A Full Moon Is Rising (Marilyn Singer)

Title:  A Full Moon Is Rising

Author:  Marilyn Singer

Illustrator:  Julia Cairns

Target Ages:  7 and up

Genre:  Poetry

Publisher Summary:

In the night sky, nothing is more magical than the full moon that rises every month.  When it shines, all kinds of fascinating things occur.  Tides rise to enormous heights.  Children dare each other to climb a staircase to the moon.  Families eat cakes with a moon inside.  Campers watch out for werewolves.  And sometimes, the whole moon disappears in Earth’s shadow. 

Come along on a whirlwind tour of the world to discover an amazing collection of full moon celebrations, beliefs, customs, and facts.  We’ll visit India, Israel, Morocco, China, Australia, and many more places to see what can happen…when a full moon is rising. 

Sample Poems:

“Cloudy Night”

Bogota, Colombia

Too many clouds. Rain coming.

It’s impossible to see the moon.

But she knows it’s up there,

    With that special dimple.

She’s seen its picture—

    Garavito crater,

named for her favorite astronomer,

   and from her country too.

She thinks, One day they’ll name a crater after me.

She hopes, Or better yet, a new lunar sea.

“Broadway Moon Again”

New York City, USA

On the sidewalk, the audience of one

 is now ten.

“What you looking at, girl?” they ask.

“Oh, the moon,” she says. “Just the moon.”

But what a moon!

Between the skyscrapers, it takes a bow.

“Encore in one month!” it proclaims.

“Admission is always free.”

Evaluation: 

A Full Moon Is Rising takes readers on a lyrical tour of the world.  Different customs and cultures—past and present—related to the full moon are revealed.  Readers get a snap shot of places, such as New York City, Morocco, Australia, Israel, Columbia, and Hong Kong. Julia Cairns’ lovely watercolor illustrations are a celebration of the brilliant full moon and the many diverse people groups. 

The “About the Poems “section is informative and interesting.  In it, teachers and parents will find a short explanation of the scientific, historical, and cultural background for each poem. 

From the peaceful view under a tent in the desert to the dancing jubilee in an African village to the hustle and bustle of the city, people everywhere look with wonder at the full moon illuminating the darkness to all equally.

Ideas for Extension Activities at Home or Lesson Plans for Teachers:

Moon Phases Foldable
Mini Book:  Moon Phases
Moon Phase Balloons
Moon Phase Paper Plates
Moon Phase Oreo Cookies
Foil Printed Moon Craft
Making Moon Craters Activity
28 Moon Books for Kids
Moon Dust Writing Tray
Space Writing Prompts
More Moon Activities

For more poetic inspiration, visit Check It Out for the Poetry Friday link up.

Paul Goble and Native American Starlore

In the ancient world, people looked to the sky to understand the world around them and to navigate while traveling. Most cultures developed stories about the celestial bodies—the stars, moon, and sun. They were often associated with origin stories and other myths. The natives of North American had many different ideas about what the stars meant. Two stories representing this tradition are recorded by Paul Goble who has over many decades developed a close relationship with some of our native American tribes. His writing and illustrations demonstrate a great reverence for these people and their traditions. Her Seven Brothers and Star Boy illustrate a strong feeling of connection that many cultures had to the stars, sun, and moon. 

Her Seven Brothers

A young Indian girl lives as an only child with her parents. She is never alone though because she can speak with the birds and animals. Her mother teaches her to embroider with the dyed porcupine quills. The tribe marvels at the amazing skill she develops. They are sure her talent comes from the spirits. One day she begins to sew clothes for a man—a shirt and a pair of moccasins. Her mother inquires as to why she is making them. The girl reveals that there are seven brothers who live in the north country who she plans to travel to in order to become their sister.  After many months, she completes all seven sets and loads them up for her journey. Leaving her mother she says, “Soon you will see me again with my brothers; everyone will know and love us!”  The retelling of this Cheyenne legend reveals what happens when she meets her brothers and how they become the stars of the Big Dipper. 

Star Boy

Two sisters awake as Morning Star fills the sky.  The older sister declares her great admiration for him and longing to be his wife. Morning Star comes to her as a man and sweeps her up to the sky to meet his mother (the moon) and father (the sun). Together they live happily there, eventually having a son. Her mother-in-law gives her a stick to dig up roots.  She is told she can dig up any plant except ones with pink flowers. Like Eve and Pandora, she eventually does the one thing she is commanded not to.  When she does, she sees her family and the world she left behind. The Sun angrily tells her, “Now your heart will always be in two place; you will never be happy here, nor in the world below.  You must go back to your people.”  The woman and baby return to the tribe. The woman dies when the boy is still young, and she becomes Evening Star. Her son, Star Boy, falls in love with the chief’s beautiful daughter. She agrees to marry him but first he has to go on a quest.  This story from the Blackfeet tribe explains how he ends up in the sky too!  The book includes the traditional “Song of the Rising Sun.”

Check out these books at your local library or bookstore to find out how they end! 

Teaching Resources

• Literature: Read Additional Stories on Native American Starlore.  Compare and contrast different ones. 
• Astronomy: Use the stories to connect to a unit on astronomy. 
• Local History: Study the local tribes that live(d) in your state or area. 
• Ancient History: Compare and contrast starlore stories of Native American cultures to other ancient cultures. 
• Other Activities: Check out this Native American Sky Legends Teacher’s Guide  for some additional teaching ideas.

