The Adventures of TinTin somehow worked its magic on my high energy brother.  The comic book format just hooked him!  I've often reflected on this in my professional career.  What is it about comics that reluctant readers love?  I can't claim to have done quality research on this and I have no studies to site, but I do have 25 years of watching children become readers.  These observations have led me to some thoughts:

• Comics are fun to look at!  Children can engage with them even if reading is hard.   They create a risk-free way to engage with a story without having to actually be a fluent reader.  Ironically, this increased time with text often leads children to want to read.  Maybe just a sound effect at first; but eventually the story draws them in and they start attending to text.
• Comics are flexible!  If you are a young reader,  reading from top to bottom, left to right, page by page can be constraining.  While comics follow this convention they also allow kids to pick and choose.  They can loop back and re-read.  They can read in layers.  It's for this reason, I think comics have value for all emergent readers as a sort of training for the type of reading we do online or environmentally.  
• Comics are fast!  There is less of a commitment involved in starting to look at a comic than opening up a chapter book or even a picture book.  The story is broken down into bite-size pieces.  Think of each frame or even each speech bubble as a micro goal.  A student has a sense of accomplishment for reading any part.  This sets up a positive feedback loop that seems to draw kids in and keep them there.  

If I had to fill out a behavior inventory on my brother as a child, I would certainly have checked off "acts as if driven by a motor."  Yet when he got a new TinTin comic his body stilled and he dove in for hours at a time.  In some ways it should not surprise me that now his whole life revolves around books.  He has a book distribution company and delights in matching books to readers!

We provide the comic in three formats.  Many teachers print them as there is nothing quite like the physical act of turning a page.  Other teachers push out pdfs to student devices to save on paper and ink.  You can project the comic from the web page or download the three format pdf.  You or your students can also cut and assemble a little book for each week's installment.  Other teachers prefer to print each frame to make a big book.  You can also print the full nine panel image that shows the whole week's installment on a single page.

Our comics are available to users for each mission on the website.  Ben's art will be featured on all the comics we roll out this year.

It is well documented that children in lower economic status homes typically have a much smaller vocabulary than children from more affluent homes. (Check out links to some of those articles below.)  This smaller vocabulary puts them at a significant disadvantage.  We want to close the "word gap!" We introduce and practice a wide range of words in our videos, livestreams, and lessons.  We support vocabulary acquisition though multiple pathways and strategies based in best practice so that ALL students have a chance to learn and apply new words. 
​

​By presenting all students with some unfamiliar words, everyone has the opportunity to learn to learn and make new connections.  Other terms may be familiar words, but used in unfamiliar ways.  

This approach works!   I love this story from a teacher.  As one of her kindergarten students was walking with his parent to the family car after school, this child stopped in his tracks and picked up a shard of plastic.  He held it up and examined it carefully as he verbalized his thinking.  "This looks like a broken tail light, but I notice that the color and pattern is different than the tail light on our car.   The phenotype doesn't match!"  The astonished parent related this tale to the teacher who revealed that phenotype was a Go2Science vocabulary word for the current mission.  She went on to provide the definition for the parent.
​

For more info check out these links:
SES differences in language processing skill and vocabulary are evident at 18 months  (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3582035/)

Early Learning and School Readiness: Can Early Intervention Make a Difference? 
(https://muse.jhu.edu/article/173860/summary)

Tackling the "Vocabulary Gap" Between Rich and Poor Children
(https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-athletes-way/201402/tackling-the-vocabulary-gap-between-rich-and-poor-children)

We work hard to keep materials as simple as possible, but there are a few oddball items you may not have on hand.  Remember, you do not need to do every lesson!  Below, we've broken materials down by lesson to help you streamline your prep time!  K-2 lessons are listed first and I've bolded items I think are likely to be oddballs!

