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CitizenKid
One Well: The Story of Water on Earth
Seen from space, our planet looks blue. This is because almost 70 percent of Earth's surface is covered with water. Earth is the only planet with liquid water --- and therefore the only planet that can support life. All water is connected. Every raindrop, lake, underground river and glacier is part of a single global well. Water has the power to change everything --- a single splash can sprout a seed, quench a thirst, provide a habitat, generate energy and sustain life. How we treat the water in the well will affect every species on the planet, now and for years to come. One Well shows how every one of us has the power to conserve and protect our global well. One Well is part of CitizenKid: A collection of books that inform children about the world and inspire them to be better global citizens.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published February 1, 2007
About the author
Rochelle Strauss
4 books7 followersCreate | Engage | Inspire
Rochelle Strauss in an award-winning children’s author, educational consultant and freelance writer in Toronto, Canada. Through her work, Rochelle combines her love of nature and passion for stories to teach about the wonders of the natural world. She prides herself in creating narratives and programs that inspire hearts and engage minds. Her goal is to change the world - one book at a time!
Rochelle Strauss in an award-winning children’s author, educational consultant and freelance writer in Toronto, Canada. Through her work, Rochelle combines her love of nature and passion for stories to teach about the wonders of the natural world. She prides herself in creating narratives and programs that inspire hearts and engage minds. Her goal is to change the world - one book at a time!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
October 12, 2023
With her 2007 picture book One Well: The Story of Water on Earth Rochelle Strauss textually (and clearly) demonstrates that water is our planet's most precious resource and that every part of life on earth, that animals, plants, fungi, protists and bacteria are dependent on water for survival (and while the beginning of One Well: The Story of Water on Earth might at first seem a bit strange, with Strauss having her young readers/listeners imagine all water on earth as emerging from just one well, this analogy actually makes sense, since all water on earth is indeed so inter-connected that there really is just one huge global source from which water is drawn).
And yes, with the double page spreads for One Well: The Story of Life on Earth Rochelle Strauss instructively but never textually overwhelmingly (and penned in a way that is relatable, easily understandable and as such suitable for readers and listeners from about the age of eight or so onwards) provides both informational paragraphs and also short, factual boxed insets, explaining the distribution of water on earth and the water cycle, showing water's essential role for life, for ALL life, how we, how people need, obtain and make use of water, including (necessarily but also of course a wee bit uncomfortably) having One Well: The Story of Water on Earth focus on the demand and the threats placed on, the dangers faced by the global well, by the global water supply due to pollution, overuse (wasting water) and with One Well: The Story of Water on Earth concluding with highlighting the importance of water conservation and presenting suggestions of how to achieve this (geared towards children but also presenting suggestions for parents and teachers, how to make water and water conservation a teachable topic and subject).
Now as to Rosemary Woods' accompanying artwork for One Well: The Story of Water on Earth, the pictures are luminously colourful and brilliant, with Woods using pastels and watercolours to provide a lushly imaginative but also realistically detailed visual mirror to and for Rochelle Strauss' printed words, both complimenting and also sometimes expanding a bit on what is textually being provided, and that indeed both text and images for One Well: the Story of Water on Earth clearly and expressively, educationally point out just why Planet Earth is often called the blue planet (and just how important and how essential water is and always will be for our planet, for everything and anything on earth).
Finally but importantly for me, while the general combination of Rochelle Strauss' words and Rosemary Woods' illustrations for One Well: The Story of Water on Earth is solidly four stars, there unfortunately are three main textual issues I have found that do prevent me from rating One Well: The Story of Water on Earth with more than three stars. For one, when Strauss claims that the earth is the only planet with large amounts of liquid water, well and in my humble opinion, she should really be using the word "known" as a qualifier since many if not even most scientists actually do tend to believe that there are likely many planets (and/or moons) in the universe with large amounts of water (but that we simply have not discovered them as yet), and indeed, Rochelle Strauss so categorically stating in One Well: The Story of Water on Earth that our planet and only our planet has water (and seemingly will ever have water), this does kind of annoy and majorly frustrate me. For two, that small blurb in One Well: The Story of Water on Earth concerning evolution reads kind of confusingly, as Strauss seems to indicate that evolution suddenly started 390 million years ago when some fishes moved onto dry land and slowly evolved into amphibians and also that only animals supposedly evolve, both of which are simply not true, as evolution affects all life on earth (on land, in the water, well, everywhere). And for three, I certainly am more than a bit annoyed that there are no bibliographical materials at all being provided by Strauss in One Well: The Story of Water on Earth and that the absence of books and websites for further reading certainly does lower the educational value of One Well: The Story of Water on Earth a bit for me.
