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392nd out of 2,250 books
—
3,513 voters
Science Verse
"Amoeba"
Don't ever tease a wee amoeba
By calling him a her amoeba.
And don't call her a him amoeba.
Or never he a she amoeba.
'Cause whether his or hers amoeba,
They too feel like you and meba.What if a boring lesson about the food chain becomes a sing-aloud celebration about predators and prey? A twinkle-twinkle little star transforms into a twinkle-less, sunshine-eating...more
Don't ever tease a wee amoeba
By calling him a her amoeba.
And don't call her a him amoeba.
Or never he a she amoeba.
'Cause whether his or hers amoeba,
They too feel like you and meba.What if a boring lesson about the food chain becomes a sing-aloud celebration about predators and prey? A twinkle-twinkle little star transforms into a twinkle-less, sunshine-eating...more
Hardcover, 40 pages
Published
September 23rd 2004
by Viking Juvenile
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Sorry. I'd love to rate this highly, because it's clever and artistic and a lot of fun. But I'm concerned that some people will think they can use it to make science fun, and they *mustn't*! There's too much misinformation in it! Dinosaurs are *not* reptiles, there are *more* than three states of matter (consider plasma, for example) and there are more than five senses (consider your sense of balance, for example). I have an idea. Give it to an 8th-grade student as a test, if she can't spot all...more
Science Verse is a short story/poem about several different aspects of science class. It is told through the eyes of a young student who feels placed under a curse of science after his teacher stresses how the poetry of science can be found in anything. I really enjoyed the humor incorporated into this book through the use of funny and animated images, and light hearted poetry. This poem does an amazing job of incorporating real science facts about evolution, the water cycle, the human body, the...more
This story begins with a young boy's science teacher telling his students to "hear the poetry of science," which I love and wish was elaborated upon - what does that teacher see as the "poetry of science." However, that's not where the book is headed. We follow the boy as he learns scientific ideas and in his head they come out as poems. Each of the poems in the story is inspired by another famous poem (which are all listed on the last page of the book). I do an activity with my kids like this w...more
Similar to the much loved Math Curse picture book, the Science Verse by Jon Sciezka takes a fun spin on scientific ideas and theories and makes them more kid friendly. In this picture book, the narrator is zapped with the curse of a Science Verse by his elementary school teacher. Every scientific topic is explained in a free verse or nursery rhyme form. From Darwinism to the water cycle to the scientific method, students will appreciate these poems that discuss science in a less "monotone" manne...more
Jon Scieszka’s writing is witty and creative as he explains the different theories of science in poetic proses. Jon Scieszka uses different scientific terms such as “evaporation” and “precipitation” to explain how everything in life works scientifically. Another one of my favorite poems that I forgot to mention on my list of favorite poems discusses the water cycle and Jon Scieszka puts the explanation of the water cycle to the tune of the popular children’s song, “It’s raining, it’s pouring.” L...more
A Summary/Thoughtful Review:
In his humorous scientific twists on age-old poems, nursery rhymes, and songs Jon Scieszka has written a collection of creative, witty poems about a broad range of science topics! Setting the scene in Mr. Newton's science class, a young boy has been "zapped" with a curse of the Science Verse, hearing everything as a science poem. In the pages that follow, readers enjoy the playful rhythms and rhymes of scientific topics such as: Evolution ("Glory, glory, evoluuution.....more
In his humorous scientific twists on age-old poems, nursery rhymes, and songs Jon Scieszka has written a collection of creative, witty poems about a broad range of science topics! Setting the scene in Mr. Newton's science class, a young boy has been "zapped" with a curse of the Science Verse, hearing everything as a science poem. In the pages that follow, readers enjoy the playful rhythms and rhymes of scientific topics such as: Evolution ("Glory, glory, evoluuution.....more
1 like · like · see review
What an amazing book! This book has SO much to offer children; it has science, poetry, entertainment, and humor, all in one book. Being built off of the ending to “Math Curse,” the little boy in the story gets a science curse put on him that makes him look at everything in a scientific way, and he can only speak in verses to communicate what he sees.
