Lifetimes (Sharing Nature With Children Book) [Paperback]

David L. Rice (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 5 and up | Grade Level: K and up | Series: Sharing Nature With Children Book

Teachers and parents, this book is an outstanding teaching resource, much more than the title might suggest. Beginning with: A lifetime for a mayfly is about one day, it presents 24 lifetimes such as that of an earthworm (about six years), a giant sequoia (about 2,000 years), a bacteria (well, that depends), a dinosaur (never again) and the universe (about 15 to 20 billion years). Each example comes with detailed illustrations and something to ponder, such as, for earthworms: Worms teach us that our work can be very important, even if it cannot be seen. Each plant or animal is practically a lesson plan in itself, with tell about it, think about it, and look it up challenges. Written by a retired teacher, this is a favorite book for children and teachers alike. A 48-page teachers guide based on the book is available (sold separately).

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 1-3?While this book's concept is a good one, its execution is not entirely successful. Rice presents a selection of plants and animals, arranged according to longevity, in order to give children a perspective of each living thing's place and importance in the web of life. The author begins with a mayfly, which lives about one day, and continues chronologically through a saguaro cactus, which lives about 100 years, before branching out into lifetimes that are uncertain (a banyon [sic] tree) and astronomical (the Earth is now thought to be four and a half billion years old). The text is preachy and didactic, the layout is often distracting, and the illustrations are inconsistent in quality. There is a running white band across the bottom of every page with three chimps, one holding a banana, one covering his ears, and one reading a book. The first signals a sharing activity readers that may engage in, the second a question to ponder, and the third a research question. This device totally detracts from both the information and artwork in the body of the text.?Megan McGuire, Lake View Elementary School, Madison, WI
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 3-6. Clearly designed for classroom use, this colorful book focuses on individual animals, plants, and astronomical bodies. Each page or two introduces a new subject, tells its life span, discusses its characteristics, defines what it "teaches" us, and suggests related ideas for readers to tell about, think about, and look up. For instance, elephants live about 65 years, weep when "very, very sad," and "remind us to be kind and gentle, especially to those who are not as big or smart as we are." Children are encouraged to tell about another animal they have seen showing emotion, think about how an insect or lizard feels when kept in a jar, or, on a more prosaic note, look up the differences between African and Indian elephants. The emphasis on learning lessons from nature may strike some as too values-based, but others will respond warmly to Rice's approach. Michael S. Maydak's handsome paintings add to the book's appeal. Carolyn Phelan --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Dawn Pubns; 1 edition (April 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1883220599
• ISBN-13: 978-1883220594
• Product Dimensions: 10.7 x 8.9 x 0.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #555,966 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #15 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Science, Nature & How It Works > Environment & Ecology > Fiction

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Curious children, nature lovers and teachers will love this!, February 28, 2001

By 

IdeaMom (Northeast USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lifetimes (Sharing Nature With Children Book) (Hardcover)

"NO MATTER HOW SHORT, NOW MATTER HOW LONG, NO MATTER HOW BIG, HOW SMART OR HOW STRONG, ALL LIFE HAS A PLACE, A PURPOSE AND WORTH. ALL LIFE IS IMPORTANT ON OUR PLANET EARTH."

So begins-and ends-this beautiful story which beautifully speaks the lessons of many of Earth's creatures.

This is not a book you can-or will want to-read in one sitting. Each beautifully illustrated page invites the reader to explore further the plant, animal or object featured. Children will beg their parents to take them to the library to learn more about the creature pictured on each page. (I should know. My 4 ½ year old has developed a tremendous fascination with Venus Flytraps after reading this book.)

Each page begins with the life expectancy of a new creature (plant or animal) or the age of an object (sun, planet, universe.) The author then shares just enough information about each creature to pique the interest of the reader, follows it with a small reminder of what this creature's life may teach us (Examples: "Army ants show us that if everyone works together, we can do almost anything." "Saguaros teach us how important it is to save -- and to share.") Each page then concludes with a few questions for further exploration (Examples: "Tell about a time when you helped protect an animal or someone who needed help." "Where is the one small area where Venus flytraps grow in the wild?" "If everyone in your class held hands and made a circle, would the circle be big enough to go around the General Sherman tree?")

This is not just another book about the environment, (though it certainly encourages us to develop an appreciation) but a rare treasure to be referred to again and again as our children discover their world and realize their very special purpose within it.