Picture Books (Science): Planet Series (by L. L. Owens)

A Child’sWorld has an impressive series of non-fiction books on the planets in the solar system called Space Neighbors.    Each planet, and the sun, has a book devoted to it.   I reviewed 3 books in the series:  Saturn, Mercury, and Pluto and Other Dwarf Planets. 

Author L.L.Owens begins each book by placing the planet in the night sky.  Key vocabulary words are in bold, such as solar system, orbit, and telescope.  Next, a sweeping two-page layout displays all of the planets in relation to the sun and each other.  In the left-bottom corner, Fun Facts are provided that include distance from sun, size, planet number, and facts unique to the planet.   The follow pages include large, bold pictures of the plant and information about the speed of rotation and revolution, surface, atmosphere, temperature, exploration, and much more. 

Owens uses simple text (second grade reading level) which makes this series fantastic for children in the primary grades (1-4).  She offers context for many of the facts with child-oriented comparisons, like the distance around Mercury’s middle is “longer than 100 million hot dogs placed end to end” or the shape of the planet is “more like a football than a baseball.”  Some of the core information about the definitions of rotation, revolution, and the solar system are reviewed in each book.  The books include a glossary of important terms to build science vocabulary. 

The illustrations and photographs are eye-catching.   The planets are viewed from different angles and distances, extending the written text.  Other photographs and illustrations are included to round out the fascinating facts presented to the young readers.  I recommend the Space Neighbor series for ages 6-10. 

I created a Pinterest board of some amazing ideas on the web to teach about the solar system.  

This post is linked up at Momto2PoshDivas for Sunday Showcase and Science Sunday at Adventures in Mommydom.

Picture Book (Science): Meet the Planets (by John McGranaghan)

Summary of Meet the Planets:    

Coming to you live from the Milky Way, Pluto (former ninth planet) emcees the first ever Favorite Planet Competition.   Pluto begins by introducing the inner plants—Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars.  These solid, rocky planets are closest to the sun.  Who is your favorite?  The fastest planet—Mercury?  The brightest one—Venus?  The “mother” of life—Earth?  OR The red-faced planet, named after the god of war—Mars?  Next up, the outer plants—Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.  These gaseous planets have their own rings!  The question is:  Does one of them deserve to be the winner?   The largest planet—Jupiter?  The light on his feet—Saturn?  The slanted one—Uranus?  The beautiful blue planet—Neptune?  The judges cannot come to a decision.  So that means that YOU will decide the Favorite!

Evaluation:

Author John McGranaghan creatively introduces readers to the planets in the Milky Way using the competition framework. The fast-paced text offers up an intriguing glimpse into the unfathomable world of outer space.  Captivated readers will be eager to learn more about space and the Greek mythology references.  The imaginative illustrations by Laurie Allen Klein depict astronomers, scientist, mathematicians, and other historical figures related to the study of space.  She cleverly incorporates famous works of art and historical objects.  Sylvan Dell’s across the curriculum teaching guide identifies all the figures and connections, prompting research and learning opportunities.  There are so many layers to this book that each time through can be a new experience, depending on the level, age, and interest of the participants.  Meet the Plants is an out of this world journey through space and learning. 

For more excellent teaching opportunities, check out the Sylvan Dell’s teaching guide and book page.    

Picture Book: How the Moon Regained Her Shape by Janet Ruth Heller

Summary of How the Moon Regained Her Shape:    

Inspired by Native American folktales, How the Moon Regained Her Shape personifies the moon as “round and full, proud of her gentle light.”  She is fearless and lively.  One day as she dances across the sky, the sun demeans her.  The moon stops dancing because she is tormented by the sun’s words.  Slowly, her body dwindles until she is just “a sliver of her former self.”  Comet notices the changes in his friend, so he visits her.  He urges her to visit a woman named Round Arms.  The moon is warmly welcomed and comforted in the Native American woman’s hut.  Round Arms leads the moon around to various places and people who value her light and force.  At the final stop, a hundred women are dancing and singing:

We sing to the moon, our sister,

Who pulls the seas to the sands,

Who changes her shape like a magician,

Who lights our paths at night. 

Return to the sky, our sister,

For we miss your gentle beams

And your loving smile.

Her eyes sparkling with joy, the moon returns to the sky.  Even though she still wanes when someone insults her, she always “regains her strength and fullness” because she remembers her crucial job and caring friends.   

Evaluation: 

How the Moon Regained Her Shape is a brilliant example of how ancient people created stories to help them understand the world around them.  The eye-catching illustrations in neutral and muted colors (by Ben Hodson) accompany the stellar storytelling (from Janet Ruth Heller).  The book is a creative way to introduce a lesson or discussion on the lunar phases.  

In addition, the power of words and the effects of bullying are depicted in a powerful but hopeful manner.  Though the moon feels hurt and discouraged, she learns to appreciate her unique value—something everyone needs to learn.  As a result, she is able to overcome adversity.  I highly recommend How the Moon Regained Her Shape for ages 6-11.   Publisher Sylvan Dell has compiled a 38-page Teacher's Guide and other web resources to help build your lesson plans and extension activities around.  

Teaching Oppoturnities:

Create a Moon Poem

Moon Observation Calendar

Moon Observation Journal

Moon Phase Website


Oreo Cook Moon Phases (Pinterest and Science Bob's Blog)