Flotsam by David Weisner

Genre: Picture Book
Themes: History, problem solving
Grade Level: K-2
Curricular Connections: History, English (writing), Science (oceans, underwater biomes)

Flotsam is a wordless book where the pictures tell the entire story. A boy visiting the beach discovers an old-time camera that has washed up on shore. He takes the camera to a one hour photo shop and develops the pictures. There is a photo of a child holding a photograph. As he looks at the photograph under a microscope, he discovers another child in the held photo holding another photo of another child holding another photo, etc. Eventually there the first photo shows a boy alone on the beach. The first boy figures out a way to take a picture of himself holding the newest photo and then throws the camera back out to sea to eventually be discovered by another child. While undersea, the camera is transported by a variety of underwater creatures, both real and imagined.

Classroom Suggestions:

1. Students can write text for the story, giving characters names and describing the events.

2. Students can create a character sketch for all the photographed children. Students could use the clues in the photos such as hairstyles and clothing to piece together approximate time periods and adjust their character profiles appropriately.

3. As the camera is transported by various creatures, students can work to separate fact from fiction in the pictures.