Science Verse

Citation

Scieszka, Jon, and Lane Smith. Science Verse. New York: Viking, 2004. ISBN 0670910570

Poetic Elements

Given that this is a book composed almost entirely of science poems based on previously existing works of poetry, the author has done a fabulous job of staying true to the form of each original poem. This includes the structural form and the rhyming. For example, the poem Food Chain, which is based on the tune “I've Been Working On the Railroad” is poetry that can be sung! The elements have stayed true, and the reader can learn some science while singing it to a familiar tune. The same can be said for every other piece of poetry in the book. They have done a masterful job of teaching real material in a fun and relatable format while maintaining the authenticity of the original poetic elements.

Appeal and Overall Quality

This is a highly appealing book from a well known author/illustrator team Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith. Their creativity has reached a new high with how they have taken familiar poems, songs, and nursery rhymes and given them a scientific twist. The students will enjoy reading through the book and figuring out what song or poem it reminds them of, but what I absolutely love is at the end. They have listed their “Observations and Conclusions” on the last page that draws the parallel between the poem they wrote for their book and the one it was based on. From “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” to “The Raven” to “Paul Revere's Ride” it is amazing what classics they have drawn from. The illustrations are a whole other adventure by themselves. Lane Smith uses a diverse color palette and collage format to create vivid This is a great way to introduce some of those lesser known works to students while their ears are perked up.

Spotlight Poem

I would present each of the following Nursery Rhymes...

Mary Had a...

Mary had a little worm.

She thought it was a chigger.

But everything that Mary ate,

Only made it bigger.

It came with her to school one day,

And gave the kids a fright,

Especially when the teacher said,

“Now that's a parasite.”

Hey Diddle Diddle

Hey diddle diddle, what kind of riddle

Is this nature of light?

Sometimes it's a wave,

Other times particle...

But which answer will be marked right?

Jack Be Nimble

Jack, be nimble, Jack be quick.

Jack jump over the combustion reaction of O2 + heat + fuel to form CO2 + light + heat + exhaust.

Good Night

Good night, sleep tight,

Don't let the bedbug

tick, or louse

suck blood from you,

hatch its eggs,

and then develop the larvae on you

...all right?

Follow-Up Activity

What a fabulous opportunity with older students! I would present them with these nursery rhymes written by scientists and we would begin by comparing the traditional version to what we have here. Then we would study the scientific references made within each of the nursery rhymes before allowing them to take a nursery rhyme of their own and try to re-write it from a scientific perspective! I think there would be a diverse representation and boundless creativity!

Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 2-5–In Math Curse (Viking, 1995), a teacher's chance comment causes a girl to see every aspect of her life as a math problem. This time around, the fun starts when a boy hears this remark: "…if you listen closely enough, you can hear the poetry of science in everything." What follows is a series of poems that parody the styles of Joyce Kilmer, Edgar Allan Poe, Lewis Carroll, Robert Frost, and many others, as well as familiar songs and nursery rhymes. "Once in first grade I was napping/When I heard a scary yapping" begins a lament about studying dinosaurs year after year. In "Astronaut Stopping by a Planet on a Snowy Evening," the narrator bemoans the fact that he can't figure out what planet he's on because "In science class I was asleep…." Children need not be familiar with the works upon which the spoofs are based to enjoy the humor, but this is a perfect opportunity to introduce the originals and to discuss parody as a poetic form. The dynamic cartoons are an absolute delight. The expressions on the face of the beleaguered boy keep readers smiling and the pages are chock-full of funny details that are in perfect sync with the poems. Printed in a cream-colored, readable font and set against solid backgrounds, the text is never overwhelmed by the frenetic illustrations. Fans of Scieszka and Smith will be in heaven, but the book will appeal to one and all.–Grace Oliff, Ann Blanche Smith School, Hillsdale, NJ

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From Booklist

*Starred Review* Gr. 3-5. In this worthy companion to Math Curse (1995), a boy sits in science class listening to his teacher drone on about "the poetry of science," when he is stricken with a "curse of science verse." Every thought comes to him in rhyme, and not just any rhyme, but parodies of famous poems and songs. Not just any parodies, but hilarious ones, particularly for those familiar with the originals, from Kilmer's "Trees" and Poe's "The Raven" to "I'm a Little Teapot" and "Eenie, meanie, mynie, mo." Clever and often droll, the verse ably juggles facts, meter, and rhyme schemes and usually reflects a student's point of view: grossed out by the human body, bored by yet another year of dinosaur study, more concerned about writing down the right answer than getting at the truth. Smith's multimedia collage artwork, incorporating drawings, paintings, and printed materials, is sophisticated yet accessible... A beautifully designed book--intelligent, irreverent, inviting, and downright irresistible.