Under the Sea

by Linsay Knight

An exciting illustrated reference library for children age 8 and up. Integrated, highly visual approach sure to engage video-age kids. Authoritative, up-to-date information plus games, quizzes, puzzles, and activities.

Genres: Science

64 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 1995

About the author

Linsay has written a number of non-fiction titles including two volumes of The Dictionary of Performing Arts (with two other writers)and Volcanoes and Under the Sea. She has edited various story collections, including 30 Australian Stories for Children, 30 Australian Ghost Stories for Children and Stories for 6,7,8 & 9 year olds.

In her spare time, Linsay enjoys playing the viola (she was the Principal Viola of the St Andrews Chamber Orchestra) and is currently a member of a string quartet.

Reviews

[Kristen Kurre · Rating 5 out of 5]

Under the Sea is a great nonfiction picture book for more experienced readers in 3rd grade and older. The book begins by introducing the physical environment of the oceans. A significant portion of the book shows the various marine environments that are classified according to their depth and temperature. There is also a section about the mysteries and legends of the sea. The illustrations accompanying the text are bright, accurate, and realistic. The pictures and their captions provide good support to the text. It looks at life forms in different water environments, undersea exploration, and man’s use of resources that come from the sea, as well as issues such as pollution and conservation.

I would introduce this book to students as a possible reading source for reports about the resources that come from the ocean. This book would also be a good resource for different science topics, particularly marine life. If working on a science unit pertaining to the ocean, this book would be a great accessory to the unit. I would assign each student or a pair of students to a particular section of the book. The students could then further their research in a more specialized topic and then present that information to the class in a meaningful way. I would give them choices on the type of report they could submit. For example, the students could submit a written report, a play about life under the sea, an illustration of a section from the book, a chart that categorizes all that is found under the sea, etc. Also, this book would be a useful tool to introduce students to the table of contents and its purpose in a book. The table of contents is laid out well and becomes an important book handling element to focus on.

This book provides an ideal launching pad for those children who are keen to learn about the natural world. It is definitely quite outstanding in its presentation of material. This book is very educational and will definitely engage upper elementary students and students of all levels.