Connecting Science and Literacy

Earlier this week we read a story called "Hair Heads". This nonfiction books discussed how seeds grow - from when a seed is planted until the sprout turns into a big plant.

After reading the book Mrs. Oshar helped children plant their own seeds at the science center.

After planting the seeds the children wrote about what they did and predicted what the seeds might grow into. This gave them an authentic, invested purpose for engaging in writing.

We placed small versions of the book "Hair Heads" at the listening center and encouraged the children to revisit the text. The children were able to read the information again in the book while following along with the CD.

After listening to the book children were able to vote on whether or not they liked the text. Whenever we noticed children voting, we asked them to explain their response to the book and why they voted a certain way.

Some Ontario Curriculum Expectations fulfilled by these activities include:

1.6 use language to talk about their thinking, to reflect, and to solve problems

2.4 respond to a variety of materials read aloud to them (e.g., paint, draw, or construct models of characters or settings)