Wisdom of Picture Books

Note: The following article appeared in the January 2016 issue of LibrarySparks, no longer being published. It is the author's philosophy about using picture books for teaching library and literacy skills K-8. Many blogs will refer to this major posting for review and redefinition of the Wisdom Book concept.

Wisdom Books are the most versatile resource in the library. All library lessons may be taught using Wisdom Books. A collection of Wisdom Books can provide the focus for a class, grade, or school-wide theme unit. A Wisdom Book project can serve as a remembrance of the lesson(s), a final exam, a talking point, and a means to introduce, practice, and master technology.

Picture books may be known as Easy Books or Everybody Books or simply E Books and used primarily by and with younger children. At my school I call them Wisdom Books for the messages and concepts. I use the Wisdom Books as the basis for a variety of literary and curricular lessons. In one library session, those thirty-two page books can succinctly teach a curricular content lesson; introduce vocabulary; model a writing trait or skill; practice a traditional library skill; examine a story concept; review story elements of mood, style, setting, characterization, dialogue; provide samples for a genre study; explore the works of an individual author or illustrator; introduce new and reintroduce older books and longer picture books; and be a discussion starter. When a resource provides that much versatility, it’s simply wise to use it. Thus, my Wisdom Books no longer are limited to primary students, but become a useful and enjoyable tool for all students and their teachers. The older the students, the deeper the grasp of the wisdom embodied in a picture book.

One of my favorite reading teachers had a literature idea she called Wisdom Books. Most of her responsibility had been instructing emergent readers or struggling readers, but she longed to work with the older students as well and developed her Wisdom Book program. Upon her retirement, I copied her idea, the ultimate compliment, to include a thematic Wisdom Picture Book project that I could use with all my students.

Like that reading teacher, I want all my students to enjoy the illustrations and writing of a wide variety of quality books; I want my students to have a remembrance from books, authors, illustrators, genres, themes, and messages we’ve read. The result has been The Wisdom of Picture Books project that I have modified and used not only as a literary project but a curricular promotion of books.

When my school community had a spate of bullying incidents, the staff developed anti-bullying strategies, activities, lessons, and book lists. For the younger students, a more positive emphasis was peace (See LibrarySparks August/September 2009). An outgrowth of the bullying theme was one based on kindness and compassion. And that’s when “The Wisdom of Picture Books” idea began to coalesce in the library. I now teach all library lessons K-6+ using Wisdom Books, often around a theme.

To tie the theme together into Wisdom Books lessons to remember, students create a media project(s). Usually the project is a culminating activity: a quilt, Photo Story video, a slide show, a digital photo display, spiral bound books, etc. Depending on the grade level, teacher and classroom needs, and time available, the project time extends from a month to an entire school year. The final project shares the wisdom and knowledge represented in the chosen picture books and the theme. The completed project provides a remembrance of that year or unit and is a cue for discussion.

Although the Wisdom Book project began with the oldest students to introduce the older students to newer, older and longer Wisdom Books, to prove a point, to share information, or to give literary examples, modifications have made the project possible for any grade, any topic or any period of time. By varying the final project, by varying the topics or themes, by varying the length of time, by introducing more sophisticated lessons and skills, Wisdom Books can be used for any grade or school-wide.

The most impactful Wisdom Book projects have been those revolving around a school-wide theme such as war and peace or bullying, and now kindness and compassion. Those themes are also expanded, reinforced and enriched in every classroom via additional reading and discussion, hands-on maker-space projects, and learner generated follow through or research. I provide additional Wisdom Books for classroom enjoyment and chapter books for group reading or a teacher read aloud.

Getting Started:

Develop your first thematic Wisdom Book project by following these steps.

Step One: The Principal

Discuss a thematic book project with the principal. Offer suggestions and examples of how a theme of kindness and compassion could impact the school community and learning environment. Caring is one of the positive character traits and includes being kind, being compassionate and showing you care, expressing gratitude, forgiving others, and helping people in need.  Share Wisdom Books that emphasize the theme. Offer some samples of maker-space and service-learning projects that could be community builders.

Step Two: The Staff

Chat with the teachers. How could a theme about caring and kindness be developed in the classroom? What ideas do teachers have for the yearlong theme? For a month? For a unit? How can library media lessons enrich and expand what is happening in the classrooms? How can library media skills be integrated with subject content and classroom focus? At the initial chat, we determine the goals and the time allotment. I also chat with the teachers on a weekly basis—those chats allow us to fine tune the details of the lessons. I check with the supportive teachers: the computer instructor, the art teacher, and the music teacher. How can they assist and be part of the ownership team? Who is responsible for what part of the activity? Teacher? Librarian? Aide? Volunteer? What supplies are needed? How will the lessons and the student results be evaluated? What changes will we make for next year?

Step Three: The Books
The third step is selecting and organizing the books. The Wisdom Books are always chosen for literary quality, illustrations, message, and uniqueness. The themes of kindness and compassion and variants are represented in the Wisdom Books chosen for the bibliography. Newer books are included. I like to have a number of books selected before the year, unit or project begins, but I feel free to make changes during the project as new books arrive. The Wisdom Book theme collection can easily be generated for any topic: award winners, random acts of kindness, folklore, senior and junior citizens, character education, hope, love, trust, and peace, bullying, and topics inspired by individual books. Organize the order of presentation of the books, always allowing for flexibility. Usually I have a secondary goal that allows me to point out story concept or element or genre or to focus on a traditional library skill.

Step Four: The Introduction
It’s time to introduce the program to the class. Define a Wisdom Book, a Picture Book for all ages with a message or theme that is too important to miss… Briefly describe the final project, how, and when it will be accomplished. Model a Wisdom Book lesson (See sample lesson below under Procedure: Project 1).

During the year I read a picture book every week or every other week to the group if it’s a yearlong project. If the plan is based around a curricular topic, I share the books when that topic is being taught in the classroom. After the second year, there is little need for introduction; the students have seen the final product(s) and have heard others talk about the books and project(s).

The Procedure

Project 1: The Original—The Wisdom Quilt

The original project was a literary project with random topics designed for the oldest students in the school. We identified genre, noted literary elements, and discussed vocabulary, and theme. I shared one Wisdom Picture Book a week during the class’s language arts time. The format of each session followed a similar plan: picture walk, reading, discussion of wisdom kernels, vocabulary, writing personal thoughts and bibliographic entries in the journals, choosing a summary word, checking a thesaurus, and drawing a sketch.

Sample Wisdom Book—An Introductory Lesson

Preparation: A Steno Journal for each child in grades 3+. Store the journals in the library or classroom.
Introduction: Use one word to tell me about the world you live in. Listen carefully to what others say because we want as many words as there are students in the class. (Write on chart or white/chalkboard.) Our Wisdom Book of the day is about the world. We’re going to read the whole book first, then take a closer look at a few of the pictures.

Read aloud:
All the World by Elizabeth Garton Scanlon, illustrated by Marla Frazee. Beach Lane Books, 2009.
Do you want to add any words to our list? (Add if needed.)

Let’s look at one of the pictures more carefully. (Show the page with children in the tree and the text that reads, “ All the world is old and new.” What do you think that means? How does the illustrator show the ideas of old and new? Are there words we could add to our list? (Add if needed.)

The picture of the farmer’s market is full of details. (Show the market picture.) Find all the ways the people get to the market. How does this picture make you feel? Should we add any more words to our list?

Were there pictures and ideas in this book that remind you of our community? Of kindness? Of compassion? (Show any of the pictures mentioned.) Are there other words to add to our list?

Choose one or two words from the list we made. Use a dictionary or thesaurus if necessary. Write those words in your journal. How does this book show kindness and compassion? Make a sketch that could illustrate those words and this book. Write the book’s title and author in your journal.

Sample Wisdom Book Lesson Two--Using an Online Thesaurus—Grades 4+

Preparation: Access to computer lab and computer with projection capability

Supply of notecards

Print thesaurus; prepare an online thesaurus link

Introduction: What does it mean to be kind? (Show you care for somebody, Use words and actions to help somebody, Help somebody without expecting to get something in return.)

What are some other words for kindness? (Caring, thoughtfulness, helpfulness, sharing, understanding, etc.) How could we find other words that mean the same or are synonyms? (Print and online thesaurus) Today we’re going to use a thesaurus to find synonyms for kindness. We’ve had print thesauri for many years—they can be tricky to use, but an online thesaurus is straightforward and directs the user to many other links.

(Direct the students to an online thesaurus you use and have linked on a library Wiki-page. Demonstrate the features.) What other words are synonyms? Follow one of the links. Did you find still more synonyms? Jot those words down on your notecard.

Our Wisdom Book today is about many forms of kindness.

Read aloud:

Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson. Nancy Paulsen Books, 2012.

Which of the synonyms we found in the online thesaurus describes the kindness shown in this Wisdom Book. Why? Write the word you chose in your notebook. Explain why you chose that word. Draw a small sketch reflecting the word in your notebook. Be sure to also include the bibliographic information: author, title, publisher and date.

Wisdom Book Lesson Three--Using an Online Quotation Book—Grades 4+

Preparation: Access to computer lab and computer with projection capability

Prepare an online quotation book link

Supply of notecards with one synonym for compassion and kindness written on each card: kindness, compassion, empathy, caring, warmth, love, friendliness, generosity, consideration, affection, thoughtfulness, understanding, big-heartedness, helpfulness, neighborliness, sympathy.

Introduction: Last time we met, we used an online thesaurus to find synonyms for kindness. I’ve written one synonym on each card. How would you find another synonym for that word? (Allow students to orally review the procedure and to practice the procedure. Randomly distribute synonym notecards. )

Our Wisdom Book today is a nonfiction book. The book will suggest many ways to show kindness.

Read aloud:

Kindness by Kimberley Jane Pryor. Marshall Cavendish Benchmark, 2008.

What examples from your synonym card were mentioned in the book? (Friendliness, neighborliness, generosity, helpfulness, sympathy, caring) Using the synonym on the notecard, you’re going to find a quotation that could represent the word.

(Direct the students to an online quotation book you use and have linked on a library Wiki-page. Demonstrate the features.) The quotation I like is from Albert Schweitzer a German missionary doctor who worked in Africa. He said, “Constant kindness can accomplish much. As the sun makes ice melt, kindness causes misunderstanding, mistrust, and hostility to evaporate.” What do you think that means? How does it make you feel?

Look for a quotation that uses your word. Write the quote in your journal. What do you think that quotation means? How does it make you feel? Who said the quotation? Who was that person? Draw a small sketch reflecting the quotation in your journal. Be sure to also include the bibliographic information: author, title, publisher and date of today’s Wisdom Book.

Extension for older students or technologically more sophisticated—Grades 4+

Remember the quotation you found? I’m going to quickly input my quotation into a website that will make a word cloud or wordle. (Demonstrate at www.wordle.net)

Now put your quotation into a wordle. Add a title—your synonym.

Extension Two: Make a list of at least 15 words describing your appearance. When your list is complete, create your own personal word cloud. We’ll use word clouds often when we listen to and think about an Inspiration Book. (Students input words into wordle.net, make a word cloud, and then guess each other’s cloud.)

As the year progresses, we spend more time discussing wisdom kernels and less time modeling bibliographic entries and finding synonyms because the students can easily do those steps on their own. The comments students write in their journals help them remember the books when it’s time to do the final project.

The last month of the year each student choose one book to create a graphic design that includes one summary word representing the book. In art class, students work with design and lettering. The work is transferred to nine-inch cloth squares that students decorate with fabric markers, yarn and other fabric. An adult volunteer and quilter sews the squares together, added a backing, and a method for hanging the completed quilt. An index of the representative books is added to the last square using printer transfer paper.

We displayed the first quilt at the spring fine arts festival and the class presented it to the school at the graduation ceremony. The completed quilt was hung in the library. Other quilts have been hung in other classrooms and hallways.

Project 2: Change the Culminating Activity
Vary the final project for each grade depending on the students’ age and skill level. If the project is changed for each class or grade level, it is possible to use the same themed book collection for all students K-5+.

• 3^rd Grade: Each student does one slide for a classroom slide show.

• Any Grade 3+: Make a quilt for which each student makes a quilt square featuring one Wisdom Book.

• Any Grade 3+: Videotape each student sharing thoughts about one Wisdom Book.

