Writing in Science Made Simple: Engaging Strategies for Student Success, Part I Vocabulary & Building Background Knowledge Florida Association of Science Teachers Conference Kathleen Kopp Teacher on Special Assignment, Citrus County Schools Author and Presenter: Maupin House Publishing

Todays Objectives Review of CCSS ELA writing standards as they apply to science Phenomenal, easy-to-implement writing activities to help students learn essential vocabulary Fun, creative, and motivating writing strategies to start students thinking about what they already know. Engage thinking Build background knowledge

Resources for Science Teachers All these strategies and more in Everyday Content-Area Writing and Strategies for Writing in the Science Classroom (Maupin House Publishing, Inc.)

Comparisons Complete this thought: Writing in Science is like _____________________ because_________________________________________. Word Bank: storming a castlejet skiingmunching an apple shoppingNASCARa day at the beach

Analogies WRITING is to LEARNING IN SCIENCE as _____________________ is to __________________.

Writing Standards for Literacy in Science and Technical Subjects, gr. 6-8 StandardDescription Text Types and Purposes 1Write arguments focused on discipline-specific content. 2 Write informative/explanatory texts, including the narration of historical events. 3NA Production and Distribution of Writing 4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. 5 With some guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on how well purpose and audience have been addressed. 6 Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and present the relationships between information and ideas clearly and efficiently.

Writing Standards for Literacy in Science and Technical Subjects, gr. 6-8 StandardDescription Research to Build and Extend Knowledge 7 Conduct short research projects to answer a question (including a self- generated question), drawing on several sources and generating additional related, focused questions that allow for multiple avenues of exploration. 8 Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, using search terms effectively; assess the credibility and accuracy of each source; and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation. 9 Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis reflection, and research. Range of Writing 10 Write routinely over extended time frames (time for reflection and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.

Writing Strategies to Develop Science Vocabulary Mine, Ours, Theirs Frayer model Graphic organizers from Student-generated cloze (story, paragraph, or sentence)

Before Reading: Mine, Ours, Theirs PLATE TECTONICS The multi-million dollar seismic equipment was helpful. But, the geologist relied more on her understanding of plate tectonics to help predict the next major earthquake. My DefinitionMy Neighbors DefinitionGlossary Definition How these definitions compare______________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________

Before Reading: Mine, Ours, Theirs OBFUSCATION The senators continuous, disorganized, and irrelevant prattle left his fellow elected leaders in a state of obfuscation. My DefinitionMy Neighbors DefinitionGlossary Definition How these definitions compare______________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ Total confusion or opaqueness so as to be difficult to perceive or understand

Before Reading: Frayer Model DefinitionCharacteristics ExamplesNon-examples Obfuscation Total confusion or opaqueness so as to be difficult to perceive or understand Confusion Lost In a fog Ignorant TESOL Conference ?!?!?!?!?!?!?! Wise old owl My dad

Vocabulary Development Using Graphic Organizers

Vocabulary Cards Graphic Organizer

Vocabulary Word Cluster Graphic Organizer

Vocabulary Sketch Graphic Organizer

Cognitive Dictionary Graphic Organizer

Check for Understanding of Essential Terms: Cloze Have students write sentences, paragraphs, or stories using all their vocabulary words before or during learning. Collect the students work. Select the best sentences, paragraph, or story. Type them using a word processing program. Insert blank lines (_____________) for each vocabulary term. Provide copies of the cloze student activity sheet and terms. Have students complete this activity to assess their understanding of the vocabulary presented in the reading selection.

Choose one word. Write a sentence. Insert a blank line for your word. bacteria carbon dioxide decompose fixation energy nitrogen obfuscation process

Sample Cloze Dirk studied the alien life form on the autopsy table. Then, he turned his attention to the cells in the microscope. He was looking for the _____________ markers that made the beast look as it did. The unfortunate part was, he only had the one body to study. How was he going to determine the _____________ and _____________ traits of this species using only one sample? He had to identify the right _____________ sequences! He made notes about the pairs of genes, or _____________, he had identified so far. He set out to find victims related to his specimen to fall prey to his alien death hose. He would not stop until he discovered all there was to know about alien _____________. geneDNAallele dominantrecessive heredity

Writing Strategies to Engage Students and Build Background Knowledge PMI (Plusses, Minuses, and Interesting) Engage thinking with activities or investigations, articles, facts, short videos, pictures, guest speakers, or objects. Be sure students follow up by writing using I stems: What I did How I felt Where I was What happened to me How I felt Conversations (and written follow-up)

PMI YES _____ Pluto should be readmitted as a planet. NO _____ PLUSSESMINUSESINTERESTING

Engage Thinking with Pictures: What happened here? ObservationsInferences

Engage Thinking: Activity Hands-on investigation: How strong is your chocolate? Mechanical properties of matter Write procedures, data, and outcomes. Online interactive activity: Shape It Up Challenge students to identify the forces that shape the earths surface and the relative speed with which they act Write personal reflections comparisons, or summarize learning. Physical Activity: Go Bowling Write a story, A Day in the Life of a Bowling Ball. Brainstorming: Animals List animals, then compare their traits or characteristics.

Open Mind Making Connections Thinking Stems: I wonder… This makes me think about… This reminds me of… This relates to… I imagine I predict… I remember when…

Conversations (and written follow-up)

Write Now! Writing engages students thinking. Writing allows students to make predictions. Writing documents initial thoughts and ideas. Writing helps students acquire (internalize) essential vocabulary.

Thank you for spending time with me! Be sure to stay for Part II of Writing in Science Made Simple Use writing to bring meaning to learning Use writing to formally and informally assess students