And yes, with the double page spreads for One Well: The Story of Life on Earth Rochelle Strauss instructively but never textually overwhelmingly (and penned in a way that is relatable, easily understandable and as such suitable for readers and listeners from about the age of eight or so onwards) provides both informational paragraphs and also short, factual boxed insets, explaining the distribution of water on earth and the water cycle, showing water's essential role for life, for ALL life, how we, how people need, obtain and make use of water, including (necessarily but also of course a wee bit uncomfortably) having One Well: The Story of Water on Earth focus on the demand and the threats placed on, the dangers faced by the global well, by the global water supply due to pollution, overuse (wasting water) and with One Well: The Story of Water on Earth concluding with highlighting the importance of water conservation and presenting suggestions of how to achieve this (geared towards children but also presenting suggestions for parents and teachers, how to make water and water conservation a teachable topic and subject).
Now as to Rosemary Woods' accompanying artwork for One Well: The Story of Water on Earth, the pictures are luminously colourful and brilliant, with Woods using pastels and watercolours to provide a lushly imaginative but also realistically detailed visual mirror to and for Rochelle Strauss' printed words, both complimenting and also sometimes expanding a bit on what is textually being provided, and that indeed both text and images for One Well: the Story of Water on Earth clearly and expressively, educationally point out just why Planet Earth is often called the blue planet (and just how important and how essential water is and always will be for our planet, for everything and anything on earth).
Finally but importantly for me, while the general combination of Rochelle Strauss' words and Rosemary Woods' illustrations for One Well: The Story of Water on Earth is solidly four stars, there unfortunately are three main textual issues I have found that do prevent me from rating One Well: The Story of Water on Earth with more than three stars. For one, when Strauss claims that the earth is the only planet with large amounts of liquid water, well and in my humble opinion, she should really be using the word "known" as a qualifier since many if not even most scientists actually do tend to believe that there are likely many planets (and/or moons) in the universe with large amounts of water (but that we simply have not discovered them as yet), and indeed, Rochelle Strauss so categorically stating in One Well: The Story of Water on Earth that our planet and only our planet has water (and seemingly will ever have water), this does kind of annoy and majorly frustrate me. For two, that small blurb in One Well: The Story of Water on Earth concerning evolution reads kind of confusingly, as Strauss seems to indicate that evolution suddenly started 390 million years ago when some fishes moved onto dry land and slowly evolved into amphibians and also that only animals supposedly evolve, both of which are simply not true, as evolution affects all life on earth (on land, in the water, well, everywhere). And for three, I certainly am more than a bit annoyed that there are no bibliographical materials at all being provided by Strauss in One Well: The Story of Water on Earth and that the absence of books and websites for further reading certainly does lower the educational value of One Well: The Story of Water on Earth a bit for me.
February 13, 2017
This outstanding description of the water cycle is really the best I've ever read. Strauss boggles my mind right off by stating that there has always been the same amount of water on earth (one well), and that water I'm drinking today may be recycled from water the dinosaurs drank! Not only does she describe the cycle of evaporation and condensation/precipitation that occurs, but also the difference in the amount of fresh vs. salt water, giving interesting statistics on where all the fresh water is located (ground, in plants and animals, rivers, lakes, streams). She also tells you how much water is used to create some of the things we eat and use in our daily lives (38,800 gallons to produce a car!). She discusses the effects of pollution on plants, animals, and people, and what we can do to conserve water and not pollute. I was astonished at her statistics about the number of people in the world today who have limited access to fresh water. This book really made me think about water in a different way. I like her writing style, and the colorful paintings that illustrate the text. Highly recommended--every children's library should have this!
December 5, 2009
"Without water, nothing can survive." In this introduction to water in all its forms and uses, Strauss makes a strong case for conservation because although our need for water increases, "the amount of water on Earth hasn't ever changed." Each two-page spread includes a few paragraphs on a topic (Plants at the Well, Access to the Well, etc.), an illustration of that topic, and a few facts sprinkled around the page ("While there is a lot of water on the planet, we have access to less than 1 percent of it." and "It takes about one million tiny water droplets to make just one raindrop.").
One Well is a beautiful and informative introduction to water. The text is readable and peppered with interesting facts, and the illustrations are lush and complement the text. There is a thorough index, and the appendices include "Becoming Well Aware" for kids and a guide for adults. The only missing pieces are works cited and a guide for further reading, which would improve the book's utility for reports. This is an excellent addition to any school or public library collection and will be used by report-writers as well as those interested in water and conservation. Recommended for ages 8 to 12.
