AP Biology Students Present Self-Authored Science Books to Gayhead Students

This March marks a thrilling event for Gayhead Elementary School and John Jay High School as Mr. DiVittorio’s and Ms. McFarland’s AP Biology classes prepare for their annual trip to Gayhead Elementary. In this trip, these AP Bio students present their self-authored science-based books to the enthusiastic fifth and sixth graders, excited to hear these stories. This project aims to ignite a passion for science among the elementary school students—a passion that the biology students hope will set a foundation for their futures.

Inspired by a certified Master Teacher in New York State from Franklin Delano Roosevelt High School, who spearheaded a similar initiative with her math students, Ms. McFarland, affectionately known as MJ among her students, pioneered the "Bio Book'' tradition in 2016. Every participant, be it elementary or high school student, is brimming with anticipation to witness the fruits of their labor.

Reflecting on her own experience presenting a cell organelle-inspired story to the elementary schoolers, senior Priya Connelly, a current AP Biology student, said, “I loved all the questions they were asking, and the kids were really interested learning not only about what my book was about, but what my plans for college were relating to the science field.” 

Each book, crafted by various groups of AP Biology students, explains a distinct scientific concept at an elementary reading level. This year, the narratives cover a range of topics, from the journey of a blood cell through a vessel to the complexities of a leaf while going through the process of photosynthesis. Transformed into authors, these high school students wield full control over their narratives and the ultimate outcome of their books.

Senior Sara Khan said that she developed the idea for her book through her AP Biology class: “Since we discussed photosynthesis in our Bio class with MJ, I became very intrigued by it and wanted to explore this topic with the elementary students.” Senior Sharmin Alam added, “I started learning about the circulatory system in Mrs. Martire’s Anatomy and Physiology class, and I wanted to learn more about blood.”

The process of crafting these books unfolds through a series of carefully planned steps, each submitted for approval on Fridays during class. Following the selection of their topics, students begin a thorough examination of existing children’s science literature, reviewing their structure, illustrations, reading level, and demographic representation.

Addressing questions like "Can a child read the book alone, or must a parent read it to them?" and "Count the number of characters of each gender and make generalizations about what they are doing. What does this say about gender roles?" the student-authors identify elements they wish to incorporate into their own narratives.

Upon completing the review of relevant writings, the students craft outlines of their stories before diving into rough drafts. Ensuing rounds of revision, addition, and alteration refine their drafts until they achieve a representation of perfection.

The final copies of these books come in a variety of forms. Some are methodically handwritten, furnished with hand-drawn illustrations, while others are printed on copy paper garnished with photographs. Binders, folders, and scrapbooks serve as covers, while the internal content accentuates diverse formats from strictly non-fiction books to narratives with named characters and storylines. 

Final presentations occurred at Gayhead Elementary School on March 14th. The student-authors moved from class to class, reading their own stories and fielding questions regarding the contents of their books, as well as many unrelated subjects, such as whether they enjoyed mac and cheese or what countries they had traveled to. Ms. McFarland recognizes that it was an “exhausting but rewarding day,” as the elementary students look up to the high schoolers and form excited expectations of what they will learn in the years to come.

When asked about their favorite part of the day, the AP Bio students had a variety of answers, ranging from the actual reading of the book, to answering unrelated questions and seeing the excited looks on the students' faces, to playing on the Gayhead Elementary School playground like they were joyful and carefree kids one last time.