Integrating Just-Right Books into the Science Curriculum

In many classrooms, it is becoming more common for teachers to supplement their students’ textbooks with commercial trade books. While student teaching in a fourth grade classroom, I noticed that the majority of my students had difficulty comprehending and staying engaged in their science textbook. I decided to find a wide range of books that contained science material from a specific unit and encouraged the students to self-select “just-right” books from the collection. Through data analysis of field notes and student reflections, I learned what I should take into account when choosing trade books to supplement the science curriculum, including the importance of content accuracy. I also examined my students’ interactions with the trade books. I found that they generally had a positive response when granted access to a selection of books for their independent reading and used them to demonstrate their resourcefulness