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| During Middle Childhood, the students' sense
of themselves and their world expands. They begin to see
themselves as members of larger communities. They are
interested in and like to speculate on other times, places
and societies. They begin to understand and appreciate
different points of view and develop the ability to think
in more abstract terms. |
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With these students, teachers can stimulate
interest in the future by introducing them to the science fiction
genre, or to novels and picture books that feature an environmental
theme.
Click on the approaches listed below
for learning ideas and fiction titles to get you started.
- Stories About
- Search Future
- Fiction in the CMIS Resource Bank
for a complete list of related stories. [Use the Middle
Childhood restrictor to just see titles appropriate
for this phase]
Students in Middle Childhood can
become very involved in and passionate about environmental concerns,
especially those dealing with endangered animals. There are
many excellent fiction titles to generate thought and lively
discussion.
Explore novels and picture books that encourage students to
think about their future local and world environment. Consider
issues such as:
- pollution of land, water and air
- conservation of the natural environment
- conservation of endangered animals
CHENG, Christopher and WOOLMAN, Steven.
One Child
Era, 1997
Picture Book. Beautiful and distinctive stained glass/mosaic-style
illustrations and a succinct, powerful text, combine to make
this a superb book. One Child graphically presents a
girl's-eye view of how people are destroying the environment
and her struggle to realise that one person can make a difference.
GRINDLEY, Sally and BUTLER, John.
Little Elephant Thunderfoot
Orchard, 1996
Picture Book. Little Elephant Thunderfoot spends his days in
the African savanna playing with his sisters, nurtured by his
mother and exploring with his matriarch grandmother until poachers
arrive and his idyllic world changes. The dynamics, food, habits
and surroundings are accurately described in this fictional
story.
GRINDLEY, Sally and FOREMAN, Michael. Peter's
Place
Andersen Press, 1995
Picture Book. Peter's special place is a wild and windswept
piece of coastline that is home for Guillemots, Shags, Eider
ducks and seals. It is a protected piece of untouched wilderness,
where nature's beauty isn't spoilt by man. The distant tankers
that pass by hardly seem to matter until one comes too close
to the rocks and Peter's special place suffers irreparable damage.
HEFFERNAN, John. Rachael's Forest
Margaret Hamilton, 1998
Rachael Richards is a young girl who has lived with her family
on a farm in Queensland since she can remember. She loves farming,
horses and animals but most of all she loves the section of
rainforest on the corner of the farm.
When the bank demands payment of the family's overdue loan,
her father decides to sell the 'forest block' to cover the debt.
JENNINGS, Paul and TANNER, Jane. The Fisherman and the Theefyspray
Viking, 1994
Picture Book. The theefyspray and her baby
are the last two fish of their kind. The baby is caught by a
fisherman who is so thrilled by the beauty of this strange species
that he wants to show his friends. However, his compassionate
nature wins out as he sees the baby theefyspray's colours fade
in the sunlight.
MARSHALL-STACE, Paty. The Adventures
of Jonathan: A Very Special Tree
Penguin, 1996
This is the life story of a very special tree, from seedling
in a nursery, through the horrors of being owned by an inattentive,
uncaring family, to its eventual rehabilitation and happy ending.
MORRIS, Jill and MUIR, Lindsay. Green Air
Greater Glider, 1996
Picture Book. Lindsay Muir's unique three-dimensional illustrations,
built out of clay, to represent the rainforest environment are
the focus of this fascinating book. The story follows the life
cycle of Silus, a platypus frog and describes the other inhabitants
of the rainforest and the dangers they encounter.
SIEGEL, Robert. Whalesong
HarperCollins,
1995
From warm tropical waters to krill-rich polar seas, a young
humpback whale spends his time, sometimes with his pod and sometimes
alone, meeting the other creatures of the oceans. Always there
is the threat of whalers. This autobiographical narrative follows
Hrūna from birth until he has a son of his own, each experience
adding to his song.
While most science fiction is written
for an older audience there are enough good examples of the
genre to captivate younger readers. Moreover, many reluctant
male readers can be encouraged to read fiction when introduced
to this genre.
