Shout Science!

Shout Science! contains three digital picture books that chronicle the lives and achievements of Maria Sibylla Merian, Anton van Leeuwenhoek, and James Hutton. After launching the app, users can access the books by either tapping a city highlighted on the map or a “Read More” button on the timeline. Each book contains a narrative about a scientist, and users interact with the books by tapping the “!” button. At the end of each book, there is an option users can tap to access additional images and information about the scientist.

Instructional Ideas

1. Teachers can have students read each of the books. Next, teachers can have students rank the books based on which scientist made the biggest contribution. For their rankings, students will have to supply a short written or oral rationale that justifies their rankings and uses text-based evidence. After all students have ranked the scientists, teachers can facilitate a conversation by asking: (1) Which scientist made the most important contributions? (2) How do we still use that scientist’s work? and (3) What challenges did the scientist overcome as part of doing his/her work?
2. Teachers can have students read a book individually, with a partner, or as a whole class. Following the reading of the text, teachers can facilitate a conversation by asking: (1) What did we learn from this text? (2) What were this scientist’s biggest achievements? (3) What is the legacy of this scientist’s work? and (4) If you were going to have a conversation with this scientist, what do you think you would discuss?
3. After reading a text, teachers can have students view historical images and access additional information about the scientist. After reviewing this information, teachers can have students conduct online research to find more pictures and information about the scientist. Students can post this information to a class website, and students can provide additional commentary about the information they posted.
4. After becoming familiar with this app, teachers can assign students a scientist not included in this app to research. Once students conduct that research, they can present it as a narrative using the Book Creator or Popboardz app. Teachers can have students share their work by posting them to a class website.
5. After reading a book about a scientist, teachers can have students conduct research to find how that scientist’s work are being used today. Students can represent their findings as images and movies. Students can post links to the images and movies to a class website, and students can compose

Screenshots