." Several topics are covered, including the ancient roots of astronomy, Copernicus, optics and observatories, spectroscopy, radio telescopes, space travel, and the Solar System and beyond.

Quantitative Reading Level: Lexile Level: 1110L

Qualitative Reading Analysis: As an introduction to the science of astronomy, this hardback volume is a great way of engaging young science students. That said, a certain amount of knowledge of scientific vocabulary and the natural world is necessary, as this book builds on a basic knowledge of the solar system. The book's structure is helpfully cohesive, with a large print table of contents and index. As with their other books, this DK Eyewitness book is colorful and compelling, each page featuring a full color variety of images, charts, and side panels that offer a realistic view into the history and science of astronomy. Text size varies from the oversized to the minute, with very little margin space left over, and reading level is quite technical, thereby requiring a 5th grade and up reading level. Scientific concepts are revealed planet by planet, and connected via photographs of space that indicate the relative distances and sizes of stars and planets in our Solar System. A fascinating read with multiple access points for both textual and visual readers.

Content Area: Science; Astronomy

Content Area Standard: CCSS Next Generation Science Standards for California Public Schools: Grade 5 
5-PS2-1.     Support an argument that the gravitational force exerted by Earth on objects is directed down.

5-ESS1-1. Support an argument that differences in the apparent brightness of the sun compared to other stars is due to their relative distances from Earth. 

ESS1.B.  Earth and the Solar System: The orbits of Earth around the sun and of the moon around Earth, together with the rotation of Earth about an axis between its North and South poles, cause observable patterns. These include day and night; daily changes in the length and direction of shadows; and different positions of the sun, moon, and stars at different times of the day, month, and year. 

California Common Core State Standards Connections: ELA/Literacy – Grade 5 

RI.5.1.a–d.    Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text. (5-PS2-1),(5-ESS1-1).

Curriculum Suggestions: An excellent reference book for schools and homeschools, each page features a variety of photographs and illustrations. This volume would work well for science project research, comprehensive question and answer reading assignments, or group work in which students search for answers to question prompts. The history of astronomy is well covered, and would make a solid foundation for students studying the history of science and the early astronomers. The clear table of contents and index makes for a helpful reference guide as well.

Links to Supporting Digital Content:

Eyewitness DVD "Planets" 

DK Eyewitness New Atlas of the Solar System  While CD-Rom technology is rather dated, this is a 3-D tour of the solar system and provides a video reference companion to the Eyewitness Astronomy book.

Series Information: DK Eyewitness books cover a variety of topics for school students, and some come with CDs.