Running Head: CHILDREN’S LITERATURE IN THE PRIMARY SCIENCE CURRICULUM
Children’s Literature in the Primary Science Curriculum:
A Valuable Tool for Promoting Scientific Literacy
Stefanie Rapp
Vanderbilt University
CHILDREN’S LITERATURE IN THE PRIMARY SCIENCE CURRICULUM
“The aim of science is to discover and illuminate the truth. And that, I take it, is the aim of
literature, whether biography or history or fiction. It seems to me, then, that there can be no
separate literature of science.”
Rachel Carson, 1952
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CHILDREN’S LITERATURE IN THE PRIMARY SCIENCE CURRICULUM
Table of Contents:
Abstract
___________________________________________________________ 4
Scientific Literacy in Today’s World _________________________________________ 5
Traditional Science Education
_________________________________________ 6
Children’s Literature within an Inquiry-Based Curriculum _______________________ 7
Developmentally Appropriate Practice
___________________________________ 9
Children’s Literature in an Integrated Curriculum
_____________________________ 12
Children’s Literature and Motivation _________________________________________ 13
Children’s Literature and Engagement
___________________________________ 14
Children’s Literature as an Authentic Model of Science
_______________________ 15
Children’s Literature vs. Textbooks _________________________________________ 16
Evaluating and Gathering Quality Children’s Literature
_______________________ 19
Children’s Literature in an Inquiry-Based Learning Environment
Curricular Strategies for Using Children’s Literature
_________________ 20
_______________________ 23
Children’s Literature and Assessment of Student Learning _______________________ 25
Conclusion
___________________________________________________________ 26
Appendix A: Mayer’s (1995) Checklist for Book Evaluation
_________________ 28
Appendix B: Literacy Standards that Connect to Teaching Science _________________ 29
References
___________________________________________________________ 30
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Abstract
This essay will explore the professional literature that provides the rationale for using
children’s literature in an inquiry-based, primary science curriculum (preschool to grade three).
My belief, based on the findings of educational researchers in the fields of human development,
science education, and literacy education, is that teachers can use children’s literature to develop
the scientific literacy of young learners. Children’s literature does so by encouraging motivation,
promoting engagement, and serving as an authentic model of the act of science. The essay will
describe why the traditional textbook approach to science education has been unable to produce
satisfactory student achievement in science. Then, the essay will make the case for using
children’s literature and will describe the supportive learning environment and curricular and
assessment strategies that are needed to fulfill the possibilities that children’s literature provides.
My hope is that this essay will highlight the advantages of children’s literature that help children
begin the path towards becoming scientifically literate adults.
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Scientific Literacy in Today’s World
The human attempt to solve enduring mysteries has been around for as long as the human
species itself. Whether trying to start a fire, simplify work, or navigate uncharted terrain,
humankind has always had a motivation to discover the ways of the world. Life in the twentyfirst century has made the desire and ability to understand a requirement. In our time, as we
become ever more reliant on science and technology to resolve economic, health, and
sustainability issues, the preparation of a scientifically literate population proves to be a necessity
(Fang, Lamme, & Pringle, 2010).
A scientifically literate individual, according to Fang, Lamme, and Pringle (2010), is one
who has “the ability to use one’s knowledge and understanding of science concepts and
processes to solve realistic problems and issues for personal and societal benefits” (p. 1).
Scientific literacy can help a person realize potential, as he or she makes informed decisions
while interacting with different people in thoughtful, considerate manners (American
Association for the Advancement of Science, 1990). The scientific literacy of our entire
population has significant impact on the pursuit and achievement of national and global interests,
as well (American Association for the Advancement of Science, 1990). A scientifically literate
citizenry can generate solutions to the enduring issues we face today.
Science education in the primary years of schooling counts a great deal in our efforts to
create a scientifically literate society if a person is to understand not just factual knowledge, but
also the cognitive and physical processes required for a scientific understanding of the world.
Science curriculum must reflect and represent science. Currently it does not, as established by a
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number of educational research studies and assessments of student achievement (American
Association for the Advancement of Science, 1990). For instance, the 2005 National Assessment
of Educational Progress conveyed that only 3% of American fourth-graders, 3% of eighthgraders, and 2% of twelfth-graders performed at Advanced level; 29%, 29%, 18%, respectively,
performed at Proficiency level; and 32%, 41%, and 46%, respectively, performed below Basic
level (Fang, Lamme, & Pringle, 2010). These results are even worse when measured against
science achievement in other countries. According to the International Mathematics and Science
Study, American students fare worse than their global peers not only in content knowledge, but
also in cognitive abilities to use knowledge successfully in multiple contexts (Fang, Lamme, &
Pringle, 2010). Student attitudes towards science begin to deteriorate in the later elementary
grades; the unfavorable sentiments towards science accelerate once students leave middle school
(Osborne, Simon, & Collins, 2003). These statistics provide a sense of urgency as schools
evaluate the effectiveness of their science curriculum.
