Was it the same person who said that life shouldn’t have boring bits?
The fact is, history is a series of stories. And kids love stories. The same is true for science topics that don’t lend themselves to hands-on activities. It’s ironic that truly abstract concepts like captions and symbols are considered appropriate for six-year-olds, but informational tales about history, science, and the arts are not.
But it’s not just that students can understand and enjoy the stuff we’ve been withholding from them. It turns out that it’s also good for them; if young children are introduced to history and science in concrete and understandable ways, chances are they’ll be far better equipped to reengage with them with more nuance later on. At the same time, teaching disconnected comprehension skills boosts neither comprehension nor reading scores.
It’s just empty calories. In effect, kids are clamoring for broccoli and spinach while adults insist on a steady diet of donuts.
