Book Detail

Librarian Who Measured the Earth, The

Publication Information
Author:  Lasky, Kathryn Illustrator:  Hawkes, Kevin
Title:  Librarian Who Measured the Earth, The Date:  1994
Publisher:  Little, Brown and Company City:  New York
ISBN, paperback:  0-316-51526-4 ISBN, hardback:  

Recommended audience:
ABE/ABLE:   Yes ESOL:  
Family:   Young Adult:  
Picture:   Yes

General Information:
Book Type(s):    nonfiction, biography and autobiography

HSE Descriptor(s):    math

Summary:
A "responsibly imagined" biography of Eratosthenes, the librarian of the great library in Alexandria, Egypt,in the 3rd Century B. C., describes how he measured the circumference of the earth.

Teaching Ideas:
Although the text is relatively easy, Greek names and technical words might require pre-reading vocabulary activities such as Word Sort. The book makes an excellent way to get students talking about geometry, formulas, and so forth. In order to understand Eratosthenes' method, readers could break the process into discreet steps and then demonstrate it to someone else. Online searching for other "discoveries" of Eratosthenes and other Greek scientists would provide material for a timeline that then could be used to practice B.C. and A.D. dates. Pair the book with The Library of Alexandria. The book lends itself to map study.

Teaching Strategies:
bullet Helping Students in the Writing Process
   http://literacy.kent.edu/eureka/strategies/help_writing_process.pdf
bullet Sketch to Stretch
   http://literacy.kent.edu/eureka/strategies/sketch_stretch.pdf
bullet Problem and Solution Outline and Text Frame
   http://literacy.kent.edu/eureka/strategies/prob_solution.pdf
bullet Word Sorts
   http://literacy.kent.edu/eureka/strategies/word_sorts.pdf

Keywords: select any link below for a list of resources which also have that keyword
bullet Geography > maps
bullet History > region > Greece > Ancient Greece
bullet Math > problem solving
bullet Math > measurement
bullet Emotions-Personal Issues > personal issues > individual > curiosity
bullet History > time period > ancient history
bullet Education > computer


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