New Perspectives on Picture Books: Enhancing Fluency, STEM, and Social Justice, Study Guides, Projects, Research of Information Security and Markup Languages

Download New Perspectives on Picture Books: Enhancing Fluency, STEM, and Social Justice and more Study Guides, Projects, Research Information Security and Markup Languages in PDF only on Docsity!

Athens Journal of Education - Volume 4, Issue 2 – Pages 123-

New Perspectives on Picture Books

By Lisa Ciecierski

James Nageldinger

William P. Bintz

Sara D. Moore

The use of picture books has been illuminated as a potential to address important topics such as STEM, fluency, and social justice. Unique genres such as hybrid texts and wordless picture books are also worth considering for instruction. This article explores new perspectives on using picture books. Potentials for using wordless picture books beyond the early grades to support literacy across the curriculum are shared first. Next, we discuss how some picture books lend themselves to the engineering design cycle and can be used as an organizing idea for instruction which focuses on integrating the STEM disciplines. To continue, the prospect of utilizing picture books to strengthen reading fluency while engaging students in rich content area material is discussed. The potentials for using banned and challenged picture books to teach social justice is discussed next. We conclude by presenting practical strategies, picture books to consider for each of the areas, and lessons learned.

Keywords: fluency, picture books, social justice, STEM, wordless picture books.

Introduction

Historically, picture books have been used with young children to enjoy

and learn to read. On average, a picture book is 32 pages in length and contains

illustrations on every page or every page spread. Picture books appeal to

readers of all ages and while they are shorter than a novel, many are highly

sophisticated (Ciecierski & Bintz, 2015). They can help students gain a better

understanding of the world around them (Murphy, 2009) and connect to the

material being studied in a meaningful way (Taliaferro, 2009; Villano, 2005).

Picture books can be utilized to capture students’ attention (Routman, 2000)

and can also serve as "way-in" books (Keene & Zimmerman, 1997), providing

an unexpected interest into topics that may become interesting to explore

(Bintz, 2011). Hence, picture books are short in length but rich in appeal.

Recently, there has been a proliferation of exciting new genres in the

professional field of picture books. These genres include but are not limited to:

the post-modern picture book highlighting design features such as strategic text

placement, varied font sizes and dimensionality of illustrations, non-traditional

 (^) Assistant Professor, Language and Literacy, Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, USA. † (^) Assistant Professor, Literacy Education, Elmira College, USA. ‡ (^) Professor, Literacy Education, College of Education, Health, and Human Studies, Kent State

University, USA.  (^) Educational Consultant, USA.

Vol. 4 , No. 2 Ciecierski et al.: New Perspectives on Picture Books

plot structure, all of which invite readers to read complex text in strategic

ways. Additionally, hybrid picture books integrate verse and prose, multiple

sources of information, mixtures of styles, and multiple functions. These

genres offer readers new ways of making meaning. They may also serve as an

invitation to educators and readers to consider new perspectives and new

potentials for utilizing these types of picture books as well as many other types

of picture books for instruction.

The purpose of this article is to inspire readers, teachers, and teacher

educators to explore new perspectives and their potentials for making meaning

through the transformative nature of the picture book. It is comprised of four

sections to represent four different perspectives. We begin by presenting the

potential of using Wordless Picture Books and continue by exploring the

potential of using picture books to teach Science Technology, Engineering, and

Mathematics. Next, we share about utilizing patterned and predictable text in

picture books to increase reading fluency while simultaneously promoting

content area learning. The fourth perspective demonstrates the potency of using

banned and challenged picture books to teach social justice issues. Each section

contains a description of the perspective, multiple books highlighting examples

of the perspective, and discussion about how utilizing this type of picture book

may lend to instruction. We conclude by sharing our final thoughts.

New Perspectives on Wordless Picture Books

"Wordless picture books prepare students for a solid foundation in

reading because they stimulate oral communication and foster literacy"

(Gitelman, 1990, p, 525).

What is a Wordless Picture Book?

