On The Day You Were Born
From Reading Rainbow · 1997
28 minK1st2nd3rdReading & Writing (ELA)Science
Summary
Debra Frasier's lyrical picture book describes how the natural world — the sun, moon, tides, animals, and air — all participated in the arrival of a new baby. LeVar Burton explores the science of birth, earth systems, and what makes life on Earth possible.
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All ages
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Teaching resources
Discussion questions
Discussion
Debra Frasier describes how the sun, moon, tides, and living things all welcomed the day you were born.
- What natural events does the book connect to a baby's birth?
- Why does the author personify the Earth and the moon?
- How does the book make you feel about being part of the natural world?
- What would you add to the book to describe the day you were born?
Quick work-a-long
Vocabulary: gravity, migration, tide, atmosphere, orbit.
Try it: Choose one natural event from the book (e.g. the pull of the moon, returning animals). Write two sentences explaining the science behind it in your own words.