Fictional Stories in Science
Using Fictional Stories as a Pathway to Science Content
Tuesday Morning Reads for January 16, 2018
“B” is for “Books”! 🙂 I am still combing through the “B” section of the children’s section of our library, for some great fictional stories in science. Here are some finds from this week:
Stars! Stars! Stars! by Bob Barner: I found this book delightful. There are aspects where I wonder if it is a “fictional story”, but the frame of the story is, as a young child looks up through a telescope in a excited desire to see stars. 🙂 Often times that could be where the depth of stars ends, and it is more about the story, but here the author, Bob Barner, shares information about stars in such an exciting and approachable way–almost as a surprise that you are learning. I had one of those, “oh wait, that’s accurate”moments, that caused me to read closer.
Building a House by Byron Barton: I am learning that Byron Barton is a great author to go to for preK-1, when you want the frame of a story, coupled with vocabulary building and background knowledge building, or assessing connections. He is also a great author to go to when you want to illustrations that may be close to the outlines provided by students. In this story, Byron Barton shows us the process of building a house, on a green hill. Had I read it earlier, this would have been a great add to my kindergarten lessons on community helpers and their tools, not to mention sequence and retelling. 🙂
I Want to be an Astronaut by Byron Barton: This book reminded me of my brother, who wanted to be an astronaut when he was younger. It also reminded me of the time I created a classroom poster featuring all of the “when I grow up’s” from my 5th graders, and how I would often look at it for lesson connections. Targeted for preK-2, this story features the future dreams of a young child, and the different aspects of astronaut life in space. I enjoyed the relatable illustrations and how the child was the astronaut in the pictures.
Free as the Wind: Saving the Horses of Sable Island by Jamie Bastedo. Illustrated by Susan Tooke. This is an emotional read, so make sure you read it through before you read it to your class. A historical fiction story, this, like the summary says, shows how “children can make a difference”. On the surface it appears like it is a book about horses, and it is, but it is so much more. It is about heart, problem-solving, engaging a community, writing to change an opinion/decision, and never giving up.
Fictional Stories in Science 