A wordless book is simply a "picture book with no text" (Harris &

Hodges, 1995, p. 282). It can, of course, be read fast and often is by many

readers, both young and old. However, it should not be read fast because a

wordless picture book is anything but simple. It is a complex, time-honored,

literary genre, or art form, that has played a critical role in helping young

children develop a positive disposition about books, reading, and learning.

There are a plethora of wordless picture books for readers of all ages.

Some of our very favorites are highlighted in Table 1.

Vol. 4 , No. 2 Ciecierski et al.: New Perspectives on Picture Books

pictures represent (Jalongo, Dragich, Conrard, & Zhang, 2002). They prompt

readers to tell interpret the story in their own words, that is, to personalize the

story with an authentic voice (Rosenblatt, 1991).

From a semiotic perspective, typical picture books, those with words and

illustrations, invite readers to use both sign systems to crate meaning (Siegel,

1995). Wordless picture books, however, are unique in that they allow readers

to use one sign system, the illustrations, to create meaning. Interestingly

enough, Berghoff (1993) found that even when text is available, readers use

illustrations and drawings to create meaning beyond just the written text.

Simply stated, illustrations are critically important for readers to create

meaning, whether it is in a typical picture book or a wordless one (Pantaleo,

Ultimately, the goal of typical picture books and wordless picture books is

the same, to help readers become more engaged in and attentive of any text

(Sulentic-Dowell, Beal, & Capraro, 2006). Wordless picture books may be

considered as one of the most beautiful art forms in literature and have much

potential for sparking new conversations about new perspectives.

Wordless picture books may stimulate interest as well as conversation

among readers. Exploring the potentials of award winning picture books to

engage and instruct students in the science, technology, engineering, and

mathematics may be enjoyable for children may also be used as an invitation to

explore and make sense of the world they inhabit.

New Perspectives on Picture Books Related to Science,

Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics (STEM)

"Scientists investigate that which already is;

engineers create that which has never been."

—Albert Einstein

What is STEM?

The engineering design cycle can be used as an organizing idea for

instruction which focuses on integrating the STEM disciplines (see Morgan &

Ansberry, 2015; Lachapelle, Sargianis, & Cunningham, 2013). STEM is an

abbreviation often used for four disciplines: Science, Technology, Engineering,

and Mathematics. Science and mathematics are familiar disciplines and we

have briefly described engineering above. Technology is subject to the greatest

misconception in our modern era. The Standards for Technological Literacy

(ITEA, 2000) define technology as, "the innovation, change, or modification of

the natural environment in order to satisfy perceived human wants and needs"

(p. 242). This reminds us that technology is as much the chair in which we sit

as it is the computer on which we type. STEM understanding and STEM

thinking is important to us as literate members of society when we make

health-care decisions or consider environmental issues when voting. STEM is

Athens Journal of Education May 2017

equally important in many of the fastest growing careers.

As STEM becomes more and more prevalent, so do the books that may

potentially connected to this concept. Table 2 shares just some of these that

may be used in the classroom.

Table 2. Picture Books for STEM

Anything is Possible (Belloni & Trevisan, 2011). Emmanuel’s Dream: The True Story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah (Thompson, 2015). Engineering Elephants (Hunt & Pantoya, 2010). Engineering the ABC’s: How Engineers Shape Our World (Novak, 2010). George Ferris: What a Wheel! (Lowell, 2014). Honda, The Boy Who Dreamed of Cars (Weston, 2008). How Machines Work (Macaulay, 2015). Iggy Peck, Architect (Beaty, 2007). Mr. Ferris and His Wheel (Gibbs Davis, 2014). Papa’s Mechanical Fish (Fleming, 2013). Rocks, Jeans, and Busy Machines: An Engineering Kids Storybook (Rivera & Rivera, 2010). Rosie Revere, Engineer (Beaty, 2013). The Fantastic Ferris Wheel: The Story of Inventor George Ferris (Kraft, 2015). The Inventor’s Secret: What Thomas Edison Told Henry Ford (Slade, 2015). The New Way Things Work (Macaulay, 1988).

