Grade 9 Science Textbook Tour – Science Power

Carefully skim the textbook and answer the following questions on looseleaf:

1. Look at the cover art (do not open the book).

a)  Make a prediction about the kinds of things that you think this text will be about.

2. Open the book. Look at the first couple of pages.

a)  What year was this book published?

b)  Why is the publication date useful information to know?

3. Look at pages vi-xiii.

a)  What is this text feature that covers these pages called? What is the purpose of this text feature?

b)  List the four major topics covered in this book.

c)  How many chapters are in this book? How is a unit different than a chapter?

d)  List the five main sub-topics covered in Chapter 1. Explain how they are numbered. How is this numbering system helpful?

e)  In which unit would you find information about alternative sources of energy?

f)  In which Appendix would you find the periodic table? What is the symbol for Bromine? What does the water drop symbol represent?

4.  Throughout the textbook:

a)  Name three sub-headings that are found on the first page of every chapter. Choose one of these and explain its purpose (answers on pgs. xii-xiii)

b)  Look through Chapter 6. Name two things that make a heading different from a sub-heading.

c)  Write one example of a subheading found on pages 198 or 199.

d)  Skim through the book. How is color used to help organize the book? How does this help the reader?

e)  How many figures appear in Chapter 8? How many in Chapter 9? Explain how they are numbered.

f)  Figure 5.3 would be found in which chapter? How do you know? Describe the figure.

g)  Look at the end of every chapter. Identify two features that would help you prepare for a test.

h)  What is the name of the feature that provides information about Canadian scientists (pg.xv)? Write the name of a Canadian scientist that is featured in the book and a brief description of what he or she does.

i)  Explain one of the features that would help you to conduct your own investigations (pg. xiii).

j)  What do the four small red symbols on page 384 represent?

k)  Choose any figure and read the caption that goes with it. Write down the figure number and explain how the caption helps you understand the figure.

l)  Skill Power is a feature that is found throughout the book. What is the purpose of the Skill Power found at the bottom of page 328? Go to pg. 603. Explain what the letters stand for in the method suggested.

m)  Look at page 568. On which page would you find information about safety symbols? What does WHMIS stand for?

n)  What is the purpose of “Off the Wall” (pg. xiii)? Choose one from any unit and summarize it.

o)  What is the title of the yellow oval-shaped text box on page 314? What could you learn about?

p)  Which type of text feature is Figure 12.13? Figure1.13? Which one includes a legend?

q)  Page 12 includes examples of cut-away diagrams. What is the purpose of a cut-away diagram?

r)  Write down all the bold vocabulary words you find on page 13. What is the name of the text feature that provides definitions for these words (look near the back of the book)? Look up one of the bold words that you don’t know and write down the definition.

s)  Using the index, find the page number where you’ll find a photo of a “transgenic animal.” What is the name of this animal and what makes her special?

t)  Comment on how accurate your initial prediction was.