When I began teaching, I taught my first seven years at an alternative public school. A focus for our school was to use children’s literature across the curriculum to help foster integration. We had no textbooks, and found children’s literature was filled with all the language, images, and content we needed for teaching reading and writing. I was thrilled to read again about the importance of children’s literature throughout the school day in the bookÂ Reading Aloud Across the Curriculum, by Lester L. Laminack and Reba M. Wadsworth. Reading across the curriculum is something I’ve continued to do, but felt validated in my practice because there is now a book about it and a resource for others to turn to.
The authors are so encouraging and have realistic expectations for teachers. To begin, they suggest creating a small text set for the concept you are teaching. I always try to find as many books as possible related to the theme or concept I will be teaching, within reason. Sometimes it can be twenty to forty books that the children and I might use or refer to during a unit of study in any content area. I think the number of books depends upon what is being taught, and I also have many years of experience gathering books and looking at them in this manner.
The Importance of First Books
The first book used to launch a study is important — it’s like putting the worm on the hook for the fish. I want the children to be excited, interested, thinking, and wondering about the content. For example, when I started a letter writing unit during writing workshop this year, I used The Jolly Postman as my launch book. I was worried too many children would have already heard it. I know from experience even if they had heard it previously they were younger, it may not have been in the same context or with the same purpose as which I wanted to use it. Each time we read or hear something we can have different experiences with the text.
In reality, only 2 out of 22 had heard it. They were so excited about this book and eager to know what the letters said. They immediately began discussing the different forms of communication people use. Now, I’m worried our children are missing out on great books at home and/or school as I revisit some of these classics for use in my classroom.
Picture books can foster rich discussions among the students. While students are preparing to discuss the book, they are listening, comprehending, and questioning as the text is being shared. When I am selecting text to use, I refer to the standards for teaching, as well as the knowledge the children will need to be successful. This helps me pick just-right books for concepts to be presented. During our discussions of the books, I have found it’s easy for vocabulary and concepts to naturally become part of our daily lives. I also think for those children with language difficulties the books become mentors and resources. With visual learners I have found a picture book to help them focus and see/hear the information being presented. For all learners pictures help trigger background knowledge and connections while acquiring new learning. It has been my experience that picture books are the most effective tool for teaching.
Building an Economics Unit with Picture Books
I have been building a bibliography for a unit on economics with my third graders for over four years. I began by dividing my collection into concept stacks to make sure I had resources for each. Having a collection of texts and background knowledge about the content helps me to begin planning how the children can share and demonstrate what they are learning.
It can be very overwhelming selecting children’s literature for a unit of study. I always start at the same place I do when planning activities, with State Standards and the district curriculum maps. I ask myself these questions at the start:
- What will my students need to understand by the end of the unit?
- What vocabulary will be essential to their understanding?
For this economic unit, I began with the concepts of goods and services which leads us to consumers and producers. Our learning then moves to include the four factors of production: land, labor, capital, and entrepreneurship. Another concept we learn about is opportunity cost. You will find in the annotated bibliography why each picture book was selected related to these themes. During the years I have been gathering these titles, I have found many of them are very familiar to the students. I think this is beneficial, because then the students can listen and comprehend with an economic focus, and not the initial enjoyment a reader must experience on a first read.
Laura Numeroff’s If You Give . . . series of children’s books is great for identifying goods and services and modeling circular text after the read-aloud. The children work in small groups, each with a different text and generate a list of goods and services their main character asks for. Then they illustrate and create a circular map. Each illustration gets labeled with a name and the code s or g (good or service). The groups then share each mural for the class in a quick presentation. I then often observe the children choosing to read different versions during independent reading time. Some years we take the idea of circular text and make that a unit of study during writing workshop.
Another favorite book of mine for this unit is Frannie’s Fruits. A family owns a fruit stand and lots of characters visit to buy goods or receive services. The children create a mural — retelling the story and provide information about the character they selected to illustrate. They need to write down the character’s name, what they did at the farm involving a good or a service, and if the character was a consumer or a producer. I find this is a more effective, engaging way for students to demonstrate knowledge than doing a worksheet at the end of a picture book.
The four factors of production (capital, enterprise, labor, and natural production) are represented very well through the book Ox-Cart Man.
The following books are my text set for studying economics with my third graders. I know the collection will continue to grow and change over time, as I continue to look at new children’s books with an eye on economics lessons.
Children’s Literature Booklist for Economics Unit
Tarantula Shoes Tom Birdseye New York: Holiday House 1995
Ryan O’Keefe wants a pair of basketball shoes promoted by a basketball star. Through his decisions, students can learn about saving, spending, opportunity cost and trade-offs.
Freckle Juice Judy Blume New York: Simon & Schuster 1971
Andrew uses five weeks of allowance to buy a secret freckle recipe and learns some valuable consumer lessons as a result.
A Llama in the Family Johanna Hurwitz and Mark Graham New York: William Morrow and Co. Inc 1994
Adam Fine’s mother starts a llama trekking business when Adam is hoping for a new mountain bike. He plans many ways to acquire a new mountain bike and in the end, trades a braided rug for another llama.
Make Four Millionaire Dollars By Next Thursday Stephen Manes New York: Bantan Books 1996
Jason Nozzle wants to be millionaire. He discovers a book and thinks the instructions will make him rich.
