One of the things I’ve been doing for the past few years is marking a papers for a biology course. It’s been a good field to venture into and I enjoy doing it the longer I do it. I’m learning to connect with my students and offer them better, more specific feedback. Part of marking this biology course is seeing if my students understand waves…not just ocean waves though they play a role, but also wavelength, sound, light etc. Let’s ride a wave! would be an excellent book to help some of my struggling 9th graders. Let me tell you all about this latest review.
Introducing Let’s Ride a Wave!
Let’s ride a wave! is part of a series called Everyday Science Academy. Chris Ferrie has put together this series to help answer questions children have about the world around them.
Red Kangeroo asks the question while sitting at the beach “I wonder if the waves ever stop?” Dr. Chris steps in to help Red Kangeroo understand.
Starting with watching the ocean waves, Dr. Chris helps the reader understand that some waves you see, like the ocean waves, and moved along to other waves you see the results of but can’t actually see.
Sourcebooks has put together a brightly coloured 40-page picture book to help 5-9-year-olds understand the physics of waves. Chris Ferrie helps children dive into the science of light and sound waves. I have the pleasure of reviewing this book for Raincoast Books.
You’ll find the text easy to read using accurate terminology. Learning about ultraviolet, electromagnetic, wavelength, tides, x-rays and more. At the close you’ll find a glossary in language easy enough for children to understand but detailed enough to be accurate.
I LOVE that experiments are included to test out ideas! From listening to different pitchs and tones, to making your your wavelengths.
Should you get it?
Yes, if you have any interest in any questions, or learning more about how waves work as light and sound. Let’s Make a Wave! is a fantastic primer into how waves work. It’s great for elementary students as is, giving steps into learning physics, and the excitement of having questions answered.
If you are struggling to make sense of your grade nine/ten biology, reading picture books like this one make complex ideas simple enough to understand. This gives the building blocks you need to further advance your studies.
Others in the series are (affiliate links)
- Let’s get moving.
- Let’s Ride a Plane. (review coming soon)
- Let’s Make a rainbow.
If looking for additional physics resources, check out SchoolhouseTeachers.com. They have a variety of physics courses from Red Wagon and other sources from grade five and up.
This looks like a really good one for people of any age. It looks like something colorful with quality explanations.
I think these science academy books are excellent!