Incorporating Literature: So Important

“Gather Round” by Sally Mayberry is a great article that describes how effective incorporating trade books can be when teaching children. It is especially effective when discussing science t... See More

“Gather Round” by Sally Mayberry is a great article that describes how effective incorporating trade books can be when teaching children. It is especially effective when discussing science topics that may be difficult to understand, particularly the scientific vocabulary. Reading aloud can also peak the interests of the students while enhancing their reading and comprehension skills. I love that it also tells you how to pick appropriate trade books, making sure all information is current and valid and avoids all biases such as race, gender, and SES. The idea of having a science A-Z chart can also be a great tool for the classroom. Vocabulary, especially in Science, can be difficult to understand. Having a visual in the class would make the vocabulary available to all the students to use when they would otherwise not be exposed to it. Integrating Science and language arts helps support literacy in science content while enhancing reading.

Reading Aloud to Students

This excellent article on using trade books in science is great!! Using trade books to teach science can be done for Prek to graduate classes for students and teachers (opinion based on rev... See More

This excellent article on using trade books in science is great!! Using trade books to teach science can be done for Prek to graduate classes for students and teachers (opinion based on reviewers personal experiences). Using a trade book to start a science unit engages the students immediately. The article includes a list of criteria to select trade books. It also gives a host of ideas of how to integrate the trade books into other subject areas. My favorite is to write ads for "Animal Homes for Sale".