The Toothpaste Millionaire Jean Merrill Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co. 2006
Upset a tube of toothpaste costs as much as $.80, Rufus Mayflower proves he can make a better toothpaste at a lower cost with help from Kate MacKinstrey.
An Orange in January Dianna Hutts Aston New York: Penguin Young Readers Group 2007
The reader follows an orange from blossom to a boy’s hands on the playground in January. Good for discussing the four factors of production.
The Goat in the Rug Charles L. Blood and Martin Link New York: Four Winds Press 1990
Geraldine the goat tells the story of a Navajo weaver who produces a rug using her wool.
Arthur’s Pet Business Marc Brown New York: Little, Brown and Co. 1990
Arthur opens a pet store and learns about being a producer and making choices.
Flower Garden Eve Bunting New York: Harcourt Brace & Co. 1994
This book tells the story of planting a garden in an urban setting. Good for discussing the four factors of production and wants.
Pancakes, Pancakes! Eric Carle New York: Scholastic 1990
Jack gathers all the ingredients necessary to make pancakes. Good for discussing the four factors of production.
A River Ran Wild Lynne Cherry New York: Harcourt Brace & Co. 1992
This story tells the reader the history of the Nashua River and natural resources that the river provides. It also lends itself to talk about consumers and producers.
Charlie Needs a Cloak Tomie dePaola New York: Scholastic 1973
Charlie uses his resources to make a new coat. Good for discussing the four factors of production.
The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush Tomie dePaola New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons 1988
A young boy uses natural resources to make a product. Good for discussing the four factors of production.
The Popcorn Book Tomie dePaola New York: Scholastic 1978
This book takes the reader through the history of popcorn from Native Americans to today. Producers and factors of production are evident throughout the book.
Strega Nona Meets Her Match Tomie dePaola New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons 1993
Strega Nona uses old-fashioned potions and magic to help villagers with headaches and warts. A friend visits and sets up a competing shop using modern methods. Readers can compare goods and services.
Growing Vegetable Soup Lois Ehlert New York: Scholastic 1987
A dad decides to grow vegetables for soup – the book takes your through the steps with simple text and illustrations. Good for discussing the four factors of production.
Planting a Rainbow Lois Ehlert New York: Trumpet Club 1988
This story takes the reader through the steps needed to grow a flower garden. Good for discussing the four factors of production.
General Store Rachel Field Boston: Little, Brown and Co. 1988
A young girl describes what will be in her General Store one day. Through the illustrations. consumers and their needs are shown.
How a House is Built Gail Gibbons New York: Scholastic 1990
This nonfiction book shows the reader the factors of production and steps taken to build a house.
Ox-Cart Man Donald Hall New York: The Viking Press 1979
The Ox-Cart Man fills his wagon with goods he intends to sell at the market. The story takes the reader through the four factors of production. Great story to start with and work through for several days, each day focusing on a different factor.
It’s Pumpkin Time Zoe Hall New York: Scholastic 1994
A brother and sister take the reader through the steps needed to grow a pumpkin. Good for discussing the four factors of production.
A Quarter from the Tooth Fairy Carmen Holtzman New York: Scholastic 1995
A boy has a hard time making up his mind on how to spend his money from the tooth fairy.
How Pizza Came to Queens Dayal Kaur Khalsa New York: Crown Publishers, Inc. 1989
Mrs. Pelligrino wants pizza after arriving in a new country. This book lends itself to talk about wants, goods, and the steps taken to make a pizza.
Frannie’s Fruits Leslie Kimmelman New York: Harper Row Publishers 1989
Frannie’s family runs a fruit stand. The story tells the reader what the family does as producers and what each customer chooses to buy. Lots of characters in this story for discussion.
Johnny Appleseed Steven Kellogg New York: Morrow Junior Books 1988
The story of Johnny Appleseed shows the reader resources needed to produce things. Good for discussing the four factors of production.
The Carrot Seed Ruth Krauss, Crockett Johnson New York: Harper & Row 1945
A little boy plants a carrot seed and uses his resources to make it grow. Good for discussing the four factors of production.
On Market Street Arnold Lobel New York: Greenwillow Books 1981
A boy goes shopping on Market Street, traveling through the alphabet as he buys various goods.
Mama is a Miner George Ella Lyon New York: Orchard Books 1994
This book tells the story of a girl whose mother works as a coal miner. Readers learn about the costs and benefits for the family. A good book to talk about resources, production, and opportunity costs.
Picking Peas for a Penny Angela Shelf Medearis New York: Scholastic 1990
A family picks peas to earn money and then lets the reader follow them as they make consumer decisions.
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie Laura Numeroff New York: Harper Collins Publisher 1985
A little mouse shows up at a boy’s house. The boy gives the mouse a cookie and starts a chain of events. Use for discussion of unlimited wants, goods, and services.
If You Take a Mouse to School Laura Numeroff New York: Harper Collins Publishers, USA, 2002
A boy takes the little mouse to school and it starts a chain of events. Use for discussion of unlimited wants, goods, and services.
If You Give a Moose a Muffin Laura Numeroff New York: Harper Collins Publishers 1991
A moose shows up at a boy’s house. The boy gives the moose a muffin and starts a chain of events. Use for discussion of unlimited wants, goods, and services.