Integrating Writing in the Classroom

Trends Reading and writing are emphasized in education The big trend is to integrate reading and writing skills in ALL subject areas You need to look for ways to make sure these are integrated within your science classroom

Benefits of integrating writing There are several benefits to integrating writing – Students must think when they write, forcing them to be active learners – Writing strengthens understanding of topics – Allows students to make connections with prior learning

Writing process can force students to face and seek help with concepts that cause confusion Writing increases retention Writing enhances the development of science vocabulary Students improve upon writing skills as well as science knowledge Benefits of integrating writing

Let’s brainstorm…. Grab a partner and discuss ways you could use writing in your classroom. Come up with three ways

Ideas to integrate writing Begin class with a writing prompt that requires students to think They could summarize something they learned in a previous lesson, solve a problem based on prior learning, or speculate about a new topic that is being introduced.

Ideas to integrate writing Take an illustration, graph or diagram and have students write a couple of sentences about it. Have student evaluate science articles Keep a journal outlining procedures and findings – it’s like an ongoing laboratory log

Ideas to integrate writing Evaluate a seminar, lecture, or media presentation. You can show students a short video clip or have them listen to someone speak – whatever the case, ask then to write about it. Develop a letter to the editor of a scientific journal

Ideas to integrate writing Connect a writing activity with a picture book – Dogzilla Activity (located at writingfix.com) – Dogzilla Link Dogzilla Link Do a RAFT Writing – Digestive RAFT – RAFT at Writing Fix RAFT at Writing Fix Do a brochure – Body Systems Brochure

Integrating Picture Books in the Classroom

Picture Books One of the ways to teach concepts in the various school subjects is by incorporating and integrating children’s and young adult literature into the school curriculum. Literature can be used not only to introduce a topic, but also to convey information in a different way.

Benefits of Picture Books – Awakens the child inside each of us. Even middle school students love picture books. – Provides a new, creative, and imaginative way to approach a topic. This increases student motivation

Benefits of Picture Books – Provides a motivating introduction to complex curriculum topics. – This is great for struggling students. – They allow the teacher to move from the concrete “simple” examples before moving to the more abstract and complex examples.

Benefits of Picture Books – By using picture books, you can address more than one learning style (visual, written, and verbal) – Picture books make learning fun!!

It is important for students to produce some sort of artifact that correlates with the picture book Get with your partner and discuss some possible artifacts that could be created with a picture book

Examples of Artifacts – A reflection – Write to correct misconceptions (if they are any) – Classify the characters, objects, described in the book by different ways: size, color, shape, etc. Have students draw out the different classifications

Examples of Artifacts – Write down the facts presented in the story, then check with other sources to see if they are correct – Write a book review, newspaper article, or advertisements based on the science event in the book – Have students predict the outcome – do as a writing activity

Examples of Artifacts – Draw maps, diagrams, and charts based on the information provided in the book – Other ideas from Writing Fix.com – Picture Book Link #1 Picture Book Link #1 – Picture Book Link #2 Picture Book Link #2

Picture Book Activity Let’s enjoy Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs What can I do with this? What types of artifacts could I have students produce?

Your mission Your mission is to find a picture book that goes with your Unit Plan. You will develop a lesson that uses the picture book.

References Writing in Science – Reference – Taken from the Glencoe website located at