Now+&+Ben

Photo obtained from amazon.com =﻿Summary: =

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﻿This book discusses the many inventions of our great forefather Benjamin Franklin. What is most interesting about this book in particular is that it highlights both his more prominent and well known inventions combined with some of his lesser known inventions. Also, it shows how some of his inventions have been tweaked to more modern versions that we still use today. Benjamin Franklin never patented any of his inventions becaue he believed that people should be allowed to use their own creativity to add on to or modify his inventions to make them more efficient. Finally, the book highlights Benjamin Franklin's contributions to our current lifestyle and well-being. Imagine a community without a fire station, library, hospital, or post office? Benjamin Franklin's modern ideas are the reason we have these services in our communities today. This is a great book for elementary school students to understand the great contributions of Benjamin Franklin both back in the eighteenth century and today. Also, it is inspiring for students to learn about all the wonderful contributions one person can make to our world. ===== =**Review: **= This book does a great job of comparing some of Benjamin Franklins original inventions with some of the modern ones we use today. Also, the book includes clear and descriptive illustrations for the students to have a clear understanding of the purpose of these inventions. The book is very informative and is written clearly so that the students will easily be able to understand the contributions of Benjamin Franklin. Also, the book provides numerous places to stop and reflect during a shared reading to answer questions from your students and to make comparisons of the inventions during the late eighteenth century with our modern inventions today.

Content Area Covered:
This book addresses the importance of teaching about prominent figures in American History. Also, it addresses the core content of comparing and analyzing the changes of technology over time. It provides many opportunities to observe and make connections of the inventions we use today as compared with the inventions used a couple of generations ago.

Connections to Components of Reading:
This book is a great tool used in a shared reading in which the students can make comparisons. As mentioned above, the book provides numerous opportunities for the students to observe and compare the similarities and differences of Benjamin Franklin's original inventions with the modified versions we use today. This book would be very effective if used with a lesson on comparing and contrasting. Finally, this book could allow the students to make text to world and text to self connections as they read about the inventions and contributions we still use in our everyday lives. Students could reflect on these inventions that they use today and also discuss how some of these inventions have contributed to making our world and community a better place to live and grow.

﻿ ﻿ ﻿About the Auth﻿or:
What makes this author, Gene Barretta unique is that he not only wrote this book but he also completed all of the illustrations as well. Gene Barretta grew up in Yardley, Pennsylvania where he spent his childhood drawing, animating, and making puppets with his brother. He graduated from New York University with a BFA in film studies. He has achieved much success in illustrating for numerous successful publishing companies. He currently resides in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with his wife, Leslie, and son, Benjamin. For more information, please visit his [|website]