Children really will love all the humor they get out of this book. The rhymes, poetry, and even songs are all entertaining ways for them to read and...more
Children really will love all the humor they get out of this book. The rhymes, poetry, and even songs are all entertaining ways for them to read and...more
Science Verse is a wonderful compilation of science themed poems! Jon Scieszka takes typical, boring science topics (such as amoebas, the food chain, and black holes, metamorphosis) and spices them up to become thrilling, interesting, humorous stories. At the beginning of the book a boy is stricken with a "curse of science verse" and transforms all of his science topics into poems (several of which paradoy the rhymes of famous poems). The artwork throughout the book acts as a wonderful companio...more
This book is a science content-area book and is intended for grades 3-5. It is about a boy who is struck with the “curse of science verse” after being told by his teacher that the poetry of science can be heard in everything. The boy then begins to hear nothing but rhyming science verses about evolution, the water cycle, the food chain, the scientific method, and the solar system, among many others. The science verses written are based on well-known poems as stated in the back of the book.
This...more
This...more
Science Verse is a compilation of poems related to a science class. It is a companion book to Jon Scieszka’s Math Curse. It begins with a student who says that his science teacher, cleverly named Mr. Newton said that if they listen closely, they can “hear the poetry of science in everything”. The next day, the student begins to hear the poems in everything Mr. Newton teaches about science. This is a fun book for children to read because of its playful words and lightheartedness. This is not a go...more
The author's observations and conclusions noted at the end of this book were as interesting and funny as the book itself. Each poem has a science theme to which most students would be able to relate. Evolution, the water cycle, and the scientific method are a few examples of subjects put to familiar tunes such as "Casey at the Bat","It's raining, it's pouring..." and "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star." I didn't catch some of these connections until I read the author's notes, so it's worth an extra...more
I listened to the audio version of this book, while also having a hard copy to follow along. Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith read most the poems, and they are absolutely wonderful! I will never read this book again without listening to them. I also enjoyed them SO much because they would add lib between the poems and again at the end of the book, they are so funny and entertaining. Listening to them read it was so very enjoyable for me and it sounded like they enjoyed it as well.
This book is a coll...more
This book is a coll...more
Dec 06, 2012
Jamala Alkeshi
added it
This is a truly unique book which intertwines science and poetry, I have never seen this done before. This is similar to the Math Curse in which there is also a child who thinks they have a curse. In this book it is about a boy who is in science class listening to his teacher when suddenly the boy starts hearing everything in science poems. I love that the book has so many great poems in it that relate to topics in science such as dinosaurs, atoms and planets. The illustrations also compliment t...more
A variety of science (anatomy, astronomy, biology, chemistry, physics) is represented in this book of poems, which are modeled after famous pieces of literature. The verses are witty. They explain specific vocabulary, processes, and chemical reactions. The inside covers reveal the periodic table, and the back cover is decorated with scientific charts and web-diagrams. The text is tied together with the story of a little boy’s week at school, where he has Mr. Newton for science and Mr. Picasso fo...more
The Science Verse was a book about explaining scientific knowledge through poems. There were poems about photosynthesis, metamorphosis, the periodic table of elements, etc.
I picked this book up because Ms. Ma read the Math Curse to our class last year and i found it really interesting. I thought that this book would be very similar. Andrew also recommended this book to me because he read it before. Since Andrew and i have similar likes and dislikes, i decided to read this book.
I decided to c...more
I picked this book up because Ms. Ma read the Math Curse to our class last year and i found it really interesting. I thought that this book would be very similar. Andrew also recommended this book to me because he read it before. Since Andrew and i have similar likes and dislikes, i decided to read this book.
I decided to c...more
Dec 05, 2012
Barbara
added it
Science verse begins talking about how science in a poem, and only the creators of math curse would come up with a book about a science verse. This book is about a boy who is in science class and his teacher Mr. Newton points out that everything in sciencce is a poem. Suddenly the boy can't get the science poems out of his head. There are poems about evolution, poems, stars, and the water cycle. They are all talking about science but are actually quite catchy. I would recommend this book to any...more
A concept whose time has not come...
Science Verse is fairly dumb.
Lessons taught on the perimeter
Of bad iambic pentameter
Does not hearty reading make -
It is simply hard to take.
To seem nicer, it comes free
with the book read on CD.
