Reading Level: Grade 1 Interest Level: Grades K – 1
We zip up our coats, jot down a quick note, and even flush the toilet without a second thought. But where did the technologies and tools we use every day come from? Explore the fascinating moments these inventions changed our word. Carefully leveled text, engaging images, and fun facts help capture the story of who, how, and why these things came to be.
Rather than covering the process of converting raw materials into the final objects this series explores where and when the original items were first invented. Readers will learn that scissors were first made 3,000 years ago and early bicycles did not have brakes. Every spread is a full-page image facing a few sentences of text. Terms in bold font appear in the glossary along with a helpful image. “Fun Facts’ ends each book with a few tidbits, such as “There are more than 56,000 types of perfume in the world!” A few books for further reading are suggested along with the online resources available through the FactSurfer website. There are also tips for teachers. VERDICT: An extremely useful series for lessons on comparing past and present or how things change over time.