• Any Grade 3 +: Digital photo displays. Students may work individually or in groups to create a digital photo display/collage representing individual Wisdom Books or representative books or topics.

• 4^th Grade: Each student makes a personal slide show of favorite (5-10) Wisdom Books by inserting a variety of graphics such as clip art, drawings, digital photos into slides.

• 4^th or 5^th Grades +: Depending on the technological sophistication of the group, combine hand drawn slides, PowerPoint slides or digital photographs to summarize a book or to make a book-trailer of a favorite Wisdom Book.

• 4^th or 5^th Grades +: Videotape students discussing the Wisdom Book theme and proving a point with a Wisdom Book example.

• 5^th Grade +: Add sound and/or motion to digital photographs of select (5-10) Wisdom Books. Combine all the photos into a video complete with music using Photo Story or Animoto.

• 5^th Grade +: Student Choice project. Use whatever research and/or technology skills you have learned during the year to share the Wisdom Books we’ve read and discussed.

I coordinate technology application with the computer instructor. I do assume that students have some tech knowledge based on the computer instructor’s lessons, but review the operation and use of equipment and software the first time students are required to use it for the Wisdom Book project.

Project 3: Change the Content

If the final project is content related rather than theme related, select a group of books based on that subject content. Thus the Wisdom Book idea expands beyond language arts and becomes a subject area project.

• 3^rd Grade: Feature folktales from around the world and illustrate the beginning/middle/end in representative slides.

• 4^th Grade: Feature Wisdom Book examples from genres studied during the year: realistic fiction, biography, nonfiction, poetry, fantasy, etc.

• 5^th Grade +: Read Across America display based on a study of fiction and nonfiction about individual states or U.S. regions. Digital photo displays work well for this activity as do poster boards modeled after The Train of States by Peter Sis (Greenwillow, 2004). A similar approach could be used with countries around the world.

• Grade 3 +: Use the new picture books from NSTAs Outstanding Science Trade Books or the Notable Social Studies Trade Books or the National Council of Teachers of English list of outstanding books that are published each year.

• Grades 4 +: Under the Poetry Tree. Children select and read or recite favorite poems throughout the year and are videotaped doing so under our “Poetree.”

Project 4: Primary Grade Memory Book

It’s difficult to do a long-term project with young children.  We add a piece to our memory book to each week and gather those pieces into a personal booklet about the books we’ve shared and the computer skills we’ve learned and practiced. In kindergarten and first grade booklet pages are mostly samples of computer achievements of new skills learned using the draw software the school has available, usually KidPix and Kidspiration. Pages include a “me” drawing the first week and last week of school, our families, graphs of pets and foods, the senses of Christmas and/or Hanukkah, life cycles of butterflies and frogs and chickens, symmetrical drawings of butterflies starting with a template, word families, name stamps, beginning-middle-end pictures, Venn diagrams, or following oral directions pictures. We also include printouts of online and interactive lessons from EnchantedLearning.com and Starfall.com

Whatever the page, it always connects with the library lesson and the books read, and that in turn, connects with the happenings in the classroom.

Second graders also make a remembrance Wisdom Book. But, in second grade, the Wisdom Book pages are based on Caldecott books, organized around genres and themes taught in the classroom. The resulting pages might feature folktales, biographies, ecology and the environment, winter and illustration media, ethnic history, and holidays. Some years we do a historic chronological review of the Caldecotts and students note how the illustrations have changed over the years. We note repeat winning illustrators and the variety in their work. We may do an illustrator study or an art media study. Each page references the book and author. If a specific genre or skill was demonstrated that is noted, too.

My volunteer aide puts the pages in order and spiral binds each personal Wisdom Book. Before the students take their individual booklets home, we page through them to review what we learned and to practice sharing at home. We encourage and prompt the students to take their Wisdom Book out of the backpacks and tell their parents all they have learned in the library and computer lab. Sometimes we include a page for parents to sign, react, and return.

What I Have Learned

• Begin the whole Wisdom Book project by reading and discussing and modeling the final project using a sample Wisdom Book.

• Schedule the concluding project for only one grade or class at a time to save your sanity.

• Thematic Wisdom Book adventures can last a month, a quarter, a semester, or a year.

• Younger students need shorter curricular projects.

