ERIC Number: EJ1225653
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2019
Pages: 23
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: EISSN-2331-0464
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Using Picture Books to Enhance Ecoliteracy of First-Grade Students
Muthukrishnan, Rani
International Journal of Early Childhood Environmental Education, v6 n2 p19-41 Spr 2019
Picture books have the potential to engage students in multimodal ways of learning in early education setting. This pilot study aims to investigate the efficacy of using picture books specifically written to convey increasingly complex ecosystem concepts and their influence on introducing ecoliteracy to first-grade students. Under the central theme of "ecoliteracy" the books introducing four sub-themes (nature, cycles in nature, biodiversity in the rain forest, introducing the phenomenon of bioluminescence) were presented at two-week intervals. The picture books were read aloud and followed by student responses to the text in writing. The questions examined in this pilot study are: What ecoliteracy competencies are highlighted in student responses? How do students demonstrate learning using ecoliteracy-rich books? The texts produced by students were analyzed to understand how students represented ecoliteracy concepts with respect to ecoliteracy domains. Student responses predominantly fell into the cognitive domain as opposed to emotional domain. These responses demonstrated how students extended learning by applying the knowledge to events in daily life, and a willingness to play with concepts. Elaborated in the discussion are the need for matching books with appropriate curriculum to meet the ecoliteracy goals, the significance of producing texts by young readers, and constraints for developing ecoliteracy.
Descriptors: Picture Books, Teaching Methods, Environmental Education, Ecology, Grade 1, Elementary School Students, Biodiversity, Reading Aloud to Others, Cognitive Processes, Learning Processes, Learning Activities, Reaction Time, Teacher Student Relationship, Comparative Analysis, Writing (Composition), Water, Concept Formation
North American Association for Environmnental Education. 1725 DeSales Street NW, Washington, DC 20036. Tel: 202-419-0412; Web site: https://naturalstart.org/research
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Early Childhood Education; Elementary Education; Grade 1; Primary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A