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Science and Literature
Susan Matthews
RE 5140
April 27, 2010
Research Question:
How does literature help young
children develop the language
to talk about science topics?
Research says:
“Well-written and developmentally appropriate literature not only
provides content knowledge and fosters science process skills; it
also awakens children’s curiosity and offers opportunities for
inquiry (Sackes, M., Trundle, K., & Flevares, L., 2009).”

“Well-written, developmentally matched literature provides a tool
that facilitates and enhances the discovery process (Zeece, P.,
1999).”
“Elementary students can read about science in order to learn
new content, to gain new science-process skills, and to increase
their motivation to read (Abell, S., 2008).”
seven Hispanics, one African-American, two Multi-Racial, and twelve Caucasian students.
Participants:
•
22 Kindergarten Students
• 13 boys
• 9 girls
7 - Hispanics
1 - African-American
2 - Multi-Racial
12 - Caucasian students
seven Hispanics, one African-American, two Multi-Racial, and twelve Caucasian students.
Plant unit: We started out with a KWL chart
What we know about plants.

They grow.

They have black soil and
white things.


They grow in the garden.
Grow little flowers
What we want to know about
plants.

How does a plant sprout?

How do they grow flowers?

How do plants die?

How do plants grow?

How do you take care of
plants?

They have a seed.

There are different kinds.

What are plants?

They have honey.

How do you plant plants?

They have nectar.


How do they change
colors?
They have roots in the
ground.

Do plants break easily?
You have to water them.

How do their leaves fall
off?

What we learned about plants.
seven Hispanics, one African-American, two Multi-Racial, and twelve Caucasian students.
Checklist for books
Sudol and King (1996) developed a
checklist for evaluating expository trade
books and they should include the
following:
• accuracy
•organization and layout
•cohesion of ideas
•specialized vocabulary
•reader interest
seven Hispanics, one African-American, two Multi-Racial, and twelve Caucasian students.
Book Titles and Authors
Books we read.


Roots by Vijaya Khisty Bodach

Seeds by Vijaya Khisty Bodach

Leaves by Vijaya Khisty Bodach

Flowers by Vijaya Khisty Bodach


Planting a Rainbow by Lois Ehlert
From Bud to Blossom by Gail Saunders-Smith

Plants Grow From Seeds by Rachel Mann


Stems by Gail Saunders-Smith
Seed to Plant by Melvin & Gilda Berger

From Seed to Pumpkin by Jan Kottke

From Acorn to Oak Tree by Jan Kottke

Sunflower Life Cycle by Jeff Bauer



The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle
The Big Seed by Ellen Howard
Plants we Know by O. Irene Sevrey Miner
How Does Your Salad Grow by Francie Alexander
seven Hispanics, one African-American, two Multi-Racial, and twelve Caucasian students.
What we learned about plants.

How does a plant sprout? It grows a little bit. The roots go down and the plant goes up.

How does a plant die? When you don’t give them water, when they don’t get sunlight, or when they have too much water.

How do plants grow? The grow out of the seed and they have roots, stems, and leaves.

How do you take care of plants? Give them water, soil, and sunlight.

What are plants? They are seeds that grow from the ground. They have roots, stems, leaves, and sometimes they have flowers.

Do plants break easily? Yes they break easily. When you pick them it is not hard.

How do you plant plants? You need a seed. You need soil. Need water. Dig a hole and put the seed in the hole. Cover the
seed up. Pour water on it. Give it sunlight.

This is a list of the plants that the children named when we were talking about what we had learned:
sunflower, bean, daisy, corn, peas, tomato, trees, bushes (shrubs), grass and vines.

Plants can be big or small.

Trees are the biggest plant.
rose, flower,
seven Hispanics, one African-American, two Multi-Racial, and twelve Caucasian students.
Discussion:
•
•
Literature does help children develop the
language to talk about science topics.
Students were able to add more detailed
information about plants at the end of
the unit.
seven Hispanics, one African-American, two Multi-Racial, and twelve Caucasian students.
seven Hispanics, one African-American, two Multi-Racial, and twelve Caucasian students.
Resources
Abell, S K. (2008, November). Children's literature and the science
classroom. Science and Children, 54-55.
Sackes, M., Trundle, K C., & Flevares, L M. (2009). Using Children's
literature to teach standard-based science concepts in early years.
Early Childhood Education Journal, 36, 415-422.
Sudol, P., & King, C. (1996). A Checklist for choosing nonfiction trade
books. The Reading Teacher, 49(5), 422-424.
Zeece, P D. (1999). Things of nature and the nature of things: natural
science-based literature for young children. Early Childhood Education
Journal, 26(3), 161-166.