Use Knuffle Bunny and Corduroy to Incorporate Literacy into your STEM Lesson

How many of your students love the Pigeon and Knuffle Bunny books? And who doesn’t like Corduroy? Are you looking for an activity that promotes both early literacy concepts and STEM concepts? If so, this lesson is for you!

Note: The focus standards will be listed at the end of this post.

What is the STEM Design Process?

The STEM Design Process and the Mathematical Modeling Process are very similar. Mathematical modeling has a stronger emphasis on mathematics as the underlying structure to the model. Regardless if you are doing mathematical modeling or a STEM lesson, it’s important to train students to pause and notice the world around them and ask questions. In both processes it is equally important for students to refine and improve their model and to communicate their results. Because of time, these are the steps that we often skip in the classroom, but the ability to communicate and revise our work is crucial in real life. You can be the greatest scientist in the world but if you can’t communicate your ideas, you won’t get funding.

See my How to Cure Math Anxiety with Modeling Mondays post to learn more about Mathematical Modeling.

The Design Process

1. Notice: What do you notice about the situation?
2. Wonder: What questions can you ask?  What problems exist? Generate ideas.
3. Plan: Select a solution path.
4. Create: Make a model
5. Experiment: Try! Evaluate the model.
6. Improve: Make the model better.
7. Share: Communicate and share your findings with others.

STEM and Early Literacy

I’m sure you are aware of the importance of early literacy, yet it often gets overlooked in STEM projects and math lessons. And yes, students need to practice reading informational texts, but they are not the only way to incorporate literacy. You can also incorporate picture books to increase engagement and create connections in a STEM unit or a math lesson.

I’ve also written some other lessons integrating picture books with math/STEM concepts. Be sure to check them out on my Math Lessons webpage. Subscribe to my blog to get more of these types of lessons sent straight to your inbox.

The Design Process

Step 1: Notice

Show students a video clip of a stuffed animal being put in a washing machine and/or dryer. Ask them what they notice and record their thoughts on the board.

Here are some video clips you can use. Note: Students don’t need to watch the whole video.

Stuffed Animals in the Washing Machine

A Stuffed Animal in the Dryer

Step 2: Wonder

Show the clip again, and ask them what they wonder. Many students will ask: Is the stuffed animal ok or damaged? Some may ask how does the washing machine or dryer work. Both questions are valid.

Write down all your students’ questions on the board. Then as a class decide which question to explore. For illustration purposes in this lesson, we are going to focus on the following question: Does the stuffie get damaged by going through the washing machine and/or dryer?

Note: For more information on Noticing and Wondering see my blog post: Increase Student Engagement by Using Picture Books to Launch the Notice & Wonder Routine.

Before we explore the question of interest, we will pause to tie in some ELA standards for a truly cross-curricular lesson that builds literacy.

ELA Connection

A Pocket for Corduroy by Don Freeman

Pre-reading

How many of you have read Corduroy? What do you know about Corduroy from the original book? What do you think this book will be about? Note: You may want to read the original Corduroy by Don Freeman to build background on the book.

Reading

Read A Pocket For Corduroy by Don Freeman with the class.

Spread 1

• Understanding Character: Who are the main characters in the book? What do the picture tell you about them?
• Understanding Setting: Where does the story take place (setting)?
• Making Connections: Has anyone ever been to the laundromat before? If so, can you share your experience?

Spread 2

• Understanding Setting: What do you learn about a laundromat from the words and the pictures?
• Making Predictions: What do you think will happen next?

Spread 4

• Understanding Character: Why is Corduroy worried?
• Making Predictions: What do you think will happen next?

Spread 6

• Understanding Plot: What did Corduroy do?
• Understanding Plot: What is the problem?

Spread 7

• Making Connections: How would you feel if you were Lisa?
• Understanding Plot: What’s happening to Corduroy?
• Making Predictions: What do you think will happen next?

Spread 8

• Checking for Understanding: Did Corduroy go in the washing machine or dryer? How do you know?

Spread 10

• Making Connections: How would you feel if you were Corduroy?
• Understanding Setting/Plot: Did Corduroy really find snow? Explain.
• Building Background: Tell students that this book was written in 1978. At that time many people used soap chips instead of liquid detergent or laundry pods.

Spread 11

• Understanding Plot: Was Corduroy in a cage? Where do you think he was?

Spread 13

• Understanding Plot/Character: Did Lisa find Corduroy? How do you think she felt? How did she feel about Corduroy?

Spread 14

• Understanding Plot: How did Lisa help Corduroy? Why do you think she put his name inside?
  
  

Post-reading

• Summarizing: Can someone retell the story?
• Understanding Theme: What do you think the main message of the story was?
• Understanding Setting: What did you learn about laundromats? Why was the setting important to the story?

Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale by Mo Willems

Pre-reading

• Have any of you ever read Knuffle Bunny before? For those of you who have not, predict what you think the book will be about. What can you learn about the characters from the cover?
• Who do you think is the main character? What do you learn about main character’s family from the title page?

Reading

Spread 1

• Understanding Character: How old is the main character?
• Understanding Setting: Where does the story take place? How can you tell? Where do you think they are going?
• Understanding Character: How is Trixie feeling? How can you tell? How are the mom and dad feeling?

Spread 2

• Understanding Setting: What do you learn about Trixie’s neighborhood?

Spread 4

• Understanding Plot/Character: How much was Trixie helping? How do you know?
• Making Predictions: Predict what will happen next?