Traditional Science Education
American children’s mediocre performance in science achievement can be attributed to
an approach to science education that does not reflect and represent science. Traditional
elementary science emphasizes memorization of facts and vocabulary, and scarcely promotes the
application of knowledge to their everyday lives (Butzow, & Butzow, 2000). Though students
learn how to match terms and definitions, children’s natural curiosity and motivation to figure
out how the information applies to real life is left unfulfilled (Martin, Sexton, & Franklin, 2009).
The passive nature of learning in traditional science engenders classes of students that have yet
to really ever experience science: a process of asking questions, making observations, gathering
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data, interpreting results, communicating outcomes and discussing them with others (McKee, &
Ogle, 2005).
Children in traditional science classrooms rarely have the authentic scientific experiences
necessary for developing into a scientifically literate society. Children that are never taught how
knowledge is relevant or useful in life, have only a disconnected collection of facts and an
untapped inquisitiveness of the world. According to McKee and Ogle (2005), children are less
able to remember information and transfer their learning when genuine context is not provided.
Even worse, learning facts without learning processes provides no motivation to remember or
apply them (Bosma, & DeVries Guth, 1995). Butzow and Butzow (2000) relate learning science
by memorization of facts to learning to read by using decoding skills without context. Without
real experiences with science, where knowledge and skill combine, children are left unable use
their learning as a scientifically literate adult.
Children’s Literature within an Inquiry-Based Curriculum
“We cannot expect a child to learn passively by observing experiments performed by the teacher,
any more than we can expect that child to learn to play a musical instrument by watching
someone play it.” (Butzow, & Butzow, 2000, p. 5)
The pedagogical strategy needed to develop the science literacy of young learners is to
provide authenticity and context through the use of children’s literature in an inquiry-based
science curriculum. The activities involved in scientific inquiry do not have to be the reserved
enterprises of the stereotyped old scientist with a lab coat, wiry hair, and glasses. They are
already the sorts of activities that children engage in naturally. Inquiry-based science can be a
young learner’s first model of science in action. Modeled after how scientific understanding is
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used in our everyday lives, inquiry-based science instruction encourages young learners to take
an active role in their learning by participating in hands-on investigations that demonstrate the
scientific process and allow the construction of knowledge. The National Research Council
describes scientific inquiry as (Fang, Lamme, & Pringle, 2010):
a multifaceted activity that involves observation; posing questions; examining books and
other sources of information to see what is already known; planning investigations;
reviewing what is already known in light of experimental evidence; using tools to gather,
analyze and interpret data; proposing answers, explanations and predictions; and
communicating the results. (p. 2)
Alderman and Green (2011) concluded that student motivation and achievement surge when
teachers provide a great number of meaningful science learning activities.
Children’s literature is “good-quality trade books for children from birth to adolescence,
covering topics of relevance and interest to children of those ages, through prose and poetry,
fiction, and nonfiction” (Lynch-Brown, & Tomlinson, 2008, p. 4). Engaging in the reading of a
wide variety literature relevant to the act of science is a powerful tool in deepening conceptual
understanding within an inquiry-based curriculum (Fang, Lamme, & Pringle, 2010). Fang,
Lamme, and Pringle (2010) describe a curriculum abundant in children’s literature as “richer,
more coherent, and more authentic” (p. 36). Scientific literacy, for one and for all, cannot be
achieved by a science curriculum that superficially touches on snippets of information about an
inexhaustible number of topics. After all, education is intended to engender “meaningful
knowledge, not surface knowledge,” (Bosma, Devries Guth, 1995, p. 3). Fortunately, the use of
children’s literature in teaching science can provide unabated depth of detail. It also provides a
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real context through which to view science as it happens in the world, an increased sense of
interest, motivation, and engagement, and access of information to students with a range of
backgrounds, learning preferences, and abilities (Goerss, 1998; Fang, Lamme, & Pringle, 2010).
Developmentally Appropriate Practice
What we know about how children learn and develop influences what we consider
developmentally appropriate tools and methods for the early elementary curriculum. A
developmentally appropriate practice is one that is “attuned to the way children develop and
learn” (Bredekamp, & Copple, 1997, p. 5). The inclusion of children’s literature in the study of
science for young learners is grounded in developmentally appropriate practice. The
philosophies of educational theorists Piaget, Vygotsky, Gardener, and Dewey bolster the practice
of using literature to construct science understanding (Bosma, & DeVries Guth, 1995; Butzow,
& Butzow, 2000).
