Pistes d'exploration

In teams, create a poster advertising the benefits of a certain plant or warning people of its dangers.

Choose a genre (e.g. fantasy, horror, suspense). Choose a fruit or plant and write a story about it in that genre. Use information from the book to help you determine some of its unique characteristics.

Play a sensory game. Blindfolded, try to identify the smells of common herbs. Discuss why it is important to know what you are eating and where your food comes from.

Identify the origins of certain plants and locate the places on a world map.

Sort plants according to the types of problems they create. Present your results using a graphic organizer. 

Research plants that are found in your environment (house, yard, parks, forest) that affect people or animals in different ways. Make a poster of these plants, using the book as a model.

Jack and the Beanstalk

Mots-clés

Non-fiction , ecosystems , illustrations (photographs) , insects , nature , plants , poison

Commentaire descriptif

“Green, growing and deadly!” Using the sensational language of old-fashioned thrillers, this fun book on plants lures readers like a Venus flytrap lures flies. Plants that poison, burn, eat meat and strangle are all featured. While getting a fix of sensationalism, young readers will learn elements of basic plant science and how important plants are to our survival. An abundance of photos, cartoons, expressive type and splashy layouts manage to relegate the fairly substantial text to bite-size captions. The clear, chatty language ensures these will be read: “Why do plants squirt and splat? It’s usually to do with their fruits and seeds . . . so that they can land in the soil and grow a new plant . . . .” The combination of plant facts, myths and history make this book appealing for children with all kinds of interests. Readers can shudder at fabled man-eating trees (“Terrible Tales”) and learn practical tips, such as how to spot poison ivy (“Skin Attackers”). Whether perused cover-to-cover or just flipped through, this book is designed to make information accessible. Back material includes a glossary, online resources and an index.