Reading Responses

RATIONALE

            Because I plan on teaching Composite Science at Secondary level, I tried to choose books that covered all the Science disciplines. Earth and Big Bang could be used for Astronomy to explain concepts such as various theories on the origin of the universe and black holes. Parasite Rex would be a great book to use in a Biology class as an introduction and instructional supplementing tool for a unit over adaptation and relationships between organisms. Double Helix and Genome would also be great books to use in a Biology class when going over topics like genetics and genetic manipulation. I also tried to have fiction and non-fiction books. Fiction books would offer students more intrigue and it would be easier for them to be caught up in the story, and therefore the Science, then most non-fiction books. However, I tried to choose non-fiction books that were not too boring or too technical so that students would be interested in them.

Title: Earth

Author: David Brin

Publisher: Bantam Books
Copyright: 1990
ISBN#: 0553057782
Genre: Fiction
Library Location: Canyon Area Library

 Summary:

                Earth is set in the future in the year 2038, where governments hide nothing and secrets are not allowed. In this book, an artificially created black hole has been lost in the interior of the Earth and there is a race to attempt to recover it before it destroys everything. However, it is discovered that there was already a black hole in the interior of the Earth. So with only 2 years before the black hole destroys the Earth, humanity must race to find out who put the black hole there and why.
Personal Comments: 
            The main reason I chose this book was because the plot was interesting and full of twists and turns. Some of the futuristic elements of the book are realities in today’s technology. This book discusses topics in astronomy and political science. In the future world in Earth, many countries have fallen and collapsed after war, and the threat of humanities extinction causes the countries to band together to find a solution and save mankind.
Suggested Use in Classroom:
                I would use this book in my classroom during an Astronomy unit. It talks about black holes and what they are capable of. And since it is fiction, it would keep the students interested in the plot of the book while still giving them some Science input. I would use this book to lead to discussions about how there are theories about a black hole at the center of our galaxy and how that might affect us. I would also like to discuss the importance of the consequences of the wars on Earth, but how they were overcome when humanity was faced with a greater threat.

Title: Big Bang: the origin of the universe

Author: Simon Singh
Publisher: Fourth Estate
Copyright: 2004
ISBN#: 0007162200
Genre: Non-Fiction
Library Location: Amarillo Public Library

Summary:

                In Big Bang Theory, Simon Singh discusses many theories of how the universe worked and how it was made. He also tells personal stories about the people responsible for unveiling the truth about our universe. Singh talks about the inaccurate portrait of the universe that was painted by Copernicus and Galileo, where the Sun was the center of our universe that took up a limited amount of space. He then contributes our modern knowledge of the universe as an expanding universe to the findings of men such as Kepler, Einstein, Friedmann, and Lemaitre to name but a few. He also discusses and explains the scientific method and it’s importance in science and scientific discoveries.
Personal Comments: 
                I personally like this book because it starts off with a history of how the theory of the universe started and evolved into the Big Bang Theory over time. I like how Simon Singh discusses several scientist’s contribution. The book is very informative without being boring or too tedious to read. I found this book to be interesting and inspiring because it takes an idea that seems too big to comprehend and breaks it down to where anyone could understand the concepts.
Suggested Use in Classroom:
                Big Bang Theory could be a great introduction for an Astronomy unit. It is an easy enough read that the students could read through it on their own and could be used for discussions in class. For example, you could use this book as a discussion topic on creationism vs. evolution of the universe. I also believe that this book could be used for an example on the importance of the Scientific method. This book does an excellent job highlighting the importance and relevance of good research by using the Scientific method.

