Integrating Literature in Physical Education: Read-Alouds, Young Adult Literature and Graphic Novels

Abstract

Incorporating children’s and young adult literature in school curriculum has the ability to support academic learning across many disciplines, yet few examples exist effectively demonstrating how to integrate such literature into physical and health education classrooms. We offer several different examples of integrating children’s and young adult novels across multiple grade bands. We specifically describe how incorporation of picture books can support foundational reading skills and foundational psychomotor concepts and skills, young adult literature can thematically connect academic content to students’ lives, and graphic novels can support disciplinary content.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Corrine Wickens

Corrine Wickens ([email protected]) is a Professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, IL.

Jenny Parker

Jenny Parker is the Executive Director for Educator Licensure and Preparation and Associate Professor in Physical Education in the Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, IL.