Science through picturebooks
In this recorded professional learning session join Nicola Daly, Associate Professor in Education, expert in children’s literature and developer of the picturebook collections – picturebooks.co.nz and pacificpicturebooks.co.nz, and Greta Dromgool from the Science Learning Hub in a webinar highlighting the strength of picture books as a tool to promote science conversations and capabilities.
From The Hungry Caterpillar to the Battle of the Mountains classroom teachers regularly include picture books in their programmes. Use this known teaching approach to springboard into science – a curriculum area research shows us needs greater focus in primary schools.
Thanks a ton – awesome to have meaningful kōrero around picture books and science
Participant
In this session Nicola and Greta will be looking at the book, Ngā Rongoā a Koro – Koro's Medicine written by Melanie Drewery, illustrated by Sabrina Malcolm and translated by Kararaina Uatuku. We will demonstrate how you can support children to connect with the ideas about and from science and the depth of learning that can be explored in this book. Some of the ideas include acknowledging mātauranga as a valid knowledge system, rongoā Māori, plant identification and more.
I'm inspired to explore picture books for some of my geology students, thanks a lot for the webinar.
Participant
And picture books aren’t just for little ones. They provide a great way to access older student’s prior knowledge and to assess their understanding of science concepts, making this session valuable for teachers in ECE, primary and lower secondary school.
Science through picturebooks
This is an edited recording of the webinar Science through picturebooks.
Ngā mihi ki a kōrua, awesome kōrero!
Participant
Science through picturebooks – slideshow
This slideshow, from the webinar Science through picturebooks, provides additional support for the video tutorial.
You can download both the video and slideshow presentation.
Index
Topic
Slideshow number(s)
Video timecode
Introducing the Science Learning Hub
1–2
00:00
Index
2
00:26
Introducing Dr Nicola Daly
4
00:35
Participants ideas – favourite picture books
5
01:55
Why use picture books in the classroom?
6
02:16
Koro’s medicine – reading by Nicola
7
09:40
Curriculum links
8
19:04
– Plant identification and classification
9
20:08
– Language
10
22:30
– Ways of knowing
11
25:52
Participant ideas – picture books and science concepts
12
29:19
SLH links, keep in touch and thanks
13
31:43
Related content
Have a look at the resources under our Literacy through science topic or explore our article showcasing PLD for primary teachers.
Check out our entire range of Connected articles here – we’ve curated them by topic and concepts.
Looking for an engaging science book to add to your next teaching plan/topic? We have created a curation of ones we like on our Pinterest board here.
Webinars
You might also be interested in these recorded webinars:
Useful links
Have a look at these picture book collections linking to a variety of curriculum areas:
Listen to Dr Nicola Daly and Dr Dianne Forbes in this RadioNZ interview from August 2021 about the value of picture books.
Acknowledgement
The Science Learning Hub would like to thank Dr Nicola Daly.