Using Picture Books Related to STEM

The designed world surrounds us. Our clothing, our homes, the tools we

depend on each day are all the result of engineers designing solutions to

problems which make our lives better. Our clothes keep us warm; our homes

protect us from the elements; our digital tools connect us. High-quality and

award-winning literature, particularly picture books, can be used to teach

children (and adults) about the engineering design process.

In the picture book, The Most Magnificent Thing (Spires, 2014), the

heroine has a vision of a most magnificent thing she will make. Using a wide

range of found resources and over the course of many iterations, she brings her

vision to life. This story is about the engineering design process, the cycle

through which engineers design solutions to problems (Crismond & Adams,

2012). In this process, engineers work to define and understand the problem,

develop possible solutions, build and test models or prototypes, and then reflect

and redesign. There typically is no one best solution; rather, engineers work on

refining the solution to be the best possible one under the given criteria (what

will make this successful) and constraints (what limits of space, money, or

other resources are there). Picture books such as The Most Magnificent Thing

introduce learners to key STEM ideas and STEM thinking.

From a literacy perspective, these picture books are highly engaging pieces

of literature. The fiction/narrative books are excellent examples of the power

and potential of realistic fiction. They have engaging story lines, fascinating

characters, intriguing settings, and beautiful, if not artistic, illustrations.

Athens Journal of Education May 2017

Table 3. Hybrid Texts for Fluency in the Content Areas

A Drop Around the World. (McKinney, 1998). Cucumber Soup (Krudwig, 1998). Dinner at the Panda Palace (Calmenson & Westoctt, 1995). Flight of the Honey Bee (Huber, 2013). Gotta Go! Gotta Go! (Swope, 2004). Haiku Hike (St. Mary’s Catholic School, 2005). One leaf rides the wind. (Mannis, 2002). Out of this world (Skylansky, 2012). Python (Cheng, 2012). Thomas Jefferson Builds a Library (Rosenstock, 2013). Winter bees & Other Poems of the Cold (Sidman, 2014). The Wright Brothers (Edwards, 2003).

Using Hybrid Texts to Teach Fluency across the Content Areas

Recent introduction of new genres in children’s and adolescent’s literature

have opened up a new and exciting landscape in reading pedagogy with the

potential for helping struggling readers increase their reading fluency while

accessing grade level content. One of these new genres is called hybrid texts

(Maloch & Bomer, 2013).

This genre offers elementary and middle-grades reading and content area

teachers a new way to think about teaching reading, as well as using reading as

a tool to teach across the content areas. As a new genre, the power and

potential of hybrid text is immense but virtually unexplored. One of the least

explored dimensions is the relationship between hybrid text and oral reading

fluency. Once thought to be a problem relegated to the lower grades, recent

research has show reading fluency to be an issue extending middle and high

school as well (Paige, Rasinski, & Magpuri-Lavell, 2012; Rasinski & Padak,

Much research indicates that authentic literature, especially high-quality

literature, is an effective tool to teach content area material across the

curriculum (Albright, 2002; Bean, 2003; Bintz, 2011; Ciecierski & Bintz;

Murphy, 2009; Palmer & Stewart, 1997). At the same time there is a body of

empirical research that clearly indicates a correlation exists between oral

reading fluency and silent reading comprehension (Benjamin &

Schwanenflugel, 2010; Fuchs, Fuchs, Hosp, & Jenkins, 2001; Rasinski, Rikli,

& Johnston, 2009). Patterned and predictable text has been shown to be an

effective way to increase reading fluency (Bridge & Burton, 1982; Rhodes,

1979). Patterned and predictable hybrid text offers rich content area

possibilities for struggling readers while building fluency beyond the early

grades. The integration of the patterned and predictable hybrid text elements

with narrative information and a strong illustrative/text relationship offer

potentials for simultaneous fluency development and content area learning.