A developmentally appropriate, child-centered education considers the development of
the learner and provides fitting learning experiences (Butzow, & Butzow, 2000). Academic,
physical, and social needs are different for every child. As primary teachers plan learning goals
and activities, it is necessary to consider the characteristics of pre-operational learners, or
children younger than eight years old (Butzow, & Butzow, 2000). Pre-operational learners, as
described by Jean Piaget in 1970, are egocentric, meaning they observe the world solely through
their own eyes and experiences, and need to witness events first-hand in order to grasp abstract
information (Butzow, & Butzow, 2000). Children in this stage rationalize in an orderless way,
and have difficulty seeing transformation (Butzow, & Butzow, 2000). When children learn
science through literature, including concepts from the water cycle and growing vegetables, to
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the phases of the moon and different types of rocks, information becomes apprehensible and is
“conceptually compatible with the child’s developmental stage” (Butzow, & Butzow, 2000, p. 4).
Howard Gardener’s research on intelligence tells us that children have different strengths,
abilities, and preferences for learning (Bosma, & DeVries Guth, 1995). Because the goal of an
inquiry-based education is to build conceptual knowledge, teachers must begin education “in
terms of children’s existing knowledge and abilities” (Butzow, &Butzow, 2000, p. 5). It is futile
to hope children understand material that they are not developmentally or conceptually capable
of understanding. Constructivist theory of learning is the idea that “humans construct or build
meaning into their ideas and experiences as a result of an effort to understand or to make sense of
them” (Martin, Sexton, & Franklin, 2009, p. 47). This theory of human learning can be related
to building a house; with no foundation, there can be no walls, roof, or chimney. When teachers
use the available quantity of children’s literature in teaching science they can meet the needs of
each individual learner, regardless of whether a foundation, walls, or a roof is needed. The use
of children’s literature in the science curriculum is developmentally appropriate for this reason; it
is accessible to a variety of different learners.
When child brain development is considered, children’s literature is a developmentally
appropriate practice because it also becomes a necessary bridge between old and new
information. Bosma and DeVries Guth (1995) recognize that “curriculum planning should
embrace the potential of the brain in searching for common patterns and relationships” (p. 3).
With every new event, the brain must receive information and try to connect it to what is already
known. Using children’s literature, scientific concepts can be presented in a manner that allows
children to make connections between what is learned and where it fits into what they already
know about the world (Bosma, & DeVries Guth, 1995).
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Interaction with peers and adults is a critical component of human learning. Reading and
discussing literature in the early grades is an ideal time for such interaction. Even as children in
an inquiry-based curriculum construct meaning for themselves, research supports frequent and
varied interaction with peers (Bosma, DeVries Guth, 1995). Educators in an early elementary
setting consider the “social nature of human learning,” an idea advanced by the research of Lev
Vygotsky (Bosma, & DeVries Guth, p. 2). Vygotsky also suggested supporting cognition
through interaction with more skilled readers (Cummins, & Stallmeyer-Gerard, 2011).
Educational researcher John Dewey called for a curriculum that integrates meaningful
knowledge and authentic experiences (Bosma, & DeVries Guth, 1995). The use of children’s
literature in the content areas is one way that teachers integrate the seemingly disparate
disciplines into an authentic, comprehensive whole. Bosma and DeVries Guth describe
integrated learning as “the incorporating of language development and content, with emphasis on
the interrelatedness of subject and skill areas, concepts and topics, within personal and shared
contexts” (p. 1). They also characterized literature as the “authentic voice that unites the
curricular objectives” (p. 2). Students must realize how what is learned in school relates to real
life, if they are to apply that information to other contexts (Bosma, & DeVries Guth, 1995).
Children’s books are authentic models of how it all gets tied together. When teachers recognize
this, their curriculum reflects the philosophy that all disciplines are connected in real life and are
not randomly segmented into different times of the day (Bosma, & DeVries Guth, 1995; Butzow,
& Butzow, 2000).
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Children’s Literature in an Integrated Curriculum
Science and literacy are two academic disciplines that are especially practical for
curricular integration (Bosma, & Brower, 1995). Acquisition of scientific literacy and language
literacy requires development of parallel cognitive skills. Martin, Sexton, and Franklin (2009)
write, “Science process skills are remarkably similar to those skills used in reading
comprehension” (p. 21). McKee and Ogle (2005) affirm the notion that scientific literacy and
language literacy involve “setting purposes, questioning, predicting, analyzing evidence and
drawing conclusions, and communicating results” (p. 3). Prior to choosing a book, young
readers must decide the purpose for reading, whether they want to be entertained or informed.
Likewise, young scientists must determine purpose before planning the processes and materials
for use in investigations. After reading a book, children engage in discussions with others about
notable characters, conflicts, and resolutions. A distinctive feature of science inquiry is the
discussion of puzzlement and hypotheses and communication of experiment results. Reading
authentic children’s literature within an inquiry-based science curriculum fosters these critical
thinking skills and prepares young learners for scientific literacy (Bosma, & Brower, 1995).
