The “Write” Way to Teach Science

1. The “Write” Way to Teach Science Sue Pearson, Co-Director The Center for Effective Learning Webinar: February 23, 2012

2. WHY THE FOCUS ON WRITING? SCIENCE WRITING STRATEGIES WELCOME The “WRITE” Way to Teach Science NEXT STEPS?

3. KEYPOINT ONE Intelligence Is A Function Of Experience We are not born intelligent—only with a capacity to be so. ©2012 The Center for Effective Learning; Susan Kovalik & Associates, Inc.

4. KEYPOINT TWO Learning is an inseparable partnership between the body and the brain: Emotion is the gatekeeper to learning and performance. ©2008 The Center for Effective Learning; Susan Kovalik & Associates, Inc.

5. KEYPOINT THREE There are multiple intelligences. ©2008 The Center for Effective Learning; Susan Kovalik & Associates, Inc.

6. KEYPOINT FOUR Learning is a two-step process: pattern detection and program building. ©2008 The Center for Effective Learning; Susan Kovalik & Associates, Inc.

7. Absence of Threat/ Nurturing Reflecting Thinking Mastery/Application Enriched Environment Bodybrain Compatible Elements Adequate Time Movement Immediate Feedback Sensory-Rich Being There Experiences Meaningful Content Choices Collaboration © Susan Kovalik & Associates, 2012

8. COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDS What’s the SCOOP?

9. CCSS-Grades K-5 Standards in reading in the subjects of history/social studies, science, and technical subjects are integrated into the K–5 ELA standards.

10. CCSS – Grades 6-12 The CCSS Science & Technology Subject Standards apply to grades 6-12. They are in literacy-not science content! http://www.corestandards.org/the-standards/english-language-arts-standards/science-technical/introduction/

11. KEY STANDARDS Basically, at all grades, these are the key standards: • Key ideas and details • Craft and structure • Integration of knowledge and ideas • Range of reading and level of text complexity

12. Why Write in Science? • Draws on prior knowledge • Shares current student knowledge and understandings • Helps students learn and share what they have learned • Develops vocabulary (ESL) • Fosters conceptual understanding • Evaluate knowledge and skills

13. What Can Teachers Do? • Ask all students to write in science every day • Expect all students to be successful writers in science • Provide writing tasks that go beyond recording and summarizing • Include writing prompts that help students structure their writing • Respond to writing with direct feedback about the science ideas

14. WRITING IN SCIENCE • Being a great science writer means not only being able to convey frequently complex ideas and theories: it also involves being able to write in a way that keeps readers, even those who aren't experts in the field, engaged and wanting to learn more about the subject. • It's a delicate balance to attain, but there have been many throughout the years who've managed to do it, though some with more grace than others.

15. Famous Scientist “Writers” • Charles Darwin • Isaac Newton • Galileo Galilei • Nicolaus Copernicus • Aristotle • Carl Sagan • Stephen Hawkings • Richard Feynman* • Albert Einstein • E. O. Wilson* • Richard Dawkins • Matt Ridley • James D. Watson • David Attenborough • Jane Goodall • Dian Fossey • Konrad Lorenz* • Rachel Carson • Stephen Pinker • Roy Chapman Andrews * Nobel or Pulitzer Prize Winners

16. HOW DO I START?

17. INFORMATIONAL TEXT is . . . • Text whose primary purpose is to convey information about the natural and social world • Text that typically has characteristic features such as addressing whole classes of things in a timeless way • Text that come sin many different formats, including books, magazines, handouts, brochures, CDs/DVDs, and the Internet.

18. READING INFORMATIONAL TEXT IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE . . . • Students increasingly differentiate among genres • Exposure to a variety of texts is key • Close relationship between what students are exposed to and the kind of writing they choose to write and are able to write well

19. BUILDING WRITING SKILLS THROUGH RESEARCH

20. Lesson #1: Recording Science Observations PREPARATION • Model observing and note-taking for the students (e.g. use a teddy bear) • Investigate color, texture, size, odor and share observations. • Teacher writes observations on poster paper/white board-save.

21. Lesson #1: Recording Science Observations Investigate the. . . • color (brown/tan/light brown) • bear’s size (about 12 inches) • texture-furry; soft; fuzzy; hairy • odor-sweet; soft; • Wearing clothes • Tattoo on upper paw • Amore

22. Lesson: Recording Science Observations THE PREPARATION: • Model how to take notes. • Ask selected children to do specific tasks (e.g. watering plant) while all other children describe what they observe. • Teacher writes their observations on chart tablet/white board for future use.

23. WRITING IN SCIENCE: STRATEGIES

24. 1. Science journals

25. K-W-U

26. O-W-L

27. SCIENCE JOURNALS • Develop informational writing skills • Encourage careful observation habits • Assist students in writing expansively about developing knowledge

28. SCIENCE JOURNALS • Observe • Record • Organize • Draw • Make inferences • Track ideas over time

29. Lesson: Recording Science Observations THE LESSON: • Read several informational text books on a topic (e.g., trees) • Take students out of the building to observe trees (being there) • Students write notes and make drawings of their findings. • Repeat several times. Share and compare notes.

30. Journal Prompts: Trees • What do you think is a tree? • How is it different from other plants? • What do you think a tree is made of? • What are the parts of a tree? • Draw a tree. • Why do you think trees are different shapes? • What different shapes of leaves did you find? • How has your tree changed since you first started observing it? • What can you tell me about a tree now?

