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In this text set, we will discover how the sun is different throughout the year, and how this in turn affects the seasons. The target group for this set is first grade, and this is around one of the predefined Next Generation Standards (2017) in science. This is the following standard:

ESS1.B: Earth and the Solar System
Make observations at different times of year to relate the amount of daylight to the time of year.

Rationale:
This is a standard set by the state of New York, so this is essential to cover for learning purposes. Further, this ties together many aspects of science and literature regarding the changing seasons. From this exploration, students will not only know about the seasons, but they will know the reasons behind why they occur. This helps to create more in-depth knowledge on seasons.

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Why Do We Have Seasons? | PBS LearningMedia

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Explore what causes seasons on Earth in this interactive adapted from NASA materials that features four cities at different latitudes. Use this resource to view how Earth's axial tilt causes seasons from different perspectives and to develop and use models of sunlight received at Earth's surface.

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In order of presentation:
Predictable:

What Makes the Seasons by Megan Montague Cash

Narrative:

Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn by Kenard Pak

Goodbye Winter, Hello Spring by Kenard Pak

Informational:

Seasons by Katy Pike

Sunshine Makes the Seasons by Franklin Brinley

Rationale:
The text set begins with a predictable book. "What Makes the Seasons" by Megan Montague Cash incorporates the use of rhymes. According to Neuman and Wright (2013) predictable texts set the stage for learning by making the subject matter light, more understandable, and overall fun. The goal here is to encourage or peak interest, so the learner is engaged. The selected text gives an overview of the seasons and all of the component parts of the lesson without going into too much depth. The next texts are the narrative texts. These build off of the predictable text. The content in these are richer in detail, but this still assumes that the reader/audience still needs some interesting components to maintain attention. Further, this scaffolds learning, so concepts are introduced and explored without assuming too much knowledge (Neuman & Wright, 2013). For this  two texts were selected, "Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn" and "Goodbye Winter, Hello Spring" both by Kenard Pak. I had difficulty finding a singular text incorporating all the aspects to be covered in a narrative format. Paired together, these texts help to highlight the changing seasons, sunlight, and weather.

The last components are the informational texts. Neuman and Wright (2013) show that informational texts should be last, since these assume that the learner is interested and adequately knowledgeable of the subject. This creates a richer arena for learning. The first information text is "Seasons" by Katy Pike. This text discusses the science behind the seasons through real-life visuals of the environment including weather and changes in wildlife. The last text is "Sunshine Makes the Seasons" by franklin Brinley. This text builds off the last by introducing less visible components of the seasons in terms of solar phenomenon. This is even more abstract than the last text, so introducing this last allows the texts build to this text. This incorporates the science behind the phenomenon of seasons, and this shows how light changes in a year. Each text builds off of one another, and this in end helps to accomplish the standard.

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1. The position of the Sun and Earth create the seasons.

2. There are different amounts of light in each season.

3. Each season has different weather.

4. There are four seasons in a year that cycle.

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Selected vocabulary: Seasons, Sun, Year, Earth, and Weather.

Weather

Definition: The outside conditions that affect rain, clouds, and temperature. Each season has different weather.

Rationale: Weather is associated with the changing seasons. This readily observable day-to-day, and this can be compared across the year. Seeing how the Sun interacts and affects weather better helps the learner understand the changes of seasons and sunshine.

Use: Neuman and Wright (2013) show that more concrete vocabulary should be introduced first. Weather is readily seen everyday. Before reading the texts, the teacher could put up pictures of different kinds of weather. This could include Rain, Snow, Sunny Days, and Wind. The teacher could ask the students to describe the weather, how they feel about the weather, and even their favorite type of weather. This helps to create interest for the learner. From there, the teacher could explain that all of these conditions are weather. When the word comes up in the texts, the teacher can reference the pictures.

Location:

What Makes the Seasons: p. 12

Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn: p. 12

Goodbye Winter, Hello Spring: p. 16

Seasons: p. 8

Sunshine Makes the Seasons: p. 10, 31

Sun

Definition: Star that gives bright light changing weather and the seasons.

Rationale: This is important to the standard. Sunshine is different throughout the year, and in-turn this affects the seasons and weather. Understanding the role of the Sun guides more in-depth knowledge on weather and seasons.

Use: Similar to weather, the Sun is pretty concrete, since it is observable each day. Providing a picture of the sun and explaining how this helps everyone can create interest for the learner. Additionally, the teacher could bring in a yellow ball to represent the sun. This will show some of the physical properties of the sun, while giving a tangible source of interest. Further, the teacher could ask what activities do students like to do in the sun. This will build a basis for more comprehensive questions.

Location:

What Makes the Seasons: p. 18, 19, 20

Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn: p. 5, 10

Goodbye Winter, Hello Spring: p. 16

Seasons: p. 6

Sunshine Makes the Seasons: p. 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 16, 21, 26

Earth

Definition: The planet that we live on.

Rationale: In understanding that Earth is a planet,  learners can better conceptualize how the sun and Earth work together to move and affect weather and the seasons.

Use: In initially presenting the vocabulary words, the teacher could also present a picture of the Earth. This is a little more abstract than the sun, since people do not readily have a global view of the world. Further, the teacher could also bring in a globe. This can create more tangible interest (Neuman & Wright, 2013). In introducing the globe, the teacher could ask for observations, comparisons (e.g., like a ball, similar to the sun), and show where they live. Leaving the globe in the room during reading will help reinforce the understand that Earth is a planet.

