A Tree at bedtime investigation: connecting mathematics, science, and literature.This Idea-Sparker was submitted by Lynn Columba, Associate Professor, Lehigh University Lehigh University, at Bethlehem, Pa.; coeducational; chartered and opened 1866 by Asa Packer. It has undergraduate colleges of arts and science, business and economics, and engineering and applied science, as well as several graduate programs. , Bethlehem, Pennsylvania Bethlehem is a city in Lehigh and Northampton Counties in the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 71,329, making it the eighth largest municipality in Pennsylvania. . When children experience mathematics and science in ways that relate to their own day-today lives, meaningful learning takes place. From simple concept books to more elaborate informational books, many books present mathematics and science concepts that children see in their own world. Children can build new knowledge or expand their existing understanding; they can refine and reorganize re·or·gan·ize v. re·or·gan·ized, re·or·gan·iz·ing, re·or·gan·iz·es v.tr. To organize again or anew. v.intr. To undergo or effect changes in organization. what they already know; and they can make connections among the concepts as they learn more about them (Columba, Kim, & Moe, 2005). Seymour Papert Seymour Papert (born March 1, 1928 Pretoria, South Africa) is an MIT mathematician, computer scientist, and educator. He is one of the pioneers of artificial intelligence, as well as an inventor of the Logo programming language. (1980), who created the computer language Logo, said, "Children learn by doing and by thinking about what they do." Children are actively engaged when classroom learning focuses on discovering patterns and relationships, solving problems, connecting to real-life situations and authentic problems, and reasoning skills (Pang & Good, 2000). Activities that promote "active thinking" help children learn mathematics and science by allowing them to work at forming relationships, making connections, and integrating concepts and procedures. Dynamic and exciting children's books invite and motivate children to learn mathematics and science by responding to stories, characters, and their experiences. According to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. the National Research Council (NRC NRC abbr. 1. National Research Council 2. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Noun 1. NRC - an independent federal agency created in 1974 to license and regulate nuclear power plants , 1996), inquiry is the "shifting (of) emphasis from teachers presenting information ... to students learning science through active involvement." This type of learning requires imagination as students figure out the inner workings of our world and its myriad connections. Quality children's literature children's literature, writing whose primary audience is children. See also children's book illustration. The Beginnings of Children's Literature The earliest of what came to be regarded as children's literature was first meant for adults. is the ingredient that nurtures children's imaginations and fosters its growth (Columba et al., 2005). Standards and Expectations An investigation using Hush-a-bye Babies (Slingsby, 2001) directly connects to the National Science Education Standards The National Science Education Standards (NSES) are a set of guidelines for the science education in primary and secondary schools in the United States, as established by the National Research Council in 1996. (NRC, 1996) for Life Science, PreK-2. The primary focus is on understanding the meaning of environment and habitat--more specifically, how habitat and environment differ for different living things Living Things may refer to:
NCTM Nationally Certified Teacher of Music NCTM North Carolina Transportation Museum NCTM National Capital Trolley Museum NCTM Nationally Certified in Therapeutic Massage ) Standards (2000) for Measurement (specifically, for telling time) also align with this investigation. The students will record in the Investigation Record (Appendix B) what time they go to bed and draw the hands on the clock. Teachers can adapt the activities to better match their students' strengths and the local curriculum. Materials An illustration of a tree or Tree Investigation (Appendix A) Labels for the animal homes and parts of a tree Habitat Investigation Record (Appendix B) Small branches from a tree A bird nest A classroom clock with moveable hands A classroom set of individual clocks About the Book As all the little animals that live in one very large tree settle down to sleep one evening, they hear a strange sound. "Squawk! Screech! Scream and t-wit-a-witta-woo!" A mother bird goes to inspect. A squirrel squirrel, name for small or medium-sized rodents of the family Sciuridae, found throughout the world except in Australia, Madagascar, and the polar regions; it is applied especially to the tree-living species. family, high up in the same tree, is next to hear the