White Owl, Barn Owl
Written by: Nicola Davies
Illustrated by: Michael Foreman
Published by Candlewick Press in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 2007
Written by: Nicola Davies
Illustrated by: Michael Foreman
Published by Candlewick Press in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 2007
ISBN: 978-0-7636-3364-6
Genre(s): Picture Book, Informational Text, Realistic Fiction
Reading Level: Grades 3-4
Activity Level: Grade 2
Summary: This is a really great book about a grandfather and his grandson who bond throughout the process of building a nest box for a white (barn) owl and awaiting the owl's arrival. It takes place in winter and is a book in which the reader learns about these owls along with the boy in the story. Throughout the story, the grandfather teaches the boy about patience and many aspects of the owl's life, including its hunting for food and calls. This book is not only a story about a grandfather and his grandson, but is also a book that teaches about real barn owls. Every other page in this book has some factual information about barn owls for the reader. These elements of the book are incorporated into the work in a different and smaller font than the story so that readers can easily distinguish between them.
Response: One thing that I love about this book is that within the story there are tidbits of information (in a different font than the story) that prove to children that what is occurring in the story really is true. For example, at the end of the book the little boy asks his grandfather if owls will always nest in their nest box to which the older gentleman replies "'You know,...I think they might'" (p. 22) and on the same page, the author tells readers that barn owls do nest in the same sites for many years.
The illustrations in this work are very pretty. The majority of them are only single-page spreads of blue and white tones (to really make the scenes look as though they are taking place in winter). Since the illustrations are only on one page, there are normally smaller ones on the adjoining page in sepia tones that also have some connection to the story. For example, when the author writes about the boy and his grandfather first seeing the owl, the owl is the main illustration on one page and the boy and his grandfather watching are a smaller illustration in darker tones on the adjoining page. This makes readers feel more like they are in the story!
Another great thing about this book is the index in the back for readers to quickly find what parts of the story are on what page. Also, there is a note in the back of the book that gives even more information about making a real nest box!
Teaching Connections: I think this book could be read to a second grade class as a lesson on this specific animal. The teacher could read it on a Monday and then have activities for the students related to the book for the rest of the week. On that same day the teacher could make a list of words that the students could define on a quiz on Friday, from this book. Those words could be: frosty, pellet, perch, predator, prey, and talons. (The teacher will also need to define the words tussocky and vole for the students, but they should not be in charge of learning those words at their age). Each day of the week, these words would be reviewed as a class to help the students study.
Genre(s): Picture Book, Informational Text, Realistic Fiction
Reading Level: Grades 3-4
Activity Level: Grade 2
Summary: This is a really great book about a grandfather and his grandson who bond throughout the process of building a nest box for a white (barn) owl and awaiting the owl's arrival. It takes place in winter and is a book in which the reader learns about these owls along with the boy in the story. Throughout the story, the grandfather teaches the boy about patience and many aspects of the owl's life, including its hunting for food and calls. This book is not only a story about a grandfather and his grandson, but is also a book that teaches about real barn owls. Every other page in this book has some factual information about barn owls for the reader. These elements of the book are incorporated into the work in a different and smaller font than the story so that readers can easily distinguish between them.
Response: One thing that I love about this book is that within the story there are tidbits of information (in a different font than the story) that prove to children that what is occurring in the story really is true. For example, at the end of the book the little boy asks his grandfather if owls will always nest in their nest box to which the older gentleman replies "'You know,...I think they might'" (p. 22) and on the same page, the author tells readers that barn owls do nest in the same sites for many years.
The illustrations in this work are very pretty. The majority of them are only single-page spreads of blue and white tones (to really make the scenes look as though they are taking place in winter). Since the illustrations are only on one page, there are normally smaller ones on the adjoining page in sepia tones that also have some connection to the story. For example, when the author writes about the boy and his grandfather first seeing the owl, the owl is the main illustration on one page and the boy and his grandfather watching are a smaller illustration in darker tones on the adjoining page. This makes readers feel more like they are in the story!
Another great thing about this book is the index in the back for readers to quickly find what parts of the story are on what page. Also, there is a note in the back of the book that gives even more information about making a real nest box!
Teaching Connections: I think this book could be read to a second grade class as a lesson on this specific animal. The teacher could read it on a Monday and then have activities for the students related to the book for the rest of the week. On that same day the teacher could make a list of words that the students could define on a quiz on Friday, from this book. Those words could be: frosty, pellet, perch, predator, prey, and talons. (The teacher will also need to define the words tussocky and vole for the students, but they should not be in charge of learning those words at their age). Each day of the week, these words would be reviewed as a class to help the students study.
On Tuesday, the students could work in groups to make their own barn owl out of paper. (Download this template and print Barn Owl Mobil 1 and 2 for each child. Even though this is a mobile template, it should work just fine.)
On Wednesday, the students could work in their same groups to create their own owl finger puppet that will fit in the nest box they will begin creating on the same day (from a template that the teacher will draw herself that looks like the box in the book and will be of appropriate size for their owl finger puppets). And, on Thursday the students would finish making their next boxes. On Friday the students would take their quiz and then someone from the Carolina Raptor Center would visit their classroom and teach them a little more about owls. The students will love this!
What Students Learn: From this book and the activities, students will learn about patience, owl habitats, feeding patterns, baby owls, how to create a nest box, several new words, and gain a new appreciation for owls!
Image Retrieved From: http://blaine.org/jules/white%20owl,%20barn%20owl.jpg
What Students Learn: From this book and the activities, students will learn about patience, owl habitats, feeding patterns, baby owls, how to create a nest box, several new words, and gain a new appreciation for owls!
Image Retrieved From: http://blaine.org/jules/white%20owl,%20barn%20owl.jpg
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