Sir Ken Robinson said, “Creativity now is as important in education as literacy, and we should treat it with the same status.” While I would never argue with the wisdom of the late Sir Ken, educators are skillfully integrating literacy AND creativity in ways that can exponentially expand student understanding and innovative thinking.
I call this mix of learning—Remaking Literacy. It is a way of thinking that creates new experiences around literacy teaching and learning through creativity and design. It includes the integration of STEM, STEAM, and Maker Education in meaningful ways connected to quality literature.
We know that good readers are active readers. They think, question, consider, and reflect. They put themselves into the minds of the characters or the author as they analyze dialogue, make predictions, and solve problems. Students are doing this in classrooms around the world through discussions, research papers, charts, and notetaking. But what if, instead they could take their understanding of reading and writing and develop it in visible, creative, and engaging ways through hands-on making?
I have shared in previous posts a number of ways to engage students in "remaking" that is connected to text. Through tinkering with different materials, thinking and planning, and engaging in the engineering design process, our students can engage in learning that activates their curiosity. As educators, we can thoughtfully select books that foster student creativity while also building on important skills in literacy.
Books for Tinkering
Extra Yarn by Mac Bennett
The Little Red Fort by Brenda Maier
Building Books by Megan Llyod
Bonaparte Falls Apart by Margery Cuyler
Izzy Gizmo by Pip Jones
The Dumpster Diver by Janet S. Wong
The Nest Is Noisy by Dianna Hutss Aston
Ojichan’s Gift by Chieri Uegaki
Books for Thinking
Over and Under the Pond by Kate Messner
Drawn Together by Mihn Le
Agi and The Thought Compass by Betsy O’Neill-Sheehan
The Darkest Dark by Chris Hadfield
Days with Frog and Toad by Arnold Lobel
A House That Once Was by Julie Fogliano
Save the Bees by Bethany Stahl
Just How Long Can a Long String Be? by Keith Baker
Books for Design
Stuck by Oliver Jeffers
I Wanna New Room by Karen Kaufman Orloff
Betty Builds It by Julie Hampton
The Secret Seahorse by Stella Blackstone
Pandamonium at Peek Zoo by Kevin Waldron
If I Built a School by Chris Van Dusen
Those Darn Squirrels by Adam Rubin
Inky’s Amazing Escape by Sy Montgomery
Across the Bay by Carlos Aponte
Stay tuned!
In future posts, I will share lesson ideas for these books including hands-on ways to "remake" our literacy practices. Adding quick design thinking exercises or including an engineering twist to a book, students will not only engage more in the classroom, but chances are they will also build vocabulary and comprehension skills along the way.
In addition, students will tap into their creativity as they brainstorm, design, engineer, and collaborate with others. If you are interested in more ways to incorporate tinkering, thinking, and design into your classroom, check out my book:
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