1. Creating Storybook Journeys to Enhance Your STEAM Curriculum
Presented by: Melissa Russell, Kori Bardige, and Sally Bayless
Concept created by Sue McCord, The Storybook Journey: Pathways to Learning through Story and Play
Components of Storybook Journeys:
Creating home-school connections
Responding to children’s interests
Repeated readings/interactive readings
Telling and retelling the story in many ways
Using props to explore elements of the story and extend children’s thinking
Is driven by purposeful pretend play where children act out, extend, and explore new ideas
Uses the story as a springboard for other learning opportunities and future investigations
Encourages children’s interest in literature and critical reading/comprehension skills
Promotes intentionally planned activities that incorporate sophisticated vocabulary, expressive language and narrative skills
Definitions of STEAM
Science is a way of thinking. – Observing and experimenting, making predictions, sharing discoveries, asking questions, and wondering how things work.
Technology is a way of doing. – Using tools, being inventive, identifying problems, and making things work.
Engineering is a way of doing. – Solving problems, using a variety of materials, designing and creating, and building things that work.
Arts are a way of creating. – Demonstrating self-expression, imagination, emotion, collaboration, and exploration through media, movement, music, and play.
Math is a way of measuring. – Sequencing, patterning, and exploring shapes, volume, and size.
Definitions adapted from: fs/STEMGuide.pdf
The poetry and prose of the best children’s books enter our minds when we are young and sing back to us all our lives.
-- Vivian Gussin Paley, The Boy Who Would Be a Helicopter, p. 44
This outline has been modified to focus on STEAM, but still contains the essential elements for creating a Storybook Journey. As you use this as a tool for creating your own Storybook Journeys adapt it to meet your own needs and make it work for you!
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2. Outline for Creating a STEAM Storybook Journey
Step 1: Selecting a book
Book Title: ________________________________________________________________
Author: __________________________________________________________________
Illustrator: ________________________________________________________________
Step 2: Mapping the journey
What questions and STEAM concepts could we explore?
Connections to
State standards
Science:
Technology:
Engineering:
Arts:
Math:
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3. K W H L N KWHLN Chart What do I Know about this topic?
What do I Want to learn? What do I Wonder about? H
How will I figure out the answers to my questions? L
What did I Learn from this Storybook Journey? N
What are my Next steps? How will I connect this Storybook Journey with the Next one?
What do my students and families Know about this topic?
What do they Want to learn? What do they Wonder about?
How can we work together to figure out the answers to our questions?
What did we Learn from our Storybook Journey?
Where do we want to go Next? What else are we interested in learning about?
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4. Brainstorm potential directions What specific STEAM concepts might we focus on? How could we extend book? What additional references and materials might we add to enhance our journey?
“It is the talk that surrounds the story book reading that gives it power.”
- NAEYC & International Reading Association
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5. Step 3: Planning and Playing What STEAM concepts might we explore in different ways based on the topic(s) of our storybook?
Area:
Potential materials/activities
Area:
Potential materials/activities
Concepts
Area:
Potential materials/activities
Area:
Potential materials/activities
STEAM focused Centers
Hypothesis (circle/meeting)
Research (library)
Engineering (blocks)
Ecology (science)
Technology (computers)
Mathematics (manipulatives)
Dissection (puzzles/games)
Demonstration (dramatic play)
Documentation (writing)
Reflection (cozy area)
Arts Laboratory (art)
Chemistry (sensory table)
Locomotion (gross motor)
Exploration (outdoors)
Physics (balls and ramps)
Observation (plants/animals)
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6. Step 4: Exploring and Extending
Ways we could document our journey
How can we document our individual and collective growth and development and extend our journey so we can continue to learn?
Additional resources and concept extensions
What additional resources (books, community, etc.) might extend our storybook journey and knowledge of STEAM concepts?
Resources we suggest:
Recommendations of STEAM books:
STEAM resources for educators and families:
Curriculum Resources and Emergent Curriculum Ideas:
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7. Step 5: Sharing our adventures!
How can we celebrate what we’ve learned?
Reflections
What were some of our favorite adventures? What did we learn from them?
What were the most successful components of this storybook journey? What would we do again? What would we change?
Future Directions
What other books and STEAM concepts intrigue us?
How can we transition to our next Storybook Journey?
(c) Learning Circle Consulting