Fictional Stories in Science
Using Fictional Stories as a Pathway to Science Content
Tuesday Morning Reads for November 21st
Don’t you just love the public library? I do! I love them all–historic ones, new ones, and cozy ones. I love what they stand for and how they are often the heart of the city. Our city recently build a new library, and they did such a fabulous job of creating space, while making it warm and inviting. One of my favorite things to do at a library is to go to their “new books” section and just scan and pull at almost random. When I leave, I feel like I am leaving with adventure and mystery. 🙂
Here are a few that I picked-up last night, that have a science-theme:
Plant the Tiny Seed, by Christie Matheson: This was a cute book that works to make the interactive process of reading a bit more interactive, in a “Press Here” sort of way. It would make for a great read aloud, and a good discussion to address understandings and misconceptions. You could ask, after the “clap to bring out the sun again”, if that is indeed what makes the sun come out…but I am not completely sure the age for the book and the age for the question is a great match-up…but then again, why not. Curiosity and knowledge knows no age limit or boundary.
Bee & Me, by Alison Jay: I love wordless books! I really need to start a collection of them. They offer such a different type of reading engagement that you can return to the story again and again, and “read” it a different way each time, based on your new experiences or your creativity. This is one I would want for my collection. Although it is more of a fantasy tale, I appreciate how it starts out with fear of the bee, to seeking more knowledge and understanding, to going on an adventure with the bee and experiencing some of their impact. This would be a good addition as a class read or a center read, really at any time for a bee, flowers, plants, or respecting nature lesson.
Imagine That! Let Your Mind Run Wild, by Yasmeen Ismail: I selected this book from the library, because of the title. I thought “Imagine That!” would be a wonderful science-themed book, but it wasn’t…but it was. It is the story of Lila, a young bear cub, and her wild imagination. Her imagination turns the everyday, like putting on your shoes, into an adventure of fighting a “fearsome monster”. At first glance, it doesn’t seem like a science-themed story, but I couldn’t help but think of the amount of imagination and creativity that are found in our youth, and how much we, as educators, need to celebrate and clear the path for more of it. Imagination and creativity are a driving force of inventions, of questions, of discoveries…and that is very much science. 🙂 We need more of these type of books in our science library, and like Lila’s amazing grandfather, we need to join them in the play and exploration.
Whose Moon is That? by Kim Krans: You know, I have asked my 8th grade students a similar question about the ocean. Who owns the ocean? Who is responsible for it? Should anyone or everyone be? This was often at the beginning of our deeper dive into ocean learning and personalized connections. This book, “Whose Moon is That?” reminded me of those days, so I instantly loved it. Starting with an open-ended question is a great way to connect to students’ background knowledge, wonderings, and possible misconceptions. The fact that the author uses animals to fight over ownership is a good connection to a young audience, for they typically love all things animals. They are also an audience that struggles with sharing…although that is a lesson for us all. So with its simple text, this book is about the moon, but also much more.
Fictional Stories in Science 