• Day 1 - To Thailand! 
  • maps, measuring equipment, a stapler, folder, or binder to create a Go2Science journal
  • We provide: printable journal pages and maps
• Day 2 - Weather the Market
  • props you can use to build a market
  • something real or pretend to sell at your market
  • classroom supplies for creating your own currency (paper, markers, etc.)
  • We provide: printable journal pages and rubrics
• Day 3 -  Camera Trap
  • ​digital camera, tablet, or phone students can use for taking photos
  • about an inch of painter's tape
  • blindfold, noise canceling/reducing headsets (OT might lend some?)
  • spray bottle for scented water
  • We provide: printable sense cards, journal pages, and rubrics
• Day 4 - Recycling Truck
  • recyclable materials (You may want families to save some.)
  • small wagon or box to represent recycling truck
  • tape, rope, or bungie cords to secure your load
  • yardstick or ruler
  • optional: scale and timer
  • We provide: printable data sheet, journal pages, and rubrics
• Day 5 - What's Eating You (game)
  • 12 sheets of  cardstock
  • We provide: printable game cards, journal pages, and rubrics
• Day 6 - Tiger Tracks
  • things to make tracks on (dirt, sand, play dough, water, wood etc.)
  • access to heating and cooling (a fridge or freezer, sunny window, hair drier, etc.)
  • small toys or other objects to make prints
  • optional: large sheets of paper and paint for arts integration
• Day 7 - Elephant Wash
  • stuff to build with (recyclables, cardboard, string, spray bottles, whatever you can scavenge)
  • optional access to water  (perhaps dish tubs, small watering cans, towels!)
  • We provide: elephant wash levels chart, journal pages, rubrics
• Day 8 - Comparing Adult and Baby Animals
  • tape or glue for assembling posters
  • optional hula hoops for large Venn diagram 
  • plenty of printer paper
  • We provide: printable poster puzzles and student Venn diagram journal pages
• Day 9 -  Build a Better Hide
  • stuff to build with (recyclables, Lego bricks, other construction toys, etc.
  • We provide: printable "action figures, " journal pages, and rubrics
• Day 10 -  Seed Dispersal (game)
  • Repositionable glue stick OR painter’s tape and 24 plastic sheet protectors
  • Cardboard and utility knife to assemble spinner
  • We provide: lots of printable game cards.  Allow some time for printing and prep on this one.
• Day 11 -  Resident Population (game)
  • Optional: pattern blocks
  • We provide: 2D and 3D printable game pieces, journal pages, and rubrics.
    
• Day 12 -  Publishing
  
  • The sky is the limit!  Create a bulletin board or poster series.  Go digital.  Or just keep it simple!
    
  • We provide: journal pages, rubrics, publication checklist.

Most of our PreK lessons utilize typical dramatic play props.   Most of the materials below are suggested play props.  We urge you to customize and make these lessons your own!

• Day 1 - To Thailand
  • Pillows, blankets, jammies, slippers, eye mask (can make one out of construction paper)
    
  • Books and flashlights
    
  • Teddy bears or other stuffed animals for comfort
    
  • Travel items (toothbrush holder, empty mini shampoo bottles, empty toothpaste tube etc.)
    
  • Suitcase or backpack
    
  • Tray and pretend food
    
  • Chairs or pillows to create the plane/boat/train/bus seats​
• Day 2 - Market
  • To make the money: Construction paper, scissors, crayons or markers, stickers or pictures, contact paper or clear tape, glue, round pieces of cardboard for coins
    
  • For the outdoor market: set up a table or surface and display toy items that might be for sale (toy foods, paper, books, clothes etc. ). Use umbrellas or fabric as a canopy over the table. Set up a cash register or toy money tray, provide cloth bags, toy plates 
• Day 3 - Camera Trap!
  • Small boxes or cardboard / construction paper rectangles for pretend cameras
    
  • Tape, velcro, or straps to attach the cameras to furniture
    
  • Scissors
    
  • Materials for camouflage - real or pretend leaves / plants
    
  • Crayons, colored pencils, markers, paint or other arts materials
    
  • Biologist dress-up clothes and props, such as oversized button-down shirts, cargo pants, safari vest, sun hat, boots, binoculars, clip board, etc.
• Day 4 - Recycling Truck
  • Non-breakable plastic, cardboard, paper, items from the recycling bin (rinsed clean) etc.
    
  • One or more large boxes or wagons to represent recycling trucks
    
  • Clock or timer
• Day 5 - What's Eating You
  • 24 sheets of cardstock
  • We provide: printable game cards.
• Day 6 - Tracks!
  • Sand table and/or outdoor space with access to different substrates, such as sand, mud, water, grass, pavement, wood, Play-Doh
    
  • Toy animals with distinctive feet shapes. Alternatively, if outside, kids can use their own feet or hands, or if inside, you can use different shaped objects.
• Day 7 - Life-size Animal Poster
  • Tape or stapler
    
  • Objects for measuring 
  • We provide: printable poster!
• Day 8 - Elephant Parade
  • Clothes that resemble a “mahout suit”
    
