Kirsten Schmidt
Strategy: Children’s Literature
Source: Reading is Fundamental
Link to the Strategy: http://www.rif.org/educators/advicetips/askexperts/albright_qu2.mspx
Give a thorough description of the strategy and how it will be implemented. This should be a summary of the strategy according to the original source:
One of the most engaging ways to incorporate reading is to supplement your curriculum with children’s literature. A couple of my previous (and present) teachers have used a children’s book that explains mathematical lessons. It is fun and easy to understand. This is what the source said about children’s literature:
- Reading aloud to students is a great way to arouse their interest in a topic, introduce new concepts, and expose them to information they might not read on their own.
- Think-aloud as you’re reading to your students. Verbalizing your thoughts as you read is an effective way to model your comprehension processes for students. This can give them a chance to hear how a scientist or mathematician might think.
- Show students how to use trade books as sources for research or inquiry projects. Model and teach them how to use different graphic organizers to collect and organize the information they find. They can then produce a final project to share their new knowledge. Instead of the usual boring book report, have students create their own nonfiction book, write a play or poem about their topic, or design a poster containing the most important concepts. Be creative!
- Let small groups of students read and discuss different books on topics you’re studying. These are often called literature circles or book clubs, and they’re not just for language arts class!
- Ensure that you have books about math in your classroom library, so that students will have access to them for DEAR or SSR (time for students to read independently in books of their choosing) or for taking them home to read.
I would use this activity before I begin a lesson and before reading the text so that students may begin the lesson with a positive understanding of the book.
Explain what part of the standard course of study is addressed by this activity.
Goal 3: The learner will understand and use properties and relationships in geometry.
Objective 3.02: Apply geometric properties and relationships, including Pythagorean Theorem, to solve problems.
Explain why you think this strategy will work. How does the strategy help your students learn?
I chose the book What’s Your Angle, Pythagoras? : A Math Adventure by Julie Ellis. This is a fictional book about young Pythagoras and how he discovered the Pythagorean Theorem. Pythagoras is a curious little boy who discovers how a right angle can solve a whole bunch of problems. The book offers simple explanations of real world problems and graphics that explain the formula along with the problem.
