Meeting New People is published by Harcourt Brace, copyright 1997, and written by Boeham, Horrne, Mcgowan, Mckinny-Browing, and
Miramontes.  This book reflects the overall content for second grade fairly well.  The book is broken down into units and each unit is broken down
into individual lessons.  The main idea for each lesson is presented in the first paragraph.  The first lesson is an over view about how the book and
lessons work.  It shows the children what to look for in each lesson.  For example, it breaks the lesson down and labels the parts title, story, picture,
new word, main idea, and detail.  This book uses stories, poems, and examples to present the material.  There is minimum use of graphs, maps, and
diagrams.  Sentence structure and vocabulary are simple and easily understood.  Through out the lessons you can find how to pages.  These pages
teach skills such as how to use a map grid and how to find cause and effect.  These pages do not always relate to the lessons in the unit.  At the end
of each lesson one question is asked for review.  At the end of each unit is a fairly intensive review for vocabulary, understanding, critically thinking.
Although a nice review is provided, following chapters almost never build upon the previous information.
    People Together, Adventures in Time and Place is published by Macmillian/ McGraw-Hill, copyright 1997, and written by Banks, Beyer,
Contreras, Craven, Ladson-Billings, Mcfarland, and Parker.  This book covers the content for second grade.  The content coverage is above and
beyond what is expected.  The first lesson reviews skills the children should be familiar with.  The sentence structure and vocabulary are advanced,
but easily understood.  The book is broken down by units and then into lessons.  Each lesson contains a main idea and examples.  At the end of each
lesson several review questions are asked.  Each lesson builds upon an earlier lesson or prior information.  The unit reviews are helpful.  The review is broken down into parts and reading on your own and unit projects are suggested.  Through the lessons you can find thinking skills, geography skills, and study skills pages.  These pages offer more information on before mentioned topics.  This book uses many charts, graphs, maps, and diagrams to
help further understanding.
   People Together, Adventures in Time and Place is, in my opinion, a better book than Meeting New People.  Both books are wonderfully illustrated and offer a wide variety of stimulating photographs.  People Together, Adventures in Time and Place offers more of a challenge for the students.  It by far exceeds Meeting New People in content.  The lessons offer more information, more topics, better reviews, and more examples.  People Together, Adventures in Time and Place has a harder vocabulary level than Meeting New People.  The vocabulary may be harder, but it offers more definitions, context clues, and examples to help foster understanding.  People Together, Adventures in Time and Place would be my text book choice for use in my classroom.
 

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