Castle
Publication Information
Author:  Macaulay, David	Illustrator:  Macauley, David
Title:  Castle	Date:  1977
Publisher:  Houghton Mifflin	City:  Boston, MA
ISBN, paperback:  0-395-32920-5	ISBN, hardback:
Recommended audience:
ABE/ABLE:   Yes	ESOL:
Family:   Yes	Young Adult:
Picture:   Yes
General Information:
Book Type(s):    nonfiction, reference
HSE Descriptor(s):    science
Summary:
This engaging informational book tells the story of the step-by-step planning and construction of a (fictitious) castle in England in the last part of the 13th century. Eventually the castle is attacked by Welsh soldiers, but it withstands the siege. The book is illustrated in black and white with meticulous detail and ends with a full page glossary of terms.
Teaching Ideas:
The many readers who prefer informational books to fiction will find Castle a good book to read independently, although it may require higher-level reading skills unless the teacher fully explicates the historical or scientific concepts beforehand. A focus on the simple machines (pulleys, inclines, etc.) used to build the castle provides a chance to study physics. In a family literacy setting, parents may want to construct a partial model out of cardboard with their children. The book provides wonderful opportunities for vocabulary expansion. Teachers may want to combine this book with others set during this period in history, for example Till Year's Good End, perhaps designing the unit to culminate in a medieval feast. David Macaulay: www.viewz.com/interview/dmacaulay/dmacaulay.shtml
Keywords: select any link below for a list of resources which also have that keyword
Construction/Engineering > Building > architecture Construction/Engineering > Building > machines Geography > locations > countries > England History > time period > 13th Century History > time period > Middle Ages History > region > world history Science > physics

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