Curricular integration of science and language literacy profits both teacher and student
(Bosma, & Brower, 1995). In the same way a scientifically literate person uses knowledge and
skills to think about and solve problems, a language literate person is one who has “the ability to
use reading and writing, speaking and listening sufficiently well to engage in thinking and to
communicate ideas clearly” (McKee, & Ogle, 2005, p. 2). For these reasons, reading literature
in a science curriculum is a good fit for young learners on account of the many analogous
characteristics of science literacy and language literacy (McKee, & Ogle, 2005).
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Literacy development through reading within an elementary science curriculum has
proven to raise student achievement in both subject areas (McKee, & Ogle, 2005; National
Council of Teachers of English, 2011). A study by Guthrie, Schafer, and Huang (McKee, &
Ogle, 2005) determined that literature integration into the elementary science curriculum results
in “increased reading comprehension, stronger conceptual development and problem-solving
skills in science, and heightened motivation to read in general” (p. 5). A policy research brief by
the National Council of Teachers of English (2011) contends that reading in content areas is
“essential to learning” and is needed for “mastering concepts” (p. 16). Although teachers used to
the traditional science approach share concerns about extra time needed for integration of
literature (Scharer, 1995). However, the nature of integration itself means that it is not an
addition to an overburdened school day, but rather a reorganization of structure and content
(Bosma, & DeVries Guth, 1995).
Children’s Literature and Motivation
Within an inquiry-based science curriculum, children’s literature can become part of a
cycle of motivation for learning. When children read a plurality of literary texts, they expand
their background knowledge and become more motivated to learn and read (Bosma, & DeVries
Guth, 1995). The collection of children’s literature available is so large that young learners
receiving an inquiry-based science education can learn as much about the world as they desire.
McKee and Ogle (2005) declare that children become motivated to seek and read additional
books when teachers incorporate authentic literature into disciplines like science.
Integration of literature not only motivates scientific understanding, but also motivates a
child to comprehend. When a child has the desire to learn information that matters to her, she
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will be more impelled to utilize the reading strategies at her disposal when she encounters
difficult text (McKee, & Ogle, 2005). This is a strong argument for making a variety of highquality science literature available, including informational texts, which are particularly
interesting to young children (McKee, & Ogle, 2005). Surely any person would prefer to read
about a topic that is personally interesting. Children’s literature ensures that every child can find
a text that is personally and academically motivating.
Children’s Literature and Engagement
Engagement in education, according to Guthrie (2004), means that children are
“energized” while activating “cognitive strategies” and “conceptual knowledge” (p. 4).
Children’s literature engages young learners because there are books about subject matter that is
exciting to diverse tastes (Goerss, 1998). When read-aloud at the beginning of a science unit or
experiment, literature can spark interest in and conversation about what is going to be learned
through upcoming inquiry (Cummins, & Stallmeyer-Gerard, 2011). Young learners are more
likely to remain engaged in literature about science topics, more so than textbooks, because the
material is often written in more aesthetic, interesting formats (Goerss, 1998). Authentic
literature also includes the more “personal voice of an author instead of the impersonal voice of a
textbook (Bosma, & DeVries Guth, 1995, p. 1). Bosma and Brower (1995) contend that the
comedy and buoyancy of children’s literature can sustain the attention of even the seemingly
uninterested students.
Guthrie (2004) found that students who actively engage in reading tend to be more
academically successful. Typically, these students “spend 500% more time reading than
disengaged students,” and so teachers “should attempt to increase engaged reading time by 200%
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- 500%” (Guthrie, 2004, p. 1). Access to a large amount of quality literature within science
classrooms is a sure way to increase student engagement. Not only will children be driven to
learn to read, but they will also be driven to read to learn, an important development in one’s
scientific literacy.
Children’s literature also has the ability to promote further action. Reading authentic
literature that shows the scientific process encourages students to engage in further scientific
inquiry (Fang, Lamme, & Pringle, 2010; Bosma, & DeVries Guth, 1995). Often times,
children’s literature can provide information that could never be acquired through classroombased inquiry, “such as an exploration of faraway rainforests” (Fang, Lamme, & Pringle, 2010, p.
35). After reading a book about forest degradation, for example, children will often ask about
what they can do to help. Children’s literature can promote further engagement and can be used
to confront the issues we face today (Zappy, 2011).
Children’s Literature as an Authentic Model of Science
In order to grow into scientifically literate adults, children must be aware of how science
is a part of everyday life and should feel capable of engaging in science when the opportunities
arise. Children’s book author, Erica Zappy (2011), summarized the sentiment felt by so many
when she wrote, “Along the way, science had never been presented to me as something
current… I was never given the impression that science, short of seeing pictures of men wearing
goggles and messing around with beakers… was something I could make a career of – and
would I even want to?” (p. 33). Education that fails to model the real act of science or convince
children that they can play a part in it is one that will never produce a scientifically literate
society.