commotion. Way down in the root of the tree, a mouse and its babies are awakened a·wak·en tr. & intr.v. a·wak·ened, a·wak·en·ing, a·wak·ens To awake; waken. See Usage Note at wake1. [Middle English awakenen, from Old English . Even rabbits in their burrow under the ground are alarmed. What is making all the noise? It's a baby owl, who sleeps during the day and stays awake all night. Vivid and realistic illustrations of woodland animals make this book an excellent resource for children learning about habitats. To Introduce the Book 1. Before reading the book, ask the students, "What kinds of living things are found in a tree?" Help them understand that a tree may be a home for many forms of wildlife. Have the students share their experiences regarding animals that live in trees near their school, in nearby parks, or in their own backyards. 2. As they mention individual animals, have the students discuss the kind of "home" each might have. Introduce the scientific terminology for home--"habitat." "What kind of home does a squirrel have? A mouse? A rabbit? A bird?" 3. Discuss bedtime bedtime Sleep disorders The time when one attempts to fall asleep–as distinguished from the time when one gets into bed and sleeping. Ask, "What time do you go to bed?" Illustrate several of these times on the classroom clock, and have the students illustrate the times using their individual clocks. "Do animals sleep at night?" "Do they all sleep at night like you do?" Sharing the Book 1. Share the cover of the book and identify the wildlife. Ask the students to listen closely so that they can answer the question, "Where do all the animals in this story live?" 2. At this point, share the bird nest(s) that have been collected in the classroom. Have the students discuss what they notice about the nest(s). Share the small branches collected from a tree and have the students describe the different parts. 3. As you begin the story, share the illustration of the bird nest and note that the baby birds are beginning to go to sleep. As you read the book aloud and imitate the loud squawking noises, have students note that the baby birds are waking up. "What is the mother bird going to do?" 4. As the mother bird discovers the noise maker, ask the students to look at the illustrations and identify the noisy creature. "Why is the baby animal making so much noise? "Why is it awake?" 5. As you share the story page by page, discuss the nature of wildlife, their homes (habitats), and the environment in which they live. Promoting Concepts 1. Take each of the pages (it is often a two-page spread) where the animals are introduced and discuss the "home" of the creature. Reinforce the word "habitat." "Where in the tree is each animal home located?" Continue to question with the following: "How are birds' homes and squirrels' homes alike?" "How are they different?" "How are birds' homes and rabbits' homes alike?" "How are they different?" 2. Discuss the concept of differences further by examining the differences between the baby owl and the other animal babies. "How is the baby owl different from the other baby animals Note: For the correct names of offspring in the animal kingdom, see List of baby animal names. Baby Animals were a 1990s hard rock band from Australia. Biography Early History in this story?" Owls are awake at night; they are nocturnal nocturnal /noc·tur·nal/ (nok-tur´n'l) pertaining to, occurring at, or active at night. noc·tur·nal adj. 1. Of, relating to, or occurring in the night. 2. . 3. Ask the students if they know of other animals that are nocturnal. Raccoon raccoon, nocturnal New World mammal of the genus Procyon. The common raccoon of North America, Procyon lotor, also called coon, is found from S Canada to South America, except in parts of the Rocky Mts. and in deserts. , bat, owl, possum possum or phalanger Any of several species (family Phalangeridae) of nocturnal, arboreal marsupials of Australia and New Guinea. They are 22–50 in. (55–125 cm) long, including the long prehensile tail, and have woolly fur. . 4. Discuss the meaning of environment and habitat. "What does the woodland environment provide for the animals in the story? "What does the tree provide for the animals in the story?" 5. Discuss threats to the woodland environment. "What could happen to the tree to make it an unsafe place to live?" Forest fire, cut down, disease. Assessment For performance assessment, have the students complete the Tree Investigation activity page (Appendix A). As you are bringing closure to the lesson, ask the students to describe an animal habitat that can be found in a tree in the woodland environment. Next, have the students complete the Habitat Investigation activity page (Appendix B). Have the students describe aloud the homes they created in the tree. Another option is to create a class collage collage (kəläzh`, kō–) [Fr.,=pasting], technique in art consisting of cutting and pasting natural or manufactured materials to a painted or unpainted surface—hence, a work of art in this