Elementary Library

Resource & Discussion Guide

Shark Lady: The True Story of How Eugenie Clark Became the Ocean’s Most Fearless Scientist by Jess Keating (597.3 KEA) At 9 years old, Eugenie Clark developed an unexpected passion for sharks after a visit to the Battery Park Aquarium in New York City. At the time, sharks were seen as mindless killing machines, but Eugenie knew better and set out to prove it. Despite many obstacles in her path, Eugenie was able to study the creatures she loved so much. From her many discoveries to the shark-related myths she dispelled, Eugenie's wide scientific contributions led to the well-earned nickname "Shark Lady” Discussion prompts: ●​ What do you know about sharks? What questions do you have about sharks? ●​ What do you notice on the cover? How does the person on the cover feel about sharks? How can you tell? ●​ Pretend we are looking at sharks through Eugenie's eyes. What do you see? What do you think about sharks from Eugenie’s point of view? ●​ Where does Eugenie go to learn more about sharks? T The Boo-Boos That Changed the World by Barry Wittenstein (617.1 WIT) Earle Dickson and his new bride Josephine begin their lives together. The end. (Not really. There's more.) Josephine has a proclivity for injuring herself. Earle attaches cotton to long strips of adhesive tape, telling Josephine to cut off a length when she needs one. Since Earle works as a cotton buyer at Johnson & Johnson, he shares his idea. They're a big hit. The end. (Again, not really!) After a few false starts (much like the hilarious "the end"s in this story), the Band-Aid is developed and becomes a massive hit. The end. (Really.) Discussion prompts: ●​ “Necessity is the mother of invention” is a common phrase. Some say that all great inventions start with finding a need that hasn’t been met—a problem to solve. What sparked Earle Dickson’s idea for an invention? ●​ How did Earle’s job help with the creation of his invention? ●​ Earle realized that his invention could solve the problems of many. What next steps did Earle take to share his invention with a larger audience of people? ●​ What problems arose in making and selling the first Band-Aids designed by Earle and produced in Mr. Johnson’s factory? ●​ The author inserts “The End” in the story a few times before it is truly the end of the story. What effect does this have on the story? ●​ Study the opening double page spread illustration that shows Earle and Josephine’s neighborhood. What clues does the illustrator include to let readers know about the setting of the story? ●​ This is Eugenie grown up, in college. What do you notice about her class? ●​ What are the different ways Eugenie studies fish? (Scientists read, they make observations, dissect animals to learn about how they work inside.) ●​ What do you notice on the cans and in the photo?

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