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Children’s literature has enormous potential in bringing authenticity to a primary grade
science curriculum, as it joins “the impersonal subject matter and the personal connections to be
made by the student” (Bosma, & DeVries Guth, 1995, p. 7). Education serves no purpose if the
student does not realize how it applies to real life. High-quality literature that shows characters
experiencing some sort of scientific phenomenon demonstrates to children that “science is a part
of the lives of ordinary people” (Butzow, & Butzow, 2000, p. 4). The characters in children’s
literature are not confined to experiencing science within a classroom or a laboratory, but in real
settings and situations that are familiar to young learners (Bosma, & DeVries Guth, 1995;
McKee, & Ogle, 2005). After reading about science in real life, children will be able to imagine
and realize when science touches their own lives.
When chosen thoughtfully, teachers can use trade books to model the practice of science
as it really happens; “scientists formulate questions and seek answers to these questions through
both hands-on and minds-on explorations” (Fang, Lamme, & Pringle, 2010, p. 35). In real life,
scientific inquiry is certainly not a neat process that can be executed with a specified number of
steps. An important recognition in becoming a scientifically literate adult is that science can be
quite an unpredictable exploit. Attempts to solve scientific mysteries are “not always clean,
exact, certain, definitive, unequivocal, and uncontested” (Fang, Lamme, & Pringle, 2010, 35).
Reading authentic literature about scientific experiences helps young learners understand that the
uncertain nature of science, where questions lead to answers and more questions, is the very
characteristic that is helpful to us in advancing the human condition.
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Children’s Literature vs. Textbooks
As the primary source for teaching science (Goerss, 1998), textbooks go over an
extensive range of topics with shallow depth (McKee, & Ogle, 2005). Because textbooks
include so many different scientific topics, there is usually little room for detailed explanation of
concepts, devoting only a page or two to any given topic. This characteristic of textbooks can
present a challenge for learners, considering that classrooms contain students of varying reading
abilities (McKee, & Ogle, 2005). Although knowledge of facts and content is needed for
scientific literacy, the ability to understand how they connect to each other and the greater world
is even more of a necessity (Butzow, &Butzow, 2000).
Authentic literature, on the other hand, is more advantageous to students in many regards.
Informational trade books can explain a specific topic in great detail, providing “background
information, illustrations, quantitative and qualitative data, explanations, and concrete
examples,” (Fang, Lamme, & Pringle, 2010, p. 35). Fictional children’s literature also supports
understanding because, as Butzow and Butzow (2000) write, “children may find it easier to
follow ideas that are part of a story line” (p. 4). They also add that “a story puts facts and
concepts into a form that encourages children to build a hypothesis, predict events, gather data,
and test the validity of the events” (p. 4). The information in a trade book is also more current
and more specific, which is more likely to “engage students, promote inquiry learning, and foster
critical thinking” (Fang, Lamme, & Pringle, 2010, p. 36).
In addition to providing depth of detail, children’s literature promotes scientific
understanding more so than do textbooks because it is more accessible to students. While
science textbooks are comprehended by students who read on grade level, children’s literature is
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accessible to all students because they “are better able to accommodate the needs of students
with varying reading abilities” (Fang, Lamme, & Pringle, 2010, p. 36). In other words, a child
will be unable to glean the written information if she is unable to read the text on the page. A
teacher can provide many trade books about the solar system, for example, some that are suitable
for beginning readers and some that are suitable for more skilled readers. Taking into account
that a portion of the students in any classroom may not read at grade level, teachers need to make
“available texts with varying degrees of difficulty” (National Council of Teachers of English,
2011, p. 17).
Even the most skilled readers use illustrations to support their comprehension. The
illustrations found in picture books for children can help young readers access meaning from
what otherwise can be quite difficult scientific information to understand (Goerss, 1998). When
teachers introduce students to a variety of authentic reading materials, like “essays, primary
sources, fiction, scientific reports, [and] inventories” (National Council of Teachers of English,
2011, p. 17), they equip students with the ability to gain information about science from
materials found in their everyday lives (Fang, Lamme, & Pringle, 2010). Students and their
families can develop scientific knowledge with access to an ever-growing variety of trade books
in libraries, stores, and elsewhere.
Although the ideal integrated curriculum would utilize only authentic children’s literature
for science and reading needs, textbooks still have a ubiquitous presence in today’s schools. It is
possible still to provide literature in concert with proscribed textbooks. Butzow and Butzow
(2000) recommend using picture books and trade books to demonstrate the concepts of textbooks
in more meaningful and authentic contexts. The teacher who decides to use children’s literature
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in the science curriculum can obtain the books from the local or school library, or can purchase
them with personal funds, growing his or her own library of authentic children’s literature.
