Why science trade books?
According to scholarly research, science trade books are beneficial for reasons which include:
- When integrated with the 5-E inquiry model, it has been shown that trade books can increase students' knowledge of science content by 30% (Connor, Kaya, Luck, Toste, Canto, Rice, Tani and Underwood, 2010).
- Researchers have found that the students who received the inquiry-based science with reading outperformed their peers who only received the inquiry instruction (Fang & Wei, 2010).
- Reading fiction and nonfiction books improve content area knowledge and overall reading and writing abilities (Alvermann & Phelps, 2002).
- Trade books help reluctant readers by building confidence (Alvermann & Phelps, 2002).
- Integrating science and reading can improve the following skills: analyzing, comparing, contrasting, synthesizing, inferring, applying, predicting, sequencing, determining cause and effect, distinguishing fact and opinion, and drawing conclusions (Freeman & Taylor, 2006).
- High quality pictures are often included in trade books (Alvermann & Phelps, 2002).
- During inquiry investigations, books help students gather information to help explain phenomena (Ebbers, 2002).
- Trade books ensure authentic science experiences compared to traditional approaches (Ebbers, 2002).
- Trade books can assist students who have limited or minimal background knowledge on a topic while formulating investigation questions (Morrison & Young, 2008).
How do I select trade books?
Selecting appropriate and high quality science trade books is instrumental. This criteria includes:
Below is an overview for each grade level's book recommendation:
Content strand
Content topic (focus area)
Book Recommendations (below level, at grade level, above grade level book)
Content statement (specific anticipated learning outcome)
Academic vocabulary (essential vocabulary that can be explicitly taught while reading the book)
- Amount of content-science content should be the core material addressed in the books.
- Accuracy of content-in order to omit unreliable information, content should be presented in a knowledgeable manner that is consistent with current science research and findings.
- Academic vocabulary-science is a discipline that is immersed with specific terminology. Therefore, quality science trade books should embed necessary vocabulary.
Below is an overview for each grade level's book recommendation:
Content strand
Content topic (focus area)
Book Recommendations (below level, at grade level, above grade level book)
Content statement (specific anticipated learning outcome)
Academic vocabulary (essential vocabulary that can be explicitly taught while reading the book)