These Hands (Mason, 2015) is a powerful book that was used as a

foundation to show how hybrid texts may be utilized in the classroom. It begins

with Vance. Vance jokes with some of the cast members backstage. In a few

Vol. 4 , No. 2 Ciecierski et al.: New Perspectives on Picture Books

minutes, he and some of his classmates will be performing a Readers Theatre

piece for their sixth grade class. He’s nervous but not overly so. Less than a

year ago reading aloud in front of people would have been the last thing he

wanted to do. The way he plodded word for word through text was as painful

for others to listen to as it was for him to undertake. Today, he looks forward to

it. Not incidentally, the script the teacher has chosen was adapted from

Margaret Mason’s hybrid text These Hands (Mason, 2015), a powerful

intergenerational story, in which an African American man tells his grandson

about a time when, despite all the wonderful things his hands could do, they

could not touch bread at the Wonder Bread factory. Based on actual stories of

bakery union workers Mason’s patterned and predicable text combines the

proven connection of oral reading fluency to reading comprehension with the

introduction of rich content area material. Young Joseph learns that people

joined their hands together to fight discrimination so that one day, their

hands—Joseph’s hands—could do anything at all in this whole wide world.

The genre of hybrid texts has unlimited potential for use in content area

classrooms. As discussed, viewing the use of hybrid texts if various ways may

lead educators to considering their use to address the topic of fluency. This

extended way of thinking is important to consider in education. Similarly, is

the consideration of challenged and banned books to address social justice.

New Perspectives on Picture Books as Challenged and Banned Books

What are Challenged and Banned Books?

Challenged or banned books are books that have been questioned for

reasons such as violence, offensive language, and containing material that is

believed to be sexually explicit. Evans (2015) shares that these books are

"demanding, dangerous, and difficult" as well as "fascinating, frightening,

frustrating" and even a risk (p. xliiv). She continues to share the emotions that

are may be felt in response to these books. They are not books that make us

feel warm and fuzzy. It is actually the challenge and the complexity of these

books which may appeal to some while challenging others. Consequently,

these books might also be perceived as being unsuited for an age group.

Many challenged or banned books are novels. However, considering

picture books that are banned has great implications for instruction. Table 4

shares additional texts that may be considered.

Vol. 4 , No. 2 Ciecierski et al.: New Perspectives on Picture Books

social justice issues such as the freedom of religion, as well as women’s rights

and how these rights did and still do differ from culture to culture and country

to country.

The second picture book and Tango Makes Three (Richardson & Parneli,

2005) tells the true story of three penguins who live in the Central Park Zoo

located in New York City. Roy and Silo are two male penguins who appear to

enjoy each other’s companionship. They are often seen swimming and playing

together in the water. When the other penguins in the zoo begin hatching eggs,

Roy and Silo cuddle and share a nest like the other couples. They even bring an

egg-shaped rock back to their nest. A zookeeper who had been watching the

penguins decides to give Roy and Silo their own egg to nurture, and the two

fathers do a wonderful job doing just that. Their son, Tango, is born and loved

just as the other chicks.

This book was challenged because of homosexuality, religious viewpoint,

and a claim that the book was unsuited to an age group. There are several

interesting points to consider.

First, the book is based off of a true story. Roy, Silo, and Tango are real

penguins and so is their story. The book is written for children in preschool

through grades three. Again, considering Rosenblatt’s transactional reading

theory previously discussed would influence the readers’ interpretation of this

picture book.

While the topic of homosexuality is difficult and sometimes controversial,

many children live in a world where homosexuality is part of their life.

Children and adolescents around them may not know how to have

conversations about this topic and may question what is right and what is

wrong. From a social justice perspective, this book might be considered as a

"way-in" to this conversation.

Finally Hiroshima No Pika (Maruki, 1980) shares the story of a seven-

year-old girl having breakfast with her family. It seems like an ordinary

morning until "it" happens. Told from the mother’s perspective, this is the story

that brings the bombing of Hiroshima to life. The illustrations and language are

graphic to portray this even in a realistic manner. The reader is brought into the

story to experience the pain and turmoil of the event.

This book was challenged because it does not represent war as being

glorious. It is also challenged for not being appropriate for its intended

audience. However, it was not written with the intention of being shared with

young children. The suggested audience is grade four and above. While this

book is indeed graphic, it shares a perspective of the event that is realistic. War

is not glorious, and it is important to recognize and understand historical events

so these events do not repeat themselves.