Evaluating and Gathering Quality Children’s Literature
The books that students read in the science curriculum have substantial influence on the
students themselves. Fang, Lamme, and Pringle (2010) express their belief that children’s
literature – or any text, for that matter – can affect what children “learn, their attitudes toward
learning, and how they write and think” (p. 36). The power of books to affect student learning
should cause educators to consider carefully the quality of the books they use to teach science
concepts. It is important to evaluate the merit of children’s literature used in a science
curriculum in terms of content and writing (Fang, Lamme, & Pringle, 2010). Butzow and
Butzow (2000) suggest exercising judgment about texts based on their quality of “content,
accuracy and authenticity, theme, setting, characterization, plot, style, [and] illustrations” (p. 7-8).
Mayer (1995) offers a cautionary word of advice about selecting children’s literature that
does not further science understanding, but rather continues and reinforces student
misconceptions. After interviewing sixteen children about the information they gleaned from a
fictional children’s book about whales, Mayer (1995) determined that the book was ineffective in
promoting science understanding about whales. Misconceptions included the ideas that “whales
can jump from ponds to oceans, whales eat shrimp and fish, whales have either white or yellow
bottoms, whales can have names, [and] blue whales do not let people pet them” (Mayer, 1995, p.
17-18). Teachers must carefully examine the literature they include in their science programs so
that they do not cause students to build faulty understandings of the world. To this end, Mayer
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(1995) developed a checklist useful in gauging the scientific accuracy of children’s literature
(See Appendix A).
Knowing the grounds for using children’s literature in teaching and learning science,
teachers must make the effort to discover and gather the books (Bosma, & DeVries Guth, 1995).
In addition to resources like the school and local library, professional organizations provide
suggestions about the books they have determined to be high-quality literature. Award
committees, consisting of a variety of educational professionals and disciplinary experts give
“annual awards and honors that recognize outstanding science trade books” (Fang, Lamme, &
Pringle, 2010, p. 36). One quite useful resource is the National Science Teacher Association
Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students K-12 (National Science Teacher Association,
2011). This is particularly helpful to teachers incorporating children’s literature in the science
curriculum because the books are arranged in accordance with the National Science Content
Standards, including “unifying concepts and processes, science as inquiry, physical science
perspectives, life science, earth and space science, science and technology, science in personal
and social perspectives, and the history and nature of science (Fang, Lamme, & Pringle, 2010, p.
37).
Children’s Literature in an Inquiry-Based Learning Environment
The full potential of children’s literature to promote science understanding can be
realized only in an interactive learning environment that fosters construction of knowledge,
rather than in an environment that emphasizes passive acquisition of facts. In order to develop
learners who desire to ask questions and learn through their own actions, teachers must
thoughtfully consider the climate and physical arrangement of their classrooms (Bosma, &
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DeVries Guth, 1995). McKee and Ogle (2005) assert that a combination of investigation-based
science and flexibly consistent routines creates a classroom that is conducive to integrated
learning.
While policy-makers and other outside groups might have influence over a number of
educational matters, only the teacher can create an environment that is appropriate and nurturing
to young learners. Teachers, more than anyone, are responsible for determining the structure of
the learning environment, and their personal view of the way children learn can be seen through
the set up of their classrooms (McKee, & Ogle, 2005). Educational theorist Jean Piaget
recognized the importance of the environment in regards to human learning and development
and called for classrooms to be supportive (Bosma, & DeVries Guth, 1995). Teachers can create
a supportive learning environment by involving students in the active construction of knowledge
and responding to student differences in ability, learning styles, and interests (McKee, & Ogle,
2005).
The implication for teachers of knowing human learning and development is to create a
context in which the combination of investigation and children’s literature regularly enhance
children’s natural motivation to learn. The overall environment and routines of a classroom
accommodate the physical and cognitive needs of learners, and foster curiosity and active
learning (McKee, & Ogle, 2005; Bosma, & DeVries Guth, 1995). Because of the tendency by
many schools to emphasize math and reading, the teacher and student will benefit from the
design of a regular, workable schedule of study in place from the beginning of the school year
(McKee, & Ogle, 2005). Routine inquiry-based experiences that promote scientific knowledge
can and should be a consistent part of a supportive learning environment.
CHILDREN’S LITERATURE IN THE PRIMARY SCIENCE CURRICULUM
22
In creating the learning environment, teachers should consider what materials would need
to be accessible to students so that they may play an active role in their own learning. To this
end, students need access to supplies – scientific and literary – that will support them in the
process of becoming a scientifically literate adult. A substantial collection of reading materials,
which are written for a range of reading levels and discuss a wide variety of scientific content, is
the keystone of such an environment (McKee, & Ogle, 2005). Up-to-date science periodicals for
children and science trade books of different genres should be displayed in an organized,
appealing, and accessible manner (McKee, & Ogle, 2005). Bookshelves, magazine racks, and
leveled containers organized by content help to highlight interesting texts that reflect the act of
science (McKee, & Ogle, 2005). The books and artifacts displayed not only come from the
teacher, but can also be supplied by the students themselves, including student work samples and
favorite items from outside of school (McKee, & Ogle, 2005). A collection of interesting books
to which the students contribute helps to nurture “a sense of belonging and ownership” (McKee,
& Ogle, 2005, p. 14).
