Rosie Woods in Jack and the Bean Shock

By Maya Myers and Eleanor Howell

A quiet new student named Jack has joined Rosie and Wolfie’s table just in time for a group project. They must use the scientific process to see which team can grow the tallest bean sprouts. Rosie is eager to make a new friend, but Jack doesn’t talk to her, and he seems to have a different idea about “teamwork.” Then Jack helps Rosie discover that there’s more than one way to do a science experiment—and more than one way to be a good friend.

Author Maya Myers, former K-1 teacher and classroom literacy specialist, infuses this tale with clever curricula and captures the antics, excitement, drama, and hilarity of elementary school. Rich back matter offers additional curriculum support.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Capstone Young Readers
• Release date: Jan 1, 2024
• ISBN: 9781484688359

Maya Myers

Maya Myers writes books for kids and edits books for kids and adults. She’s a former teacher and loves cooking, gardening, and (of course) reading—just like Rosie! Originally from Maine, she now lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, with her husband, author-illustrator Matt Myers, who has more ideas than Wolfie. They have three kids, six chickens, and a twenty-three-pound cat named Hoss.

Book preview

Fun Facts

About Me, Rosie Woods

sketch of Rosie and Wolfie

Rosie (right) and Wolfie (left)

I love to write in my trusty red notebook.

I am quiet. My friend Wolfie is… not.

I live with my dad, and I can walk to my grandma’s house.

My teacher, Mrs. Marshall, is the GOAT (greatest of all time)!

The story you are about to read happened in our third-grade class.

Chapter One

Beans, Beans

And to learn more about the scientific method, friends, we will be growing… BEANS! Mrs. Marshall threw her arms up in the air. She looked like she expected a round of applause, but the whole class just stared at her.

Beans didn’t sound too exciting to Rosie. In fact, they were one of her least favorite foods. Green beans? No thanks. Black beans? Yuck. Kidney beans? NEVER.

In the absence of applause from her students, Mrs. Marshall clapped her own hands three times.

That’s right, class, BEANS! You are going to design an experiment using the scientific method to learn about beans.

Rosie turned her eyes to her trusty red notebook. She had been taking notes about the steps of the scientific method.

THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD 1. Ask a question What happens if _____? Why? How? How much? 2. Research Find out more about the thing your question is about. 3. Form a hypothesis (say hi-POTH-uh-sis) Make a guess about what will happen. 4. Conduct an experiment Do the same thing different ways. 5. Record the data Write down what happens. Take measurements! 6. Draw a conclusion Figure out if your guess was right. 7. Share the results Make a poster!

The first thing was to ask a question. What kind of question could Rosie ask about beans? Why are beans so slimy? Why do parents make children eat beans? What even is the point of beans?

A bean is a seed, Mrs. Marshall said. Seeds grow into plants. Your questions should have something to do with what bean seeds need in order to become the most giant beanstalk of all!

Phew! Rosie thought. Maybe they wouldn’t actually have to eat the beans.

Your experiment should have at least four different test subjects. Everything should be the same for all four plants, except for one thing. Your group will decide what that different thing will be.

What groups? Wolfie called out without raising his hand. How do we know who’s in our group?

Wolfie was Rosie’s good friend, though he did wear her out sometimes with all his talking. It seemed like he never had a thought he didn’t say out loud.

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