Picture books are not written simply for young children and have great

potential for being utilized to enhance the learning and conversations of older

students. While many may challenge particular books in the attempt to protect

students, considering these books as a "way-in" to difficult but important

conversations is worth considering. They may also inspire interest into topics

underexplored but important for our future.

Athens Journal of Education May 2017

Final Thoughts

While picture books are often short, they have tremendous potential of

being complex and inspiring sophisticated thinking. We have highlighted four

perspectives to consider: wordless picture books, picture books related to

science, technology, engineering, & mathematics, hybrid texts to teach fluency

across the content areas, and challenged and banned picture books. We hope

that these will serve as an invitation to consider other forms of picture books

and the many potential they offer to teachers and to students alike.

References

Albright, L. (2002). Bringing the Ice Maiden to life: Engaging adolescents in learning through picture book read-alouds in the content areas. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 45 (5), 418 – 428. Bean, T. (2003). Using young-adult literature to enhance comprehension in the content areas. Naperville, IL: Learning Point Associates. Benjamin, R. G., & Schwanenflugel, P. J. (2010). Text complexity and oral reading prosody in young readers. Reading Research Quarterly, 45 (4), 388-404. Berghoff, B. (1993). Moving toward aesthetic literacy in first grade. In D. Leu & C. Kinzer (Eds.), Examining central issues in literacy research, theory, and practice (42nd^ Yearbook of the National Reading Conference) (pp. 217-226). Chicago, IL: National Reading Conference. Bintz, W.P. (2011). "Way-In" books encourage exploration in middle grades classrooms. The Middle School Journal, 42 (3), 34 – 45. Bridge, C., & Burton, B. (1982). Teaching sight vocabulary through patterned language materials. In J. A. Niles & L.A. Harris (Eds.), New inquires in reading research and instruction (pp. 113-123). Washington, DC: National Reading Conference. Ciecierski, L. & Bintz, W.P. (2015). Developing a challenging and integrated curriculum. Middle School Journal 46 (5), 17 – 25. Crawford, P., & Hade, D., (2000). Inside the picture, outside the frame: Semiotics and the reading of wordless picture books. Journal of Research in Childhood Education, 15 (1), 66-80. Crismond, D.P., & Adams, R. S. (2012). The informed design teaching and learning matrix. Journal of Engineering Education, 101 (4), 738-797. Evans, J. (2015). Challenging and controversial picture books: Creative and critical responses to visual texts. New York: Routledge. Fuchs, L. S., Fuchs, D., Hosp, M. K., & Jenkins, J. R. (2001). Oral reading fluency as an indicator of reading competence: A theoretical, empirical, and historical analysis. Scientific Studies of Reading, 5 (3), 239-256. Gitelman, H. (1990). Using wordless picture books with disabled readers. The Reading Teacher, 43 (7), 525. Harris, T.L., & Hodges, R.E. (Eds.) (1995). The literacy dictionary: The vocabulary of reading and writing. Newark, DE: International Reading Association. ITEA. (2000). Standards for Technological Literacy: Content for the Study of Technology. Reston, Va.: ITEA. Jalongo, M.R., Dragich, D., Conrard, N.K., & Zhang, A. (2002). Using wordless picture books to support emergent literacy. Early Childhood Education Journal,