One Well is a beautiful and informative introduction to water. The text is readable and peppered with interesting facts, and the illustrations are lush and complement the text. There is a thorough index, and the appendices include "Becoming Well Aware" for kids and a guide for adults. The only missing pieces are works cited and a guide for further reading, which would improve the book's utility for reports. This is an excellent addition to any school or public library collection and will be used by report-writers as well as those interested in water and conservation. Recommended for ages 8 to 12.
October 19, 2009
Good book. I would have rated the first 3/4 of it a 4. Lots of interesting info that really got the kids and I talking. We had conversations like, "If water always remains water, then when you pee, someone eventually drinks the water from your pee..." I'm not a fan of "Omg, if we don't start using less water, some people won't have enough water!" scare tactics, and that's what the last portion of the book was about. But overall, a fun, interesting book.
June 7, 2015
Did you know that there is more water in the atmosphere and soil than in all the Earth’s rivers? Or that only 3% of our water is fresh water? This lengthy picture book is FILLED with page after page of information on our one well, Earth's water supply. Parents and educators looking to teach students about conservation and the importance of water need look no further; a wonderful resource if broken down to a few pages at a time.
October 26, 2015
This book is fabulous. I used it last year for a literacy connection to science, and I am looking forward to using it again this year. The text is dense, so it needs some breaking down, but this covers so much that kids might want to know about water on earth. My kids last year asked a lot of great questions while we read this book and it both jumpstarted and augmented our water cycle unit well.
September 22, 2009
Beautiful and rich with delightful, surprising, and informative text! I've been working my way through this book with my 2nd grade daughter as part of her homeschool study of water on earth. Even though it's a picture book, it would make an excellent reference text.
April 29, 2023
I love this book it tells the reader (me) that we don’t have access to lots of natural fresh waters.
November 30, 2013
One Well: The Story of Water on Earth by Rochelle Strauss and illustrated by Rosemary Woods is a picture book that contains many details about the way that the water cycle on Earth works. It begins with a brief summary of how water provides for the Earth and how it is a necessary component to life. It moves on to how water covers the Earth, even giving percentages to where Earth’s water is stored and where it is located. The next section talks about the water cycle and how precipitation works. It also provides more numbers about the amount of water that goes through this process yearly and how many water droplets make one raindrop. Then it moves up to the first organisms that water helps to grow which are plants. The book talks about photosynthesis and gives more statistics and numbers about the amount of water in various plants, fruits, and vegetables. The next organism the book covers is animals and their interaction with water. It covers animals in the water as well as animals on land and talks about the need that animals have for water in order to survive. The next section that the book focuses on is the environment in the ocean. It covers both the freshwater and the saltwater water environments and provides facts about various species in this environment. Finally the book reaches the part where it speaks about humans the way they use the well. It covers how humans use it in everyday life as well in their specific occupations such as fishing. It touches on the amount we consume a day as water as well as what is in our foods’ ingredients. The next section is focused more on the environment as a whole by speaking about fresh water and where people get it for their use. It also talks about the ice caps and how that is where most of the Earth’s fresh water is. The next part speaks about the dispersal of the water around the world and which countries have more than they need while others have not even close to what is necessary for survival. Next, the book covers how the well gets far more demanded of it than it is able to provide. It provides statistics for the way it is now as well as the projections for the future. The book moves onto the pollution that is going on in the water and how it is hurting wildlife as well as the water source itself. It talks about consequences such as acid rain and the pollution that can bring to groundwater that had not been polluted yet. As a conclusion, this book ends with a section that tells readers that the water in the well needs to be saved and says why readers need to save the water in the well. The illustrations in this book appear to be smooth and easy to look at, giving a clear picture for what each illustration represents. The colors are vivid and realistic enough that this book feels like it is more of a credible source of information than a book with crazy, out-of-this-world colors would.
January 25, 2010
Summary: This particular book is a worthwhile reading for any individual of any age as it expresses through countless illustrations and text the importance of Earth’s water. Survival on Earth is much dependent on it’s water supply. Without water, nothing would be able to survive. Through reading this book, one is presented with the timely discussion of the use and abuse of this not-so-limitless resource. Showered with fascinating facts- "It took about 130 L (34 U.S. gal.) of water to make your bike"—the text informs children of growing demands on a finite supply, increasing pollution, and the intensifying urgency for the conservation, preservation, and protection of a unique chemical combination more essential to all life than the air we breathe. This kid-friendly story of water on earth is the winner of the 2008 Indie Book Award.
