Language Arts Reading

as a Springboard to Science Education

Christopher Tozier&

Reed Bowman

Christopher Tozier

2011 Florida Individual Artist Fellowship

Published in The Florida Entomologistand over forty poetry journals

Olivia Brophie and the Pearl of Tageluspublished in March 2012, winner of the 2012 Florida Publishers Assoc Silver Medal

Olivia Brophie and the Pearl of Tagelus

Olivia is a 10 year old girl from Wisconsinwho moves to the Florida scrub.

Joined by her little brother Gnatand eco-nerdy friend Doug

She discovers an ancient city in the Floridan Aquifer and the Pearl, a device that controls the laws of the universe

Reed Bowman, Ph.DResearch Program DirectorAvian EcologyArchbold Biological Station

Literature should excite and engage: books are written to tell a story, not to teach a lesson

• Children are automatically interested in this approach.• This is not “settling” for a fun book because students may not want

to read textbooks.• Lessons are extracted from the story by analysis and teaching.• Story provides context for the science lessons; plot and characters

enter the science classroom.• Science lessons illuminate our understanding of the story.• Use that excitement and engagement to create depth in another

classroom.

However…this approach requires the right book

So, what is the right book?

• Books written for the mass market, not for the classroom.

• Entertainment is the primary goal.• Age appropriate for the grade. ATOS book level.• Literary aspects strong enough for LA curriculum.• Science is featured prominently in the plot.• Dark Life by Kat Falls could be used to teach

Oceanography.

The Archbold / Olivia Brophie Curriculum:

• Includes both Science and Language Arts Common Core and Sunshine State Standards.

• Includes field study.

• Biology, geology, botany, and general science concepts.

• Vocabulary, character development, literary devices, quizzes and writing assignments.

Chapter 17 Remembering Junonia

Olivia’s nemesis, Miss Rinkle who has been masquerading as the summer school teacher, confronts her in an attempt to acquire the Pearl.

Miss Rinkle describes ancient Florida and how the city of Junonia came to be.

“Long ago, Olivia, Florida was not the place that you see today. The oceans were much higher and Florida itself was nothing much beyond a long beach of sandy dunes extending south from Georgia. The land you are standing on right now, the scrub, Lyonia itself, was one of those dunes. Oh, the air was so clear and clean back then! The oceans were filled with the most amazing jellyfish the size of cars. At night, they would glow out there in the sea like enormous pulsing moons,” Miss Rinkle said, staring off into the distance. “There were horrible monsters out there too. Sharks the size of houses. Crocodiles bigger than your school bus. Giant, bloodthirsty dire wolves ravaged the dunes hunting for anything they could catch. So the Junonians built their city deep underneath the dunes where they would be safe.

Vocabulary (LA.7.1.6)

Literary Analysis (LA.7.2.1)

LA.7.2.1.2 Rising Conflict: Olivia’s character finally accepts her responsibility when faced with escalating conflict.

LA.7.2.1.2 How does Miss Rinkle try to gain Olivia’s empathy? How does she use persuasion? What does she really want?

LA.7.2.1.4 Development of Theme: How are discovery and “new sight” expanded? Miss Rinkle’s eyes change color. New perspective.

LA.7.2.1.7 Use of Allusions: Edison and Tesla

LA.7.2.1.8 Themes reflecting values in a Historical Context: Environmentalism, pollution of sinkholes

Persuasive Writing Applications (LA.7.6.3)

Pretend you are Miss Rinkle and you want to convince Olivia to give you the Pearl. Write a persuasive argument using at least three of the following persuasive techniques: detailed evidence, hyperbole, emotional appeal, word choice, repetition, appeal to authority, or celebrity endorsement.

Extending the literary to the scientific

Junonians moved underground to escape “horrible monsters”

SC.4.N.2.1: science focuses on the natural world: Thus what could be “natural” equivalent be of the Junonians?

Why do Gopher Tortoises (Gopherus polyphemus) build and live in burrows?

• To escape predators• To control temperature

But could other organisms get these benefits by using gopher tortoise burrows?

BIG IDEA #17: THE INTERDEPENDENCE OF ORGANISMS

Extending the literary to the scientificSC.7.L.17.2Compare and contrast the relationships among organisms such as mutualism, predation, parasitism, competition, and commensalism

Gopher Frogs use the burrows of tortoises and also gain protection from predators and heat

• Do tortoises gain anything? What type of relationship is this?

Many dozens of species share gopher tortoise burrows and illustrate all of the ecological relationships among interacting species

Extending the literary to the scientificSC.7.L.17.2Compare and contrast the relationships among organisms such as mutualism, predation, parasitism, competition, and commensalismLike the Crogan Horses that lived in Junonia and the fungi and mosses farmed by the Junonians, the organisms that share gopher tortoise burrows have unique relationships to their benefactors and among themselves

Dung beetles may eat or bury gopher tortoises scat around the burrow and this, in turn, may reduce the load of intestinal parasites carried by the tortoise

MUTUALISM

Extending the literary to the scientificSC.7.L.17.2Compare and contrast the relationships among organisms such as mutualism, predation, parasitism, competition, and commensalismLike the Crogan Horses that lived in Junonia and the fungi and mosses farmed by the Junonians, the organisms that share gopher tortoise burrows have unique relationships to their benefactors and among themselves

Rattlesnakes may use burrows to escape heat but may occasionally prey on other burrow occupants

PREDATION

Discovering Florida Scrub Curriculum

Using the scrub to address concept in biology

• Developed at Archbold Biological Station for grades 3-5

• Written by staff educators with help from staff scientists

• Adaptations of the plants and animals to life in the sand

• Nancy Deyrup and Charlotte Wilson

Discovering Florida Scrub Curriculum

Using Olivia Brophie and scrub to address concepts in biology

Life in the sand

• Olivia observes perfect holes in the sand, but doesn’t know what they are

Wolf Spider

Discovering Florida Scrub Curriculum

Using Olivia Brophie and scrub to address concepts in biology

Life in the sand

• Olivia observes perfect holes in the sand, but doesn’t know what they are

• What are they? How can we find out? SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY

• Why would animals live under the sand?• Adaptations for living in the sand.

• Why did the Junonians build their city underground?• How do predators impact the behaviors of prey?

Additional Opportunities in Olivia Brophie

Olivia follows a bear and learns about their secret highways

• Allow them to move long distances in fragmented habitats• Connects them to patches with resources• Critical to their persistence

Providing habitat corridors in our increasingly fragmented Florida landscape is a key concept in conservation and ecology

The Floridan Aquifer

• Springs• Limestone / Caves• Fossils• Scrubs as recharge lands• Rising and sinking sea levels

Remember…

the science enters into the literary curriculum too

• Learning about gopher tortoises helps explain character motivations.

• By developing the Language Arts plan in parallel with the Science plan, levels of understanding can be ‘timed.’

• Students get excited about the fun story.

• Students learn a lesson in science class.

• The science lesson is then applied to the next chapter.

Language Arts Science

The Archbold / Olivia Brophie Curriculum: Next Steps

• Currently in development with teachers from around the state.

• Still looking for teachers / partners to participate.• Need expertise in CCS, Science, and Language Arts

curriculum.

crtozier@gmail.com oreducation@archbold-station.org