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Description
I’ve teamed up with Fabled Films Press to create an Educator’s Science Guide for their latest book The Nocturnals: The Ominous Eye, book two of an exciting new book series by author Tracey Hecht.
The Nocturnal Series Overview
This adventure series is perfect for your middle-aged readers (Grades 5-9) which feature an unusual friendship among the most unlikely of animals: Dawn, a red fox; Tobin, a shy and loyal pangolin; and Bismark, a snarky and animated sugar glider. Together they form the Nocturnals Brigade who band together to face challenges that threaten their nighttime friends.
One of the reasons I love this series is that Hecht weaves in so many different naturally-occurring phenomena into her story without immediately giving away exactly what it is. By discovering what is happening from the animals point of view, throughout their adventures, the students are just as much a part of the nocturnal brigade as Dawn, Tobin, and Bismark.
Educator’s Science Guide Overview (aligned to the Next Generation Science Standards)
I designed The Ominous Eye science guide with the intention that teachers could intentionally complete science activities throughout the reading instead of waiting for the entire book to be finished.
Activity 1: An Interview with a Tuatara
As most students have never even heard about a tuatara, this activity is perfect for students to get a better understanding of what Polyphema looks like as well learn more about the habitat and biology of the actual reptile.
Activity 2: Nesting Sanctuary for Tuatara: A Laboratory Investigation
Students need to learn the process of science inquiry and get the perfect opportunity in this activity. Students receive a letter from the University of Nocturnals Department of Conservation asking them to help find the best possible nesting material for tuatara eggs. This investigation is truly meant for students to collect data and use evidence from their findings to support their argument on which ground covering to use.
Activity 3: Make a Model of a Volcano and Learn about the Ring of Fire
Students are introduced to the inner workings of a volcano by creating a model using simple ingredients. This activity extends to having students plot out the Ring of Fire, and why most volcanic activity happens in this particular region.
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Character and cover art are used with express permission from Fabled Films Press.
Copyright © Nitty Gritty Science, LLC. All rights reserved by author Dr. Erica Colón. This product is to be used by the original downloader only. Copying for more than one teacher, classroom, department, school, or school system is prohibited. This product may not be distributed or displayed digitally for public view. Failure to comply is a copyright infringement and a violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). Clipart and elements found in this PDF are copyrighted and cannot be extracted and used outside of this file without permission or license. Intended for classroom and personal use ONLY.