(But it's a double-edged sword;
Jon and Lane sound rather bored.
Plus, their own rhymes they don't sing -
A few kids give it a fling.)
Such topics as evolution
(Though Kansas demands ablution),
Molecular states and chemics,
Things like global epidemics,
Human bodies, dinosaurs.....more
Science Verse is fairly dumb.
Lessons taught on the perimeter
Of bad iambic pentameter
Does not hearty reading make -
It is simply hard to take.
To seem nicer, it comes free
with the book read on CD.
(But it's a double-edged sword;
Jon and Lane sound rather bored.
Plus, their own rhymes they don't sing -
A few kids give it a fling.)
Such topics as evolution
(Though Kansas demands ablution),
Molecular states and chemics,
Things like global epidemics,
Human bodies, dinosaurs.....more
3 likes · like · see review
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
What if science was written as poetry? Or you were cursed with the Science Verse? A young boy in Mr. Newton's science class believed he was zapped with the Science Verse when his teacher tells the class, "You know, if you listen closely enough, you can hear the poetry of science in everything." And that just what happens; the young boy starts seeing everything science as poetry, from evolution, to the water cycle, to the scientific method, to human anatomy, and to astronomy. Until he wakes up an...more
This is a really wonderful and unique collection of poetry created by the amazingly original Jon Scieszka and his partner-in-crime, Lane Smith. It's sort of a companion book to the duo's previous work, Math Curse, although that one is not required to be read beforehand in order to understand this volume. Scieszka and Smith find a way to make science be an exciting subject, without some of the boredom that can sometimes creep its way into the subject, through humor and some good old poetry. Hopef...more
“Science Verse” is a fun and creative way to explain the different theories of science. Different fun and rhyming poems throughout the book use larger vocabulary words (that students should be learning in their science classes) to help explain these theories in a fun, yet scientific way. In addition, there are clever and enjoyable illustrations to go along with the information provided in the text. The text itself would not be as much fun if the pictures where not provided. The illustrations dra...more
Possibly one of the most genius books I've ever seen. It's a book of poetry. About science. And the poems are all based on famous poems or song lyrics. Which you don't know until the end, unless you recognize them, which I did. "Gobblegooky" is based on "Jabberwocky," by Lewis Carroll. "Dino-Sore" is based on "The Raven," by Edgar Allan Poe. "Astronaut Stopping by a Planet on a Snowy Evening"... you get the idea.
Jack be nimble, Jack be quick....more
Jack jump over the combustion reaction of O2 + heat +
Jon Scieszka's "Science Verse" is a children's book that comprises old nursery rhymes with humorous science-themed poetry told from an omniscient point of view. For example on the the page entitled, "Why Scientists Don't Write Nursery Rhymes", Scieszka compiles 4 poems that are evidence of the title, such as:
"Mary had a little worm.
She thought it was a chigger.
But everything that Mary ate,
Only made it bigger.
It came with her to school one day,
And gave the kids a fright, Especially when the teac...more
"Mary had a little worm.
She thought it was a chigger.
But everything that Mary ate,
Only made it bigger.
It came with her to school one day,
And gave the kids a fright, Especially when the teac...more
I absolutely loved this book, could not stop smiling at the rhymes and themes. It works as a great read out loud and a CD is provided by the narrator.
I believe the book is a great way for students to become interested in science and by promoting different ways in learning. The book gets its humor from playing word games with the vocabulary of science textbooks. The poems are based around this sentence, and the student characters listen to the teacher say, "if you listen closely enough, you can...more
I believe the book is a great way for students to become interested in science and by promoting different ways in learning. The book gets its humor from playing word games with the vocabulary of science textbooks. The poems are based around this sentence, and the student characters listen to the teacher say, "if you listen closely enough, you can...more
When the teacher tells his class that they can hear the poetry of science in everything, a student is struck with a curse and begins hearing nothing but science verses that sound very much like some well-known poems.
