Rationale:
This is a great strategy for a variety of reasons. This strategy is great for ELL or at-risk students who lack background knowledge for a certain topic. For me, I found the textbook provided by the district was too difficult and overwhelming for my students to use as their main text. I have used the leveled readers that accompany the textbook, but after awhile they “lose their luster” and do not spark the children’s interest. I have been looking for a way to encourage my students to read more informational texts, but also not lose interest in the science topics. I felt using picture books would be a good bridge to bringing my readers from fiction texts to informational texts.
Courses in which it could be implemented
This strategy can be used in any content area.Below I have created a table to show the content area, some suggestions for why using picture books is an appropriate strategy, and examples of books to use. You will also find in the Blacklines section a list of books to use for math, and the concepts they can be used to teach.
Subject Area
Why Use Picturebooks?
Examples of Books to Use
Math
·Provides a visual for new concepts ·Provides real-world context for concepts
·Provides different perspectives for historical events ·Provides background knowledge (especially for ELLs) ·Provide visuals for events in history ·Could be a more appropriate reading level for students
Under the Quilt ofNight By Deborah Hopkinson. Book about the UndergroundRailroad.
Pink and Say By Patricia Polacco
Book about different perspectives of the civil war
When Marian Sang By Pam Muñoz Ryan
Book about jazz singer Marian Anderson and civil rights.
Science
·Provide background information ·Provide visuals for difficult concepts ·Could be a more appropriate reading level for students
From Seed to Plant By Gail Gibbons
Book about plant life cycle
Weather By Seymour Simon
Book with excellent photos and information about weather.
Diverse learners:
I found this strategy especially useful in my ELL classroom because theyoverall lack a lot of background knowledge in the content area.Using picture books helps us tackle difficult concepts in a motivating and less intimidating way. I also feel this strategy is appropriate for visual learners.Even though textbook companies work hard to provide good graphics for students, they sometimes are not enough, or not clear. Teachers can then pick picture books to supplement the text that might have better photographs or illustrations to assist the visual learner.Lastly, using a picture book is appropriate when the textbook is too high of a reading level for a student or group of students.Using a picture book can make the content more accessible to struggling readers.
Procedure:
This is an example of a lesson I did for a science lesson. 1. I pulled some books that were pictures books related to the topic we were studying in science (The Earth’s Changing Surface). I found texts like a volcano legend from Central America, Magic School Bus: Inside the Earth, and some nonfiction Seymour Simon books (among others).
2. I gathered the kids around the couch and chairs, like we would to share a read-aloud or reading mini-lesson.
3. The first book I introduced was the Magic School Bus book (I had 6 copies of the book to share with the class).
4. We first went though and did a picture walk and commented on whether the book was fiction or nonfiction (both we decided).
5. We then discussed the text features, just as we would have with a textbook.
6. I read the first few pages and together we discussed how the Magic School Bus books must be like the Magic Tree house books because they both are series that contain a fiction story but real information.
7. We read aloud parts of the book and read other parts silently, pausing to discuss what we understood from the text.
8. We also connected what we learned from the picture book to what we had learned from the other texts we had read.
Potential Issues:
Problem:
Possible Solutions:
Students have trouble listening to lengthy read-aloud
·Use with a smaller group and give each student a copy to follow along with. ·Display book on Elmo or SmartBoard ·Break up book over a few days. ·See if book is available on CD or digital format for students to listen to independently.
Students MUST use textbook provided by district
·Use picture books as a supplement or as part of an introductory lesson ·Put picture books in a part of the room where students have access to them as references or for individual reading.
Costello, B., & Kolodziej, N. (2006, September 1). A Middle School Teacher's Guide for Selecting Picture Books. Middle School Journal, 38(1), 27-33. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. EJ752877) Retrieved April 19, 2009, from ERIC database.
This is a great strategy for a variety of reasons. This strategy is great for ELL or at-risk students who lack background knowledge for a certain topic. For me, I found the textbook provided by the district was too difficult and overwhelming for my students to use as their main text. I have used the leveled readers that accompany the textbook, but after awhile they “lose their luster” and do not spark the children’s interest. I have been looking for a way to encourage my students to read more informational texts, but also not lose interest in the science topics. I felt using picture books would be a good bridge to bringing my readers from fiction texts to informational texts.
Courses in which it could be implemented
This strategy can be used in any content area. Below I have created a table to show the content area, some suggestions for why using picture books is an appropriate strategy, and examples of books to use. You will also find in the Blacklines section a list of books to use for math, and the concepts they can be used to teach.· Provides real-world context for concepts
· Provides background knowledge (especially for ELLs)
· Provide visuals for events in history
· Could be a more appropriate reading level for students
By Deborah Hopkinson. Book about the Underground Railroad.
Pink and Say
By Patricia Polacco
Book about different perspectives of the civil war
When Marian Sang
By Pam Muñoz Ryan
Book about jazz singer Marian Anderson and civil rights.
· Provide visuals for difficult concepts
· Could be a more appropriate reading level for students
By Gail Gibbons
Book about plant life cycle
Weather
By Seymour Simon
Book with excellent photos and information about weather.
Diverse learners:
I found this strategy especially useful in my ELL classroom because they overall lack a lot of background knowledge in the content area. Using picture books helps us tackle difficult concepts in a motivating and less intimidating way. I also feel this strategy is appropriate for visual learners. Even though textbook companies work hard to provide good graphics for students, they sometimes are not enough, or not clear. Teachers can then pick picture books to supplement the text that might have better photographs or illustrations to assist the visual learner. Lastly, using a picture book is appropriate when the textbook is too high of a reading level for a student or group of students. Using a picture book can make the content more accessible to struggling readers.Procedure:
This is an example of a lesson I did for a science lesson.1. I pulled some books that were pictures books related to the topic we were studying in science (The Earth’s Changing Surface). I found texts like a volcano legend from Central America, Magic School Bus: Inside the Earth, and some nonfiction Seymour Simon books (among others).
2. I gathered the kids around the couch and chairs, like we would to share a read-aloud or reading mini-lesson.
3. The first book I introduced was the Magic School Bus book (I had 6 copies of the book to share with the class).
4. We first went though and did a picture walk and commented on whether the book was fiction or nonfiction (both we decided).
5. We then discussed the text features, just as we would have with a textbook.
6. I read the first few pages and together we discussed how the Magic School Bus books must be like the Magic Tree house books because they both are series that contain a fiction story but real information.
7. We read aloud parts of the book and read other parts silently, pausing to discuss what we understood from the text.
8. We also connected what we learned from the picture book to what we had learned from the other texts we had read.
Potential Issues:
· Display book on Elmo or SmartBoard
· Break up book over a few days.
· See if book is available on CD or digital format for students to listen to independently.
· Put picture books in a part of the room where students have access to them as references or for individual reading.
.