Athens Journal of Education May 2017

Literature Cited

Baker, J. (1991). Window. New York: Greenwillow Books. Baker, J. (2010). Mirror. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press. Banyai, I. (1998). Zoom. New York: Puffin Books. Beaty, A. (2013). Rosier revere, engineer. New York, NY: Harry N. Abrams. Beaty, A. (2007). Iggy peck, architect. New York, NY: Harry N. Abrams. Becker, A. (2016). Return. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press. Belloni, G. (2011). Anything is possible. Berkeley, CA: Owlkids Books. Bunting, E. (1999). Smoky night. Boston, MA: HMH Books for Young Readers. Cali, D. (2009). The enemy. New York: Schwartz & Wade. Cheng, C. (2012). Python. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press. Calmenson, S. & Westcott, N.B. (1995). Dinner at the Panda Palace. New York: Harper Collins. Cole, H. (2012). Unspoken. New York: Scholastic Press. Edwards, P.D. (2003). The Wright brothers. New York: Disney-Hyperion. Fleming, C. (2013). Para’s mechanical fish. New York, NY: Farrar Straus Giroux. Frisch, A. (2012). The girl in red. Mankato, MN: Creative Editions. Gallaz, C. & Innocenti, R. (1997). Rose Blanche. Mankato, MN: Creative Editions. Gibbs Davis, K. (2014). Mr. Ferris and his wheel. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Gravett, E. (2006). Wolves. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. Guilloppe, A. (2004). One scary night. New York: Casterman. Herron, C. (1997). Nappy hair. New York: Knopf Books for Young Readers. Huber, R. (2013). Flight of the honey bee. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press. Hunt, E. M., & Pantoya, M. L. (2010). Engineering elephants. Bloomington, IN: Author House. Kamkwamba, W., & Mealer, B. (2012). The boy who harnessed the wind. New York, NY: Dial Books. Kraft, B.H. (2015). The fantastic ferris wheel. New York: Henry Holt and Company. Krudwig, V.L. (1998). Cucumber soup. Golden, CO: Fulcrum Publishing. Lee, S. (2007). The zoo. La Jolla, CA: Kane Miller Book Company. Lee, S. (2008). Wave. San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books. Lehman, T. (2008). The trainstop. Boston, MA: HMH Books for Young Readers. Lowell, B. (2014). George Ferris: What a wheel! New York, NY: Grosset & Dunlap. Macaulay, D. (2015). How machines work: Zoo break! London, UK: DK. Macauley, D. (1988). The new way things work. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. Mannis, C.D. (2002). One leaf rides the wind. New York: Puffin Books. Marsden, J. (2008). Home and away. Melbourne, Australia: Lothian Books. Maruki, T. (1980). Hiroshima no pika. New York: Lothrop, Lee & Shepard. Mason, M.H. (2015) These hands. Boston, MA: HMH for Young Readers. McKee, D. (2012). Denver. London: Anderson Press. McKinney, B.S. (1998). A drop around the world. Nevada City, CA: DAWN Publications. Miyares, D. (2015). Float. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. Novak, P. O. (2009). Engineering the abc’s: How engineers shape our world. Northville, MI: Ferne Press. Richardson, J., & Parnell, P. (2005). And Tango makes three. New York: Simon & SchusterBooks for Young Readers. Rivera, A., & Rivera, R. (2010). Rocks, jeans, and busy machines: An engineering kid’s storybook. San Antonio, TX: Rivera Engineering.

Vol. 4 , No. 2 Ciecierski et al.: New Perspectives on Picture Books

Rosenstock, B. (2013). Thomas Jefferson builds a library. Honesdale, PA: Calkins Creek. Sendak, M. (1963). Where the wild things are. New York: Harper and Row. Sidman, J. (2012). Winter bees & other poems of the cold. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing. Skylansky, A.E. (2012). Out of this world: Poems and facts about space. New York: Knopf. Slade, S. (2015). The inventor’s secret. Watertown, MA: Charlesbridge. Spires, A. (2014). The most magnificent thing. Toronto, ON: Kids Can Press. St. Mary’s Catholic School (2005). Haiku hike. New York: Scholastic. Swope, S. (2004). Gotta go! Gotta go! Melbourne, FL: Sunburst Book. Tan, S. (2000). The red tree. Melbourne, Australia: Lothian Books. Tan, S. (2007). The arrival. New York: Arthur A. Levine Books. Thompson, B. (2010). Chalk. Indianapolis, IN: Young Hoosier Book Award. Thompson, L.A. (2015). Emmanuel’s dream: The true story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah. New York: Schwartz & Wade Books. VanAllsburg, C. (1984). The mysteries of Harris Burdick. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Weston, M. (2008). Honda: The boy who dreamed of cars. New York: Lee & Low Books. Wiesner, D. (2006). Flotsam. New York: Clarion Books. Winter, J. (2009). Nasreen’s secret school. La Jolla, CA: Beach Lane Books. Yoo, T. (2007). the little red fish. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers.