Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-jkksz Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-21T15:46:39.792Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Reading over and under the waves: A study of ocean picture books for children

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 June 2021

Prue F. Francis Open the ORCID record for Prue F. Francis [Opens in a new window] ,
Paul Venzo  and
Alecia Bellgrove
Prue F. Francis*
Affiliation:
School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
Paul Venzo
Affiliation:
School of Communication and Creative Arts, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
Alecia Bellgrove
Affiliation:
School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Centre for Integrative Ecology, Deakin University, Warrnambool, Australia
*
*Corresponding author. E-mail: prue.francis@deakin.edu.au
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Marine science picture books have the capacity to shape what young people know and how they think about ocean environments and marine biodiversity. Despite academic scholarship on marine science literacy broadly, relatively little has been done to study the role of picture books in teaching children about this topic. This paper is an attempt to fill that gap, by analysing 100 ocean-themed books against common marine science concepts and the Australian Science Understanding Curriculum streams. A majority of the 100 books analysed were found to link with marine science and the Australian Science Understanding Curriculum (81% and 91%, respectively) where biological concepts were dominant in both cases. Chemical and physical sciences were underrepresented in the 100 books analysed. The study provides examples of books that can be used for teaching marine education in primary schools in Australia and suggest further inquiry into marine science literature for children.

Keywords

ocean literacymarine educationchildren’s literaturecurriculum
Type
Article
Information
Australian Journal of Environmental Education , Volume 37 , Issue 3 , November 2021 , pp. 167 - 186
Check for updates
Copyright
© The Author(s) 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Appleton, K., & Kindt, I. (1999). Why teach primary science? Influences on beginning teachers’ practices. International Journal of Science Education, 21(2), 155–168. https://doi.org/10.1080/095006999290769.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Appleton, K., & Kindt, I. (2002). Beginning elementary teachers’ development as teachers of science. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 13(1), 43–61. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1015181809961.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. (2019). Science. Retrieved from https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/f-10-curriculum/science/ Google Scholar
Ansberry, K., & Morgan, E. (2010). Picture-perfect science lessons-expanded, 2nd edn. Using Children’s Books to Guide Inquiry. Arlington, VA: National Science Teachers Association-NSTA Press.Google Scholar
Babb, Y.M., McBurnie, J., & Miller, K.K. (2017). Tracking the environment in Australian children’s literature: The Children’s Book Council of Australia Picture Book of the Year Awards 1955-2014. Environmental Education Research, 24, 716–730.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bennett, N.J., Cisneros-Montemayor, A.M., Blythe, J. et al. (2019). Towards a sustainable and equitable blue economy. Nature Sustainability, 2, 991–993. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-019-0404-1 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bennett, S., Wernberg, T., Connell, S.D., Hobday, A.J., Johnson, C.R., & Poloczanska, E.S. (2015). The ‘Great Southern Reef’: social, ecological and economic value of Australia’s neglected kelp forests. Marine and Freshwater Research, 67(1), 47–56. https://doi.org/10.1071/MF15232 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Brunner, J.L., & Abd-El-Khalick, F. (2017). Representations of nature of science in U.S. elementary science trade books. In McDonald, C.V. & Abd-El-Khalick, F. (Eds.), Representations of nature of science in school science textbooks: A global perspective (pp. 135–151). Taylor & Francis Group, ProQuest Ebook Central, Retrieved fromhttps://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/deakin/detail.action?docID=4845454 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Butzow, C.M., & Butzow, J.W. (2000). Science through children’s literature: An integrated approach, 2nd edn. Englewood, CO: Teacher Ideas Press.Google Scholar
Ford, D. (2006). Representations of science within children’s trade books. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 43, 214–235.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Foxwell-Norton, K., & Lester, L. (2019). Saving the Great Barrier Reef from disaster, media then and now. Media Culture & Society, 39, 568–581.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fralick, K.G. (1999). Authentic marine science books for children. The Dragon Lode, 18, 47–51.Google Scholar
Gough, A. (2017). Educating for the marine environment: Challenges for schools and scientists. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 124, 633–638. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.06.069.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gough, A. (2020). Symbiopolitics, sustainability, and science studies: How to engage with alien oceans. Cultural Studies ↔ Critical Methodologies, 20, 272–282. https://doi.org/10.1177/1532708619883314.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority. (2019). Great Barrier Reef Outlook Report 2019. Retrieved from Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority website. Retrieved from http://www.gbrmpa.gov.au/ Google Scholar
Gruner, E. (2011). Education. In Nel, P. & Paul, L. (Eds.), Keywords for children’s literature, New York, NY: New York University Press.Google Scholar
Hadwen, W.L., Arthington, A.H., Boon, P.I., Taylor, B., & Fellows, C.S. (2011). Do climatic or institutional factors drive seasonal patterns of tourism visitation to protected areas across diverse climate zones in eastern Australia? Tourism Geographies, 13(2), 187–208. https://doi.org/10.1080/14616688.2011.569568 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kelly, L.B. (2018). An analysis of award-winning science trade books for children: Who are the scientists, and what is science? Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 55, 1188–1210. https://doi.org/10.1002/tea.21447.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kennish, M. (2001). Practical handbook of marine science. Boca Raton: CRC Press.Google Scholar
Kirk, K., & Karbon, J. (1986). Environmental content in award-winning children’s literature: 1960 through 1982. Journal of Environmental Education, 17, 1–7.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kriesberg, D.A. (1999). A sense of place: teaching children about the environment with picture books. Englewood, CO: Teacher Ideas Press.Google Scholar
Levinton, J.S. (2018). Marine biology: Function, biodiversity, ecology. New York, NY: Oxford University Press Inc.Google Scholar
Mayer, D.A. (1995). How can we best use children’s literature in teaching science concepts? Science and Children, 32, 16–19.Google Scholar
McKnight, D.M. (2010). Overcoming “ecophobia”: fostering environmental empathy through narrative in children’s science literature. Science, Communication and Controversies, 8(6), e10–e15. https://doi.org/10.1890/100041.Google Scholar
Morgan, A. (2021). The way of the Weedy Seadragon, Melbourne, Australia: CSIRO Publishing, 32 pagesCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Morris, R. (2020). The Underwater Forest, Frenchs Forest, Australia: Little Steps Publishing, 32 pages.Google Scholar
National Marine Science Committee. (2015). National Marine Science Plan 2015-2025: Driving the development of Australia’s blue economy. Australia: National Marine Science Committee.Google Scholar
Newton, G.M. (2020). Hold On!: Saving the Spotted Handfish. Melbourne, Australia: CSIRO Publishing, 32 pages.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nodelman, P., & Reimer, M. (2003). The pleasures of children’s literature. Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon.Google Scholar
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. (2016). The Ocean Economy in 2030. Paris: OECD Publishing. http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/9789264251724-en.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pankhurst, K. (2020). Fantastically Great Women Who Saved the Planet, London, UK: Bloomsbury Publishing, 32 pages Google Scholar
Pringle, R.M., & Lamme, L.L. (2005). Using picture storybooks to support young children’s science learning. Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts, 46, 1–15.Google Scholar
Rawson, C.H., & McCool, M.A. (2014). Just like all the other humans? Analyzing images of scientists in children’s trade books. School Science and Mathematics, 114(1), 10–18. https://doi.org/10.1111/ssm.12046.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ryan, P.M. (2001). Hello Ocean. Watertown, MA: Charlesbridge, 32 pages.Google Scholar
Saçkes, M., Trundle, K.C., & Flevares, L.M. (2009). Using children’s literature to teach standard-based science concepts in early years. Early Childhood Education Journal, 36, 415–422. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-009-0304-5.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Strife, S.J. (2012). Children’s environmental concerns: Expressing ecophobia. The Journal of Environmental Education, 43, 37–54. https://doi.org/10.1080/00958964.2011.602131 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Swain, K. (2020). Children’s picture books in an age of climate anxiety. The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health, 4(9), 650–651. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2352-4642(20)30253-4 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wells, R., & Zeece, P.D. (2007). My place in my world: Literature for place-based environmental education. Childhood Education Journal, 35, 285–291.Google Scholar