  • Elephant trunks and tails (yarn, paper, fabric, or other materials)
    
  • Paintbrushes, paint, paper, and easel
    
  • Flags
    
  • Blocks, sticks, or other materials for elephants to move
    
  • Musical instruments 
• Day 9 - Hide
  • Variety of toy animals, such as elephants, monkeys, bears, and tigers
    
  • Play dough, trays, and play dough tools
    
  • Pretend animal foods (fruits, animals, and/or real leaves/grasses)
    
  • Pretend or real seeds, grass, plants, toy bones that can be mixed into the play dough 
• Day 10 - Play Dough Poop
  • ​ Variety of toy animals, such as elephants, monkeys, bears, and tigers
    
  • Play dough, trays, and play dough tools
    
  • Pretend animal foods (fruits, animals, and/or real leaves/grasses)
    
  • Pretend or real seeds, grass, plants, toy bones that can be mixed into the play dough
    
  • We provide: play dough recipe 
• Day 11 - Resident Population (game)
  • Cardboard, glue, and a paperclip to make the spinner
  • We provide: printable spinner
• Day 12 - Publishing
  • Paper, writing and drawing implements
    
  • Water-color paints, paint brushes, collage materials, or other visual art supplies
    
  • Photos you have taken during the activities
    
  • Recorder device (optional) or notebook to record each student’s words
    
  • Hole punch and yarn, or sheet protectors and a three-ring binder to bind the book
    

There is also a Bird Survey so students can track all the birds they spot as they participate in this mission.  Dr. Goodrich wants to know how diverse the bird population is so he's asked us to do a bird survey as we search for signs of a resident tiger population!

​That's where teachers come in.  It is critical that students know and understand the goals and begin to take action now.  Toward the end of 2016, four educators came together, met with officials at the United Nations and a movement was born. #TeachSDGs has grown over the last two years to over 300 ambassadors, and over 30,000 followers. Now it's your turn to take part.

Go2Science supports classrooms in addressing the SDGs to make a difference that extends outside the classroom.  While most of our previous Service Learning opportunities were already directly aligned with the SDGs, we are making it even easier by including the logo that corresponds to the goal right in the Service Learning area of each lesson. 

By simply using the vocabulary associated with the goals, our students will soon become well-versed in speaking about them, and more importantly taking action.  Here's to teachers and students around the world, working together, to improve the world by 2030!

We will have three new research adventures this school year!  Of course, you can use any of the existing missions at any time, but if you like to join us live we want to make sure you know when we'll be live.  We'll live stream on Tuesdays and Thursdays according the the schedule below. 
Mission: Thailand: Tigers!

• Selected pre-mission materials to teachers in August
• September 13 – Mission 1, week 1 materials to teachers
• September 17 – Live Stream Day 1
• September 19 – Live Stream Day 2
• September 20 – Mission 1, week 2 materials to teachers
• September 24 – Live Stream Day 3
• September 26 – Live Stream Day 4
• September 27 – Mission 1, week 3 materials to teachers
• October 1 – Live Stream Day 5
• October 3 – Live Stream Day 6
• October 4 – Mission 1, week 4 materials to teachers
• October 8 – Live Stream Day 7
• October 10 – Live Stream Day 8
• October 11 – Mission 1, week 5 materials to teachers
• October 15 – Live Stream Day 9
• October 17 – Live Stream Day 10
• October 18 – Mission 1, week 6 materials to teachers
• October 22 – Live Stream Day 11
• October 24 – Live Stream Day 12
• Publication page remains open for posting and commenting and this mission is listed as “current” until Mid-December

Mission: Kenya: Water!

• Selected pre-Mission materials to teachers in Mid to Late December
• January 4 – Mission 2, week 1 materials to teachers
• January 7 – Live Stream Day 1
• Tuesday/Thursday live streams continue (12 total)
• Friday materials deliveries continue (6 total)
• February 13 – Live Stream Day 12
• Publication page remains open for posting and commenting and this mission is listed as “current” until Mid-March

Mission: Stay tuned for location and topic info!

• Pre-Mission materials to teachers in late March
• April 3 – Mission 3, week 1 materials to teachers
• April 7 – Live Stream Day 1
• Tuesday/Thursday live streams continue (12 total)
• Friday materials deliveries continue (6 total)
• May 14 – Live Stream Day 12
• Publication page remains open for posting and commenting and this mission is listed as “current” until mid-summer

All the info above is also available on our FAQ page.