• Younger students need to complete a piece of the final project the week the Wisdom Book is read.

• Make a collection of all the Wisdom Books available when working on the final project. Some students may want to or need to reread and re-examine the book(s).

• Involve the computer instructors and other supportive teachers such as art and music teachers.

• Determine whether and how students should be evaluated or whether the formal presentation and display is sufficient. Both media specialist and classroom teacher should make the decision and decide who evaluates what.

• Keep the journals, notebooks, and completed pages in a storage spot in the classroom or library, where the lessons are taught.

• Share the completed projects at an annual spring event: open house, concerts, graduation, teas, and picnics.

• Coordinate with what’s being taught in the classrooms.

• I can use Wisdom Books to teach all library media lessons to any age student any time.

Bibliography

Enough Wisdom Books about kindness and compassion have been chosen for an entire school year. The picture books have been chosen for literary quality, illustrations, message, and uniqueness. Most of the books were published within the last ten years. Whenever preparing a bibliography, I seek titles that represent racial, ethnic, gender and economic diversity. You will find many older books in your collection that could qualify and represent a diverse population and culture and thinking. The bibliographies generated by the Cooperative Children’s Book Center, University of Wisconsin, Madison (www.ccbc.education.wisc.edu); the blog The Classroom Bookshelf  (www.classroombookshelf.blogspot.com); the website Learning to Give (www. http://learningtogive.org), a database of over 1700 service-learning lessons plans for students K-12 were useful resources.

Wisdom Picture Books Featuring Kindness and Compassion

14 Cows for America by Carmen Agra Deedy. Peachtree, 2009.

Ant and Grasshopper by Luli Gray. Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2011.

Because of You by B.G. Hennessy. Candlewick Press, 2005.

The Birdman by Veronika Martenova Charles. Tundra Books, 2006.

Boy and a Jaguar by Alan Rabinowitz. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2014.

Dog Who Belonged to No One by Amy Hest. Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2008.

Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson. Nancy Paulsen Books, 2012.

Elsie’s Bird by Jane Yolen. Philomel Books, 2010.

Emily’s New Friend by Cindy Post Senning. Collins, 2010.

Fly Free! By Roseanne Thong. Boyds Mills Press, 2010.

Gathering Sparks by Howard Schwartz. Roaring Brook Press, 2010.

I Will Come Back for You : a Family in Hiding During World War II by Marisabina Russo. Dragonfly Books, 2011.

Journey by Aaron Becker. Candlewick Press, 2013.

Kindness by Kimberley Jane Pryor.  Marshall Cavendish Benchmark, 2008.

Ladder to the Moon by Maya Soetoro-Ng. Candlewick Press, 2011.

Leopard & Silkie : One Boy’s Quest to Save the Seal Pups by Brenda Peterson. Henry Holt, 2012.

Listen to the Wind: the Story of Dr. Greg and the Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson. Dial Books for Young Readers, 2009.

The Mitten String by Jennifer Rosner. Random House, 2014.

The Odious Ogre by Norton Juster. Michael Di Capua Books/Scholastic, 2010.

Sharing by Sue Barraclough. Heinemann Library, 2010.

South by Patrick McDonnell. Little, Brown, 2008.

Sparrow Girl by Sara Pennypacker. Disney/Hyperion Books, 2009.

Timmerman was Here by Colleen Sydor. Tundra Books, 2009.

Very Tiny Baby by Sylvie Kantrovitz. Charlesbridge, 2014.

Where’s Mom’s Hair? A Family’s Journey Through Cancer by Debbie Watters. Second Story Press, 2005.

Winter is the Warmest Season by Lauren Stringer. Harcourt, 2006.

Won-Ton: a Cat Tale Told in Haiku by Lee Wardlaw. Henry Holt, 2011.

The Word Collector by Sonja Wimmer. Cuento De Luz, 2011.

Biography:

Marion Mueller has worked in elementary, middle school, and college level libraries. She has established three new libraries and computer labs in public and private schools. One of those libraries earned the honor of National School Library of the Year. She has taught children’s literature, adolescent literature, storytelling, and media center management courses at regional universities. Currently she is a library volunteer at her granddaughter’s school, a freelance library lesson developer, and a book reviewer.