Written by: Rochelle Strauss
Illustrated by: Rosemary Woods
Audience: 4th-6th grade
Genre: informational
Social Issues: The quality and quantity of water on Earth.
Illustration: Rosemary Wood’s colorful works of art provide a framework for the large amount of informational text find throughout the book.
Usage: This particular book can be used in a variety of setting in the classroom including independent reading, guided reading, and reading out loud. Although if a teacher did decide to present this as a read out loud, I would only recommend reading sections at a time. Furthermore, a book such as this could be incorporated into almost any elementary science curriculum with its information on the water cycle, plants and animals, pollution’s effects on the Earth, and types of water sources.
Written by: Rochelle Strauss
Illustrated by: Rosemary Woods
Audience: 4th-6th grade
Genre: informational
Social Issues: The quality and quantity of water on Earth.
Illustration: Rosemary Wood’s colorful works of art provide a framework for the large amount of informational text find throughout the book.
Usage: This particular book can be used in a variety of setting in the classroom including independent reading, guided reading, and reading out loud. Although if a teacher did decide to present this as a read out loud, I would only recommend reading sections at a time. Furthermore, a book such as this could be incorporated into almost any elementary science curriculum with its information on the water cycle, plants and animals, pollution’s effects on the Earth, and types of water sources.
November 22, 2013
One well the story of water on earth written by Rochelle Strauss and Illustrated by Rosemary Woods. This book is all about water. How all water in the world is connected and it is essential for sustaining all life. It gives us a look at all water on Earth- in the atmosphere, the oceans, lakes, ponds, rivers, and rain all connect together into one big well. As we flip through the pages we are greeted with interesting facts intertwined around the main text. This book informs the reader of growing demands for water supply, increasing pollution, and stresses the importance of conservation, preservation, and protection. After talking about becoming aware the author leaves a note for adults about the crisis, how they can help children become well aware and what they can do to help. They layout of this book was very appealing; it was easy to follow, interesting to read and very colorful. I liked that she used blue as the main color representing water. She defined words that kids might not understand which helps them understand what she is saying rather than just getting lost. For example she is talking about aquifers and right after she defines what is it “layers of gravel, porous (holey) rocks or soil that trap large amounts of water”. Here she also defines what porous mean in a way that children will understand. I would have liked to see more specific cases where pollution is prominent, but overall this was a very strong, well written book.
May 3, 2010
Summary: Seen from space, our planet looks blue. This is because almost 70 percent of Earth's surface is covered with water. Earth is the only planet with liquid water -- and therefore the only planet that can support life. All water is connected. Every raindrop, lake, underground river and glacier is part of a single global well. Water has the power to change everything -- a single splash can sprout a seed, quench a thirst, provide a habitat, generate energy and sustain life. How we treat the water in the well will affect every species on the planet, now and for years to come. One Well shows how every one of us has the power to conserve and protect our global well.
Written by Rochelle Strauss
Published in 2007 by Kids Can Press
Recommendations/Awards: LLED Book Nomination
Audience: Read together or read alone: grades K-6
Genre: Picture Book
Illustrations: The illustrations in this story are all drawn with a purpose to show the reader statistics and facts about earth. From the cover to the end, the book is very colorful. Even though it is very informative, the illustrations make it worth the read.
Uses: This book would be a great book to use for a read aloud as part of a science lesson or the students could use it independently to learn facts about the earth. It has a lot of information and facts that will be worthwhile for the children.
Written by Rochelle Strauss
Published in 2007 by Kids Can Press
Recommendations/Awards: LLED Book Nomination
Audience: Read together or read alone: grades K-6
Genre: Picture Book
Illustrations: The illustrations in this story are all drawn with a purpose to show the reader statistics and facts about earth. From the cover to the end, the book is very colorful. Even though it is very informative, the illustrations make it worth the read.
Uses: This book would be a great book to use for a read aloud as part of a science lesson or the students could use it independently to learn facts about the earth. It has a lot of information and facts that will be worthwhile for the children.
March 14, 2010
This is such a clever idea for a children's book! The author does a great job making this a fun informational story for kids. One Well has information concerning pollution and the conservation of water, which is very important to teach children at an early age. I encourage the author Rochelle Strauss, to continue writing stories that teach about more worldly issues. Hopefully by doing this children may take actions to make a difference for their future.
