From: Jonathan Hunt <jhunt24>
Date: Wed, 05 May 2004 22:50:38 +0000

Connie and all,

I think the integration of reading/language art and history/social studies via core literature novels is a good idea in theory--no, it's a great idea in theory. I just haven't found it be so great in practice. In my last school, fourth graders read ISLAND OF THE BLUE DOPHINS (CA history) while fifth graders read MY BROTHER SAM IS DEAD (US history), and in both cases the novels were very challenging for classes as a whole. They were shoehorned into grade levels to fit the curriculum. This year my sixth grade students were supposed to read MAROO OF THE WINTER CAVES (prehistory).

Instead, the historical novels I opted to do this year--ESPERANZA RISING, A YEAR DOWN YONDER, BAT 6, and BUD, NOT BUDDY--had nothing to do with my social studies curriculum. I think they all have some solid historical research behind them, but I chose them more for their literary value.

I very much agree with you, Connie, that historical fiction can pique a reader's interest to the point of researching and reading more on a particular topic or era, and that is absolutely to be encouraged. I've found that in doing these historical novels that aren't tied to a specific social studies curriculum that I have more freedom to explore the tangents that the kids are interested in whether they be historical or otherwise.

Does what students learn from a historical novel really transfer over and inform their understanding of history? And vice versa? I've never seen a student cite a core literature novel on a history essay question, nor reference historical data from an informational book on a literature essay question. Does it happen? I don't know.

I think I may have mentioned this on the list before, but ESPERANZA and BUD are set during roughly the same years and make for some good comparison and contrast activities. Last year, I taught A LONG WAY FROM CHICAGO instead of A YEAR DOWN YONDER which made three novels in the same period. Now this--when you start to read several novels about an era--this is when I really think you can start to realize this rich potential of integrating the two subject areas, because the students can start comparing and contrasting the novels with each other as well as against any research or textbook information. If only the sixth grade curriculum were 20th century America instead of Ancient Civilizations.

I've read ESPERANZA RISING and BUD, NOT BUDDY with students for several years now, and they always close their books instinctively at the end of the story and before the author's note. I often find the notes interesting and enlightening, especially Pam Munoz Ryan, Richard Peck, Mildred Taylor, and Christopher Paul Curtis, to name a few. I'm just not convinced that kids are as interested in them as adults are.

Jonathan

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Received on Wed 05 May 2004 05:50:38 PM CDT