Animals that Glow on Book Talk Thursday

Students will be amazed as they read about animals that glow in the book Glow. And using it in your classroom can be simple and engaging.


I'm so excited, kind of like a kid in a candy store! The Virginia Readers' Choice book lists are out, and I snatched up as many as I could to start reviewing them here. The first one that really caught my eye is Glow:  Animals with Their Own Night-lights by W. H. Beck. {Affiliate links provided to fund future book purchases.} This informational book has amazing pictures and a very different approach to presenting information

Book Summary

Beck set up the book Glow:  Animals with Their Own Night-Lights in quite a unique way. There are two sets of words on each page, big words and little words. The larger words are perfect to read to younger students and to get the idea of bioluminescence - the ability to glow - across to them. It is also a great way to introduce the idea to all students. It is the heart of the book.

But the book also gives the reader so many more details about bioluminescence and the animals that have it. Each set of smaller words tells more information about the reason animals use it, showcasing one particular animal. The pictures of the animals are truly amazing! I also like how the end of the book shows the true sizes of the animals. 

Classroom Application

This versatile book can be read with just about any grade level. I actually used it with a group of 5th graders. They were amazed by the book and oohed and awed at many of the pictures and facts. 

We have been working on test review, answering questions about a passage. I turned it around. I read the big words out loud to them, showing them the pictures. Then I read SOME of the pages' little words. We worked together to create and answer questions about those. After working together, each student got their own set of little words to write their own questions and have a friend answer them. Here is what we did.
Asking questions helps students understand how to answer questions.


Asking and answering questions makes learning really happen in the book Glow.

Not only can the book be used for basic question and answers. It can also be used for generating ideas for research. Students can choose an animal to research. And of course, science teachers can incorporate reading into their lessons.

Overall, the book Glow:  Animals with Their Own Night-Lights makes a perfect book to use with all grade levels. 
Students will be amazed as they read about animals that glow in the book Glow. And using it in your classroom can be simple and engaging.

Stay tuned as I come back over the next few weeks and highlight reviews and ways to use the Virginia Readers' Choice books on Book Talk Thursday.


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