Written by Rochelle Strauss and Illustrated by Rosemary Woods
Published in 2007 by Kids Can Press
Illustrations: Rosemary Woods added pictures that really helped to support the story in this novel.
Uses: I would use this book to teach children about the water cycle in the classroom. Most likely I would read aloud this book. I think it would be a good story to take slowly and to teach page by page different lessons in my classroom. The good thing about this picture book is that it could be used for all elementary ages. The different ages would just affect how quickly the story could be completed.
Lesson: A good lesson could incorporate math by having the students add up how much water they use every day.
Written by Rochelle Strauss and Illustrated by Rosemary Woods
Published in 2007 by Kids Can Press
Illustrations: Rosemary Woods added pictures that really helped to support the story in this novel.
Uses: I would use this book to teach children about the water cycle in the classroom. Most likely I would read aloud this book. I think it would be a good story to take slowly and to teach page by page different lessons in my classroom. The good thing about this picture book is that it could be used for all elementary ages. The different ages would just affect how quickly the story could be completed.
Lesson: A good lesson could incorporate math by having the students add up how much water they use every day.
April 29, 2010
Summary: Looking at all the water on Earth—in the atmosphere, the oceans, lakes, ponds, rivers, and rain as "One Well" into which all life dips to survive—Strauss presents a timely discussion of the use and abuse of a not-so-limitless resource. Liberally sprinkled with interesting facts—"It took about 130 L (34 U.S. gal.) of water to make your bike"—the readable text informs children of growing demands on a finite supply; increasing pollution; and the intensifying urgency for the conservation, preservation, and protection of a unique chemical combination more essential to all life than the air we breathe. Woods's delicate paintings keep perfect step and provide a gentle framework for the plentiful statistical snippets. Included is a section for children on "Becoming Well Aware," and notes for adults about helping youngsters (and themselves) to consider the quality and quantity of the water passing through their lives. Oversized, slim, and with an interesting slant.
Written By: Rochelle Strauss
Audience: Grades 3-6
Social Issues: Water Conservation, Global Awareness
Uses: Read Aloud, Shared Reading, Independent Reading
Awards/Recommended By: Kirstin Bratt Award
Written By: Rochelle Strauss
Audience: Grades 3-6
Social Issues: Water Conservation, Global Awareness
Uses: Read Aloud, Shared Reading, Independent Reading
Awards/Recommended By: Kirstin Bratt Award
April 7, 2010
Summary: This is a story about how the earth has had the same water supply for billions of years and how precious it is to plants and animals everywhere. It gives many facts about water and how much it means to our survival here on earth.
Reading Level: Ages 8 and up
Genre: Picture Book
Uses: Guided Reading, Independent Reading, Read-Aloud, Shared Reading
Social Issues: Children can learn how to respect and take great care of the earth so that water can stay clean and plentiful. They can learn about pollution, misuse of water, and what actions to take to sustain the water supply.
Literary Elements: This book has a very interesting way of getting the text across. Each page has a description about a certain water issue and then uses small facts that catch the reader's attention. There are a lot of same-subject words that all link together and students can use these words in the future when talking about water on earth.
Text & Image: The text does a great job at following the illustrations. The book is laid out with an explanation and facts on each page, which catches the reader's eye.
Reading Level: Ages 8 and up
Genre: Picture Book
Uses: Guided Reading, Independent Reading, Read-Aloud, Shared Reading
Social Issues: Children can learn how to respect and take great care of the earth so that water can stay clean and plentiful. They can learn about pollution, misuse of water, and what actions to take to sustain the water supply.
Literary Elements: This book has a very interesting way of getting the text across. Each page has a description about a certain water issue and then uses small facts that catch the reader's attention. There are a lot of same-subject words that all link together and students can use these words in the future when talking about water on earth.
Text & Image: The text does a great job at following the illustrations. The book is laid out with an explanation and facts on each page, which catches the reader's eye.
May 1, 2010
Summary: From School Library Journal
"Looking at all the water on Earth—in the atmosphere, the oceans, lakes, ponds, rivers, and rain as "One Well" into which all life dips to survive—Strauss presents a timely discussion of the use and abuse of a not-so-limitless resource. Liberally sprinkled with interesting facts—"It took about 130 L (34 U.S. gal.) of water to make your bike"—the readable text informs children of growing demands on a finite supply; increasing pollution; and the intensifying urgency for the conservation, preservation, and protection of a unique chemical combination more essential to all life than the air we breathe. Woods's delicate paintings keep perfect step and provide a gentle framework for the plentiful statistical snippets. Included is a section for children on "Becoming Well Aware," and notes for adults about helping youngsters (and themselves) to consider the quality and quantity of the water passing through their lives.