Bookshelves can be arranged to be part of science and reading centers that allow children
opportunities to “read, to experiment, to discover, and to think” (McKee, & Ogle, 2005, p. 14).
Learning centers are tables or bookshelves in specified areas of the classroom in which
independent students use a variety of hands-on materials to merge and apply what they have
learned in authentic, meaningful ways (McKee, & Ogle, 2005). McKee and Ogle (2005) suggest
maintaining regularly rotating centers that “pique curiosity, with elements inviting the students to
look, touch, and explore” (p. 16).
The inquiry-based, literary rich classroom is not one in which the students sit motionless
in traditional straight rows of desks. Part of creating an interactive learning environment is
CHILDREN’S LITERATURE IN THE PRIMARY SCIENCE CURRICULUM
23
allowing students to engage in a cooperative manner with peers and adults. Physical
arrangement of different areas of the room can support this goal. A cooperative classroom,
according to Bosma and DeVries Guth (1995) will have a variety of working areas that include
spaces for individual, group, and whole-class interaction. Within an early elementary classroom,
the whole-group area can be designated by a rug (McKee, & Ogle, 2005), a space in which all
students and the teacher join to listen to read-alouds, engage in spontaneous discussions, learn
from direct instruction, and present student projects (Bosma, & DeVries Guth, 1995). The
cooperative, interactive nature of the learning environment reflects scientific inquiry because it
encourages students to ask questions, use tools and processes to investigate answers, and
communicate with others.
Curricular Strategies for Using Children’s Literature
Teachers can employ a variety of strategies to promote scientific understanding through
the use of authentic children’s literature. These teaching practices correspond fittingly with the
language arts standards described by the International Reading Association and the National
Council of Teachers of English, and demonstrate the connections that can be made between
science and language education for young learners (McKee, & Ogle, 2005) (See Appendix B).
Children’s literature is a valuable teaching tool that supports the brain’s effort to make real
connections between newly learned knowledge and prior experiences (Bosma, & DeVries Guth,
1995). When a child reads stories about characters experiencing science in their everyday lives,
he or she can begin to see how the science content is relevant. Shipley (1978) writes that, to
accomplish these meaningful connections, children must have opportunities to “listen to stories
and study the illustrations,” “ relate [their] own versions of them,” and “ask questions and ponder
about meanings” (p. 49). Teachers can provide these opportunities in a variety of ways.
CHILDREN’S LITERATURE IN THE PRIMARY SCIENCE CURRICULUM
24
When teachers plan for specific techniques to use, McKee and Ogle (2005) suggest to
first determine the science learning goals, then think about what literacy processes are involved
and necessary to accomplish them. In some cases, a trade book could play a brief role in the
learning process or could play a part throughout the entire length of a project or unit (Goerss,
1998). A read-aloud of a piece of children’s literature can be a powerful tool used to ignite
interest in a new concept during the beginning of a unit, for example (Goerss, 1998). If children
have never experienced in interesting scientific phenomenon that is experienced by characters in
a book, they will likely develop relevant questions that they will want to explore for themselves.
Fang, Lamme, and Pringle (2010) write that trade books can be used to help children ponder
questions that initiate a science investigation and can also become the resources for collecting
information and verifying information once the inquiry has begun.
Fang, Lamme, and Pringle (2010) offer numerous methods for promoting science
learning. A “unit study using informational books” is one example (p. 41). During such a unit,
students read many books to find information about a topic of their own choosing, or could make
contributions to a whole-class exploration of a single topic. Other examples by Fang, Lamme,
and Pringle (2010) include using biographies to explore the lives of scientists, genre explorations
of science-related poetry, and role-playing of scientific ideas. McKee and Ogle (2005) suggest
using “guided reading groups, literature circles, and writers’ workshop” to include children in
their own active learning of science (p. 11). Teachers use these literature-based experiences to
help students develop the complex reading skills needed for comprehending informational texts
(Fang, Lamme, & Pringle, 2010).
Not only does children’s literature help develop interest in and enthusiasm for learning
during a unit of study, but it encourages young learners to continue exploring and learning on
CHILDREN’S LITERATURE IN THE PRIMARY SCIENCE CURRICULUM
25
their own, beyond what they have learned in class. The transfer of exploration in school to
individual exploration in other contexts is especially possible when children access authentic
science-related literature available at home, or at libraries and bookstores (McKee, & Ogle,
2005). Authentic literature can then be a reliable tool that children use to continue expanding
knowledge on their own.
