Picture-Perfect Science Lessons: Using Children's Books To Guide Inquiry; Grades 3-6 (PB186X) - Softcover

Karen Rohrich Ansberry; Emily R. Morgan

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0873552431 ISBN 13: 9780873552431

Publisher: National Science Teachers Association, 2004

Synopsis

Wouldn t it be perfect if an expert combined the appeal of children s picture books with Standards-based science content and then offered you the ready-to-teach results? Picture-Perfect Science Lessons makes that exciting idea a reality. This delightful book for new and experienced elementary teachers presents 15 ready-to-teach lessons complete with student pages and assessments that use picture books to guide science inquiry explicitly tied to the National Science Education Standards. The authors are experts. They re classroom veterans who have honed their approach to teaching science through their presentation of Toyota Tapestry-funded workshops to teachers nationwide. They know that elementary teachers are usually crunched for science instructional time and could often use refresher explanations of scientific concepts. So they show you exactly how to combine science and reading in a natural way, and they provide easy-to-grasp background in physical science, life science, and Earth and space science. The lessons are classroom-tested, clearly identify the appropriate Standards, and embed carefully selected reading strategies throughout. Picture-Perfect Science Lessons draws on such diverse and tempting books as Dr. Xargle s Book of Earthlets, Oil Spill, Sheep in a Jeep, and Weird Friends: Unlikely Allies in the Animal Kingdom. You ll love how effective this book is, and your students will love learning about science.

About this title

About the Author

Karen Ansberry is a former classroom teacher who understands that teachers are crunched for time and need high-interest, ready-to-use lessons that integrate literature, reading strategies, and science. After graduating from Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio with a bachelor's degree in biology, she completed an internship in the Cincinnati Zoo's education department. After earning a Master of Arts in teaching from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, she began teaching fifth and sixth grade science at Mason City Schools, in Mason, Ohio.

Review

Winner of 2011 Bronze EXCEL Award from Association Media & Publishing --Association Media & Publishing

I met Emily Morgan while we were OSCI trained in Columbus, OH a few years ago. She introduced me to her book and I thought it was wonderful. The lessons follow the 5 E s Model that allows students to EXPLORE, EXPLORE, EXPLORE. The inquiry method of teaching is so important when teaching children science. I use lessons from the Picture Perfect Science in my 6th grade classes too and the workshops that I facilitate the OPFERST classes at Youngstown State University. The teachers in the workshop are so impressed with the lessons that we have ordered both books for over 70 teacher participants. Many teachers are used to not teaching much science or teach it as a reading lesson. After using Picture Perfect Science lessons in the workshop, most teachers were excited about teaching science and cannot wait to get back to the classroom to teach using the 5 E s Model. Integrating Picture Books is a great way to integrate Language Arts into Science while using inquiry. --Reviewed by: Sharon Ragan (Youngstown, OH) on July 2, 2008

Picture-Perfect Science Lessons is an explanation and guide for using picture books and other children s literature as a way to teach science. The book begins by outlining an argument for using such literature in science and provides best practice methods for reading picture books aloud to children. The first chapter defines a picture book as being ...unique to children s literature as they are defined by format rather than content. That is, they are books in which the illustrations are of equal importance as or more important than the text in the creation of meaning (Strickland and Morrow 2000). Picture books tend to capture the interest of children for longer periods of time and lend themselves to comprehension strategy practice. The book gave four research-based arguments for using picture books. First, they give context for concepts. Rather than having student memorize lists of facts, books give a real-life context in which new concepts can better be learned and observed. Second, picture books provide a greater depth of coverage. Unlike textbooks which often give broad coverage on many topics, picture books allow for in-depth coverage on one topic. Third, research shows that children showed great gains in literacy skills when introduced to children s literature and literacy instruction in the science program. Their attitude towards science also improved. Finally, using picture books within the science curriculum provided opportunities to correct science misconceptions. Repetition of the correct concept by reading several books, doing a number of experiments, and inviting scientists to the classroom can facilitate a conceptual change in children (Miller, Steiner, and Larson 1996). The second chapter gave tips for reading aloud and reading comprehension strategies. The authors also listed tools for improving reading comprehension including anticipation guides, visual representations, rereading, stop and jot, think-pair-share, and word sorts. The third and fourth chapters discussed using an inquiry model and leading children through prediction, inferring, and questioning. The authors introduce us to the BSCS Instruction Model (Biological Sciences Curriculum Study) and the 5E model. The 5E model is Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate and Evaluate. The purpose of the Engage stage is to capture students attention. The Explore stage provides opportunities for students to engage in activities, giving them concrete experiences, concepts and skills. In the Explain stage, students are given a chance to put their ideas into their own words, clarifying the concepts. This gives the teacher a checkpoint to assess student understanding. In the elaborate stage, students are challenged to extend the concep --Reviewed by: Melanie Zook on May 5, 2008

