Poetry and digital media for improving upper elementary African American science learning

ABSTRACT

This study aims to analyze a case study of the Digi-Stars Science Film Club, which focused on using poetry, and digital media to improve upper elementary African Americans’ science learning. Fourth and sixth grade students enrolled in an urban, parochial school took part in the club. Performance fluency skills of the students were measured before and after teaching sessions of digital storytelling, filmmaking, and guided, expressive reading of science plays, poems, songs, and raps. The results indicated that the creation of poetry with digital media projects improved students’ writing quality for ideas, organization, word choice, sentence fluency, and conventions. The digital storytelling improved the use of story elements and science vocabulary. Students’ digital stories demonstrated a steady progress in the elements of digital storytelling, media competency, and agency of students. Opportunities and challenges of implementing culturally responsive science pedagogy are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Elementary science teaching
• science poetry
• digital media
• African American youth

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.