Spread 5

• Understanding Plot/Character: How was Trixie feeling when leaving the laundromat?
• Understanding Plot (Conflict): What was the problem?
• Understanding Plot: Where was Knuffle Bunny? How do you know?

Spread 6

• Understanding Plot (Conflict): What did Trixie realize?
• Understanding Plot/Character: How did Trixie’s mood change?

Spread 7

• Understanding Plot: What was Trixie’s problem?

Spread 8

• Understanding Plot (Conflict): How did Trixie try to solve the problem?
• Making Connections: Have you ever tried to communicate something to your parents, but they didn’t understand you?

Spread 11

• Understanding Plot (Conflict): Who figured out what was the problem?
• Understanding Character/Using Illustrations: What does Trixie’s face tell you?

Spread 12

• Understanding Plot: What did the family do?

Spreads 15-16

• Understanding Plot (Resolution): Where was Knuffle Bunny? Who found him?
• Understanding Plot (Resolution): What did Trixie do that was amazing? What does that tell you about her relationship with Knuffle Bunny?

Post-Reading

• Summarizing: Can someone retell the story?
• Understanding Theme: What do you think the main message of the story was?
• Understanding Setting: What did you learn about laundromats? Why was the setting important to the story?

Different, Same, Different

Have students compare and contrast A Pocket for Corduroy and Knuffle Bunny using a Same, Same, Different Graphic Organizer.

At the end of the discussion draw students back to their question of interest about washing machines.

The Design Process, continued

Revisit your exploratory question with your students: Does the stuffie get damaged by going through the washing machine and/or dryer? Remind students that Knuffle Bunny got put in the washer, but Corduroy almost got put in the dryer. You many want to explore both washing and drying the stuffie or you might just want to focus on one question or the other.

Then revisit the STEM design process. Explain that we’ve already noticed and wondered, so now we are on step 3 of our process.

Step 3: Plan

Ask students for ideas on how they can make a plan to explore their question. They might decide to test their hypothesis with a piece of fabric.  For example, they could decide to create a washing machine simulation by washing the fabric in an old ice cream tub and then shaking it around. They could also try drying it by using a hand dryer in the bathroom or a hair dryer.  Note: Kids don’t need to know the word simulation.

The goal is for the kids to own the learning and the exploratory questions. They should come up with a plan for testing it. Your role as a teacher is to facilitate the learning by asking questions. Your questions should cause them to reflect on their learning. For example, you could ask questions such as “Do you all think that would work? Why or why not? Can anyone come up with a better plan? You may also want to put students in small groups and have each group come up with their own plan.

This would be a great place to break the lesson for the day. After the class decided on a plan, this gives you the opportunity to gather the needed supplies for the next part.

Step 4: Create

Have students make their model. Depending on the class’s exploratory questions, students may create a picture or diagram, or they may be physically construction something such as a pretend washing machine.

Step 5: Experiment

Students should use their model to explore their question and record the results. They will also need to set up parameters (rules) around their experiment.

Step 6: Improve

Have students analyze their model. Did their model answer their question? Are they happy with the results? Would an outsider like another teacher, parent, or principal be happy with their results? Is there any way they could make their model better?

Step 7: Share

Have students share their results with others. This could be a small writing assignment, or it could be a presentation to another classroom, the janitor, the principal, or parents etc.

Conclusion

Stuffed animals get stinky from time to time and need to be washed. However, some stuffies don’t wash well, and some kids love their stinky stuffie just the way it smells. Taking everyday ideas and concerns (such as washing a stuffie) is a great way to introduce a STEM lesson. Combing the lesson with stellar picture books is even better as it promotes literacy!

Do you have any ideas of ways to incorporate STEM lessons with picture books? If so, drop a note in the comments, and I may use your idea in a future lesson plan!

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Focus Standards

This lesson could hit many stanards in ELA and Science, but I’m just going to list the focus standards here. Also, each state has different science and engineering standards, so be sure to check out your specific state standards.

Common Core’s English Language Arts Standards

This lesson aligns to the following Common Core’s ELA Standards:

• RL.K.9. With prompting and support, compare and contrast the adventures and experiences of characters in familiar stories.
• RL.1.9. Compare and contrast the adventures and experiences of characters in stories.

Ohio Physical Science: Grade K

This lesson aligns to the following Ohio’s Science Standards:

Topic: Properties of Everyday Objects and Materials This topic focuses on the production of sound and on observing, exploring, describing and comparing the properties of objects and materials with which the student is familiar.

• K.PS.1: Objects and materials can be sorted and described by their properties.
• K.PS.2: Some objects and materials can be made to vibrate and produce sound.

NGSS Science Standards

Depending on how you structure the investigation, you can explore some of these NGSS Science Standards.

• Forces (K-PS2-1, K-PS2-2)
  • A force is a push or a pull
  • The strengths and direction of pushes and pulls move objects
• Sound & Light Waves (1-PS4-1, 1-PS4-2. 1-PS4-3, 1, PS4-4)
  • Vibrating materials can make sound, and sound can make materials vibrate
• Matter: different kinds of matter exist in solid, liquid or gas form. (2-PS1-1, 2-PS1-2, 2 PS1-3, 2-PS1-4)
  • Matter has unique sets of properties that distinguish one from other.
  • Objects made of smaller sets of pieces can be disassembled and made into new objects.
  • Heating and cooling a substance can cause changes, and not all changes are reversible.

NGSS Engineering Design

The NGSS Engineering Design Standards are the heart of this lesson. I’m just going to post their table for readability.