Research and Development of an ABC Book of Thinking Skills with Caldecott Books for Primary Students
Date of Award
1988
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts in Education
Department
Education
First Advisor
Nancy Polette
Second Advisor
Jeanne M. Donovan
Abstract
The goal of A1erican education today is to develop the thinking ability of children to enable them to learn even after leaving school. Because of an increasingly complex, ever-changing, problem-ridden world, creative thinkers and problem solvers are needed today more than ever before.
The purpose of the project was to research and prepare appropriate materials to develop thinking skills in primary aged children, kindergarten through grade three. The thinking skills were combined with quality children's literature, the Caldecott Award winning books, in activities which teach children to think and motivate them to read excellent children's literature . These activities were presented in an ABC book of thinking skills with Caldecott books.
The activity book was organized in alphabetical order to present one or more thinking skills for each letter of the alphabet. The 36 thinking skills were chosen with the ability of primary children considered. The thinking skills were accompanied by an instructional page for the teacher which provided a definition of the skill, process steps, and additional activities to develop the thinking skill. A review of the story was given for each Caldecott book with additional activities to be used after the completion of the activity sheet and after the book has been read. The student pages were written to give practice in using the thinking skill and to motivate the student to read the book.
American educators have demonstrated a need to include the teaching of thinking in the elementary school curriculum. In addition, effective teaching methods and materials were determined to be the principal way for teaching thinking skills to children . Finally, children's literature proved to be a readily available source for the teaching of thinking to primary children. An ABC book of thinking skills for primary children, based on Caldecott Award winning books, was written to combine good thinking, good teaching, and good literature.
Recommended Citation
Bernhardt, Edythe, "Research and Development of an ABC Book of Thinking Skills with Caldecott Books for Primary Students" (1988). Theses. 405.
https://digitalcommons.lindenwood.edu/theses/405
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