Stimulate students' imagination and foster critical and creative
thinking by reading books that:
- are set in future times
- are set on other planets
- deal with space exploration
- are concerned with inventions such as robots
and computers
- involve cutting edge research, for example
genetic engineering or organ transplants
BAILLIE, Allan and HARRIS, Wayne.
Star Navigator
ABC Books, 1997
Picture Book. A dark arresting front cover opens to panoramic
end papers. The dark colours used throughout to background the
white text become the night sky illuminated with the lights
of spacecraft. Most of the characterisation is created through
the illustrations, so multiple readings are rewarded.
The plot loses momentum along the way, but the ending is open,
allowing young readers to discuss, question and revel in space
travel and new worlds.
BARNES, Rory. Horsehead
Boy
Angus&Robertson, 1998
Spud Wilson is a mean BMX rider. However, he learns the folly
of peer group pressure when he is encouraged to perform a complete
backflip. He breaks his neck and dies. Or does he? certainly
there is no body, but what's that brain doing in a stainless
steal vat connected up to a myriad of leads?
Sequels:
Horsehead
Man
Horsehead
Soup
BRADMAN, Tony. Tommy Niner and
the Moon Of Doom
Viking, 1996
Tommy Niner and his Dad are on a special mission to transport
Admiral Kris Kelvin to Galactic Council HQ. The mission begins
with several near catastrophes and then they discover the Admiral's
daughter Kate is in great danger on the Moon of Doom.
Students in Years 3 to 5 will enjoy this fast moving, humorous
space adventure.
CASWELL, Brian. Relax
Max
University of Queensland Press, 1997
A series of amusing events follow the arrival of some young
aliens who have crashed their spaceship in Max's backyard. Havoc
reigns until Max realises he has to help them return to their
mother ship.
CASWELL, Brian. Tee Dee and the
Collectors
University of Queensland Press, 1998 (Alien
Zones 1)
This novel, with its catchy cover, is part of the science fiction
Alien Zones series. The series can be read sequentially
or each story can stand alone as an adventure in its own right.
Tee Dee is an alien who is searching throughout the dimensions
of the universe in an effort to locate her father, a tour operator,
who has been stranded somewhere in the universe. She becomes
stranded on Earth when her module is accidentally short-circuited.
A small group of children befriend her and organise themselves
into a determined team of rescuers known as the Zone Commanders.
Other titles in the series:
Messengers of the Great Orff
Gladiators in the Holo-colosseum
Gargantua
What were the Gremholzs' Dimensions again?
Whispers from the Shibboleth
Hobbs, Leigh. Old Tom Goes to Mars
Penguin, 1996
Old Tom the cat and his elderly owner Angela Throgmorton are
off on another adventure with the planning of a space journey
in this economically written text for newly independent readers.
Both characters are strongly developed and the action is fast
and fresh.
Measday, Stephen. A Pig Called
Francis Bacon
Hodder Children's, 1999
Lucy loves her holidays down on her Uncle's farm, but this year
things are different; The genius Genes Corporation is now based
on the farm and Dr Amanda Price, a genetic engineer is in charge
of research. When Lucy discovers the existence of Francis Bacon
: a talking, reading, highly articulate pig, she is both amazed
and highly curious about Dr Price's work.
Sequels:
My Friend Roger Bacon
Roger Bacon Reporting
Prince, Maggie. Pulling the Plug On the Universe
Orion, 1996
Sequel to Memoirs of a Dangerous Alien, this book with
its bright attractive cover will lure young readers into a vortex
of action-packed adventure and the thrilling world of alien
spies. Our young friend Dominic is almost the only person left
who can save Earth from the clutches of the United Council of
Planets, by pulling the plug on the Universe. Minus One
which is the preface to this novel, provides an excellent introduction,
linking the earlier novel, although it is not necessary to have
read the first book to enjoy the sequel.
ROSEN, Michael and ROBINS, Arthur.
Mission
Ziffoid
Walker, 1999
Picture Book. Told in 'good news/bad news' format this story
revolves around a backyard rocket that is launched into space,
lands on a weird planet and brings some friendly aliens back
home to Earth.
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