Theme: Water Conservation
Curricular Use: Shared Reading, Independent Reading
Level: Grade 4–6
Illustration: Colorful, highly supportive
"Looking at all the water on Earth—in the atmosphere, the oceans, lakes, ponds, rivers, and rain as "One Well" into which all life dips to survive—Strauss presents a timely discussion of the use and abuse of a not-so-limitless resource. Liberally sprinkled with interesting facts—"It took about 130 L (34 U.S. gal.) of water to make your bike"—the readable text informs children of growing demands on a finite supply; increasing pollution; and the intensifying urgency for the conservation, preservation, and protection of a unique chemical combination more essential to all life than the air we breathe. Woods's delicate paintings keep perfect step and provide a gentle framework for the plentiful statistical snippets. Included is a section for children on "Becoming Well Aware," and notes for adults about helping youngsters (and themselves) to consider the quality and quantity of the water passing through their lives.
Theme: Water Conservation
Curricular Use: Shared Reading, Independent Reading
Level: Grade 4–6
Illustration: Colorful, highly supportive
April 29, 2014
Water is what makes our world unique among other planets and also allows our planet to sustain life. In One Well: The Story of Water on Earth, Strauss does an incredible job at explaining the characteristics of water on earth by explaining many important concepts such as evaporation, condensation, where water is located, how long water has existed, and how much water it takes to create things that we use everyday. She works to open our eyes about how important water it to us because we all drink from “one well,” the same well even ancient dinosaurs drank from. She also goes into detail about how we can protect our water sources by limiting pollution and how many people around the world only have limited amounts of fresh water. The illustrations are all very colorful making it interesting and the writing is simple for a young audience but still interesting for people of older ages.
Critique: This book was credible and an accurate portrayal of how water is has accumulated, but it isn't really suited for children. Some may get inspired and want to do better things from this book but it is complicated and may be difficult to understand.
Critique: This book was credible and an accurate portrayal of how water is has accumulated, but it isn't really suited for children. Some may get inspired and want to do better things from this book but it is complicated and may be difficult to understand.
June 25, 2014
As a part of the CitizenKid series, One Well places environmental ethics at the heart of a cannon of global issues that belong in the elementary classroom. One Well draws strength from its simplicity of focus: the essential nature of water to the life of our planet.
This text offers a pretty strong synopsis of the Water Cycle and the unique properties of water: condensation, evaporation, and precipitation. As a part of a read aloud, this text can provide a strong introduction to these properties. The colorful illustrations and diagrams would provide nice material for think alouds about text features.
Finally, this text draws strength from comparisons that allow students to access how water is used, and how humans put unique pressures on the water cycle. For example, the text asks, how many liters of water it would take to make a bicycle.
In short, I would encourage the use of this text for a read aloud as a part of a CORE lesson designed to teach the water cycle and the unique pressures humans place on the water cycle. I would in turn focus on Strauss's illustrations and text features in Think Alouds that give scholars an opportunity to analyze text features.
This text offers a pretty strong synopsis of the Water Cycle and the unique properties of water: condensation, evaporation, and precipitation. As a part of a read aloud, this text can provide a strong introduction to these properties. The colorful illustrations and diagrams would provide nice material for think alouds about text features.
Finally, this text draws strength from comparisons that allow students to access how water is used, and how humans put unique pressures on the water cycle. For example, the text asks, how many liters of water it would take to make a bicycle.
In short, I would encourage the use of this text for a read aloud as a part of a CORE lesson designed to teach the water cycle and the unique pressures humans place on the water cycle. I would in turn focus on Strauss's illustrations and text features in Think Alouds that give scholars an opportunity to analyze text features.
March 11, 2010
This book is very informative about the water on Earth, referred to as One Well. The book discusses uses for water throughout the world, ways to conserve water and reduce pollution, how plants and animals use water, and many other facts. The book has colorful pictures with a few additional facts/statistics on these pages.
As a teacher I would have this book available for independent reading in grades 3-5 and perhaps use appropriate parts for a read aloud when doing a unit on specific parts, for example on Earth day for lessons on water conservation. It would also make an excellent resource book for a student learning one of these topics and is more readable than other sources such as an encyclopedia. I liked this book because it was very informative and gave tons of analogies to help the reader better understand the statistics. I do think however that many students may consider this a boring read unless they are particularly interested in learning about the topic.