31. Trees have different shapes • Square trees • Circle trees • Triangle trees • Rectangle trees

32. My Favorite Tree

33. Lesson:Taking Field Notes • Read several books on butterflies. • Go outside to observe butterflies • Alt: Raise butterflies in the classroom • Take observation notes in butterfly journal (movement, color, actions, etc.) • Include a scientific drawing of a butterfly • Compare your illustration to that in a science book

34. Example-Butterfly Investigate the. . . • Colors: black, dark orange, light orange • Size: about 2 inches tall; 2.5 inches wide • Body parts: 2 antennae, 3 pairs of legs, 2 wings, head, 2 part body • Texture: scaly, soft, brittle, • Movements: fly, land, rest, cling

35. Butterflies On the school playground I observed several different kinds of butterflies. I chose to observe the orange and black one that I first saw resting on a plant leaf. It rested there for a few minutes and then flew with some jerky movements to another plant where it landed on a pink flower. I saw the butterfly’s tongue come out of its mouth and go into the center part of the flower. Then it pulled it back out and flew away.

36. Example-Buckminsterfullerine Observe. . . • Cage-like fused ring structureTruncated icosahedron; 60 vertices; 32 faces • Carbon atom at the vertices of each polygon; bond across each polygon edge • Size: about 1.01 nanometers

37. HOT TOPICS SCIENCE JOURNAL Every week, each student selects a science article from an approved list of newspaper/journals. After reading the article they: • Highlight important information from the article • Attach it to the “Hot Topics” journal • Summarize the article’s points in writing • Write an additional paragraph about why they chose this article and how it is important to them/society • Circle five unfamiliar words and define them (vocab)

38. A valuable activity because. . . • Students self-select topics • Information updates textbooks • Provides practice in reading/writing skills In real-world materials • Students improve in determining what information is important in an article • Develops vocabulary • Improves communication skills as students discuss, share and compare articles

39. MY WORM JOURNAL Zoologist’s Name: ___________________________________________ Dates: From ________________________ To _____________________ Grade: ___________________________________________________

40. Worm Wonderings A Day in the Life of an Earthworm Pretend you are a real earthworm. How do you help the earth? What are some of your adaptations for living underground? What dangers do you face? What would a day in your life be like? ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________ My Own Worm Wonderings I wonder. . . I predict. . . I learned . . .

41. Damp or Dry? • Experiment • QUESTION: Do earthworms prefer damp or dry places? • PREDICTION: I think the earthworm will move to the damp/dry paper towel (circle one). • PROCEDURE: • Put two paper towels on opposite sides of the box. • Put two worms in the box and cover. • Observe the worms. Record the results using a  for each worm. • Repeat with two new worms. Earthworm Observations 1. Draw and color your earthworm in the box below. 2. An earthworm’s head is closest to the thickened part of its body, called the saddle. Label your earthworm’s head, tail and saddle in the box above. 3. An earthworm’s body is made up of rings, or segments , that let it bend. How many segments can you count on the earthworm in the jar? 10 20 30 40 50 >50 4. What does the earthworm do when you gently touch it? __________________________________ __________________________________________ 5. An earthworm has eight tiny bristles under each segment that act like little legs. They help it move. Gently place the worm on your arm. Can you feel the bristles? ______________________________ 6, Data Table Worm’s Response Trial #1 Trail #2 Damp paper towel Dry paper towel Conclusion: Do earthworms prefer damp or dry places? What is your evidence? ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ Length Width Feels Like cm cm 2. 3.

42. 2. OBSERVATIONS VS. INFERENCES

43. OBSERVATIONS vs. INFERENCES

44. Observation vs. Inference Charts OBSERVATIONS • Pair of footprints on surface approximately under the astronaut. • Astronaut’s feet are not on the ground. • Astronaut’s head is level with top of flag. INFERENCES • Astronaut jumped into space just before the photo was taken.

45. Observations vs. Inferences • Juan is not in school today. Yesterday he was coughing and sneezing. • Juan is out sick today. • The string got caught in the branches. • The balloon is in the tree. • Mark was playing in the snow without mittens but then came inside. • Mark came inside to get warm OR Mark came inside to get his mittens.

46. Comparing John Muir Rachel Carson • BOTH: • Authors of books • Protected the natural world • Worked to preserve/save the natural environment • Marine Biologist • Writer of radio scripts • Editor-in-chief: Fish & Wildlife Service • Fought for safety for human health and the environment • Inventor • Industrial Engineer • Argued correctly that glacial erosion that created Yosemite • Founder of Sierra Club • Woods, trails, mountains, glacier-all bear his name

47. 3. CLASS/SCHOOL SCIENCE NEWSLETTER

48. Mrs. Pearson’s Science ClassHawthorne Junior High School Issue 12 Students Work with Technology in the Classroom Last week in Mrs. Pearson’s class we got the opportunity to work with Microsoft PowerPoint. Our class did PowerPoint presentations on the stages of mitosis. It went so fast! We had the laptops during the week, too. This was a fun way to get ready for our cell test, this Friday, February 17th, while at the same time, strengthening our knowledge of cell division. Mitosis is the process by which cells reproduce. We were required to create 7 slides within the program. Each slide contained information about one of the phases of mitosis. We even created sketches of the cells dividing using Microsoft’s Paint. Our whole class had a great time learning new technology skills and preparing for our unit test! CELLS Students in Mrs. Pearson’s class will soon be ending their study of cells. The test will be on Friday, Feb. 17th. The test will include 47 regular questions and one bonus question. There will be one essay question, too. The test will cover the two main types of cells (plant and animal), cell organelles, cell functions, mitosis, and the order of structure that cells make up (cells, tissue, organs, etc. This will be a major test grade and will cover the content in chapter 9 in our science text book.

49. 4. ORGANIZING INFORMATION

50. Organizing Information