{"id":236,"date":"2008-09-05T09:02:57","date_gmt":"2008-09-05T14:02:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.richmond.edu\/openwidelookinside\/archives\/236"},"modified":"2008-09-05T09:02:57","modified_gmt":"2008-09-05T14:02:57","slug":"teaching-process-skills-with-childrens-literature-the-planet-hunter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.richmond.edu\/openwidelookinside\/2008\/09\/05\/teaching-process-skills-with-childrens-literature-the-planet-hunter\/","title":{"rendered":"Teaching Process Skills with Children’s Literature: The Planet Hunter"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"planethunter.jpg\"<\/a><\/p>\n

How many planets are there in our solar system? It’s eight, right? Didn’t we used to have nine? In Elizabeth Rusch’s The Planet Hunter<\/a>, we follow the story of astronomer Mike Brown in his discoveries that led to the reclassification of Pluto.<\/p>\n

Rusch walks the reader through Mike Brown’s thought process and research as he discovers bodies in space, one of which is bigger than Pluto.<\/p>\n

What do my discoveries really mean?<\/em> Mike asked himself. Perhaps astronomers were wrong to call Pluto a planet in the first place. After all, Pluto’s so much smaller than the other planets. And it floats near Eris and Quaoar and a bunch of other objects just like it.
\nEven scientists make mistakes<\/em>, Mike thought.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The story of this book is attention-grabbing, but what really brings Mike Brown’s adventures to life are illustrations by Guy Francis. Brown is portrayed in the book as a friendly and curious young man, a character who is easy to relate to, since he’s drawn just as students might picture themselves.<\/p>\n

Curriculum Connections<\/strong>
\nThis book could be used in the upper elementary school grades to teach about scientific investigation, reasoning, and logic. In Virginia, The Planet Hunter<\/em> can be used in connection with SOL 5.1 where students investigate and understand the nature of science, a constantly changing field of continuous observation and trial through the scientific method.<\/p>\n

Additional Resources<\/strong><\/p>\n