Book Review: Science beyond classroom walls

There have been some inquiries on this listserv regarding service learning
and science (including environmental science).  I thought that some of you
might be interested in this book review - just issued from the Education
Review (a freely accessible all electronic journal of book reviews residing
at http://coe.asu.edu/edrev/)

This is focusing on the Elementary School level.

Bourne, Barbara (Editor) (2000). Taking Inquiry Outdoors: Reading, Writing,
and Science Beyond the Classroom Walls.
York, Maine: Stenhouse Publishers

  Taking Inquiry Outdoors is a compilation of articles written by
participants in the Elementary Science Integration Project (ESIP). This is
a teacher enhancement project sponsored by the University of Maryland,
Baltimore County, and supported by a National Science Foundation Grant. To
quote the editor: "This is not a book about environmental education, a
how-to primer on conducting nature walks and stream studies, or a cookbook
of recipes for integrating reading and writing tasks into earth science
units." Instead it is "is a book of reflections on children and learning;
on teaching; on science made understandable through reading writing and
hands-on investigations—all within the context of the outdoors." 

       The chapters consist of teachers sharing their thoughts and ideas
about how and why they integrate reading and writing into the science
curriculum. Most of these teachers would not consider themselves 'science
teachers.' Many in fact had reservations about teaching science. In a
reflective manner they share both the positive and negative about their own
teaching practices. Some                   chapters include practical ideas
while others are more philosophical. 

  This is not a methods book although it could and probably should be used
in conjunction with a standard science methods book because of its
reflective nature. It provides insights not theories, although the insights
are based on current theories of teaching science. Preservice elementary
teachers will benefit  from the book because it shows a more realistic
approach to integration and  provides a peek into how teachers develop
their own ideas and curriculum.  Inservice teachers will benefit from the
authors' insights about teaching and                       from knowing
that others have succeeded in integrating science and the language arts. 

Pages: 142   Price: $17.00    ISBN: 1-57110-302-3; Reviewed by Judy Walker,
CIMC/Atkins Library, University of North Carolina, Charlotte 


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Elaine K. Ikeda, Ph.D.
Project Director
UCLA Service-Learning Clearinghouse Project
esaito@ucla.edu
310-206-4815office
310-794-5004 fax
Check out our new resource website!
http://www.gseis.ucla.edu/slc/
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