As a teacher I would have this book available for independent reading in grades 3-5 and perhaps use appropriate parts for a read aloud when doing a unit on specific parts, for example on Earth day for lessons on water conservation. It would also make an excellent resource book for a student learning one of these topics and is more readable than other sources such as an encyclopedia. I liked this book because it was very informative and gave tons of analogies to help the reader better understand the statistics. I do think however that many students may consider this a boring read unless they are particularly interested in learning about the topic.
October 15, 2013
This book is amazing! First off, I love the pictures in this book. They are so vibrant and beautiful and you can't help but get lost in them. The story line of this book is also very formative and shocking. It really puts into words how wasteful we can be and how often we take what we have for granted here. This book would be great to read to children because they can see for themselves that we need to come up with a way to help save and conserve water. The message in this book is great for kids and it's something they need to be aware of because not many people touch on subject matters like these and it's so crucial for kids to see and understand that we can't be as wasteful as we are and we can help by cutting back. This is such an aweseome book and I can't wait to share it. The author did an amazing job of putting into words for a younger child to understand such a huge important topic that we are faced with.
December 2, 2013
After taking an environmental science class my sophomore year of college I became aware of the details of our water here on earth and just how much it means to us. This made me have a stronger connection to the book as I read it and became more engaged. I like how this book is a children’s book and is bringing up the topic of the environment to young readers. I wonder if the author ever thought about using real pictures as oppose to the illustrations to let the kids relate to the story more. I did enjoy the illustrations and though they were well done but I still think that real pictures would have related to the children more. I enjoyed the fact that the author used blue in the book as the dominate color representing water. The theme in the book is well stated, I don’t think I have ever read another book about the earth and its water. Fun fact: there is only one percent of water available to us on earth.
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May 1, 2010Seen from space, our planet looks blue. This is because almost 70 percent of Earth's surface is covered with water. Earth is the only planet with liquid water -- and therefore the only planet that can support life. All water is connected. Every raindrop, lake, underground river and glacier is part of a single global well. Water has the power to change everything -- a single splash can sprout a seed, quench a thirst, provide a habitat, generate energy and sustain life. How we treat the water in the well will affect every species on the planet, now and for years to come. One Well shows how every one of us has the power to conserve and protect our global well.
Grade level: 3-6
Genre: Picture Book
Social Issues Addressed: Protecting the earth
Uses: Could be a good addition to a science lesson
Grade level: 3-6
Genre: Picture Book
Social Issues Addressed: Protecting the earth
Uses: Could be a good addition to a science lesson
January 28, 2012
I was recommended this book from one of the organizations I "like" on Facebook. It is a great informative text about the story of water on earth, focusing on the percentages of water on earth, recycling, plants and animals that depend on water, watery habitats, how people use water and a graph showing the daily use of water per person in different countries, water pollution and conservation. This is a great example of the features of an informative text in that it contains large sub-titles, information boxes, graphs, and well-drawn pictures. In addition, this book integrates literacy with math brilliantly! This would be a great book to read aloud to fourth graders to introduce what good informative text pieces look like before students begin to do research and develop their own informative text skills.
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April 29, 2015This picture book is about all the water that is on Earth and how it is connected to only one well. The book gives out facts on how much water each country uses and different uses of water around the globe. The book continues to talk about all of the uses of water on our planet. The book does not do a great job of differentiating between fact and fiction. After second grade I do not feel like this book will be helpful to teachers because many students already have had a bit of science and will start to understand that water is important. It is drilled into many young American’s heads that we should not be wasting water. Yet, this book is still great to use in a science unit when talking about Earth and our water supply. It is great to give student some background knowledge about water conservation.
March 25, 2010
One Well reads like a beautifully illustrated textbook about water for children. It highlights the importance of earth’s water as essential to our survival. The pages are colorful and full of interesting facts. In addition, One Well includes information on water usage, pollution, conservation, and awareness.
Potential Audience: Grades 3-6.
Genre: Picture book, non-fiction
Curricular Use: Read-aloud, independent reading, reference, could make a great reader's theater
Social Issues: Global awareness, water conservation, environmental awareness
Image: Gorgeous illustrations throughout the book help to hold the reader’s interest.
Strauss, Rochelle. One Well: The Story of Water on Earth. New York: Kids Can Press, 2007.
Potential Audience: Grades 3-6.
Genre: Picture book, non-fiction
Curricular Use: Read-aloud, independent reading, reference, could make a great reader's theater
Social Issues: Global awareness, water conservation, environmental awareness
Image: Gorgeous illustrations throughout the book help to hold the reader’s interest.
