Connecting Literature with STEM at Six-to-Six Magnet School

Eva Kibby is our Science Facilitator and the science coordinator at Six to Six Magnet School in Bridgeport.

Books are the key to many types of learning experiences. At the beginning of this year I had the opportunity to participate in an online workshop that was presented by the authors of Picture Perfect Stem Lessons. This resource book has STEM lessons that are connected to children’s literature. Since being a participant in this workshop I have been able to carry out many of the suggested lessons/activities. I have found the lessons to be manageable, engaging and aligned to NGSS standards. The texts used for the lessons have all been quality literature with vibrant illustrations. I also have found the materials to carry the lessons out are inexpensive and can often be found in most households. The lesson sequences are typically 3 days; however, they can be stretched to cover more days and they can be modified to be fewer days, as well. I recently carried out a lesson called “Trash to Treasure.” In this lesson sequence the children read a story called One Plastic Bag and the Recycling Women of Zambia. They were able to select a piece of trash to either up cycle or recycle. Below is the sequence of instruction that I used.

Day 1- Engage

students listened to a read aloud of the featured text
students made connections with where and why they use plastic
students created a list of plastic items that could be found in the classroom

Day 2- Explore

students discussed the use and properties of plastic
students went on a plastic hunt throughout the school and playground
students added to their list of plastic items found within the school
students discussed how plastic impacts our lives
students circled items from their lists that could be used multiple times or a singular time
students discussed what happens once plastic is thrown out
students watched TED talk present by 2 students working to ban plastic in Bali

Day 3- Explain

students read interactive article (provided with the lesson)
students worked with partners to visit informative websites

Day 4- Explore

students selected plastic items from home or school that would have been thrown away
students designed a plan for recycling plastic or upcycling the item they selected
students labeled design and listed materials needed for upcycling/recycling project
students completed a cover sheet for their project

Day 5 – Evaluate

students evaluated themselves and shared any revisions they would make
students shared projects with each other

Extension: Any student who finished early worked on a narrative story to go with their project or wrote an argumentative essay to support recycling.

The students’ creations included a football, a purse, a kite, a bug, and a bird feeder. As a result of this project, the children suddenly became more interested in our use of plastics and how plastic is overused. They began — and have continued — to notice and talk about materials we use in our every day lives and how we can avoid overuse of plastic by living differently or selecting more sustainable materials.