I met Emily Morgan while we were OSCI trained in Columbus, OH a few years ago. She introduced me to her book and I thought it was wonderful. The lessons follow the 5 E s Model that allows students to EXPLORE, EXPLORE, EXPLORE. The inquiry method of teaching is so important when teaching children science. I use lessons from the Picture Perfect Science in my 6th grade classes too and the workshops that I facilitate the OPFERST classes at Youngstown State University. The teachers in the workshop are so impressed with the lessons that we have ordered both books for over 70 teacher participants. Many teachers are used to not teaching much science or teach it as a reading lesson. After using Picture Perfect Science lessons in the workshop, most teachers were excited about teaching science and cannot wait to get back to the classroom to teach using the 5 E s Model. Integrating Picture Books is a great way to integrate Language Arts into Science while using inquiry. --Reviewed by: Sharon Ragan (Youngstown, OH) on July 2, 2008

Picture-Perfect Science Lessons is an explanation and guide for using picture books and other children s literature as a way to teach science. The book begins by outlining an argument for using such literature in science and provides best practice methods for reading picture books aloud to children. The first chapter defines a picture book as being ...unique to children s literature as they are defined by format rather than content. That is, they are books in which the illustrations are of equal importance as or more important than the text in the creation of meaning (Strickland and Morrow 2000). Picture books tend to capture the interest of children for longer periods of time and lend themselves to comprehension strategy practice. The book gave four research-based arguments for using picture books. First, they give context for concepts. Rather than having student memorize lists of facts, books give a real-life context in which new concepts can better be learned and observed. Second, picture books provide a greater depth of coverage. Unlike textbooks which often give broad coverage on many topics, picture books allow for in-depth coverage on one topic. Third, research shows that children showed great gains in literacy skills when introduced to children s literature and literacy instruction in the science program. Their attitude towards science also improved. Finally, using picture books within the science curriculum provided opportunities to correct science misconceptions. Repetition of the correct concept by reading several books, doing a number of experiments, and inviting scientists to the classroom can facilitate a conceptual change in children (Miller, Steiner, and Larson 1996). The second chapter gave tips for reading aloud and reading comprehension strategies. The authors also listed tools for improving reading comprehension including anticipation guides, visual representations, rereading, stop and jot, think-pair-share, and word sorts. The third and fourth chapters discussed using an inquiry model and leading children through prediction, inferring, and questioning. The authors introduce us to the BSCS Instruction Model (Biological Sciences Curriculum Study) and the 5E model. The 5E model is Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate and Evaluate. The purpose of the Engage stage is to capture students attention. The Explore stage provides opportunities for students to engage in activities, giving them concrete experiences, concepts and skills. In the Explain stage, students are given a chance to put their ideas into their own words, clarifying the concepts. This gives the teacher a checkpoint to assess student understanding. In the elaborate stage, students are challenged to extend the concepts learned and apply them to new situations. At the evaluate stage, the teacher is able to assess student s understanding and give opportunity for students to self-evaluate. The remainder of the book lays out each chapter as a lesson plan, including goals, objectives, all required materials, activities, questions and a rubric for assessment. Each chapter provides the worksheets needed for the activities and lays out each lesson according to the 5E model. I would highly recommend this book for its many strategies and usability. --Reviewed by: Melanie Zook on May 5, 2008

Edition details

• Publisher: National Science Teachers Association
• Publication date: 2004
• ISBN 10: 0873552431
• ISBN 13: 9780873552431
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 304