Title: Double Helix

Author: Nancy Werlin
Publisher: Dial Books
Copyright: 2004
ISBN#: 0803726066
Genre: Fiction
Library Location: Canyon Area Library

Summary:

                In Double Helix, 18 year old Eli Samuels is a highly gifted young man, both mentally and athletically, who gets a job working for the famous molecular biologist, Dr. Wyatt. Eli’s father is strongly against Eli working for Dr. Wyatt but won’t say why, or explain the connection that Dr. Wyatt has to his family. As Eli starts working for Dr. Wyatt, he begins to notice how interested Dr. Wyatt is about him and starts to think maybe he is too interested. Eli later learns that he and his new friend Kayla were part of a gene manipulating experiment to find a way to remove Huntington’s disease from stored eggs.
Personal Comments: 
                The reason I chose this book was because it deals with many concepts and issues that students will learn and will be faced with in life. Much of this book revolves around ethical issues regarding gene manipulation. With today’s technology, this is possible and is practiced, although some people still question the ethics of such manipulation. Although the manipulations of genes to remove diseases from the population could be used, many people fear gene manipulation wouldn’t stop there.Double Helix also makes references to the Human Genome Project, which documents all the genes and DNA in the human makeup. This is a real project that scientists undertook in order to gain a better understanding of the human DNA and how we as humans work.
Suggested Use in Classroom:
              This book would be great for students to read during a unit on DNA, genetics, or reproduction. The issues discussed in the book are issues that students will face as they grow older. Some students may be doctors or politicians that would vote and implement these kinds of ideas. Ethics and morals are things that students need to learn. Employers look for employees that have strong work ethics and morals so that they can rely on their employees to distinguish between right and wrong. This is why I believe this book is an excellent choice.
 

Title: Genome

Author: Matt Ridley
Publisher: Harper Perennial
Copyright: 2006
ISBN#: 0060894083
Genre: Non-Fiction
Library Location: Amarillo Public Library

Summary:

                In Genome, a chapter is dedicated to each pair of chromosomes in human DNA. It discusses ways that individual genes can affect our lives, from our physiology, to various diseases, and even to certain behaviors. It also covers a brief history of genetics and talks about the contributions of people like Gregor Mendel, James Watson, and Francis Crick. There is also a chapter dedicated to sex chromosomes and how they work.
Personal Comments: 
            One of my favorite things about this book is that before you even start reading the book, there is a 3 page glossary that defines key terms at the beginning of the book that you can easily turn to if need be. I love the fact that Matt Ridley wrote the book in a way that it does not take a lot of background knowledge to understand and appreciate the importance of the information in this book. Genome is a generalized view of what we know about the human chromosomes and DNA and why it is relevant to us.
Suggested Use in Classroom:
                I would use this book in my classroom as an instructional supplement for a unit on genetic and DNA. It is a very easy read and is not hard to understand, so it would be a wonderful tool for the students to have as extra material on the topic. It talks about all the information that the students would need to know, and gives examples of how this information is important and relevant to their lives.

Title: Parasite Rex

Author: Carl Zimmer
Publisher: Free Press
Copyright: 2000    
ISBN#: 0684856387
Genre: Non-Fiction
Library Location: Amarillo Public Library

Summary:

            In Parasite Rex, Cars Zimmer dives into a world of “nature’s criminals,” the parasites. In this book, Zimmer talks about every aspect of parasitism you could ever possibly want to know about. He gives example after example of how parasites enter, live in, and survive living in their hosts. He discusses at length the adaptation methods and survival mechanisms that both parasites and their hosts have evolved throughout history. At times gruesomely descriptive, Zimmer illustrates the serious impact parasites have in any organism’s evolution.
Personal Comments: 
                I was immediately drawn to this book about some of nature’s nastiest, most revolting, and incredibly fascinating creatures. It never ceased to amaze me the different adaptations that parasites have evolved in order to survive in their particular hosts. Zimmer manages to hook your attention and keep it throughout the book by weaving easy, understandable Science into his book. Each new parasite you encounter in this book draws you more and more into the world of parasites that Zimmer penned in this incredible book.
Suggested Use in Classroom:
                This book would be an excellent lead in for a unit on relationships between organisms in an ecosystem. It would definetley peak student’s interest in the topic and give them background knowledge on some of nature’s most fascinating organisms. The book is fairly easy to read and incredibly descriptive and informative, so students would be easily drawn into the book. It is a great example of how organisms evolve together over time and impact each other. Overall, I believe this book would be a great resource to use in any Biology classroom.