Children’s Literature and Assessment of Student Learning
The use of children’s literature in the science curriculum provides opportunities for
formative assessment, or “an approach to examining young children that holds assessment is an
ongoing process” (Mindes, 1996, p. 144). Teachers can use frequent literature-based interactions,
like discussion and writing, to evaluate students’ progress on the road to scientific literacy and
also to guide future instruction. The answers to open-ended questions, asked before, during, and
after reading, demonstrate student understanding or misunderstanding (McKee, & Ogle, 2005).
Information on student learning can also come from teacher observations of students (Cummins,
& Stallmeyer-Gerard, 2011). This sort of assessment informs teachers not only about whether
students grasp content and process knowledge, but also provides information about student
attitudes toward science (Martin, Sexton, & Franklin, 2009).
McKee and Ogle (2005) contend that writing is useful “in assessing students’ science
learning and thought processes,” because “writing is a way of slowing thinking and making it
visible” (p. 4). Whether writing an informational piece on how simple machines make work
easier or a story about the life of a raindrop, students will reveal the extent and accuracy of their
understanding. Both means of formative assessment, oral and written, provide teachers with the
ability to evaluate student progress and determine appropriate future instruction.
CHILDREN’S LITERATURE IN THE PRIMARY SCIENCE CURRICULUM
26
Conclusion and Recommendations
As has been demonstrated through this essay, the use of children’s literature is a valuable
tool for developing the scientific literacy of young learners. Not only does this practice stimulate
engagement and motivation, but it also provides access to content information about uncountable
science concepts and demonstrates the act of science through authentic representation of science
in the real world. The soundness of this practice is assured by research on human learning and
development. Using children’s literature in the primary science curriculum nurtures the
development of young children with a variety of needs and abilities because it promotes concrete,
active learning through interaction with peers and teachers in meaningful learning contexts.
Still, there are additional issues that need to be explored in order to provide these kinds of
learning opportunities for every child. First, how can the use of children’s literature become
accepted by a greater number of school administrations and policy-makers? We know that this
practice has proven to raise student achievement in science, so why are so many of the nation’s
schools continuing the traditional textbook approach that clearly fails to produce satisfactory
results?
Second, how could a school that embraces this approach acquire a sufficient collection of
high quality children’s literature with scientific themes? Although libraries and bookstores are
available to supply the needs of many schools, what about schools in areas without convenient
access? It will be important for schools to support this approach without placing all of the
financial and time burden on teachers.
Third, how could professional development prepare teachers to use trade books that do
not come with step-by-step instructions and end-of-chapter assessments typically found in
CHILDREN’S LITERATURE IN THE PRIMARY SCIENCE CURRICULUM
27
textbooks? Most likely, teachers will need support with finding the books that are relevant to
each science concept and with developing assessment strategies useful in this kind of integrated
curriculum. Professional development both within and outside of school districts could provide
resources and training to address these concerns.
The purpose of this essay is to provide the rationale for using children’s literature as a
bridge between a child’s natural curiosity about the world to a citizen’s ability to pursue and use
scientific knowledge. Because science will only become more important in serving the needs of
society, science education must develop understanding of and appreciation for science beginning
in the very first years of school. Reading children’s literature within the early elementary
science curriculum is a powerful and appropriate strategy in accomplishing this goal.
CHILDREN’S LITERATURE IN THE PRIMARY SCIENCE CURRICULUM
Appendix A
Checklist for Evaluating Children’s Literature
(Mayer, 1995, p. 18-19)
“Is the science concept recognizable?”
“Is the story factual?”
“Is fact discernable from fiction?”
“How many misrepresentations does the book contain?”
“Are the illustrations accurate?”
“Are characters portrayed with gender equality?”
“Are the animals / objects portrayed naturally?”
“Is the passage of time referenced adequately?”
“Does the story promote a positive attitude toward science and technology?”
28
CHILDREN’S LITERATURE IN THE PRIMARY SCIENCE CURRICULUM
29
Appendix B
International Reading Association and National Council for Teachers of English
Literacy Standards that Connect to Teaching Science
(McKee, & Ogle, 2005, p. 29)
1. “Students read a wide range of print and nonprint texts to build an understanding of texts, of
themselves, and of the cultures of the United States and the world; to acquire new information; to
respond to the needs and demands of society and the workplace; and for personal fulfillment.
Among these texts are fiction and nonfiction.”
2. “Students conduct research on issues and interests by generating ideas and questions, and by
posing problems. They gather, evaluate, and synthesize data from a variety of sources (e.g., print
and nonprint texts, artifacts, people) to communicate their discoveries in ways that suit their
purpose and audience.”
3. “Students use a variety of technological and information resources (e.g., libraries, databases,
computer networks, video) to gather and synthesize information and to create and communicate
knowledge.”
4. “Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for
learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information.”
CHILDREN’S LITERATURE IN THE PRIMARY SCIENCE CURRICULUM
30
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