Last month, I was invited by the Science Teachers Association of Queensland (STAQ) to present a talk about using picture books in science lessons as part of their Growing Science webinars in the lead up to Science Week. What a great opportunity — picture books and science. What’s to not like? Picture books are one of the best ways I know of turning young children onto two of my favourite things — reading and learning.
You can find out more about the webinar series and access recordings and free resources on the STAQ website here.
Below is a brief version of the article I wrote as the basis of my presentation.
You can access the entire article in the zip folder Using Picture Books in Science Lessons, which also includes other handouts I provided to support my talk.
You can listen to the talk via this link or watch it below.
Linking science and literacy
Language is as important to the science curriculum as it is to the English curriculum. Science is another context in which language is used and must be learned.
In this article I’m going to show you some ways of including picture books in your science lessons.
Many of the skills required by science are also literacy skills; skills such as:
Continue reading: Linking Science and Literacy with Picture Books – readilearn
Norah Colvin 
Hear, hear!
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Thanks, Jennie. 🙂
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You’re welcome, Norah!
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Excellent talk, Norah! For early learners, it is a logical marriage between picture books and science.
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Thank you, Pete. That means a lot coming from a fellow teacher.
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What a cool talk that must have been. Heading over to be more literate. 🙂
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Thanks so much, Diana. I hope the teachers thought it was cool. 🙂
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I’ll be they did. New ideas and approaches are invigorating, especially when the ideas and tools are all laid out. 🙂
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I try to make it easy for them to implement – save them some hours in preparation.
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That’s key, I think. Teachers have a lot on their plates, so something that’s pretty much ready to go is a godsend. 🙂
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I agree, Diana. I’m pleased you understand the extent of teachers’ work too.
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Beautiful share your experience.
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Wow – congratulations Norah.
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Thanks, Steven. It was lovely to be invited.
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Yay. Such a great opportunity to share your passion and expertise. I imagine the audience were wowed by your talk.
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Thank you, Anne. It was lovely to be invited and I enjoyed presenting the talk. I hope others enjoyed it too.
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congrats on your presentation Norah and great to pair pictures with science …
I’m a science dunce as the public system couldn’t provide a science teacher for 2 years! When we finally got one it was full on cramming for the exams …
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Thanks, Kate. Cramming for exams doesn’t really do anything to create an interest in science, does it? I’m sorry you missed out.
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yes it feels like a huge gap, I like to know how things work …
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Most of us do. 🙂
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It’s a great combination. Makes science more interesting to kids.
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Thanks, Barbara. I think science is naturally fascinating. It’s what is often done to it in schools that makes it less so.
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Brava, Norah. “Language is as important to the science curriculum as it is to the English curriculum. Science is another context in which language is used and must be learned.” You could also say this for math, social studies… you brought me back and yes, reminded me that while picture books were fun and useful, accuracy and precise vocabulary were important and not always there.(Are) And so could be another learning opportunity and can hone critical thinking skills. I like your balanced commonsense.
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Thanks so much for your support, D. I did include quite a bit about critical thinking in my talk, and linked to another article on the topic. It’s so important.
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I love this sort of learning–blending learning between two subjects. This is one of the skills pushed to the front by Common Core. It seems natural.
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I agree, Jacqui. It’s better to blend the subjects than separate them, I think.
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That’s what life does, right?
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Exactly!
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