How could we as literacy coaches assist high school teachers in integration of literature selections in their content area? For example, how might science teachers use picture books to illustrate science concepts?
It is essential that high school teachers occasionally--if not often--use picture books in their teaching. As literacy coaches, we need to encourage and remind content teachers of that! Not only do picture books give every student a rich visual, they provide the added "sticky velcro" to their students' memories. These visuals can add an increased depth of understanding to difficult concepts. Additionally, using picture books regularly are an enjoyable change of pace for young adolescents and it gives struggling readers "permission" to look at and read them, worry-free. For a social studies or civics lesson on multiculturalism, teaching tolerance, social justice, persistence, and the value of believing in yourself, I would recommend the picture books, One and Zero, both written by Kathryn Otoshi. The messages are very clear, concise, and affectively poignant. Baseball Saved Us, by Ken Machizuki, is another excellent picture book for a civics class of for an American history class. This resource would work well for teaching about WWII, including (American) injustice, prejudice, bullying, teamwork, courage, learning from bad experiences, family hardships, and even the history of baseball!
Genny - Those are great examples of books that you could use in a history class to show “what the wars were all about”. It is much easier for students to pay attention when there are pictures. Pictures bring verbiage and real like images together to emphasize on a point.
Middle school and high school teachers should use picture books in their classrooms as a way to engage all students and make the learning more meaningful for all. Using picture books will capture the attention of ALL students. Reluctant or struggling readers will be able to relax and enjoy the story without having to worry about keeping up with their peers. All students can enjoy the illustrations and message found in picture books- and these can both be motivators for class or group discussions. Using picture books would be a great way to introduce a unit of study. For example, if you were going to study The Great Depression in Social Studies, you could find a picture book to use to introduce students to this. Having read a picture book will provide all students with at least a bit of background knowledge and prior experience, and the students will be able to gain more from the learning. I feel that there are many books that a teacher could use with older students. When we completed our "book talks" for 603, we came up with several picture books that would be very appropriate to use with older students. For example, we looked at Eve Bunting books. She writes books based on many different social justice issues. These books would be fabulous to use with middle/high school students. Picture books allow students to enjoy reading and can really allow students to feel connected to the book.
The use of literature in content classes can make the concepts much more interesting and real than their textbooks can. We all know that most textbooks are very “dry” and it is difficult to make concepts interesting. However, literature selections, particularly historical fiction and more narrative formats of other material, can make the concepts much more approachable. This is especially important for reluctant or struggling readers because a narrative format feels safer and much more familiar to them, unlike a textbook that can be very intimidating.
To assist teachers we should gather lists of books that contain material for all subjects. There are a number of short stories on various content in a book called Nonfiction Comprehension Cliffhangers. The book allows students to practice critical reading skills on top of introducing a concept outside a textbook. Another way we could encourage them to use the literature is to introduce new concepts. It can also be a great thing to use in place of or in conjunction with videos. Literature selections, particularly when you have a variety to choose from, can also be great in a literature circle or book club format. To extend the book club each group could present on their topic.
In science in particular, the books that come to mind are the variety of Dr. Seuss books called “The Cat in the Hat Knows a lot about that”. They then have a number of topics (ex. I own All About Weather). I think in a high school the kids would see these books as fun and the books use many vocabulary words and concepts.
Ruth - I have never heard of the Nonfiction Comprehension Cliffhangers, but what a GREAT resource. I thoroughly enjoyed browsing the sites and information regarding content materials and additional resources! Thank you for sharing that!
As a literacy coach, it would only benefit educators to incorporate a variety of literature inside their classroom. Teachers sometimes get lost in a textbook and by their lesion plans that they forget to bring in the past production of fiction and non fiction books. By using literature inside their core content classes, they are able to provide students with a different perspective than what “one” source in a book creates. For example, take our history of the Korean War. If we only were to focus on the 6 pages of the Korean War in any history content book in our schools today, you wouldn’t have perspectives, reflections, and pictures of other good and bad things that happened prior to the start of the Korean War. It is impossible to show the big picture of something without having multiple sources to grasp information from. By using picture books to show a concept that is different than what is portrayed in the actually curriculum, would highly benefit students to look much higher than what they are given in the classroom. Using picture books can help master the concept and the theme of a topic to include being able to visualize and image what it was like during certain times in history and during certain events around the world.
When I was in a classroom teaching, a good colleague of mine used the book, “Oh the Places You’ll Go”, By Dr. Seuss. She use this book to introduce the concept of theme before moving on to the more complicated terms within literature. This book “took a journey”, as she presented taking a journey through life, making choices, overcoming challenges, and moving through obstacles. More great Dr. Seuss books include "There's a Wocket in My Pocket” and "Scrambled Eggs Super” that explores conventional poetic themes. The stories combine internal rhyming and alliteration into a picture book for students to enjoy learning.
Also, I taught a Social Skills class in the middle school and high school setting for two years and it was nice having pictures books to utilize to “show” the diversity of cultures in which bullying, divorce, birth/death, and hatred occurs. It was a great way to get the kids involved besides just listening to me lecture how to there is only one way to do things.
I have had discussions with our high school history teacher already this year about planning our units together. We have a very good literature series that actually follows historical eras presenting literature. It has been very eye opening to the students to discover how history has impressed the literature of the decades/eras and how the reading public at the time responded to the writings. Using picture books with secondary students is a plan I have for future years. As this is my first year at the secondary level, I am really just now feeling my way around the expectations of the administration who is also in his first year. We are discovering together and he is very supportive of my ideas and I to his. I love picture books! They have so much to offer to so many age levels; the various underlying meanings can be explored with older children while younger children will pick up ideas and values with read alouds and discussion with their teachers. Literature plays a very important part in every area of the curriculum; I'm glad to find out that colleges are offering courses for our future teachers. Linda Pulchinski
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ReplyDeleteIt is essential that high school teachers occasionally--if not often--use picture books in their teaching. As literacy coaches, we need to encourage and remind content teachers of that! Not only do picture books give every student a rich visual, they provide the added "sticky velcro" to their students' memories. These visuals can add an increased depth of understanding to difficult concepts. Additionally, using picture books regularly are an enjoyable change of pace for young adolescents and it gives struggling readers "permission" to look at and read them, worry-free. For a social studies or civics lesson on multiculturalism, teaching tolerance, social justice, persistence, and the value of believing in yourself, I would recommend the picture books, One and Zero, both written by Kathryn Otoshi. The messages are very clear, concise, and affectively poignant. Baseball Saved Us, by Ken Machizuki, is another excellent picture book for a civics class of for an American history class. This resource would work well for teaching about WWII, including (American) injustice, prejudice, bullying, teamwork, courage, learning from bad experiences, family hardships, and even the history of baseball!
ReplyDeleteJust think, we even enjoyed having picture books read to us as adults- remember when Chuck read One and Zero to us during the 603 class?
DeleteI haven't read those two books by Kathryn Otoshi. I'll have to check them out soon as they sound very interesting!
DeleteI agree that picture books are great as adults, I love the visuals!
Ruth
Genny - Those are great examples of books that you could use in a history class to show “what the wars were all about”. It is much easier for students to pay attention when there are pictures. Pictures bring verbiage and real like images together to emphasize on a point.
DeleteMiddle school and high school teachers should use picture books in their classrooms as a way to engage all students and make the learning more meaningful for all. Using picture books will capture the attention of ALL students. Reluctant or struggling readers will be able to relax and enjoy the story without having to worry about keeping up with their peers. All students can enjoy the illustrations and message found in picture books- and these can both be motivators for class or group discussions. Using picture books would be a great way to introduce a unit of study. For example, if you were going to study The Great Depression in Social Studies, you could find a picture book to use to introduce students to this. Having read a picture book will provide all students with at least a bit of background knowledge and prior experience, and the students will be able to gain more from the learning. I feel that there are many books that a teacher could use with older students. When we completed our "book talks" for 603, we came up with several picture books that would be very appropriate to use with older students. For example, we looked at Eve Bunting books. She writes books based on many different social justice issues. These books would be fabulous to use with middle/high school students. Picture books allow students to enjoy reading and can really allow students to feel connected to the book.