Strauss, Rochelle. One Well: The Story of Water on Earth. New York: Kids Can Press, 2007.
January 27, 2010
This is an excellent book for all children to read! It is a book all about water. One Well discusses how all plants and animals need water for survival and that everyone needs to do their part to conserve water. There were a lot of interesting facts throughout the book, along with charts to put things into perspective for young children. It makes the reader think about how they could conserve water and help out our planet.
Reading Level: Grades 4-6
Genre: Informational Picture book
Topic: Water
Use: Guided Reading
Social Issues: pollution, conserving water
The text and images go together very well. I really like the pictures that show the amounts of water in a way that the kids can understand. There are also some very helpful kid-friendly charts.
Reading Level: Grades 4-6
Genre: Informational Picture book
Topic: Water
Use: Guided Reading
Social Issues: pollution, conserving water
The text and images go together very well. I really like the pictures that show the amounts of water in a way that the kids can understand. There are also some very helpful kid-friendly charts.
May 1, 2010
Title: One Well: The Story of Water on Earth
Author: Rochelle Strauss
Illustrator: Rosemary Woods
Publisher: Kids Can Press
Year of Publication: 2007
Grade level: 2-6
Genre: Picture Book
Topics: Water conservation
Social Issues Addressed: Protecting the earth
Summary: The book displays the importance of water. It addresses many different topics about water. Some of these topics include water conservation and preservation, precipitation, evaporation, and condensation. The book has many facts about water in it that many people don’t know. It is very educational.
Interactions Between Text and Illustrations: The illustrations support the text with pictures illustrating the fact about water that the text explains.
Curricular Uses: Read aloud and independent reading
Author: Rochelle Strauss
Illustrator: Rosemary Woods
Publisher: Kids Can Press
Year of Publication: 2007
Grade level: 2-6
Genre: Picture Book
Topics: Water conservation
Social Issues Addressed: Protecting the earth
Summary: The book displays the importance of water. It addresses many different topics about water. Some of these topics include water conservation and preservation, precipitation, evaporation, and condensation. The book has many facts about water in it that many people don’t know. It is very educational.
Interactions Between Text and Illustrations: The illustrations support the text with pictures illustrating the fact about water that the text explains.
Curricular Uses: Read aloud and independent reading
October 25, 2017
Summary:
This book discusses the many ways that water is connected on Earth. Throughout the story, the author explains how we use water and why it is important. The author also writes about how water is recycled and why we should keep it clean.
Evaluation:
The theme throughout the book is water conservation. This book has many details, facts, and visuals related to water. The author represents people, animals, and habitats that center around water. The illustrations are very colorful, but the color blue seems to be the focal point on each page.
Teaching Point:
In fourth grade, students could use this book to identify theme or main idea. Teachers could use portions of the book to introduce processes of the water cycle and/or ecosystems.
This book discusses the many ways that water is connected on Earth. Throughout the story, the author explains how we use water and why it is important. The author also writes about how water is recycled and why we should keep it clean.
Evaluation:
The theme throughout the book is water conservation. This book has many details, facts, and visuals related to water. The author represents people, animals, and habitats that center around water. The illustrations are very colorful, but the color blue seems to be the focal point on each page.
Teaching Point:
In fourth grade, students could use this book to identify theme or main idea. Teachers could use portions of the book to introduce processes of the water cycle and/or ecosystems.
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March 26, 2010This book is a great way for children to understand some concepts about water. It discusses how plants and animals need water for their survival and that everyone needs to do their part to conserve water. The book had a lot of interesting facts throughout the book. It also had charts and such to maybe help children better understand what was being said. The book makes the reader think about how they can help to conserve water to help our planet.
Age:4th-6th grade
Use: Sing the water cycle song, teach about how the water cycle works, independent reading
Genre: Picture book
Topic: Water issues
Age:4th-6th grade
Use: Sing the water cycle song, teach about how the water cycle works, independent reading
Genre: Picture book
Topic: Water issues
July 21, 2012
One well, water. To feed from, to drink from, humans, animals, plants and habitats. This informational book is very emotional at the same time. It gives us heartwrenching statistics about access to water, who uses the water, fresh water, where water comes from (recycling of water), resources and why we need water. This would be a great book for Social Studies, public awareness, science, life cycles and habitats, also math there are graph features. Not only does this book tell you about the crisis that we are facing as a world with "one" well, but the solutions and how you can help make this resource available for all. Water means life.
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