Author and illustrator: Bonnie Ferrante
Single Drop Publishing 2014
Reviewed copy kindly sent by the author in exchange for an honest review.
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Back of book:
Here is an active way to learn the order of the planets and have fun doing it. Children learn quicker and retain information longer, the more different learning styles are involved. This book uses music, rhyme, singing, pictures and movement to help students learn the order of the planets, the meanings of their names, their position, and their classification.....
Additional text describes how the author, a teacher for 33 years, effectively used this strategy with several classes.
It's been a few years since I worked in the education sector...so 'Sing the Planets' was a lovely reminder of my Montessori teaching days and 'cosmic education.' This element of Montessori Education relates to the interdependence of all living things. Children learn about the forces of nature, plants, animals and how the world is a highly ordered, purposeful and connected place, with the sun being a primary source of energy. Through a multi-sensory approach, The Solar System is introduced.
Sing the Planets is a lovely resource which also offers multi-sensory learning. Children will learn about the solar system through images, movement & song. Each page introduces a planet with photographs (some from NASA) , factual information, mythology, an action image & musical notes.
For example, readers learn that Jupiter is the biggest planet with a 'Great Red Spot that is a storm the size of three Earths.' They learn that this planet was named after the god of sky and thunder. To help children remember this detail, the action 'Clap for thunder' is introduced as part of the Sing the Planets song.
The song is a nice, simple tune and easy for a young group of children to follow. Similar to the tune of Alouette, the notes are detailed throughout the book and in full in the back pages.You can see a child do the actions and hear the author sing the song here.
While classical myth and history can be somewhat dark, it holds a great fascination for children. The snippets of classical stories will lead to discussion,so be prepared for questions and comments! There will most likely be raised brows when page 10 explains that Mars was the god of war and born from the forehead of Juno. Page 16 describes how Saturn, the father of Jupiter, ate Jupiter's brothers and sisters. There are also astronomical symbols on many pages- another source for interesting discussion in your classroom or at home.
Remembering the names, positions and order of the planets can be tricky but with Ferrante's song, children can easily absorb this information in a fun way.
The outer planets are mostly composed of gas- see the picture/action below, which brings a little bit of humour that children will enjoy...
The book includes plenty of key facts and the glossary at the back is a useful resource to support learning.
Overall the pictures, songs and actions within this book will tap into your child's visual, auditory and tactile learning as they discover facts and fiction relating to the solar system. Tried and tested by the author 'Sing the Planets' promises successful learning for individuals or groups.
Happy reading,
Missus B
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