I have been exploring the idea of how to use tradebooks to teach science, and I found a great book that is all about using trade books during science to guide inquiry. In fact, that is part of the title of the book-- Picture-Perfect Science Lessons: Using Children's Books to Guide Inquiry, 3-6 byKaren Rohrich Ansberry and Emily Morgan. The first chapter in this book is devoted to answering the question why read picture books in science class? The answer to this is fairly simple. If you think back to your favorite book as a child, more often than not your answer will be some sort of picture book. Children and adults alike are drawn to the storylines and characters and are able to connect them to their own lives. Because of this it is easier for students to remember the concepts being taught, rather than reading lists of facts from a textbook.
Another good point made is that many children have trouble reading textbooks because of the vocabulary. Also, it is a good idea to share both a fiction book about a certain topic followed by a non fiction book about the same topic so the students remain engaged while learning the content. The book also states that research has shown that using literature in science has led to gains in both science and literacy, including more positive attitudes toward science.
One more interesting point brought up is that many students have misconceptions about science, and using books can help correct these misconceptions. However, it is pointed out that some books also contain scientific misconceptions, but this can be used to aid learning by teaching students to question the accuracy of information in books. The students can also retell the story using correct information that they have learned.
All of the lesson in this book feature and are based off of different children's picture books. My partner and I used one of these lessons in our science unit on matter, but I had not read this particular chapter before we taught the lesson, and because I didn't know the importance of using the book suggested I was just going to read it if we had time at the end of the science inquiry activity. We didn't have time, so the students never got to hear the story Pancakes, Pancakes by Eric Carle. The next time that I do this activity, I will be sure to read the book to the students because I'm sure they would have understood the lesson a little better if they had heard it.
I agree that using trade books to teach science concepts can be very helpful for students. It puts the concept in terms that are appropriate for young students and allows them to begin understanding a topic before diving into the "real" stuff. My cooperating teacher uses trade book to introduce many of the topics she teaches. She used one book called Sir Cumference as a way to introduce geometry to her fifth grade students. This book incorporated a lot of important geometry vocabulary with in the text and pictures in a way that was helpful to the students understanding of the concept. She still refers back the book while she is teaching geometry and the students are able to make connections between the concepts and the book.
ReplyDeleteI agree with a lot of your post. Often I have found that students don't realize that they are doing science, math, social studies, etc. when they are reading trade books. Trade books are a great way to cross over curriculum into other subjects. Using literature in science can certainly help students think about topics in new and inventive ways.
ReplyDeleteIn our class we recently addressed misconceptions about science found in stories that we read to children in class. For example, would students be confused when they read the Very Hungry Caterpillar and see that the caterpillar is large and eats lots and lots of food?
Hi Jessie, I feel that adding literature to any content makes learning more fun and helps with student's comprehension. But we have to remember to always stay with the purpose of what we are teachin and find appropriate texts to match or enhance the purpose. In my science praticum class, the teacher is introducing an energy project. Along one side of her classroom, she has a counter full of different texts relating to the topic of energy. Her students can go over and browse or read the books. These books all relate to her purpose. These books will help the students further their understanding of energy. Picture books are awesome to have as an extension of the project!
ReplyDeleteYou bring up some great points on the importance of books in science. It is great to incorporate other subjects into science and can be extremely beneficial for your students. I also like that you provide an example of a great trade book to use. This could be a great way to reach individual students who especially enjoy language arts and could be used outside of the classroom for some students as well. Thanks for sharing!
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