ReplyDeleteThe use of literature in content classes can make the concepts much more interesting and real than their textbooks can. We all know that most textbooks are very “dry” and it is difficult to make concepts interesting. However, literature selections, particularly historical fiction and more narrative formats of other material, can make the concepts much more approachable. This is especially important for reluctant or struggling readers because a narrative format feels safer and much more familiar to them, unlike a textbook that can be very intimidating.
ReplyDeleteTo assist teachers we should gather lists of books that contain material for all subjects. There are a number of short stories on various content in a book called Nonfiction Comprehension Cliffhangers. The book allows students to practice critical reading skills on top of introducing a concept outside a textbook. Another way we could encourage them to use the literature is to introduce new concepts. It can also be a great thing to use in place of or in conjunction with videos. Literature selections, particularly when you have a variety to choose from, can also be great in a literature circle or book club format. To extend the book club each group could present on their topic.
In science in particular, the books that come to mind are the variety of Dr. Seuss books called “The Cat in the Hat Knows a lot about that”. They then have a number of topics (ex. I own All About Weather). I think in a high school the kids would see these books as fun and the books use many vocabulary words and concepts.
Ruth
Ruth - I have never heard of the Nonfiction Comprehension Cliffhangers, but what a GREAT resource. I thoroughly enjoyed browsing the sites and information regarding content materials and additional resources! Thank you for sharing that!
DeleteAs a literacy coach, it would only benefit educators to incorporate a variety of literature inside their classroom. Teachers sometimes get lost in a textbook and by their lesion plans that they forget to bring in the past production of fiction and non fiction books. By using literature inside their core content classes, they are able to provide students with a different perspective than what “one” source in a book creates. For example, take our history of the Korean War. If we only were to focus on the 6 pages of the Korean War in any history content book in our schools today, you wouldn’t have perspectives, reflections, and pictures of other good and bad things that happened prior to the start of the Korean War. It is impossible to show the big picture of something without having multiple sources to grasp information from. By using picture books to show a concept that is different than what is portrayed in the actually curriculum, would highly benefit students to look much higher than what they are given in the classroom. Using picture books can help master the concept and the theme of a topic to include being able to visualize and image what it was like during certain times in history and during certain events around the world.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was in a classroom teaching, a good colleague of mine used the book, “Oh the Places You’ll Go”, By Dr. Seuss. She use this book to introduce the concept of theme before moving on to the more complicated terms within literature. This book “took a journey”, as she presented taking a journey through life, making choices, overcoming challenges, and moving through obstacles. More great Dr. Seuss books include "There's a Wocket in My Pocket” and "Scrambled Eggs Super” that explores conventional poetic themes. The stories combine internal rhyming and alliteration into a picture book for students to enjoy learning.
Also, I taught a Social Skills class in the middle school and high school setting for two years and it was nice having pictures books to utilize to “show” the diversity of cultures in which bullying, divorce, birth/death, and hatred occurs. It was a great way to get the kids involved besides just listening to me lecture how to there is only one way to do things.
I have had discussions with our high school history teacher already this year about planning our units together. We have a very good literature series that actually follows historical eras presenting literature. It has been very eye opening to the students to discover how history has impressed the literature of the decades/eras and how the reading public at the time responded to the writings. Using picture books with secondary students is a plan I have for future years. As this is my first year at the secondary level, I am really just now feeling my way around the expectations of the administration who is also in his first year. We are discovering together and he is very supportive of my ideas and I to his. I love picture books! They have so much to offer to so many age levels; the various underlying meanings can be explored with older children while younger children will pick up ideas and values with read alouds and discussion with their teachers. Literature plays a very important part in every area of the curriculum; I'm glad to find out that colleges are offering courses for our future teachers. Linda Pulchinski
ReplyDeletesounds exciting!!
ReplyDelete