Are you looking for a way to encourage your students’ interest in a subject? Trade books can provide the necessary spark. Trade books, which are primarily designed to entertain and inform outside of the classroom, can be used successfully in the classroom to increase student motivation. Trade books cover just about every topic under the sun, so you can probably find a book that aligns with your curriculum goals in such a way as to help your students see the applicability of the topic. Students may show increased interest in the lively way a trade book presents forced writing material in a textbook. Whereas textbooks cover a topic in a prescribed manner, a trade book can introduce or expand on a topic by placing it in a fictional setting or, alternatively, a non-fictional account of real life.
Classroom activities can be developed around the theme of the book, so in addition to reading practice and vocabulary development, all kinds of derived activities can be developed. Depending on the book, there may be several ways to explore the concepts presented in the story or narrative. There may be possibilities for math, science, social studies, geography, history, economics, and more using the book as a starting point. Here are some ideas on how to use a trade book in the classroom.
Interest is essential. Since the main reason to introduce a trade book in the classroom is to create interest in a topic, look for books that tell an interesting story. Humor helps as many children enjoy humor and may read more attentively if it is presented in a fun way. The book can still present serious themes and ideas. Another tip is to select books that address the interests of your students’ age group. Primary school students often like stories about animals, children their own age, and fairy tales. High school students often like adventures, science fiction, and mysteries. High school students enjoy books written for adults: biographies, general fiction, adventures, mysteries, historical novels, and science fiction.
Ask for special features. Books with special features add more educational value. For example, books with glossaries can help vocabulary development. Books with research notes, bibliographies that list more potential material for exploration, and listings for related websites can help you develop teaching materials or help students write reports. Recipes can be fun learning experiences. Maps provide visual guidance for written descriptions. Drawings and photographs can provide accurate information about the physical aspects of an object. All of these features can be used to enhance students’ understanding of the teaching objective.
Reinforce literacy skills. Almost any trade book can be used to support the development and reinforcement of literacy skills. In addition to providing reading practice, trade books can be used to support vocabulary development, storytelling skills, writing skills, and even editing skills. Some publishers provide grade level reading score information for their books. Many do not, as there is a perception that doing so many prevents some otherwise interested readers from reading the book. Most schools give credit to students who read books beyond their assigned reading as a way to encourage reading practice. More than 73,000 schools across the country use the Accelerated Reader program. The database of this service includes more than 120,000 books, but it is limited when you consider that, according to Publishers Weekly, around 30,000 new children’s books are published each year. You may want to allow a wider selection of books than are currently in the Accelerated Reader Program database. Have students write a few paragraphs that summarize the story to show that they have read the book. A child may be genuinely interested in cars and willing to spend time reading about vintage cars or car repair, but not particularly interested in Tom Sawyer.
Find resources. Search the Internet for teaching resources designed for the book you have selected. Some publishers provide lesson plans, worksheets, discussion questions, and other teaching materials to supplement their books. Visit the publisher’s website or the author’s website to see what can be offered. You can also do this in reverse to find a book to use. Search the Internet using keywords such as “teaching materials,” “teaching materials,” “lesson plans,” “lesson plan,” “teaching ideas,” “teaching resources,” or “teaching activities.” You can also search for specific lesson plan topics, and you can find a publisher who has developed material for a related book.
Read, discuss and then act. Begin the new lesson by having students read the book you have selected. This can be done as homework or as a class activity depending on your goals and the time available. Then start a discussion of the book by highlighting the aspect related to your teaching objective. Follow the discussion by actively using the material related to your teaching objective. For example, if your goal is for students to understand a historical event, ask them to:
has. build Timelines,
b. create dioramas,
against putting together costumes,
d. recreate the event,
me. participate in a mock game show where students are divided into teams and answer questions related to the event,
F. create cardboard displays,
gram. draw pictures that represent the event,
H. or write your own story incorporating the historical event.
Any or all of these activities will make the lesson more interesting for your students.
You can also consider inviting the author into your classroom or the author can offer an email exchange service where your students can interact directly with the author to ask questions about the book. The author’s enthusiasm for the subject is often contagious, and students can connect to the material through the author.
Engage the imagination and curiosity of your students. Use trade books to bring new excitement to your classroom. You can develop teaching materials that fit your learning goals, or you can find ready-to-use teaching resources on the Internet. In either case, you can liven up a potentially boring topic and captivate your class by taking advantage of a trade book.
