Recently, my students began working on understanding the various phases of the moon as part of the Science Academic Content Standards for Grade Two. After assigning several nonfiction books to their Big Universe Learning accounts related to this topic, I cam across a Native American folktale which included concepts related to our science studies. After examining the text, I decided to assign the text "How the Moon Regained Her Shape" by Ruth Heller. Each week, my students are always eager to log onto their account and explore the books that have been placed on their "Assigned" Tab.
I was pleased to find and introduce a book to my students which incorporated both literacy and science concepts. As a class, we discussed this type of literature, and determined the characteristics which made this story a folktale. We also determined which phases of the moon the author was describing during various parts of the story. It was a great way for my students to apply their science content to help them comprehend the story.
In the back of the book, the author, Ruth Heller, also includes a section called "For Creative Minds," which details the moon observations and extension activities. Additionally, this text also touches on topics such as Native American Culture and "How to Deal with Bullies." I was surprised to learn how many different lessons I could include by using this one book. It was a great addition to my science and literacy lessons for the week!
Big Universe Learning Books About the Moon:
- "The Moon" by Colleen Sexton
- "In Every Moon There is a Face" by Charles Mathes
- "Moon" by Lynn M. Stone
- "How the Moon Regained Her Shape" by Janet Ruth Heller