Name: Seeing the Moon Through Time: Cultural Memory and Science Meaning-Making in Children’s Picturebooks
Start: 2026-10-08T13:30:00-0400
End: 2026-10-08T14:00:00-0400

Seeing the Moon Through Time: Cultural Memory and Science Meaning-Making in Children’s Picturebooks

Thursday October 8, 2026 1:30pm - 2:00pm EDT

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Research in science and visual literacy shows that visual images are central to how learners construct scientific meanings and images of who does science, and that thoughtfully designed visual work can particularly support underrepresented students’ confidence and participation, making classrooms more inclusive and identity‑affirming (Christidou et al., 2023; Duque‑Arellano, 2018). This session explores how picturebooks set in diverse cultural contexts represent the moon and its phases, positioning these visual narratives as sites where cultural memory and scientific meaning-making intersect. Across time and communities, the moon has functioned as a powerful symbolic and narrative element, shaping how cultures remember, interpret, and explain natural phenomena through stories, traditions, lived experiences, and imaginations. By examining a curated set of picturebooks from different cultural traditions, this session analyzes how visual and textual elements construct culturally situated understandings of the moon.
While these representations may not always align with scientific explanations, they serve as cultural artifacts that reflect how knowledge is shaped through memory, imagination, and community-based ways of knowing. Drawing on visual literacy, we examine how images act as carriers of cultural memory while also mediating children’s meaning-making about scientific concepts.
The session also provides implications for science teacher education. We argue that culturally grounded picturebooks can support students’ science meaning-making by connecting disciplinary concepts with cultural narratives and prior knowledge. By situating representations of the moon within broader temporal and cultural contexts, this session highlights how images shape understandings of science, culture, and identity, and how educators can leverage these resources to foster more inclusive and meaningful learning experiences.

References
Christidou, V., Kallery, M., Pnevmatikos, D., & Valanides, N. (2023). Editorial: Visual images in science education. Frontiers in Education, 8, 1181754. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2023.1181754
Duque-Arellano, F. (2018, January 3). Visual interpretation in science – Strategies for English language learners. Intercultural Development Research Association. https://www.idra.org/resource-center/visual-interpretation-in-science/

Speakers

Dr. Xiaoning Chen

Associate Professor, ESL/Bilingual Education, National Louis University

Xiaoning Chen, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor of ESL/Bilingual Education at National Louis University. Dr. Chen has two decades of experience in language teacher education in the U.S. and internationally. Her research focuses on visual literacy, multicultural children’s literature... Read More →

Eun Kyung Ko

Professor, National Louis University

Eun Kyung Ko, Ph.D. is an educator and researcher committed to justice-focused, community-based, and culturally responsive teaching. Her work centers on preparing teachers to design meaningful, inclusive STEAM learning experiences for multilingual learners. She integrates AI as a... Read More →

Thursday October 8, 2026 1:30pm - 2:00pm EDT
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IVLA 2026 Charleston

Dr. Xiaoning Chen

Eun Kyung Ko

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IVLA 2026 Charleston

Dr. Xiaoning Chen

Eun Kyung Ko

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