medium. of a tree and the many creatures that live there. Hopefully, Hush-a-bye Babies (2001) will have provided the students with an opportunity to build on new knowledge, or to expand their existing understandings of animal habitats. Other Concepts Other objectives to develop using Hush-a-bye Babies (2001) are sorting animals by those that are active by day and those that are nocturnal, and identifying features that help the animals to be active at night, such as large eyes, large ears, and dark colors. Have the students use dark-colored construction paper and light-colored chalk to depict images of nocturnal animals, the night sky, and the homes of daytime animals that are asleep at night. To continue the exploration, other environments can be introduced (e.g., tropical rain forests). Have the students identify animals that are active during the day and those that are active at night in these environments. Also, food webs and food chains are a natural extension for further exploration. Another extension to the investigation would be a tree's seasonal changes. During mathematics-related activities, have the students share such information as the time they get out of bed, what time school starts and dismisses, etc., and then illustrate these times on their individual clocks. Appendix A: Tree Investigation Name -- Date -- Instructions: Draw a home in the tree for birds, squirrels, rabbits, and mice. Label each home. Label the parts of the tree: roots, trunk, branches, and leaves. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Appendix B: Habitat Investigation 1. Describe two ways that a tree can be a home for animals. 2. List living things that you can have observed near your school. 3. List living things that could live in a tree. 4. What time do you go to bed at night? Draw the hands on the clock. Alternative Book Selections Bunting bunting, common name for small, plump birds of the family Fringillidae (finch family). Among the American buntings are the indigo bunting, in which the summer plumage of the male reflects sunlight as a rich, metallic blue; the painted bunting, or nonpareil ( , E. (1994). Night tree (T. Rand, Illus.). New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of : Voyager Books. Cherry, L. (1990). The great Kapok kapok (kā`pŏk, kăp`ək), name for a tropical tree of the family Bombacaceae (bombax family) and for the fiber (floss) obtained from the seeds in the ripened pods. tree. New York: Harcourt. Cooney, B. (1985). Miss Rhumpius. New York: Puffin Books. Fleming, D. (1996). Where once there was a wood. New York: Henry Holt. Gibbons Famous people named Gibbons include:
Hiscock, B. (1991). The big tree. New York: MacMillan. Kalman, B., & Smithyman, K. (2002). The life cycle of a tree (B. Bedell Bedell could refer to A person:
Miller, D. (2002). Are trees alive? (S. Schuett, Illus.). New York: Walker. Miller, E. (1992). Mousekin's lost woodland. New York: Simon & Schuster Simon & Schuster U.S. publishing company. It was founded in 1924 by Richard L. Simon (1899–1960) and M. Lincoln Schuster (1897–1970), whose initial project, the original crossword-puzzle book, was a best-seller. . Tresselt, A. (1992). The gift of a tree (H. Sorensen, Illus.). New York: HarperCollins. Yolen, J. (1997). Welcome to the greenhouse (L. Regan, Illus.). New York: Scholastic. Web Sites www.gould.edu.au/foodwebs/primary/act06.htm www.newton.dep.anl.gov/natbltn/100-199/nb151.htm www.floraforfauna.com.au/ www.zoo.org.au/education/learningresources/hs/early/ hs01-furfeather-tn.pdf www.glenhelen.org/oec/nat/oeccurriculum.htm www.calacademy.org/research/library/biodiv/curriculum/index.html www.arborday.org www.nationaltreetrust.org References Columba, L., Kim, C. Y., & Moe, A.J. (2005). The power of picture books in teaching mathematics & science: PreK-8. Scottsdale, AZ: Holcomb Hathaway. National Council of Teacher of Mathematics. (2000). Principles and standards for school mathematics Principles and Standards for School Mathematics was a document produced by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics [1] in 2000 to set forth a national vision for precollege mathematics education in the US and Canada. . Reston, VA: Author. National Research Council. (1996). National science education standards. Washington, DC: National Academy Press. Pang, J., & Good, R. (2000). A review of the integration of science and mathematics: Implications for further research. School Science and Mathematics, 100, 73-93. Retrieved October 18, 2001, from INFOTRAC. Children's Literature Slingsby, J. (2001). Hush-a-bye babies (A. Beckett, Illus.). New York: Barron's. Judith Kieff, Professor, Department of Curriculum and Instruction, University of New Orleans History UNO was founded in 1958 as the New Orleans branch of Louisiana State University, originally as "Louisiana State University in New Orleans" or "LSUNO", but became more independent and changed the name to "University of New Orleans" in 1974. |
|
||||||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion