Science and Literature

1. Science and Literature Susan Matthews RE 5140 April 27, 2010

2. Research Question: How does literature help young children develop the language to talk about science topics?

3. Research says: • “Well-written and developmentally appropriate literature not only provides content knowledge and fosters science process skills; it also awakens children’s curiosity and offers opportunities for inquiry (Sackes, M., Trundle, K., & Flevares, L., 2009).” • “Well-written, developmentally matched literature provides a tool that facilitates and enhances the discovery process (Zeece, P., 1999).” • “Elementary students can read about science in order to learn new content, to gain new science-process skills, and to increase their motivation to read (Abell, S., 2008).”

4. seven Hispanics, one African-American, two Multi-Racial, and twelve Caucasian students. seven Hispanics, one African-American, two Multi-Racial, and twelve Caucasian students. seven Hispanics, one African-American, two Multi-Racial, and twelve Caucasian students. Participants: • 22 Kindergarten Students • 13 boys • 9 girls • 7 - Hispanics • 1 - African-American • 2 - Multi-Racial • 12 - Caucasian students

5. seven Hispanics, one African-American, two Multi-Racial, and twelve Caucasian students. seven Hispanics, one African-American, two Multi-Racial, and twelve Caucasian students. seven Hispanics, one African-American, two Multi-Racial, and twelve Caucasian students. Plant unit: We started out with a KWL chart

6. seven Hispanics, one African-American, two Multi-Racial, and twelve Caucasian students. seven Hispanics, one African-American, two Multi-Racial, and twelve Caucasian students. seven Hispanics, one African-American, two Multi-Racial, and twelve Caucasian students.

7. Checklist for books • Sudol and King (1996) developed a checklist for evaluating expository trade books and they should include the following: • accuracy • organization and layout • cohesion of ideas • specialized vocabulary • reader interest

8. seven Hispanics, one African-American, two Multi-Racial, and twelve Caucasian students. seven Hispanics, one African-American, two Multi-Racial, and twelve Caucasian students. seven Hispanics, one African-American, two Multi-Racial, and twelve Caucasian students. Books we read.

9. seven Hispanics, one African-American, two Multi-Racial, and twelve Caucasian students. seven Hispanics, one African-American, two Multi-Racial, and twelve Caucasian students. seven Hispanics, one African-American, two Multi-Racial, and twelve Caucasian students.

10. seven Hispanics, one African-American, two Multi-Racial, and twelve Caucasian students. seven Hispanics, one African-American, two Multi-Racial, and twelve Caucasian students. seven Hispanics, one African-American, two Multi-Racial, and twelve Caucasian students. Discussion: • Literature does help children develop the language to talk about science topics. • Students were able to add more detailed information about plants at the end of the unit.

11. seven Hispanics, one African-American, two Multi-Racial, and twelve Caucasian students. seven Hispanics, one African-American, two Multi-Racial, and twelve Caucasian students. seven Hispanics, one African-American, two Multi-Racial, and twelve Caucasian students.

12. seven Hispanics, one African-American, two Multi-Racial, and twelve Caucasian students. seven Hispanics, one African-American, two Multi-Racial, and twelve Caucasian students. seven Hispanics, one African-American, two Multi-Racial, and twelve Caucasian students.

13. Resources Abell, S K. (2008, November). Children's literature and the science classroom. Science and Children, 54-55. Sackes, M., Trundle, K C., & Flevares, L M. (2009). Using Children's literature to teach standard-based science concepts in early years. Early Childhood Education Journal, 36, 415-422. Sudol, P., & King, C. (1996). A Checklist for choosing nonfiction trade books. The Reading Teacher, 49(5), 422-424. Zeece, P D. (1999). Things of nature and the nature of things: natural science-based literature for young children. Early Childhood Education Journal, 26(3), 161-166.