-Thanks to Goodreads
Literary Awards:
Parent’s Choice Award Gold 2004 Non-Fiction
ALA Notable Children’s Book Award 2005
Genre: Non-Fiction, Humor
Reading Level: 3rd-6th grade
Topic: Science, Poetry
Use: Guided Reading, Independent Reading
Social Issues: evolution, water cycle, anatomy...more
-Thanks to Goodreads
Literary Awards:
Parent’s Choice Award Gold 2004 Non-Fiction
ALA Notable Children’s Book Award 2005
Genre: Non-Fiction, Humor
Reading Level: 3rd-6th grade
Topic: Science, Poetry
Use: Guided Reading, Independent Reading
Social Issues: evolution, water cycle, anatomy...more
Five billion stars! Frickin' hilarious, and the accompanying cd read by Scieszka and Lane made it all come together. Not only are they great readers and added some funny asides between the poems, the children doing the simpler songs and handclap games as well as the sound effects really pulled together and engaged me in the book.
Pieces would work well for units in younger grades (like 3rd Water Cycle and Food Chain) while others such as Gobblegooky could be used with middle to highschoolers doin...more
Pieces would work well for units in younger grades (like 3rd Water Cycle and Food Chain) while others such as Gobblegooky could be used with middle to highschoolers doin...more
The book is filled with humorous poems about various scientific concepts. The poems may appeal to a variety of older readers, including science lovers and those who may struggle with the subject. The poems may even help students remember certain terms and concepts. Most of the poems are based on classics and may appeal to poetry fans, as well.
The illustrations are surreal, befitting the premise of a child who is “hearing everything as a science poem.” Certain images are also reminiscent of diag...more
The illustrations are surreal, befitting the premise of a child who is “hearing everything as a science poem.” Certain images are also reminiscent of diag...more
Mr. Newton tells his science class "You know, if you listen closely enough, you can hear the poetry of science in everything." One of his young students does just that and the next day he begins hearing everything as a science poem. Join him for a fun, poetic romp through science topics such as, the water cycle, dinosaurs, body structure, the senses, bacteria, evolution and metamorphosis.
Science Verse by Jon Scieszka makes listening and learning about science topics fun with his creative rhythm...more
Science Verse by Jon Scieszka makes listening and learning about science topics fun with his creative rhythm...more
Love the duo of Smith and Lane! You must always read their books from cover to cover because even the end papers and dedications will have a touch of humor! I loved the little jab at the yearly dinosaur unit that seemed to be in every grade level's curriculum! Four nursery rhymes were converted to science verse including:
Jack be nimble, Jack be quick
Jack jump over the combustion reation of O2 + heat + fuel to form CO2 + light + heat exhaust!
How much fun to have your students express their scienc...more
Jack be nimble, Jack be quick
Jack jump over the combustion reation of O2 + heat + fuel to form CO2 + light + heat exhaust!
How much fun to have your students express their scienc...more
Why I love it: Yes, It’s Jon Scieszka’s humor but its famous poems from the likes of Longfellow and Edgar Allen Poe made into a science parody that really turn me on. The little ditty above is just a taste. Jon turns body parts into gory soup with a poem off of Lewis Carroll that is sure to please the most boyish boy teaming with testosterone. He plays with the poem of Hiawatha turning it into the cellular structure. It’s just so darn clever. The book can even turn the most unscholarly nonacedem...more
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Jon Scieszka is a writer and teacher. He lives in Brooklyn, New York, with his wife and two children. Occasionally he has been known to howl at the full moon. --from the dust jacket of "The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs"
Jon Scieszka is also the author of the best-selling ALA Notable Book, The True Story of the Three Little Pigs, as well as Knights of the Kitchen Table, and The Not-So-Jolly Roger...more
More about Jon Scieszka...
Jon Scieszka is also the author of the best-selling ALA Notable Book, The True Story of the Three Little Pigs, as well as Knights of the Kitchen Table, and The Not-So-Jolly Roger...more
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“AMOEBA
Don't ever tease a wee amoeba
By calling him a her amoeba.
And don't call her a he amoeba.
Or never he a she amoeba.
'Cause whether his or hers amoeba,
They too feel like you and meba.”
—
4 people liked it
More quotes…
Don't ever tease a wee amoeba
By calling him a her amoeba.
And don't call her a he amoeba.
Or never he a she amoeba.
'Cause whether his or hers amoeba,
They too feel like you and meba.”
Nov 16, 2010 12:30pm