Location:

What Makes the Seasons: p. 17, 22

Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn:

Goodbye Winter, Hello Spring:

Seasons:

Sunshine Makes the Seasons: p. 3, 4, 6, 8, 11, 12, 14, 18, 19, 26

Seasons

Definition: One of the four parts of the year: fall, winter, spring, and summer.

Rationale: Seasons are an important part of the yearly cycle and tie-in with the changing aspects of the sun. This is also more concrete in being able to see the many different changing aspects of seasons.

Use: The pictures of the four seasons can be displayed through different components like a tree in each season. The teacher could explain that there are for seasons. In creating interest, the teacher could ask for everyone's favorite season by referencing weather introduced earlier. Further, the teacher could find songs on the different seasons that show the constant cycle. This is way to engage in another area other than visual presentations (Neuman & Wright, 2013).

Location:

What Makes the Seasons: p. 6, 18

Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn: p. 10

Goodbye Winter, Hello Spring: p. 18

Seasons: p. 2, 10

Sunshine Makes the Seasons: p. 11, 18, 27, 28, 32

Year

Definition: Time that takes the Earth to go around the sun one time. This includes all four seasons.

Rationale: Tying the aspects together, this shows that seasons and the movement of the Sun and Earth create a yearlong cycle. A year and time generally can be very abstract, so introducing the other components before builds the understanding of a year. Introducing the concept of a year is important to understanding cycles.

Use: The concept of a year is probably the most abstract, and this will require the support of the other words and sources to support understanding (Neuman & Wright, 2013). Presenting challenging words is important though, as these can't be avoided. The teacher could reintroduce the global. In introducing the globe, he/she could spin the globe. The teacher could then say that one spin makes a day. The teacher could then reintroduce the ball representing the sun. Comparing the rotation and travel around the sun to a dance, students may find this amusing and something more concrete to understand Earth's transit. Explaining that one trip around the sun is a year, the teacher could ask about birthdays, holidays, and seasons. This will help to connect the abstract pieces in understandable parts for first grade students.

Location:

What Makes the Seasons: p. 17, 23

Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn:

Goodbye Winter, Hello Spring:

Seasons: p. 2

Sunshine Makes the Seasons: p. 8, 9, 11, 17, 18

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"What Makes the Seasons" by Megan Montague Cash

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"What Makes the Seasons" by Megan Montague Cash

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In this predictable and fictional book, the author uses rhyme to describe the changing Earth, sun, weather, and seasons throughout the year. First, the author explores each season individually, then she explains the role of the sun and direction of the Earth in relation to the seasons.

Discussion Prompts:
Hadley and colleagues (2020) encourages the use of open-ended questions. Most of the prompts will follow this trend.

1. Why do you think we need all four seasons?

2. Why do think the sun is stronger in the summer?

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"Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn" by Kenard Pak

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"Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn" by Kenard Pak

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In this narrative and fictional book, the main character goes through the woods and town to see how the season of Autumn progressively changes to Winter. In doing so, this shows the cycle of seasons.

Discussion Prompts:

1. How does the weather change in the book?

2. How do we know summer will come back?

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"Goodbye Winter, Hello Spring" by Kenard Park

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"Goodbye Winter, Hello Spring" by Kenard Park

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As a narrative and fictional extension from "Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn", this text explores the different light and weather conditions in Winter to Spring. As the days become brighter and warmer, the main character says hello to the returning animals.

Discussion Prompts:

1. How does the light change in the book?

2. Why do the animals come back in the Spring?

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Goodbye Winter, Hello Spring 📚 Read Aloud 📚

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In this informational and non-fiction text, the author explains that a year is composed of four seasons. The text then explains each season individually in terms of the weather and environment.

Discussion Prompts:

1. Can the seasons be in a different order?

2. Why do you think plants grow better when it's warmer?

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"Sunshine Makes the Seasons" by Franklin Branley

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"Sunshine Makes the Seasons" by Franklin Branley

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This text explores the dynamics of the Sun and Earth to create different seasons and weather. This is presented in a kid-friendly way to make concepts more concrete and relatable. This is both informational and non-fiction.

Discussion Prompts:
What do think the weather would be like if the Earth was upside down?
How could we make days even longer?

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Branley, F. (2016). Sunshine makes the seasons. New York, NY: Harper Collins.

Hadley, E.B., Newman, K.M., & Mock, J. (2020).  Setting the stage for TALK: Strategies for encouraging language-building conversations.  The Reading Teacher, 74(1) doi:10.1002/trtr1900.

Montague, Megan. (2003). What makes the seasons? New York, NY: Scholastic.

Neuman, S.B., & Wright, T.S. (2013).  Supporting content-rich vocabulary through book reading.  All About Words.  Teachers College Press, NY, NY.  pp. 62-82

Next Generation Standards. (2017). Earth and the Solar System (Standard No. ESS1.B). Retrieved from https://www.nextgenscience.org/pe/1-ess1-2-earths-place-universe

Pak, K. (2016). Goodbye summer, hello autumn. New York, NY: Henry Holt and Company.

Pak, K. (2020). Goodbye winter, hello spring. New York, NY: Henry Holt and Company.

Pike, K (2008). Seasons. New South Wales, AUS: Blake Education.