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Activity (Hands-On)Grades 4 - 6

Metamorphosis — Stories of Change

A line drawing that repeats the image of a flying bird with subtle changes until the negative spaces between the images start to resemble fish and the birds become the negative space between the fish images.Global warming and expansion of the ozone hole are subjects about change and transformation. Metamorphosis: Sky and Water I by M.C. Escher, 1938 woodcut

The goal of this activity is for students to learn how to tell a story in order to make a complex topic (such as global warming) easier for a reader to grasp. Students study how narratives in scientific and technical writing can help readers gain a better understanding of human motivation, as well as the "science" of imagination. Finally, students recognize why the ability to communicate and understand science is almost as important as developing the science itself.

When scientists and engineers report their findings, they are in essence telling a story. To make complex topics such as global warming or pollution easier for an audience or reader to understand, engineers often relay real-life stories that describe how these situations impact the lives of people. In this way, they are more successful in getting others to understand their point of view and their message.

After this activity, students should be able to:

  • Learn how to tell a story in order to make a complex topic (such as global warming) easier for a reader to grasp,
  • Incorporate source materials into their speaking and writing (for example, interviews, news articles, encyclopedia information),
  • Write and speak in the content areas using the technical vocabulary of the subject accurately,
  • Read, respond to and discuss literature that represents points-of-view from places, people, and events that are familiar and unfamiliar.

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