- Visuals that typify picture books help make the content more comprehensible for ELLs
- Length of text is shorter than books written for adults or even young adults
- Variety of formats that may engage even reluctant readers
- Wide range of topics covered in picture books
For example, in the K-12 ESL Lending Library, we have a range of picture books about math topics. I have seleted two to highlight as examples of the kinds of books and how you might use them in the classroom.
by Scott Sundby
Book Summary
This corny book set in the Old West is not about a gunfight as you might think from looking at the cover. Rather, it is about scale drawings done by barbers for elaborate haircuts. One barber enlarges small items such as insects to fit on a person's head while the other reduces big objects like a stagecoach complete with a team of horses. As the barbers explain their methodology for their scale drawings, an inset page with graph paper displays their calculations. In addition to "scale," the book also explains the terms "equivalent, proportion, and ratio," all great math vocabulary terms for students in upper elementary grades or older.
Although the conflict in the book pitted the barbers against each other in the tradition of an Old West shoot out, the message of the book is actually about the value of cooperation. So even though the book is primarily about math, the story also teaches a social lesson.
Using the Book in Class
Here are some ideas for how you might use this book with students.
ESL lesson plan
5th Grade Geometry Lesson download
by Nancy Kelly Allen
Book Summary
Farmer Worth's tree grows coins and bills. How much money will it produce? As he changes the nutrients provided to the tree, it responds by growing different denominations of U.S. money.
We all know "money doesn't grow on trees," but this book extends the idiom while helping kids become more familiar with U.S. money. For ELs who come to the U.S. from another country, this is an important topic. Students will be engaged by the story as they calculate how much money has grown on the tree each day.
Using the Book in Class
Here's a lesson plan for high school students from the Federal Reserve Bank which references Once Upon a Dime as a related text.
How to Find Books
We all know "money doesn't grow on trees," but this book extends the idiom while helping kids become more familiar with U.S. money. For ELs who come to the U.S. from another country, this is an important topic. Students will be engaged by the story as they calculate how much money has grown on the tree each day.
Using the Book in Class
Here's a lesson plan for high school students from the Federal Reserve Bank which references Once Upon a Dime as a related text.
How to Find Books
- Read this TESOL blog post by Judie Haynes about using picture books with ELLs. Check out the links in the post to other book recommendations.
- Visit your local library or school media center and ask for recommendations. Often libraries have recommended booklists available already, or they can assist with a special request.
- Follow teacher bloggers like Pernille Ripp who blog about picture books they have used with students. See her post, 10 Picture Books That Spark Empathy.
- Search #titletalk on Twitter for all sorts of book recommendations.
Do you have any favorite picture books you've used for a content-focused lesson? I'd love to hear your recommendations in the Comments.
